General Comment: Resolution on the human rights situation in Yemen

Australia thanks the core group for its work on draft resolution L.25 and for its open and consultative approach to negotiations.

Australia regrets the growing trend in this Council of parallel resolutions on country situations. The Council should speak with one voice wherever possible, and this is never more important than in response to credible allegations of violations and abuses of international law.

The situation in Yemen is one on which the Council should be able to speak with one voice. Furthermore, the situation in Yemen is one which deserves the scrutiny of an independent international monitoring mechanism.

For this reason, we are pleased to support draft resolution L.25, presented by the Netherlands and a core group under Item 2. We welcome the resolution’s strong focus on the seriousness of the reported human rights violations and abuses by parties to the conflict. In particular, we appreciate the emphasis on the impact of the conflict on children.

We strongly support the work of the Group of Eminent Experts. The Group makes an invaluable contribution by drawing the Council’s attention to the human rights situation in Yemen, and has an important role to play in securing truth and justice for victims. We welcome and support the changes to the GEE’s mandate in this resolution, including authorising it to collect, preserve and analyse information, and to explore recommended approaches and practical mechanisms of accountability.

Australia urges all members to support draft resolution L.25.

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