Excessive Commissioner Volker Türk mentioned, from the capital Ouagadougou, that his native workplace had been “participating intensely with the authorities, civil society actors, human rights defenders, UN companions and others on most of the multifaceted human rights challenges” the nation faces following a coup in January 2022 that noticed Captain Ibrahim Traoré assume energy.
Solidarity go to
“I got here right here to precise my solidarity with the individuals of Burkina Faso at this tough time and to have interaction on the human rights state of affairs on the highest stage,” mentioned Mr. Türk.
The UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk addresses the media on the finish of his go to to Burkina Faso.
He expressed gratitude to Captain Traoré, in his position as President of the transition, including that they’d held in-depth and wide-ranging discussions “on the grave safety state of affairs”, the humanitarian disaster in addition to local weather change and environmental degradation.
Additionally they mentioned shrinking civic area, “inequalities, the necessity to forge a brand new social contract and on making certain inclusive participation of all Burkinabe within the transition course of” again to civilian rule.
Describing the struggling of Burkinabe as “heartbreaking”, the pinnacle of OHCHR mentioned there are 2.3 million people who find themselves meals insecure, greater than two million individuals internally displaced and 800,000 youngsters out of faculty.
In all, round 6.3 million out of a inhabitants of 20 million persons are in want of humanitarian help.
Falling off the agenda
“But, it has slipped off the worldwide agenda and the assets made out there are completely inadequate to answer the dimensions of individuals’s wants,” mentioned Mr. Türk.
Simply final 12 months, OHCHR documented 1,335 violations and abuses of human rights and humanitarian legislation, involving not less than 3,800 civilian victims.
“Armed teams have been chargeable for the overwhelming majority of violations towards civilians in incidents involving greater than 86 per cent of the victims. Safety of civilians is paramount. Such wanton violence should cease and the perpetrators held accountable.”
He mentioned he understood the grave challenges confronted by safety forces and had been “inspired by assurances that steps are being taken to make sure their conduct absolutely complies with worldwide humanitarian and worldwide human rights legal guidelines”.
The transition now must proceed “rooted in human rights”, he mentioned, calling on the worldwide group to not lose sight of the widespread wants in Burkina Faso.
