"The increasing discrimination on the basis of religion should not be ignored and should remain a high priority in High Commissioner's work", said Ambassador Zamir Akram of Pakistan speaking on behalf of the OIC. The OIC noted that the High Commissioner had emphasized the difficulty of migrants reaching the European Union and joined the call of the High Commissioner to the European Union to respect obligations of human rights in this context. The OIC expressed its concern about stigma surrounding migrants and said the international community had an important role to play in protecting the rights of migrants.
The OIC noted the recent events in North Africa and the Middle East and said that it was important for countries to undergo transition without outside interference and it was equally important for the international community to not rely on information from unconfirmed sources. Democracy, freedom and justice could not be protected selectively and the protection of economic, social and cultural rights was also important in pursuing the right to development. The international community should ensure an enabling environment for encouraging the right to development.
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