Gladys D.

Macapagal Human Rights Law Commissioner Sarmiento

Summary on Preventive Mechanisms In The Field Of Human Rights

Monitoring, investigative administrative and judicial mechanisms must be coupled with and
supported by proactive and preventive arrangements and processes designed to develop a healthy
awareness of and respect for the indivisibility and interdependence of human rights, in order to combat
human rights violations. Today, this role is provided by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights.

This office was established by the UN General Assembly on December 20, 1993 after the World
Conference on Human Rights.

Other institutions which protects and promotes human rights are national human rights
institutions and non-governmental organizations. A national human rights institution is an organization
that has been established by national governments. On the other hand, a non-governmental
organization is an association of citizens with demonstrated capacity to promote the public interest and
with identifiable leadership, membership, and structure.

The principles relating to the status and functioning of national institutions, knows as the “Paris
Principles”, were adopted by the UN General Assembly. The Principles call for national institutions to
promote and ensure harmonization of national legislation, regulation and practices with international
human rights instruments, the ratification of international human rights instruments and the
formulation of human rights education programme and take part in their execution.

In both institutions, it is said that human rights education plays a proactive role in promoting
respect for human rights.
Gladys D. Macapagal Human Rights Law Commissioner Sarmiento

What I Suggest As A New Human Rights Mechanism Or Writ That Should Be Included In Proposed New
Constitution

The proposal of a Federal Constitution in our country stimulates the fear of the people of
separatism. Laws will be different on each state which will greatly affect human rights. The whole
spectrum of human rights must be protected. Civil and political rights, social, economic and cultural
rights as well as solidarity rights. The basic rights like the freedom of speech, assembly and movement,
religion and political freedoms must be protected and should not depend on the variety of the States.

Also, important bodies such as the Commission on Human Rights must be protected. Such
institution shall be entrenched in the new constitution with enhanced powers.