UN General Assembly
2011

Recently, we witnessed an example of a new State being created in a generally peaceful manner, and I welcome South Sudan as the newest Member of the United Nations. However, this and many other ongoing crises, in the Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other places, confirm the irreplaceable role of the United Nations in ending conflicts; and in this context mediation, as the theme of our debate, becomes even more relevant. Croatia continues to promote universal human rights and supports the mainstreaming of human rights 11-50871 34 within the United Nations framework. In that context, we give particular attention to issues such as the abolition of the death penalty, gender equality and combating all forms of discrimination, as well as the promotion of the human rights of the most vulnerable social groups, including women, children and persons with disabilities. Croatia strongly supports the concepts of the universality, interrelatedness and indivisibility of all human rights. Croatia welcomes the establishment of UN-Women, the new United Nations body focused on supporting gender equality and the empowerment of women.