Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Mohamed Idris, participated in the UN meeting to launch the new “Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism,” which was held at the UN headquarters on Tuesday.
The meeting was organised by the Missions of Afghanistan and Spain and attended by the representatives of the founding countries for the “Friends of Victims of Terrorism” group, including Idris.
During the meeting, Idris noted the need for the UN and the international community to prioritise dealing with the rights of victims of terrorism.
The purpose of this group is to provide the protection of the human rights of victims of terrorism and to advocate and raise awareness for their diverse needs, particularly in the case of women and children.
UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said, “the trauma from terrorism causes lasting damage to individuals, families, and communities. The scars run deep. While they may fade with time, they may never disappear,” according to the UN official site.
“We cannot erase those memories, but we can help victims and survivors cope and heal by listening to them and supporting them,” added Guterres.
“This includes the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, the forthcoming adoption of a General Assembly resolution on victims of terrorism, and the first global Victims’ Congress that the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism will organise during the UN counter-terrorism week in June 2020,” Guterres said.
Furthermore, Guterres admitted that there are many challenges to face, saying, “a regulatory landscape on victims needs to be developed. There must be more room for the meaningful engagement of civil society actors and a greater commitment to the human rights of victims in national laws and policies.”
The attempts to launch the “group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism” has started a few months ago, and many state representatives participated including Egyptian delegates who were involved in consultations to support and provide necessary protection for the victims.
