Category: Human Rights

10 December this year marks the 74th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). While much progress has been achieved on human rights protection during these years, the very same promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of dignity and equality in rights are constantly under threat.
To remind us of the current relevance and legacy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ahead of the 75th Anniversary celebration next year, on 10 December 2022 – Human Rights Day – the United Nations (UN) will launch the year-long campaign “UDHR 75: Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All”. As the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, put it, the year-long campaign seeks to regain the centrality, universality, and indivisibility of human rights, and to shift the needle of understanding and action towards greater knowledge of the Declaration and universal human rights standards.
What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
On 10 December 1948, the Member States of the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the UDHR, a cornerstone document centred on the fundamental belief that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. After the end of World War II, which devastated large parts of Europe and Asia, the international community vowed to never allow such atrocities and cruelty to ever happen again. To this end, the UN were established in 1945, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted just three years later, with the aim to protect and promote fundamental rights and freedoms. Through the Declaration, world leaders strongly reaffirmed their commitment to uphold “fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women” and confirmed their determination to “promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”
Member States representing all humanity in its different political, legal, religious, and cultural backgrounds participated in the drafting of the Declaration. As its names goes, the Declaration is universal: this means that it applies to all people, in all countries around the world, at all times. In its comprehensive coverage, the UDHR outlines 30 universal rights and freedoms that belong to all and cannot be taken away. These rights and freedoms encompass all aspects of our daily lives and those of our families: the right to education, the right to health, the protection and promotion of which has become evident during the COVID-19 pandemic; but also, the right to life, to liberty, to privacy, to seek and receive information, and to be free from any form of discrimination.
In the decades since its adoption, the Declaration has become a global road map for freedom and equality, and for protecting the rights of every individual, everywhere; it has been accepted by all UN– and thereby also EU Member States –as international customary law and become one the most translated documents in the world, including into Lao. This speaks to its universality and centrality still today.
The breadth of civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights covered by the Declaration has served as the foundation for the associated legally binding international human rights treaties, among others the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which together are known as the International Bill of Human Rights.The Declaration has inspired the current international human rights system, by guiding the creation of clear benchmarks for universal human rights standards that all Governments are encouraged to translate into rights-based domestic legislation and policies, which are essential to achieve sustainable development for all.
To date, Lao PDR has ratified seven of the nine core international human rights treaties and has committed to take steps towards full ratification, including of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the International Convention for the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families in the years to come. The 2015 Constitution of the Lao PDR enshrines the Declaration’s principles by recognizing the need for protection and promotion for many fundamental rights and freedoms. The UN and the EU, and other development partners, reinforce their commitment to support the Government of the Lao PDR and civil society to achieve full ratification and internalize human rights standards into domestic legislation, with a view to build an inclusive, and sustainable society grounded in the respect of rights.
How can the UDHR support the realization of sustainable development in the Lao PDR?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is inextricably tied to sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the global community with a roadmap towards inclusive development that is strongly anchored in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent international human rights treaties, in that “it seeks to realize human rights for all”. The SDGs, much like human rights, are people-centred, universally applicable, and indivisible. The principles of equality and non-discrimination, which are enshrined in the UDHR, also lie at the heart of the 2030 Agenda and the promise by State leaders in 2015: to Leave No One Behind.
Human rights and the SDGs also mirror each other: the right to education is reflected in SDG 4; the right to health in SDG 3; the right to work in SDG 8; the right to justice in SDG 16, and so on. The right of all groups, including the most vulnerable, to be included and participate meaningfully in development and decision-making processes are key elements of both the sustainable development and human rights agendas.
The Lao PDR, like other countries around the world, is battling negative economic consequences of COVID-19. In addition, the severe impacts of the recent global food, energy, and financial crises are likely to exacerbated chronic challenges, lead to increased inequalities and to a potential retrogression in SDG achievements. The UN and the EU stand ready to support the Government and civil society to tackle these challenges together, through upholding the values and rights enshrined in the Declaration, and in the human rights instruments that the Lao PDR has ratified, employing a human rights-based approach to sustainable development, and promoting protection, inclusion, and participation of vulnerable groups to all dimensions of life.
The UN and the EU, along with other development partners, offer their continued support to the Government of the Lao PDR to enhance the protection of human rights, including through the implementation of recommendations received during the last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and now included in the National Action Plan for the Implementation of UPR recommendations, as well as recommendations received during recent and upcoming interaction with Human Rights Treaty Bodies, including: the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Committee on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Right. Implementing such recommendations offer a concrete opportunity to put the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into practice.
Why is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights still relevant today, after 75 years?
Our countries and communities are facing new and ongoing challenges that jeopardise these rights, including pandemics, conflicts, increased inequalities, and discrimination, raising poverty, increasing migrations, and the threats posed by climate change, environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity.
Guided by the values and rights enshrined in the Declaration, Governments must employ a human rights-based approach to address these challenges, including the pandemic, racism, discrimination, violence, and climate change. The basket of rights covered by the Declaration, including civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights must serve as a guidepost for States’ collective actions that do not leave anyone behind and must serve as foundation for Building Back Better. During these uncertain times, Government, communities, businesses, individuals, and all stakeholders are called upon to uphold the core principles of universal, indivisible, and interdependent human rights, with a view to achieving freedom from want, freedom from fear, and a healthy environment for everyone, without discrimination.
The UDHR 75 campaign strives to increase global knowledge and awareness of the UDHR and its enduring relevance for our times and for the future. It aims to promote attitude and behavioural change, by establishing that human rights are never relative and must always be upheld as what unites humanity – across nations, across communities and among people. Finally, the campaign seeks to empower and mobilize support around human rights values and principles, offering concrete knowledge and tools to help people understand how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights applies to the assurance of a peaceful and sustainable development for all and that leaves no one behind.

