As the world becomes more reliant on the internet, digital communication, and other innovations, it is increasingly apparent that technology presents both solutions and challenges for human rights defenders, and can also give rise to new forms of rights abuses. Unfortunately, many of the same tech tools that allow activists to work more effectively also leave them vulnerable to attack. And, in
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This week, the International Justice Resource Center (IJRC) is participating in RightsCon 2014, a conference focused on the intersections between technology and human rights “with the goal of protecting the open internet and the digital rights of its users.” The three-day convening is hosted by Access and is taking place in San Francisco, California.
Read moreFrom January 13 to January 31, 2014, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) will be holding its 65th Session in Geneva, Switzerland at the UN Headquarters. During the session, the CRC will review the status of children’s rights in six countries: Republic of the Congo (Jan. 13-14), Yemen (Jan. 14-15), Holy See (Jan. 16), Portugal
Read moreThis week, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) is hosting two conferences at its seat in Arusha, Tanzania in an effort to increase awareness of the Court’s functions and activities. From November 18 to 20, the Court will organize a Continental Judicial Dialogue to bring together members from various institutions of the African human rights system, chief
Read moreThe European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) announced yesterday that it has updated its country-specific Factsheets to include new information on pending and resolved cases, as well as its caseload statistics. This State-specific information provides valuable insights into the types of human rights problems being raised before the Court in each Council of Europe Member State, the nature and effectiveness of victims’ and advocates’ engagement
Read moreThe Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has unveiled a new, online system through which victims and advocates will now be able to request working meetings and hearings related to pending petitions, as well as thematic hearings. Previously, the Commission received such requests by letter or email; going forward, the new online system will be the exclusive method for requesting
Read moreLast week, human rights defenders and the United Nations commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action and the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights with parallel international conferences reflecting on advances in human rights over the past two decades. Though not legally binding itself, the Vienna Declaration reiterated basic civil, political, and economic freedoms enshrined in
Read moreAt the conclusion of its 23rd Regular Session this month, the UN Human Rights Council adopted by consensus Resolution A/HRC/23/6 on the “independence and impartiality of the judiciary, jurors and assessors, and the independence of lawyers.” The Resolution addresses a range of critical areas requiring State attention to ensure an independent legal system, from the impartiality of prosecutors to the
Read moreIn June and July, there are several key opportunities for civil society, and particularly for indigenous peoples, to become involved with the programs of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous People, the Universal Periodic Review, and the UN human rights treaty bodies.
Read moreThe General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) held its 43rd regular session from June 4 to 6, 2013 in Antigua, Guatemala. [OAS; IACHR] Notably, the General Assembly filled three upcoming vacancies on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), electing two new Commissioners and electing current IACHR Chair José de Jesús Orozco to a second term. [OAS Press Kit]
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