PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

The aim of the paper is to explore the potential for further coordination of the Union State of Belarus and Russia in cultural and humanitarian affairs, i. e. in the field of fundamental values. The paper is based on analysis of Belarusian-Russian coordination at the UN Human Rights Council, participation of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation in international human rights treaties. The paper refers to the category of 'human dignity'. The multilateral cooperation in the field of human rights has started from international mechanisms to protect human dignity. The category of human dignity is founded on the principle of indivisibility, it overcomes issues related to 'double standards' of human rights, i. e. in case of preferential appealing to civil and political rights, stresses necessity for international cooperation, social and economic sustainable development, respect for traditional values of a particular culture. The initiatives of Belarus and Russia at the UN system aim at overcoming 'double standards' of human rights. Among those: social and economic interpretation of human rights, the principle of indivisibility of human rights, the principle of integrity of the judicial system, traditional values and family protection, women rights and rights of persons with disabilities, etc. These initiatives receive both contestation and support. The Union State — Belarus and Russia — have accumulated structural, organizational and human resources to institutionalize those initiatives at the UN system and project them within the Union State and the Eurasian Union. The paper provides arguments to include the category of human dignity into agenda of the Union State, to submit a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council on the category of human dignity, to set human dignity as a priority for development of the Union State and the Eurasian Union. As for the policy recommendations, the paper recommends to organize side-events in the UN Office in Geneva, to establish grant-schemes for academic institutions and non-governmental organizations in this field, to establish the Union State Commission on human rights.