ARGENTINA PROPOSES HUMAN RIGHTS COOPERATION

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000837 SIPDIS DRL FOR CATHERINE NEWLING G/IWI FOR PENNY RECHKEMMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PHUM PREL AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINA PROPOSES HUMAN RIGHTS COOPERATION ¶1. This is an action request. Please see para 8 for request. ¶2. Summary. Ambassador Wayne recently met with National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI) President Maria Jose Lubertino to explore opportunities for cooperation in the realm of advancing civil rights. Lubertino proposed three initiatives her agency is leading that would benefit from USG support. The first is an event to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights highlighting former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's role in drafting and ratification of the Declaration. The second is an event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of an International Women's Congress held in Argentina in 1910 which would feature an exhibit on the suffragists who participated in the Congress, including U.S. participants. The third event is a joint INADI-U.S. Embassy roundtable with U.S. companies to encourage them to participate in INADI's network of companies against discrimination. The roundtable would also be an opportunity to share best practices in fighting discrimination and promoting diversity in the workplace, she said. The Ambassador agreed that there were a wide range of areas in which INADI and the U.S. Embassy could cooperate to promote efforts to promote civil rights and combat discrimination. Post will follow up with INADI to see how best we can support these initiatives. Separately, the Ministry of Justice's Secretary for Human Rights Luis Duhalde asked the Ambassador it ir would be possible to sign an MOU for broader cooperation on human rights issues. Post would appreciate DRL view on potential options. End Summary. -------------- - 60th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights -------------- - ¶3. Ambassador Wayne met with National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI) President Maria Jose Lubertino on May 30 to explore opportunities for cooperation in the area of advancing civil rights. Lubertino proposed three events her agency is leading and asked for USG support. The first is an event in December 2008 to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights highlighting former First Lady and UN Commission on Human Rights Chair Eleanor Roosevelt's role in drafting and ratification of the Declaration. Lubertino asked whether the USG had programs to pay for the travel costs of speakers who are experts on the lifetime contributions of Eleanor Roosevelt. In particular, INADI is interested in inviting Sara Brewer, Associate Director of American University's Women and Politics Institute; Stephanie Foster, specialist in political participation; and Cynthia Harrison, Professor at George Washington University (GW) who collaborated on GW's efforts to catalog Eleanor Roosevelt's papers. -------------- 100th Anniversary of International Women's Congress -------------- ¶4. Lubertino then informed the Ambassador of Argentina's long suffragist tradition, noting that in 1910 Argentina's early feminists organized an International Women's Congress that included participants from Europe and the United States. She expressed interest in hosting an event that would commemorate the 100th anniversary of an International Women's Congress held in Argentina in 2010. The event would feature an exhibit on the suffragists who participated in the Congress, including U.S. participants: 1) Emma Day, Argentine resident and one of the founders of the Association for Women's Rights; 2) Christine Hancock, Secretary of the College of Nursing; 3) Elizabeth Cady Stanton, President of the National Association for Women's Suffrage; 4) Elizabeth Swallow Richards, Association of Collegiate Alumnae; and 5) Martha Carey Thomas, a doctor and pioneer who helped pave the way for women's access to Johns Hopkins Medical School. Lubertino asked whether the Embassy could assist in contacting the descendants of these women, or the organizations with which they were affiliated, to see if there are personal items that they would be willing to lend for the exhibit. -------------- Roundtable on Best Practices to Promote Diversity and Fight Discrimination in the Workplace -------------- ¶5. Lubertino's third proposal is to organize a joint INADI-U.S. Embassy roundtable with U.S. companies to encourage them to participate in INADI's network of Companies against Discrimination. Lubertino stated that she admired U.S. companies' commitment to promoting diversity in the workplace and believed the roundtable would also be an opportunity to share best practices in fighting discrimination. The Ambassador agreed that there are many ways that U.S. companies are championing diversity in the workplace and noted that American Express has a program to hire many disabled individuals as employees. Lubertino expressed interest in learning more about the program, and the Ambassador offered to put her in contact with the American Chamber of Commerce's Corporate Social Responsibility Committee. The Ambassador agreed that there were a wide range of areas in which INADI and the U.S. Embassy could cooperate to promote civil rights and combat discrimination. Post will follow up with INADI to see how best we can support these initiatives. -------------- Background on INADI -------------- ¶6. INADI was created in 1995 under the Ministry of Interior. In 2005, it was moved over to the Ministry of Justice, Security and Human Rights. It has a staff of 118 employees and a budget of 10.1 million pesos (almost US $3 million). INADI aims to develop national policies to fight discrimination, xenophobia and racism. INADI has a special grievances hotline to receive complaints by citizens who believe they have been discriminated against. INADI then attempts to resolve these grievances. This is the hotline that also receives TIP calls. In 2005, INADI launched the National Plan against Discrimination, which included a plan to conduct public awarness campaigns designed to fight discrimination and training programs for NGOs and civic leaders on how to prevent discrimination. In addition to its office in Buenos Aires city, INADI has offices in 15 Argentine provinces. Through its regional offices, INADI works with local and regional actors to develop and implement anti-discrimination programs. INADI's President, Maria Jos Lubertino, was appointed to the post in September 2006. -------------- Secretary of Human Rights Seeks MOU -------------- ¶7. Separately on June 9, the Secretary of Human Rights Luis Duhalde asked the Ambassador if it would be possible to sign a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on human rights cooperation. Duhalde's Secretariat is also under the Ministry of Justice. It has responsibility for the entire range of human rights issues, but has given priority in recent years to addressing unresolved human crimes from the 1976-83 military dictatorship. Duhalde indicated he had a broader focus in mind for a cooperation agreement. Ambassador promised to investigate what might be possible. ¶8. Action request: Post would appreciate Department DRL guidance on what options might be available or of interest for a bilateral cooperation agreement on human rights issues.