In his speech Minister Dienstbier (PDF, 229 KB) confirm that the Czech Republic strongly supports a robust multilateral human rights system and the HRC mandate. According his view the Council must increase its effort to rationalize its programme of work, assesses the UPR mechanisms and strengthen linkages and complementarity between the Council and the General Assembly. Further he underlines the baselines of the Czech human rights policy mentioned in the Human Rights and Transition Promotion Policy Concept. Czech Republic focuses on supporting civil society, including human rights defenders; promoting the freedom of expression and free access to information, promoting equality and non-discrimination, as well as human rights in employment and in the environmental context.  He recalled as well the active role of the Czech Republic in promoting full and equal participation in political and public affairs. Concerning the human rights situation in the Czech Republic he pointed out that Czech Republic devotes specific attention to the situation of people living in social excluded localities (Strategy to Combat Social Exclusion for the years 2016 – 2020), the position and the rights of women in the Czech Republic (Action Plan on Equal Representation of Women and men in Decision – making Positions for the years 2016 – 2018), the topic of business and human rights and discussions about social dimension of foreign policy of the Czech Republic. 

The bilateral negotiations were focusing on the European migrant crisis, the issue of Roma integration, and the social exclusion in the Czech Republic.

The Minister also visited the library and archives of the United Nations, where he saw the original documents from the time of Edvard Benes as Vice-President of the League of Nations and other documents relating to the pre-war Czechoslovakia.