By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
BEIJING, China – China plans to issue its first national action plan to protect human rights, said the State Council Information Office. The action plan would cover aspects such as improving government function, expanding democracy, strengthening the rule of law, improving people’s livelihood, protecting rights of women, children and ethnic minorities and boosting public awareness of human rights, said a statement of the office.
According to the statement, the office and Foreign Ministry, joined by more than 50 departments, public associations and non-governmental organizations, including the country’s legislature, top political advisory body, Supreme Court, Supreme Procuratorate and the National Development and Reform Commission will draft the action plan. More than 10 human rights experts from key universities and academic institutions would form a group to advise the panel, the statement said. Once the plan was done, it would guide China in the development of human rights.
However, the government did not release the timetable of drafting and when the plan would be implemented. The government issued its first white paper on human rights in 1991, officially adopting the concept of “human rights” in its political strategy. Since then, it has issued 40 such documents, but never a State action plan in human rights. Dong Yunhu, vice-president and secretary-general of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said: “As the first of its kind, the plan will have a major impact on development of human rights.”
The Chinese government faces constant criticism from international rights groups for censorship and jailing peaceful dissidents and protesters, as well as rising demands from increasingly assertive citizens.
For more information, please see:
China Daily – Govt to draft plan on human rights – 5 November 2008
Reuters – China to issue human rights plan: official – 4 November 2008
XinHua – China to outline first national action plan to protect human rights – 4 November 2008
