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Sri Lanka co-sponseres resolution on Human Rights and Climate Change

The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva

28th March 2008

Sri Lanka suggests the inclusion of climate change as a rights issue during the year-long campaign launched to celebrate the 60th anniverssary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Statement by Mr. O.L. Ameerajwad, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva under item 3 before the adoption of the draft Resolution on Climate Change and Human Rights at the seventh session of the Human Rights Council on 28 March 2008.

Mr. President,

My delegation takes this opportunity to thank the delegation of the Maldives for introducing this important and urgent initiative. Sri Lanka is one of the main co-sponsors of this draft Resolution.

Climate change is a global problem and the world's poor are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, in particular those concentrated in high-risk areas. Climate change threatens the human rights of millions of people who are at risk of losing access to housing, food, clean water and education, even their very right to life is under threat. Therefore, Mr. President, my delegation considers this initiative as a timely one and this issue needs the Council's urgent attention.
Sri Lanka has been actively contributing to the UN initiatives in dealing with the climate change issue. The Government of Sri Lanka established a seperate Ministry for Disaster Management and Human Rights which is firmly committed for the protection of the community from disasters, while promoting and protecting of Human Rights of the Community. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights is looking forward to contributing to the study on the relationship between climate change and human rights - a study that the draft Resolution encourages states to contribute to.
Mr. President,

We are preparing to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year. A year-long campaign has been launched under the theme 'Dignity and justice for all of us'. It is, therefore, particularly important to include climate change also as a rights issue in this campaign to make sure that vulnerable communities, who are suffering from the effects of climate change, enjoy dignity and justice.

Thank you.

www.lankamission.org (c)

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