In the past week, three developments at the United Nations strengthened international recognition of the relationship between the health of our planet and human rights. On October 8, the UN Human Rights Council adopted its first-ever resolution to recognize the human right to a healthy environment. [OHCHR Press Release: Bachelet] That same day, the Council created a new special procedure,
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The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has published a new practical guide on access to education in the context of COVID-19, the latest in a string of recent thematic publications and its second practical guide on the pandemic. [IACHR Press Release] The IACHR Rapid and Integrated Response Coordination Unit (SACROI) produced the guide in collaboration with the IACHR special
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On December 4, 2020, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) published and delivered an advisory opinion declaring national laws that criminalize vagrancy to be incompatible with human rights standards. [AfCHPR Press Release] The opinion concludes that laws that essentially criminalize homelessness, poverty, or unemployment are overly broad and allow for abuse. The Court held that such laws
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Following ratifications by Mexico and Argentina, the Escazú Agreement will enter into force 90 days from when both States have deposited their ratifications. The treaty is the first to address environmental contamination, natural resource governance, and human rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. It recognizes a human right to live in a healthy environment, protects environmental defenders, and ensures
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In a judgment released on September 10, 2020, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held that Italy had violated an autistic girl’s rights to non-discrimination and education when it failed to provide her the tailored learning assistance required by domestic law. [ECtHR Press Release] Italian authorities said they lacked the financial resources to pay for a support teacher. See
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Earlier this month, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) published its first judgment to identify States’ obligations to prevent and redress sexual violence in schools. See I/A Court H.R., Guzmán Albarracín and Others v. Ecuador. Merits, Reparations and Costs. Judgment of 24 June 2020. Series C No. 405 (Spanish). The case concerned Paola del Rosario Guzmán Albarracín, who was
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In 15 decisions published last month, the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) determined that 14 European States are in violation of their obligations to ensure women’s rights to equal pay and equal opportunities in the workplace. [ECSR] In August 2016, University Women of Europe (UWE), an international nongovernmental organization, submitted the separate complaints against each of the 15 States
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The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has requested that Brazil protect the Yanomami and Ye’kwana peoples from the ongoing, heightened risk posed by COVID-19. [IACHR Press Release: Measures (Spanish)] In particular, the IACHR asked Brazil to protect the Indigenous communities’ rights to health, life, and personal integrity by taking steps to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 – including
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In the midst of a global pandemic that has highlighted the need to make water accessible for all, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has published new Guidelines on the Right to Water in Africa. [ACHPR Press Release] While the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter) does not expressly include the right to water,
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The International Justice Resource Center is pleased to announce an upcoming webinar on efforts to advance the right to housing in California, including through engagement with international human rights oversight bodies. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, June 23rd at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time (GMT -7 hours). We welcome you to register via Zoom and to share the flyer.
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