[WSIS CS-Plenary] statement by High Commissioner for Human Rights to WSIS, 11 Dec

[Rik Panganiban]

Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights

World Summit on the Information Society

Statement by
Mr. Bertrand Ramcharan
Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights

PALEXPO, Geneva

11 December 2003
(10.00 p.m.)



Contact person: 	Osamu Shiraishi
Telephone: 022-917-9282
Fax: 022-917-9010
e-mail:



Original language: English

(Please check against delivery)
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am honored to address the World Summit on the Information Society, 
the Summit where world leaders have gathered to set a path in this area 
for the future of the global community.

With the emergence of the Information Society the world is going 
through profound changes which have the potential to substantially 
transform our lives and the lives of future generations. We seek to 
build an Information Society where people and individuals are placed at 
its centre, where human dignity is firmly upheld and where human rights 
are recognized as its guiding principles. How can we best ensure that 
these principles are reflected in an Information Society? How can we 
make  best use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), 
which are the vital tools and building blocks in this endeavor? These 
questions await our answer, our commitment and  our concerted action.

Throughout the preparatory process for this World Summit, we have heard 
about and discussed international human rights standards. These 
standards have been developed on the basis of the United Nations 
Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and constitute a 
set of internationally adopted norms, relevant to all spheres of life. 
I want to reaffirm these standards today in particular in the context 
of formulating our common vision of the Information Society.


Mr. President,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We all should be concerned about the potentially negative impact that 
the dramatic advances in telecommunications, broadcasting and other 
forms of information and communication technologies could have on human 
rights. Rapid advances in surveillance and security technologies can 
have a chilling impact on freedoms of expression and association and 
new technologies can also be used to restrict access to information. At 
the same time, and with due regard to the freedom of expression, 
governments surely have an interest in seeking to prevent the 
dissemination of hate and racist messages, child pornography and other 
abuses of human dignity.

These issues remind us of the serious responsibility of those who have 
the means, power and authority to ensure that technologies are applied 
for the promotion and protection of human rights and human dignity.

Let us remember that information and communication technologies are not 
only means of exchanging and disseminating information, but crucial 
tools to improve the enjoyment of human rights such as the freedom of 
expression, the right to seek, receive and impart information; the 
right to privacy; the right to an adequate standard of living; the 
right to education; the right to health; and the right to development.

The principle of non-discrimination demands universal access by all to 
information and services as an overall goal. All individuals, 
communities and peoples should be able to enjoy full and equal 
membership in the Information Society of the future. These technologies 
can bring enormous benefits to people in developing countries or 
countries in economic transition, and make government more accessible, 
transparent and democratic. Information and communication technologies 
can also preserve cultural diversity and multilingualism, and support 
marginalized and vulnerable groups-including migrants, refugees, 
children, persons with disabilities, the elderly and people living in 
rural areas. Such technologies can also accommodate the special needs 
of girls and women and be used as a tool to promote gender equality.


In my Human Rights Day message of yesterday, I pleaded for the world of 
the Universal Declaration to become reality for all the world’s 
peoples.  I pleaded for democracy, the rule of law, and for justice. 
Today, I join all of you to renew our commitment to building an 
equitable, participatory, democratic Information Society where all are 
free from fear, from want and from prejudice and fully enjoy his or her 
human rights.

Thank you.
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  Rik Panganiban             email: rikp at bluewin.ch
  Special Adviser            Mobile: +41 76 473 3274
  World Federalist Movement  www.wfm.org
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