Page 16 - ATD29NOV2016

A16 LOCAL
Tuesday 29 November 2016
Countries Advance in Forging a Regional Agreement on Access to

Environmental Information, Participation and Justice

-Dominica adhered to the previous meetings. sustainable or inclusive un-
initiative on Principle 10 In the framework of the less equality with entitle-
during the fifth meeting of fifth meeting of the nego- ment to rights is the cor-
the negotiating committee tiating committee, officials nerstone. This publication
of the agreement, which launched the book Soci- contributes to studying the
concluded in Santiago, ety, rights and the environ- virtuous circle between hu-
Chile. ment: international human man rights, access rights
rights standards applicable and environmental pro-
SANTIAGO, CHILE - The to access to information, tection,” Alicia Bárcena,
countries of Latin America public participation and the Executive Secretary of
and the Caribbean fin- access to justice, prepared the Economic Commission
ished a new round of nego- jointly by ECLAC and the for Latin America and the
tiations to reach a regional Regional Office of the Of- Caribbean (ECLAC), said
agreement on access to Delegates participating in the fifth meeting of the negotiating fice of the High Commis- in reference to the docu-
information, participation committee of the agreement on Principle 10 in Latin America sioner for Human Rights ment.
and justice in environmen- and the Caribbean . (Carlos Vera/ECLAC Photo) (OHCHR). The Observatory on Prin-
tal matters (Principle 10 of The publication compiles ciple 10 in Latin America
the Rio Declaration on En- Matters in Latin America Principle 10 in the region, the international human and the Caribbean, which
vironment and Develop- and the Caribbean (Prin- which was well received by rights standards that are will be available soon on
ment), making important ciple 10), organized by the rest of the participating applicable to access to ECLAC’s website, was also
progress on drafting a final ECLAC and the govern- nations. information, participation presented at the meeting.
text, which is expected ment of Chile, was held Furthermore, the dele- and access to justice, and This brings together the
to be approved by the on November 21-25 at the gates debated substan- invites the region’s coun- laws, policies, treaties and
region’s governments in United Nations regional or- tive aspects of the regional tries to strengthen the pro- jurisprudence that guar-
2017. ganization’s headquarters agreement, based on the motion and protection of antee that people’s rights
The Fifth Meeting of the in Santiago, Chile. fourth version of the text these rights while also in- to information, participa-
Negotiating Committee of During the gathering, Dom- compiled by the Presiding corporating them into their tion and justice in environ-
the Regional Agreement inica became the 23rd Officers of the process (the strategies, policies and mental matters—conse-
on Access to Information, country to adhere to the Technical Secretariat held programs aimed at sustain- crated in Principle 10 of the
Public Participation and regional initiative for the by ECLAC), which included able development. Rio Declaration—are fully
Justice in Environmental effective application of countries’ proposals from “Development will not be applied.q