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Interview with Her Excellency Mrs Bente Angell-

Hansen, Ambassador of Norway

tect the human rights of
She is well-known and
others - often at a great perso-
respected among her collea-
nal risk. The mandate on
gues here in Geneva for being
human right defenders go to
a person of dialogue, (a nice
the core of many of the most
and good person) forthcoming
demanding human rights
and friendly, and somebody
challenges we are facing.
who takes the time to unders-
tand others. She represents
Another responsibility for us,
Norway in an extraordinary
together with a core group of
way -- some diplomats told us
countries, is the mandate on
recently. So who is hiding
the autumn 2005 I went to which I devote the largest part business and Human Rights.
behind this excellent reputa-
Hungary as ambassador, of my time. I could not have Here we work together with
tion? We had the chance to
where I stayed for a couple of had this position Vice- Argentina, India, Nigeria and
meet with Her Excellency
years. Then I came here. So President without the support Russia. John Ruggie is the UN
that's glimpses from my wor- of the Western group of cou- Secretary-General's Special
Q: Ms Ambassador, what
king life. tries and I am very grateful to Representative for Business
is your background?
my colleagues for entrusting and Human Rights and a pro-
I must say that I have been pri- me with this taskt. Human fessor of law at Harvard.
My background is in political
vileged to work on so many rights are at the core of human Professor Ruggie has been
science. I used to do research
interesting topics. I always try development, these rights are mandated by the Human
for the Norwegian Institute of
my best to promote the gender fundamental to people, be Rights Council to develop
Foreign Affairs. I joined the
issue. I'm always carrying it in they social, economic, civil or guidelines for states duty to
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
both my heart and my mind. I political.The work in the protect, for business duty to
1979, so I'm really one of the
feel I owe it to other women Council is both challenging respect and to adress remedial
first women to be recruited,
wherever they may be to push and rewarding and reflects the measures. We are working
we were 5 to enter in one go
the equality agenda. Also, it is globalized and diverse world hard to have these guidelines
that year - a revolution!
core government policy. I feel in which we live. In the in place at the June 2011 ses-
Pomotion of gender equality
personally that it is really Council we achieve the best sion of the Human Rights
very much reflected the poli-
important to help pave the results when we are able to Council. Indeed, draft guideli-
cies of the goverment of our
way for other women to bene- build brigdes between coun- nes are already published on
first and only lady Prime fit from the opportunities that tries and regions. The latter is the OHCHR web-site.
Minister, Dr Brundtland. She
I have been given. important We need to deve-
did a lot for women in
lop better understanding Let me underline that if we
Norway. My first posting was
I think it is to the benefit of all among and within nations really work hard and in good
to Australia; later in my career
countries that they make full about what human rights faith, we can make the Human
I became the first female
use of the human resources entail and improve implemen- Rights Council deliver on its
Chief of Protocol serving both
available to them, which tation. We must increase focus mandate. We can make the
the Royal Palace and the
include women. Women can on the imperative of conver- Council a success. That does
Govemment.That was a very
be important agents for deve- ting policies into practice all not mean that all challenges
exciting time in the sense that,
lopment and change. The over the world. This is at the can be solved, but dialogue in
in other jobs you may write a
main resource of all countries core of our work in the good faith certainly enhances
paper and then have time to
is its people. We must not pre- Human Rights Council. our chances of successful out-
revise it, but when you are in
vent half of the world's popu- comes. I think our last session
Protocol and you are involved
lation -- which is women and There is a large human rights in September bears testimony
with state visits you never get
girls -- from enjoying equal deficit in the world today. The to that. I was particularly plea-
a second chance -- it's happe-
rights and from contributing work of the Council is of very sed that we after years of
ning right there and then! You
and also being able to develop little value if we are not able to efforts finally got a mandate
really have to concentrate on
their full potential. convert what we are doing on laws and practices that dis-
the devil in the details. So that
into practical measures on the criminate against women.
was a big learning curve for
Q: You are the Vice- ground. For Norway human Now it is important to make
me.
President of the Human rights defenders is a priority this mandate work in a positi-
After that, for almost five
Rights Council. Could are of work and Norway is ve manner paving the way for
years, I was Director-General
you tell us a little about responsible for negiotations concret results.
in the Prime Minister's Office
your experience? under this mandate in the
dealing with foreign policy
Council. Human rights defen- I find the human rights work
and security-- for three diffe-
The Human Rights Council is ders all over the world are rewarding. My colleagues are
rent governments. I started in
the institution in Geneva to working to promote and pro- a source of inspiration to me. I
early January 2000 and then in
22 1 2011 Diva

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