Source: Lao News Agency

The board members of Legacies of War and its community partners visited the Lao PDR to review efforts to remove unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the Southeast Asian country.
The Legacies of War team visited Laos during Nov1-19, 2022.
“Legacies of War is an educational and advocacy organization working to address the impacts of American Secret War in Laos and military conflicts in the Southeast Asian region, including removal of UXO. We raise awareness of the history of bombardments carried out during the Secret War in Laos, advocate the healing of the wounds of war, and bring better hopes for a future of peace,” Executive Director of Legacies of War, Ms Sera Koulabdara told to media on Nov 9.
Ms Sera Koulabdara and her team visited Xieng Khuang, Savannakhet, Champassak, and Luang Prabang to evaluate UXO clearance efforts in the provinces.
“UXO problem has been in existence for a long time; too many innocent lives have been lost; too many farmers and children have been disabled; and their lives have been changed forever. But it is not too late to stop this senseless suffering,” said Ms Sera Koulabdara.
“As a child in Laos, I was taught to walk on well-worn paths to avoid unexploded bombs left over from the Secret War. This tragic legacy must end so that people can live a new life,” said Ms Sera Koulabdara.
Since founded in 2004, Legacies of War has received increasing UXO clearance funding from the US government, from US$1.3 million in 2004 to US$40 million in 2021, and US$45 million in 2022.
“In 2016, we worked in close partnership with President Obama’s team on this issue, and he recognized our founder during his historic trip to Laos when he announced a three-year-US$90-million commitment. We will continue working to ensure that the United States sustains funding for Laos until the problem is over,” she said.

Source: Lao News Agency

The Ministry of Technology and Communications and Thai Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) on November 7 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in post, digital technology infrastructure, information and communication technology, and e-commerce in the next eight years.
The accord also includes the exchange of information on achievements, progress and development plans in joint development projects to increase operational efficiency and mutual potential.
Thai Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said the MoU would deepen the partnership between the two countries based on equality, reciprocity and mutual benefits.
The two countries will organise visits and meetings as well as the exchange of technical experts, and support startups through exhibitions, training programmes, workshops and seminars, the minister affirmed.
The agreement will see the cooperation start from the date of signing for five years with an automatic extension of three years.

