A/HRC/17/24
Kosovo who had been affected by lead-poisoning, advocated their relocation to safer
conditions, and supported the special procedures mandate holders in monitoring the
situation. In October 2010, relocation was successfully completed, following combined or
separate actions of United Nations agencies, United Nations Interim Administration in
Kosovo, Kosovo institutions, the European Commission and bilateral donors.
23.
The OHCHR-Regional Office for Central Asia translated a number of international
human rights instruments and tools into national languages, including the Optional Protocol
to the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Basic principles and
guidelines on development-based evictions and displacement. The translations were printed
for further distribution among Government bodies, judges, NGOs, universities and United
Nations agencies.
24.
OHCHR continued raising awareness in the Russian Federation through the
reprinting and dissemination of ESCR-related publications, co-sponsoring human rights
promotional activities, and holding discussions with ombudspersons. In Moscow, OHCHR
contributed to the celebration of World Habitat Day with a presentation on the right to
adequate housing.
25.
In 2010, the OHCHR-Pacific Regional Office increased its engagement on human
rights and trade, and contributed to raising the profile of the link between human rights and
trade in the Pacific region, which impacts on a number of economic, social and cultural
rights. The Regional Office (RO) also assisted UNCTs in Fiji and Samoa with developing
and implementing a strategy on human rights with 14 Governments in the region. The RO
coordinated the finalization of a strategy on human rights prepared by a UNCT, which was
adopted in January 2010. Both strategies included the promotion of economic, social and
cultural rights. The strategy resulted in the issuance of invitations to visit to several special
procedures mandate holders by State authorities. The RO also supported the establishment
of the Pacific Humanitarian Protection Cluster, and has worked actively to increase its
membership. The RO, together with partners, provided training on protection in
emergencies in three countries, and supported human rights integration into plans in four
countries. The RO supported the creation of human rights protection working groups in
Samoa and Fiji, advocated for long-term displacement situations in Solomon Islands and
Papua New Guinea, and will release (in 2011) the report of a pilot study entitled, “Human
rights monitoring of persons internally displaced by the 2009 tsunami in Samoa”.
26.
In Papua New Guinea, OHCHR undertook an assessment mission on the right to
adequate housing in Port Moresby, Goroka, Madang and Lae in July 2010. The mission
team, made up of the regional representative for the Pacific, the HRA in Papua New Guinea
and a housing rights expert from headquarters, held consultations with relevant
Government officials at the national and local levels, and civil society organizations. In
each location, workshops were held to raise awareness among stakeholders of international
standards on the right to adequate housing, with particular focus on forced evictions. The
mission visited settlements in all of the cities to consult with victims of forced evictions and
people living in informal settlements. The findings were presented to UNCT, which has
since increased dialogue on the issue with the Government. A report including a proposal
for programming on forced evictions and the right to adequate housing from 2011 onwards
is being finalized. In December 2010, the HRA actively contributed to the organization of a
film festival and debates on, inter alia, ESCRs and the right to adequate housing. A large
portion of the audience was constituted by people living in informal settlements.
27.
Timor Leste is finalizing its National Strategic Development Plan for the next 10
years, following consultations in all sub–districts, and has set national priorities which are
in line with the Government’s commitment to furthering the MDGs, with a strong focus on
economic and social rights, in particular poverty eradication, food security, housing, water
and sanitation, and employment. In November 2010, at an OHCHR-funded event to
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