Universal system – Page 34 – International Justice Resource Center

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to Review the United States, Peru, Japan, Iraq, Estonia, El Salvador, and Cameroon during Ongoing 85th Session

August 12, 2014 IJRC discrimination, international human rights, UN treaty bodies

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) opened its 85th session on Monday, August 11 in Geneva, Switzerland. During this session, which will close on August 29, the Committee’s agenda includes its review of periodic reports from seven States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), consideration of individual complaints

In July Sessions, UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies Review 14 States and Develop 3 General Comments

August 6, 2014 IJRC civil society, liberty & security of person, UN treaty bodies, women's rights

Last month, both the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) held regular sessions in Geneva, Switzerland. During these sessions, the committees reviewed States parties’ implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against

UN Human Rights Council Establishes Commission of Inquiry for the Occupied Palestinian Territory as Civilian Deaths and Displacement Continue

July 29, 2014 IJRC international human rights, international humanitarian law, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Human Rights Council, UN Security Council

In a special session convened last week to address the escalating violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, the UN Human Rights Council resolved to establish an independent commission of inquiry to investigate “all violations” of international humanitarian law and human rights law committed in the context of armed conflict in the region since June 13, 2014. See UN

In Controversial Landmark Resolution, Human Rights Council Takes First Step toward Treaty on Transnational Corporations’ Human Rights Obligations

July 15, 2014 IJRC civil society, corporate accountability, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, Uncategorized

In a new attempt to hold transnational corporations accountable for human rights violations, the United Nations Human Rights Council has decided to establish a working group to prepare a treaty imposing international human rights legal obligations on transnational corporations. [OHCHR Press Release] The mandate of the working group will be to “elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in

6 Key Takeaways on Protecting Women’s Rights through International Law and Advocacy

June 26, 2014 IJRC children, civil society, Commission on the Status of Women, discrimination, IJRC Updates, international human rights, LGBTI rights, reproductive and sexual rights, U.S. courts, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, women's rights

More than 75 people gathered last Thursday for Protecting Women’s Rights: International Law & Advocacy, a full-day conference for advocates and lawyers organized by the International Justice Resource Center (IJRC). The training, held at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, featured some of the most distinguished human rights and women’s rights practitioners in the world speaking on a variety

Jordan’s Prince Zeid to Succeed Navi Pillay as New United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in September 2014

June 25, 2014 IJRC civil society, international human rights, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Universal system

The United Nations General Assembly has approved the appointment of Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein as Navanethem (Navi) Pillay’s successor to head the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The High Commissioner is the official with the foremost responsibility for human rights activities at the United Nations. See UN General Assembly, Resolution 48/141, High Commissioner for

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Publishes Policy Paper on Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes

June 12, 2014 IJRC International Criminal Court, international criminal law, transitional justice, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, women's rights

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Ms. Fatou Bensouda, has published a Policy Paper on Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes describing the approach her office will take with regard to such crimes going forward. The Policy Paper, released on June 5th of this year, is the latest indicator that the Office of the Prosecutor plans to emphasize sexual and gender-based

UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to Review Six Countries’ Reports during Ongoing 66th Session

June 5, 2014 IJRC children, UN treaty bodies

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is currently holding its 66th Session in Geneva, Switzerland. The session began on May 26 and will continue until June 13, 2014. During this time, the Committee is scheduled to review State reports from Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, the United Kingdom, India, Indonesia, and St. Lucia on their implementation of the Convention

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Adopts First General Comments, on Legal Recognition and Accessibility

April 30, 2014 IJRC discrimination, persons with disabilities, UN treaty bodies

During its eleventh session earlier this month, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) adopted general comments on Article 12 (equal recognition before the law) and Article 9 (accessibility) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. [OHCHR] These two texts are the first general comments adopted by the CRPD. See CRPD, General Comment No.