Guest of Honour,Members of the Board of Directors, management and Staff of the Legal and Human Rights CentreDistinguished guests,Ladies and Gentlemen
Let me start by congratulating the Legal and Human Rights Centre, its management and staff to the new premises that are inaugurated today. I hope the new premises will further inspire you in your important mission.
I have been requested to say a few words in my capacity as a representative of one of several governments supporting your work.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. In principle all states and most individuals would agree with that. In practice however, we can see how this fundamental human right is being neglected daily. It’s therefor inspiring to see how the human rights movement in Africa and elsewhere takes on this battle daily, and that they are successful in advancing the democratic space in our societies. As a representative of the countries that support the Legal and Human Rights Centre – Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden – I wish to congratulate the Legal and Human Rights Centre for your advocacy work. It makes you a leading voice in Tanzania when it comes to the advancement of peoples’ rights. May you thrive in your new premises and continue your important endeavours.
Many Governments, including the Governments of Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, believe human rights go hand in hand with development. Human rights are universal, and apply throughout the world, irrespective of country – rich or poor - culture or specific situation. They apply to everyone, without distinction. States which violate human rights sometimes defend themselves by claiming that special conditions that exist in their countries legitimise the setting aside of international norms on human rights. They refer to local traditions, religious requirements or that the level of development is far too low. We do not accept this form of argument. Human rights are no luxury for rich nations only. Even the poorest individual has his or her individual, unalienable rights. I believe everyone on this earth wants to send their children to school, to say what they think, to vote in free elections, not to be tortured, not to be imprisoned without cause and without receiving a fair trial.
This is why my Government has mainstreamed human rights into the development cooperation programmes internationally and into its comprehensive foreign policy. Human rights are a central element in our governments’ relations with other countries including our development partnership with Tanzania.
Being poor is being denied of one’s human rights, and regardless of what definition we give of poverty, it is closely related to human rights. If you don’t get proper education or access to information, then you don’t know your rights. If you don’t know your rights, you don’t claim them. If you don’t claim your rights, you fall easily prey to injustice.
The job of an NGO in a developing country is to be relevant to poor people who lack the power and resources to claim their rights. This is the basis for our support to you and we are pleased about what you achieve. You have created a role for yourselves in Tanzanian society where you can assist individuals and groups having their rights respected, and the Government makes progress in this field. You manage to play a constructive role, in partnership with the Government, and this is how a good NGO should operate: to be on the citizens’ side and to cooperate with the established structures and the state system to make progress together.
You provide legal aid, for example through the assistance of individuals who complain to the Commission on Human Rights and Good Governance, you train state organs such as the Police in Human Rights, you engage in the fight against corruption and you advocate against Female Genital Mutilation and for Tanzania’s adherence to the Convention Against Torture. I would like to commend the Centre for its Tanzania Human Rights Report 2003, that I have read with interest.
Tanzania stands at important crossroads. Next year’s election could be the first free and fair elections in the country’s new multiparty era. For this, we see voters’ education and the establishment of a Permanent Voters’ Register as crucial. We hope that the Legal and Human Rights Centre could lend its advocacy tools for this purpose. We would like to encourage you to continue on your path towards greater respect for human rights in Tanzania, and wish you every success in your future work in these your new premises.
Thank you very much