Permanent Mission of India, Geneva
29th Session of the Human Rights Council
(15 June – 3 July 2015)
Agenda Item 5: General Debate
(June 25, 2015)
Thank you Mr. President,
1. My delegation welcomes the Social Forum meeting held this year in February 2015 that focused on the critical issue of access to medicines.
2. According to WHO, health care costs is the leading cause of induced poverty pushing nearly 150 million people into impoverishment every year. A major reason for this is the skyrocketing cost of medicines. The challenge of access to affordable medicines is no longer limited to the poor communities in developing countries or to the so-called neglected diseases. It is effecting communities in the global North as well, stretching the health budgets of all governments and impacting treatment to widespread diseases like hepatitis and cancer.
3. In this context, it was timely for the Social Forum to deliberate on this issue in an open and candid manner and provide an opportunity for diverse stakeholders to highlight principle challenges to access to medicines and also come up with some useful recommendations. We agree with its conclusions that access to affordable medicines involves core human rights obligations and welcome its recommendation that measures that create barriers to public access to medicines such as those that impose TRIPS plus provisions in trade agreements, must be regarded as violation of human rights obligations.
Mr. President,
4. My delegation recognizes and fully supports Social Forum as a unique space for an open dialogue among Member States, intergovernmental organizations and civil society including grass root organizations to deliberate on the social dimensions of the human right challenges we face based on principles of social justice, equity and solidarity. We thank the delegation of Cuba for sustaining this initiative in this Council.
Mr. President,
5. The Special Procedures play an important role in facilitating genuine dialogue and strengthening the capacity of Member States for the promotion and protection of human rights. We reiterate the importance of Special Procedures to carry out their tasks in accordance with their mandates and the Code of Conduct as stipulated in Resolution 5/2. We share the concerns expressed by many delegations on attempts to reinterpret the Code of Conduct and diverge from their core mandates.
6. The need for full transparency in the funding of the special procedures was underscored in UNGA Resolution 65/281 (para 34) that reviewed the functioning of the Human Rights Council. We reiterate the importance of ensuring equitable distribution of financial resources and meeting the minimum standard of professional support for all mandate holders through a transparent process.
7. With a view to promote transparency, we had requested in the past that the OHCHR initiate steps to require mandate holders to make full disclosure to the Council of all forms of support, including funding and any conditions attached to them, that they receive from sources other than the Office. We reiterate our request and encourage the Office to take up measures consistent with the Code of Conduct that reinforce the trust and confidence of Member States in the Special Procedures Mechanism.
Thank you Mr. President.
