Good morning, Good afternoon,

Her Excellency, Tine Mørch Smith, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Norway;

Her Excellency, Sally Mansfield, Ambassador of the Permanent Representative of Australia;

Mr. Freddy Carrion, Incoming Chair of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions; Ms. Georgette Gagnon, Director of Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division of the UN Human Rights Office;

Colleagues and friends from National Human Rights Institutions and Regional Networks from around the world; UNDP and UN Office of Human Rights colleagues from around the world;

Partners from the broader UN system and development partners;

[ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED],

It is my pleasure to be here today and welcome you on behalf of UNDP, to the event on the human rights dimensions of COVID-19: the role and experiences of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs).

The global Coronavirus pandemic has been recognized by the Secretary-General as human, economic and social emergency that is ‘fast becoming a human rights crisis’.

NHRIs are playing a critical role in the socio-economic response and recovery from COVID-19 in countries around the world. UNDP is co-leading the UN’s socio-economic response at country level to the pandemic and NHRIs are recognized as vital actors in this UN framework approach which highlights the important function NHRIs have to support meaningful participation of marginalized and vulnerable groups in policy responses and monitoring places of detention.

In addition, we have seen the vital work NHRIs have been engaged in to advise governments, issue guidance, support vulnerable populations, address stigma and discrimination and support access to information. To date over 90 NHRIs across all regions have engaged in a variety of COVID-19 response activities.

I want to commend the work that NHRIs are doing in responding to the many human rights-related challenges that have arisen due to COVID-19 and we will hear more from NHRIs themselves in this event some of whom have benefited from UNDP support.  We know this work is ongoing whilst NHRIs themselves are also affected by COVID-19. Their ways of working have been disrupted and NHRIs have had to be increasingly innovative in fulfilling their broad mandates.

The early findings presented today of this jointly commissioned research will give us more insights into the opportunities and challenges faced by individual NHRIs in this challenging context and how we can effectively continue to support them to carry out their vital functions. Identification of trends and best practices, along with lessons learned will benefit other NHRIs and development partners.

Colleagues;

UNDP is proud to support national institutions in over 40 countries. We are working increasingly more closely together in supporting NHRIs including joint programming through our Tri-Partite Partnership with OHCHR and GANHRI - recognizing that NHRIs are critical actors both in COVID-response and to secure sustainable human development for the Agenda 2030. Indeed, the presence of a well-functioning and effective NHRI is an indicator of sustainable development.

I wish to emphasize the importance of the Tri-Partite Partnership in supporting NHRIs which aims to ensure closer cooperation between UNDP, OHCHR and GANHRI. Through working together to achieve greater coordination and increased joint programming we can ensure coherence, complementarity and a shared vision and platform for the support provided from the UN system. I would like to specifically acknowledge and thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway who support our Tri-Partite Partnership for their vital engagement and support.

UNDP will continue to provide strategic support to these vital institutions which play an indispensable role in national human rights systems and assist countries to ‘recover forward better’ from COVID-19.

I am pleased to open this event and I look forward to learning about the concrete recommendations and conclusions reached in your discussions.

Thank you.