AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

PRESS RELEASE

AI Index: AMR 01/004/2005 (Public)

News Service No: 294

3 October 2005

Embargo Date: 3 November 2005 06:00GMT

Summit of the Americas: Job creation alone is not enough to tackle a human rights crisis

Measures to boost employment and tackle poverty will be meaningless unless every human right, including the rights to life, gender equality, basic healthcare and freedom of movement are guaranteed. All human rights must go hand in hand, said Amnesty International on the eve of the Fourth Summit of the Americas.

The Summit -- to be held in Mar del Plata, Argentina from 4th to 5th November 2005 -- will focus on the issue of “creating jobs to fight poverty and strengthen democratic governance.”

“Even though tackling unemployment, reaching adequate salary levels, respect for union rights and decent working conditions are essential, it is a mistake to think that creating jobs will automatically bring solutions to the other grave problems affecting millions of people across the region", said Amnesty International.

Only by adopting an integrated approach to human rights will it be possible to fight poverty and ensure good governance based on the rule of law.

In a paper sent to the summit participants, Amnesty International has called on the region’s leaders to take concrete steps to end human rights violations and bolster human rights protection throughout the Americas, including:

Ensure that all trade and investment agreements across the region are developed in line with international human rights standards and that violence and other human rights violations will not be used against those who oppose these agreements.

Make firm and time bound commitments to strengthen important regional human rights institutions, notably the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Adopt urgent and concrete measures to put an end to the violence and discrimination suffered by women in every corner of the Americas.

Support the adoption of an international Arms Trade Treaty to egulate the arms trade, which continues to take the lives of thousands of women, men and children every day – in the Americas and worldwide.

Take concrete steps to end the violence and discrimination suffered by marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples and migrant workers.

Firmly reject any and all anti-terrorist laws, policies and practices that cause or contribute to serious human rights abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention and discrimination.

Move from declarations to action so as to ensure the protection of human rights defenders across the region, who continue to be threatened, tortured and killed.

Curtail all forms of impunity, which continues to be the unacceptable response to most human rights violations.

“Government leaders in the Americas are responsible for the many human rights promises they failed to deliver. These broken promises have let millions sink into poverty and insecurity.”

“The false dichotomies between human rights and trade, human rights and security, and human rights and development have left the Americas mired in a serious human rights crisis.”

“The Summit provides a key opportunity for Government leaders unequivocally to affirm that human rights can, must and will always come first. That is the key to the safety, prosperity and basic dignity of all people in the Americas.”

For a full copy of: “Our Call for Human Rights: A message from Amnesty International members in advance of the Fourth Summit of the Americas”, please see:

http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGIOR620052005

Public Document

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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566

Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org

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