VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0837/01 1702219
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 182219Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1378

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000837 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL FOR CATHERINE NEWLING 
G/IWI FOR PENNY RECHKEMMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN PHUM PREL AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA PROPOSES HUMAN RIGHTS COOPERATION 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  Please see para 8 for request. 
 
¶2.  Summary.  Ambassador Wayne recently met with National Institute 
against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI) President 
Maria Jose Lubertino to explore opportunities for cooperation in the 
realm of advancing civil rights.  Lubertino proposed three 
initiatives her agency is leading that would benefit from USG 
support.  The first is an event to commemorate the sixtieth 
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
highlighting former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's role in drafting 
and ratification of the Declaration.  The second is an event to 
commemorate the 100th anniversary of an International Women's 
Congress held in Argentina in 1910 which would feature an exhibit on 
the suffragists who participated in the Congress, including U.S. 
participants.  The third event is a joint INADI-U.S. Embassy 
roundtable with U.S. companies to encourage them to participate in 
INADI's network of companies against discrimination.  The roundtable 
would also be an opportunity to share best practices in fighting 
discrimination and promoting diversity in the workplace, she said. 
The Ambassador agreed that there were a wide range of areas in which 
INADI and the U.S. Embassy could cooperate to promote efforts to 
promote civil rights and combat discrimination.  Post will follow up 
with INADI to see how best we can support these initiatives. 
Separately, the Ministry of Justice's Secretary for Human Rights 
Luis Duhalde asked the Ambassador it ir would be possible to sign an 
MOU for broader cooperation on human rights issues.  Post would 
appreciate DRL view on potential options.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
60th Anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3.  Ambassador Wayne met with National Institute against 
Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI) President Maria Jose 
Lubertino on May 30 to explore opportunities for cooperation in the 
area of advancing civil rights.  Lubertino proposed three events her 
agency is leading and asked for USG support.  The first is an event 
in December 2008 to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights highlighting former First Lady 
and UN Commission on Human Rights Chair Eleanor Roosevelt's role in 
drafting and ratification of the Declaration.  Lubertino asked 
whether the USG had programs to pay for the travel costs of speakers 
who are experts on the lifetime contributions of Eleanor Roosevelt. 
In particular, INADI is interested in inviting Sara Brewer, 
Associate Director of American University's Women and Politics 
Institute; Stephanie Foster, specialist in political participation; 
and Cynthia Harrison, Professor at George Washington University (GW) 
who collaborated on GW's efforts to catalog Eleanor Roosevelt's 
papers. 
 
 
------------------------------------------ 
100th Anniversary of International Women's Congress 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  Lubertino then informed the Ambassador of Argentina's long 
suffragist tradition, noting that in 1910 Argentina's early 
feminists organized an International Women's Congress that included 
participants from Europe and the United States.  She expressed 
interest in hosting an event that would commemorate the 100th 
anniversary of an International Women's Congress held in Argentina 
in 2010.  The event would feature an exhibit on the suffragists who 
participated in the Congress, including U.S. participants: 1) Emma 
Day, Argentine resident and one of the founders of the Association 
for Women's Rights; 2) Christine Hancock, Secretary of the College 
of Nursing; 3) Elizabeth Cady Stanton, President of the National 
Association for Women's Suffrage; 4) Elizabeth Swallow Richards, 
Association of Collegiate Alumnae; and 5) Martha Carey Thomas, a 
doctor and pioneer who helped pave the way for women's access to 
Johns Hopkins Medical School.  Lubertino asked whether the Embassy 
could assist in contacting the descendants of these women, or the 
organizations with which they were affiliated, to see if there are 
personal items that they would be willing to lend for the exhibit. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Roundtable on Best Practices to Promote Diversity and Fight 
Discrimination in the Workplace 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  Lubertino's third proposal is to organize a joint INADI-U.S. 
Embassy roundtable with U.S. companies to encourage them to 
participate in INADI's network of Companies against Discrimination. 
Lubertino stated that she admired U.S. companies' commitment to 
promoting diversity in the workplace and believed the roundtable 
would also be an opportunity to share best practices in fighting 
discrimination.  The Ambassador agreed that there are many ways that 
U.S. companies are championing diversity in the workplace and noted 
that American Express has a program to hire many disabled 
individuals as employees.  Lubertino expressed interest in learning 
more about the program, and the Ambassador offered to put her in 
contact with the American Chamber of Commerce's Corporate Social 
Responsibility Committee.  The Ambassador agreed that there were a 
wide range of areas in which INADI and the U.S. Embassy could 
cooperate to promote civil rights and combat discrimination.  Post 
will follow up with INADI to see how best we can support these 
initiatives. 
 
------------------- 
Background on INADI 
------------------- 
 
¶6.  INADI was created in 1995 under the Ministry of Interior. In 
2005, it was moved over to the Ministry of Justice, Security and 
Human Rights. It has a staff of 118 employees and a budget of 10.1 
million pesos (almost US $3 million).  INADI aims to develop 
national policies to fight discrimination, xenophobia and racism. 
INADI has a special grievances hotline to receive complaints by 
citizens who believe they have been discriminated against.  INADI 
then attempts to resolve these grievances.  This is the hotline that 
also receives TIP calls.  In 2005, INADI launched the National Plan 
against Discrimination, which included a plan to conduct public 
awarness campaigns designed to fight discrimination and training 
programs for NGOs and civic leaders on how to prevent 
discrimination. In addition to its office in Buenos Aires city, 
INADI has offices in 15 Argentine provinces. Through its regional 
offices, INADI works with local and regional actors to develop and 
implement anti-discrimination programs.  INADI's President, Maria 
Jos Lubertino, was appointed to the post in September 2006. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Secretary of Human Rights Seeks MOU 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  Separately on June 9, the Secretary of Human Rights Luis Duhalde 
asked the Ambassador if it would be possible to sign a bilateral 
Memorandum of Understanding on human rights cooperation.  Duhalde's 
Secretariat is also under the Ministry of Justice.  It has 
responsibility for the entire range of human rights issues, but has 
given priority in recent years to addressing unresolved human crimes 
from the 1976-83 military dictatorship.  Duhalde indicated he had a 
broader focus in mind for a cooperation agreement.  Ambassador 
promised to investigate what might be possible. 
 
¶8.  Action request:  Post would appreciate Department DRL guidance 
on what options might be available or of interest for a bilateral 
cooperation agreement on human rights issues.