Universal system – Page 22 – International Justice Resource Center

UN Secretary General Reports Treaty Bodies More Effective and Efficient

August 22, 2016 IJRC international human rights, UN treaty bodies, Universal system

On August 2, 2016 United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, published the first biennial report on efforts to strengthen the UN treaty bodies, as part of an ongoing process to harmonize working methods, improve State compliance, and ensure adequate resources for these independent human rights monitoring bodies. [OHCHR Press Release; IJRC] The report covers the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 68/268,

News Clips- August 19, 2016

August 19, 2016 IJRC African System, armed conflict, assembly and association, ATCA litigation, children, civil litigation, civil society, conditions of detention, corporate accountability, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, discrimination, domestic courts, economic, social & cultural rights, environmental rights, extrajudicial executions, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, Inter-American System, international human rights, liberty & security of person, migrants, military and humanitarian intervention, News Clips, persons with disabilities, regional human rights protection, right to life, thought, expression & association, U.S. courts, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal system

Civil Society Ahead of a constitutional referendum scheduled for September, Azerbaijani authorities have arrested several activists critical of the government within the last week. [RSF] In order to make room for civil society members arrested after the coup, Turkey announced that it will release inmates convicted of nonviolent offenses from its prisons. [NYT] Following the recent re-election of Zambia’s president,

UN Reports Increase in Civilian Casualties, Rights Abuses in Afghanistan

August 16, 2016 IJRC armed conflict, children, crime & impunity, economic, social & cultural rights, education, extrajudicial executions, health, international criminal law, international human rights, international humanitarian law, right to life, thought, expression & association, Universal system, women's rights

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) recently published a report on the upswing in civilian casualties in the first six months of 2016. [UNAMA Press Release] More than 5,000 civilians were killed or maimed, the highest number of such casualties in Afghanistan in a six-month period since 2009 and one that includes significant numbers of women and children.

News Clips- August 12, 2016

August 12, 2016 IJRC armed conflict, assembly and association, children, civil litigation, civil society, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, Inter-American System, international criminal law, international human rights, international humanitarian law, LGBTI rights, liberty & security of person, migrants, military and humanitarian intervention, News Clips, privacy, regional human rights protection, right to life, thought, expression & association, Universal system

International Criminal Law Nada Kiswanson, a permanent representative at the International Criminal Court who works on evidence of war crimes in Palestine, has received death threats. [MEMO] The International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh issued sentences to eight individuals for crimes against humanity. [Jurist] German investigators have identified eight individuals who they suspect of war crimes during the Nazi era. [The

International Organization for Migration to Join United Nations System

August 9, 2016 IJRC immigration & asylum, migrants, UN General Assembly, Universal system

The intergovernmental organization responsible for facilitating and promoting orderly and humane migration management is set to formally join the United Nations system. On July 25, 2016 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution approving a draft agreement to make the International Organization for Migration (IOM) a related organization. [UN News Centre: IOM] The agreement will supersede a previous 1996 cooperation

News Clips- August 5, 2016

August 5, 2016 IJRC armed conflict, assembly and association, civil society, conditions of detention, corporate accountability, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, environmental rights, extrajudicial executions, human rights defenders, indigenous communities, Inter-American System, international criminal law, international human rights, LGBTI rights, liberty & security of person, News Clips, regional human rights protection, right to life, thought, expression & association, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Security Council, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal system, women's rights

Civil Society & Human Rights Defenders After a video revealed the harassment of aboriginal boys in detention in an Australian jail, Australians protested, demanding an investigation. [Al Jazeera] A human rights lawyer in China, Wang Yu, who was in detention for over a year, made a public confession this week that appeared scripted. [Washington Post] A court in Bahrain postponed

August 2016: Four UN Treaty Bodies, Inter-American Court in Session

August 1, 2016 IJRC enforced disappearance, European System, Inter-American System, international human rights, migrants, monthly overview, persons with disabilities, regional human rights protection, right to life, thought, expression & association, torture, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal system, women's rights

During the month of August 2016, four United Nations treaty bodies will review several States’ compliance with their treaty obligations, two regional judicial bodies in Europe and the Americas will hold public hearings, the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will discuss research and developments in the area of human rights, and two UN Special Procedures mandate holders will conduct State

News Clips- July 29, 2016

July 29, 2016 IJRC armed conflict, assembly and association, children, civil society, conditions of detention, economic, social & cultural rights, Inter-American System, international criminal law, international human rights, LGBTI rights, liberty & security of person, military and humanitarian intervention, News Clips, regional human rights protection, reparations, right to life, torture, UN General Assembly, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, Universal system

Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, recently stated that the rights to freedom of association and of assembly are hindered by racial inequality in the United States. [OHCHR Press Release] Experts on freedom of expression from both the United Nations and the Organization for

Human Rights Council Establishes SOGI Expert, Renews Eight Others

July 28, 2016 IJRC assembly and association, discrimination, economic, social & cultural rights, international human rights, LGBTI rights, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, Universal system, women's rights

The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted 33 resolutions during its 33rd session, including to create one new independent expert mandate to monitor violence against LGBT persons and extending or renewing the mandates of eight other expert bodies. [OHCHR] The Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental group that tracks human rights conditions in the UN Member States, is responsible for creating

News Clips- July 22, 2016

July 22, 2016 IJRC African System, armed conflict, Asia, assembly and association, children, civil society, domestic courts, economic, social & cultural rights, environmental rights, European System, extrajudicial executions, family, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, international criminal law, international human rights, migrants, News Clips, regional human rights protection, right to life, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Security Council, Universal system

Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society A car bomb in Kiev killed a journalist who was often critical of the government leaders in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. [The Guardian] Four Kenyan police officers were charged with the murder of human rights defender, Willie Kimani. [The Jurist] In the midst of anti-government demonstrations, several armed men have been holding policemen as