Inter-ministerial Committee for Human Rights: fist plenary session, 9th December 2013

On December 9th 2013 ha been held the first plenary session of the Inter-ministerial Committee for Human Rights. The Committee, abolished in 2012 because of the "spending review", was reconstituted in September.
The session has been inaugurated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emma Bonino, who highlighted how the Committee will continue with renewed impetus to stimulate awareness of the competent national authorities for the adjustment of the commitments made at the international level.
During the session the activities of the Committee have been presented and have been considered the main deadlines in 2014, with a focus on the national dimension of the protection of human rights. Minister Bonino called for a strengthening of the defense of human rights especially on key issues such as: the introduction of the crime of torture, the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection from Enforced Disappearance, the strengthening of the Office national Racial Discrimination (UNAR), the compilation of the National Plan on racism and the National Plan in the field of childhood and adolescence, the contrast discrimination, including that based on sexual orientation, the protection of Roma and Sinti; overcrowded prisons, independence of the judiciary and the administration of justice, freedom of expression.

The work of the Committee also focused on the launch, scheduled for October 2014, of the Universal Periodic Review of Italy by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations and the preparation of the Common Core Document, crucial to the overall presentation of the Italian system.
It has been also discussed the debate , in the frame of the Italian Presidency of the European Union, the Government intends to promote on topics such as integrated management of migration flows , integration, the fight against discrimination, equality of treatment. It has been discussed, finally, the outreach action of the Committee to civil society, in particular as regards to issues such as environmental sustainability, human rights education, protection of cultural heritage.