From October 7 to 11, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Court) will be holding its 48th Special Session in Mexico City. During this session, the Court will hold hearings regarding one contentious case and a forthcoming advisory opinion, both concerning the rights of migrants.
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Committee on the Rights of the Child and Other Treaty Bodies Hold September Sessions in Geneva
This week in Geneva, the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is holding its 64th Session to review States’ implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols. Earlier this month two other United Nations human rights treaty bodies, the Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW) and the Committee on the Rights of Persons
Read moreUN Human Rights Office Launches New Database on Standards and Practices to Combat Racial Discrimination
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has launched a new database of information on combatting racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. The database includes examples of existing protections and practices used at the regional, national, and international levels, including: treaties, relevant decisions from domestic and supranational courts, texts of legal provisions (e.g., legislation
Read moreRiots in France over Veil Ban Prompt Continued Discussion of Freedom of Expression and Religion, Stigmatization of Muslim Women
For the moment, the riots in France over the public ban on face veils have abated, but public discussion of the law’s possible infringement on freedom of religion continues. The riots, which began on July 19 in Trappes, a suburb west of Paris, were prompted by the arrest of a man whose wife was ticketed for wearing a face veil
Read moreIn First Judgment on the Merits, African Court Finds Tanzania Violated Citizens’ Right to Participate in Democracy by Prohibiting Independent Candidates
In a major victory for advocates of a more participatory and representative Tanzanian government, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights recently issued its first merits decision, in which it held that Tanzania had violated its citizens’ rights to freely participate in government directly or through representatives regardless of their party affiliation. The decision ordered Tanzania to take constitutional,
Read moreIn Nencheva v. Bulgaria, European Court Finds State Responsible for Deaths in Institution for Children with Disabilities
The European Court of Human Rights recently issued its judgment in Nencheva and Others v. Bulgaria, a case involving a State-run facility for children with disabilities, holding that Bulgarian authorities knew or should have known that the lives of children in the facility were at grave risk and failed to take action to protect them. See ECtHR, Nencheva and Others v. Bulgaria,
Read moreHuman Rights Bodies Call for End to Discrimination, Intolerance on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, celebrated annually on May 17, serves as an opportunity to call attention to the challenges, stigma, and rights violations experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) individuals around the world. Today, many of the major human rights monitoring bodies released statements calling on governments to initiate or increase efforts to put an end
Read moreUN Commission on the Status of Women Concludes with Recommendations to Eradicate Violence against Women and Girls
The fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) concluded last week with its adoption of a historic set of conclusions, agreed to by 131 States, on the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. [UN News Centre] The agreed conclusions, which were drafted with the participation of civil society, urge governments and
Read moreEuropean Committee of Social Rights Hears Complaints Involving Trade Union Rights, Access to Abortion, Social Security, and Discrimination during its 263rd Session
The European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) will hold its 263rd Session from March 18-23, 2013, during which it will hear thirteen collective complaints and examine States’ reports on compliance with certain articles of the European Social Charter. [ECSR Agenda] Additionally, the Committee will hold a meeting about non-accepted provisions of the Charter and exchange views with the Commissioner for
Read moreUN Launches the Rabat Plan of Action
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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