Robinson’s voice must be heard

IN her role as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, former Irish President Mary Robinson has never shirked taking on major world powers in her relentless pursuit of justice.

In characteristic manner, she has now come out strongly against America’s bid to dominate the proceedings of the World Development Summit in Johannesburg.

Amid growing fears that key agreements will not be ready before heads of state arrive next week for what should be the climax of the meeting, she has underlined the vital links between poverty and human rights as essential ingredients of sustainable development.

Mrs Robinson is openly critical of the naked attempt by big business to become a focal point of the global campaign to tackle poverty and environmental issues through public-private partnerships.

While such ventures can be positive and practical, serious questions arise over the accountability of hugely powerful transnational corporations. Indeed, there are already worrying signs that the world is becoming increasingly reliant on big business in addressing the environmental and poverty issues.

As emphasised by Mrs Robinson, there must be increased monitoring of such groups if they are to play a genuine role in tackling the issues being discussed at the summit.

Mainly driven by US interests, a key element of the philosophy now emerging would see major corporations becoming increasingly involved in development projects.

Going on past experience, profit will be the motivating factor behind this approach. It is patently obvious that big business will only become involved in poverty and environmental issues if there is money to be made.

Environmentalists remind us that it would be folly to ignore the trail of destruction left by irresponsible corporations in developing countries.

In a cynical exercise as the world’s biggest polluter, and having already pulled out of the Kyoto protocol on greenhouse gasses, America is now seeking to dominate the final phase of the summit in South Africa.

According to informed observers, US delegates are attempting to water down deadlines for action on key issues. At the same time, they are determined to promote the interests of big business in public-private ventures.

As Mrs Robinson warns, America and other countries are intent on squeezing out the language of human rights from the summit’s final text which will be finalised before world leaders sign off on the work of the summit.

In the language reiterated by Mrs Robinson, human rights must be focused on the individual and so poverty will only be eradicated when individuals have the right to food, clean water, shelter, health and access to work opportunity.

Having been edged out of her UN job by American opposition to her policies, it is refreshing that Mrs Robinson has not been cowed by her sojourn at the UN. On the contrary, her commitment to safeguarding the rights of the most vulnerable people on the planet is undiminished and deserves to be applauded.