State Secretary Dr Raščan at a ministerial meeting on the Responsibility to Protect principle

20. 9. 2021

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan was invited to speak at the regular ministerial meeting on the Responsibility to Protect principle (R2P) that was held in virtual form on the margins of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Državni sekretar pred kamero, v ozadju zastavi Slovenije in EU. — State Secretary Dr Raščan at a ministerial meeting on the Responsibility to Protect principle | Author Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve

State Secretary Dr Raščan presented Slovenia’s positions and expressed support for implementing the R2P principle wherever necessary to protect populations, particularly where they are at risk from conflicts and war, global climate change, hunger, inequality, poverty and other challenges that cause immense exodus of the inhabitants from such areas. Never before in history have so many people fled their homes as today (more than 82 million), mainly due to human rights abuses, conflicts, persecution and atrocities. The COVID-19 pandemic has become an additional negative factor that can initiate processes leading to atrocities.

Special attention of this ministerial meeting was devoted to the role of women and girls in preventing atrocities. Slovenia’s position is that vulnerable women and girls are usually the main victims of conflict situations, but at the same time play an important role in preventing atrocities and responding to them. For this reason, women should be involved in all prevention and peace processes as well as in the search for solutions.

As the holder of the EU Council Presidency, Slovenia supports the EU’s efforts agreed in the EU Recommendation for promotion and operationalisation of the Responsibility to Protect principle.

The Responsibility to Protect asserts that every state has a duty to protect the population on its territory from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The international community is responsible for providing help to these countries to use, through the UN, appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means, or use force as a last resort.

UN member states committed to the UN concept of the Responsibility to Protect in 2005. Slovenia has been supporting the implementation of this principle ever since its adoption and also played an active part in the drafting process. The “Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes – A tool for prevention” that helps raise awareness and recognise unacceptable acts has also been translated into Slovenian. Conflict situations must be prevented for the benefit of society and saving lives.