Source: Lao News Agency

Every year in the month of October the international community commemorates, World Food Day. It is a celebration of the birth of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It is also a day for raising and maintaining global attention and commitments on eliminating hunger, reducing food Insecurity and malnutrition for the marginalized population around the world.
The issue of food Insecurity has become especially acute this year, when the global food system is reeling from the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change events and geopolitical conflicts. These global-scale events have shaken the foundations of the worldwide food systems, disrupting the global trade in food; disturbance in the long-running agricultural practices, facing challenges of shifting weather patterns and unprecedented hiccups in the supply of inputs; and over stretched logistical and distribution systems. As a result, the world is facing a massive increase in food insecurity. The year 2021 added 150 million people to the category of food insecure.
The unprecedented scale of the humanitarian crises has placed a huge pressure on global resources, forcing the international community to make heartbreaking decisions; having to prioritize between more hungry and less hungry people, a distinction which should not be made.
The realization that increasing productivity does not automatically decrease, nutritional deficiency, is emerging as a new and critical challenge
With these challenges in mind, FAO hosted The World Food Forum (WFF) to brainstorm for solutions for food security in the wake of climate change. The content of discussions during the Forum focused on leveraging scientific and innovative solutions for a healthy planet. Significant time of the forum was devoted to Hand-in-Hand Investment forum in Rome, on October 18-19. The forum showcased agricultural investment opportunities of 20 food insecure countries, including the Lao PDR. The audiences were the private sector, multilaterals, and development partners.
“We are providing a platform to bring together Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment to ensure we have open accessible finance as a key enabler needed for national transformation plans led by countries to achieve the SDGs,” noted FAO Director-General QU Dongyu.
The Lao PDR delegation at the FAO Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum was led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr. Thongpath Vongmany, who joined the FAO Representative to present the country’s case for investment.
The Lao PDR presentation generated a lot of interest from potential investors and yielded commitments from several private sector companies and multilaterals. Specifically, in the areas of expanding country’s irrigation system and farm-to-market access; production id high value Haas avocado and vanilla; and in meat processing. There was significant interest in animal feed production.
While this has been a great success for the Lao PDR, the real achievement depends on the continuous engagement of the donor community in the country’s agriculture sector.
To provide a solid platform for private-sector investment, the international donor community needs to continue helping Lao PDR to bridge near-term food shortages, improve enabling environment and fuel a long-term transformation in the agricultural sector. We need to focus our attention and scarce resources on the solutions that would bring the greatest return by addressing systemic shortcomings, like shortages of inputs for the upcoming winter plantation, the country’s resilience to climate change events, and improvements in the national policies, infrastructure and production systems.
FAO is doing its part by helping the most vulnerable communities by bridging the gaps in food production, strengthening the country’s agro-meteorological systems, boosting animal health systems, facilitating initiatives to bring investments in agricultural production and processing systems in the north of the country.
As the nations across the world are struggling to face the multiple challenges to their food systems, it is more important than ever that we make smart choices when investing limited funds. We need to make sure that we don’t just feed the hungry today but introduce sustainable solutions that will enable countries in need, to produce sufficient amounts of quality, nutritious food to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030.

Source: Lao News Agency

Hongsa Power Company has awarded five scholarships to three districts of Hongsa, Ngeun, and Xienghone, Xayaboury Province under the Local Scholarship Student Program (LSSP) for 2022 academic year.
The hand-over ceremony was held on Oct 29 in Hongsa district, Xayaboury Province. The scholarships contribute to human resource development in the rural area of Hongsa, Ngeun, and Xienghone district, Xayaboury Province.
The Local Scholarship Student Program (LSSP) is a scholarship program by Hongsa Electricity Co., Ltd. which is held in accordance with the obligation to comply, and development quality of life and the surrounding society therefore attaching importance to youth development, which will be an important force in the development of the country and the nation in the future.
Hongsa Power has been awarding scholarships to local students since 2010 until now total more than 470 scholarships.

Source: Lao News Agency

Attapeu province’s Laos and Kontum province’s Vietnam have recently signed a raising cooperation agreement on forest management along border.
The agreement was signed by Mr. Phet Thanongsack Khamkhounvong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Attapeu province, Mr. Pham Xuan Kan, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kontum Province in the presence of both side officials.
Two sides have exchanged reports and evaluated the performances of memorandum of understanding on management and protection of forests along common border of the two provinces, especially non-forest products and wild plants have been special attention by many sectors, including the local authorities.Attapeu Forestry Inspection Team has reported that more than 43,422 cubic meters of products made by wood exported to Vietnam and seized 289 kg of wild animal parts.

Source: Lao News Agency