On 21 February 2013, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched the Rabat Plan of Action on the prohibition of advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. The Rabat Plan aims to provide guidance on how to balance between Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and
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Inter-American Commission's Proposed Rule Changes Adopt Some OAS Recommendations
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has announced proposed changes to its Rules of Procedure, policies, and practices, which are open to public comment through March 1. The proposals are motivated by the Commission’s interest in increasing its transparency and effectiveness, but are also a proactive response to the ongoing reform process through which the General Assembly of the
Read moreUN Publishes Guide for Measuring Human Rights
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at the end of 2012 released a new publication entitled Human Rights Indicators: A Guide to Measurement and Implementation, which is available online in English and Spanish. The Guide supports the identification of objective indicators for measuring countries’ progress in realizing human rights and came about in response to requests
Read moreStruggle for Economic and Social Justice in the United States Continues on MLK Day
President Barack Obama highlighted the importance of economic and social equality in his second inaugural address today, the day on which the country also commemorates civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King., Jr. In the United States today, a record number of people are living in poverty. [NCLEJ] Economic and social inequality in the United States remains remarkably high, particularly relative to countries of
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A Look at Human Rights Day 2012
What is Human Rights Day? Human Rights Day began in 1950 to commemorate the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on December 10, 1948. Although the UDHR is not legally binding on UN Member States, it is the origin for binding human rights instruments that followed, including the International Covenant on Civil and
Read moreUnderstanding the IACHR Reform Process
Overview In March 2013, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) plans to hold a special session in which it will consider and potentially adopt a series of controversial proposals for reforming the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (“Commission” or “IACHR”). The adoption of the proposals will mark the culmination of a nearly two-year process that began
Read moreCivil Society Organizations Worry ASEAN Human Rights Declaration Falls Short of International Standards
In July of this year, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) delivered to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers a draft of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration. The draft is the result of multiple sessions of the AICHR and is scheduled to be adopted this November. One of the stated goals
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Recent Developments for NGO Engagement with the UN
Recent developments have made it easier for civil society to engage in advocacy in before various UN human rights bodies. The changes particularly benefit NGOs that lack a permanent presence in Geneva and New York, allowing them to watch sessions or in some cases even participate even when travel to Geneva is not feasible. Online Speaker Lists for NGOs at
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52nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission to be Held October 9-22
The 52nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights will take place October 9-22 in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire. The session will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the formation of the African Commission, which is tasked with promoting and protecting human rights throughout the African Continent as well as interpreting the African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
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Reprisals for Reporting Human Rights Violations
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, will present his annual report on government reprisals against persons who report human rights abuses to the UN at the Human Rights Council in September 2012. The Secretary-General’s report (A/HRC/21/18) presents numerous countries and cases where human rights defenders were subjected to intimidation and harassment by government for interacting or communicating with
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