UN General Assembly – International Justice Resource Center

Expert Calls for Greater Accountability for Sexual Abuse by UN Personnel

March 18, 2020 IJRC international human rights, UN General Assembly, Universal system, women's rights

The latest report by the United Nations Victims’ Rights Advocate (VRA) reviews the progress made in 2019 to address sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel, and calls on the international community to dedicate additional resources to supporting and protecting victims and ensuring accountability. [UN News] Jane Connors, the first-ever UN Victims’ Rights Advocate is responsible for strengthening the

ICJ: U.K. Rule Over Chagos Prevents Full Decolonization of Mauritius

March 1, 2019 IJRC democracy & political rights, International Court of Justice, international human rights, UN General Assembly

In an advisory opinion issued on February 25, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded that the United Kingdom violated core principles of international law by separating the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in the 1960s and continuing to administer the islands as a British territory. See Legal Consequences of the Separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, Advisory

Michelle Bachelet, Former President of Chile, Appointed UN High Commissioner

August 21, 2018 IJRC civil society, international human rights, UN General Assembly, Universal system

On August 10, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly approved Michelle Bachelet’s nomination for the position of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. [UN News: Appointment] The General Assembly’s decision followed the UN Secretary General’s announcement on August 8 to nominate Bachelet for the position. [UN News: Nomination] Bachelet will serve a four-year term, beginning on September 1, 2018, with

After Contested Election, UK Withdraws ICJ Candidate

November 21, 2017 IJRC International Court of Justice, UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, Universal system

The United Kingdom announced yesterday its withdrawal of its candidate for a spot on the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, allowing Judge Dalveer Bhandari of India to be elected as the sole candidate. [UN News Centre] After ten rounds of voting, another round was due to take place yesterday but was canceled following

News Clips- June 23, 2017

June 23, 2017 IJRC armed conflict, assembly and association, civil society, corporate accountability, democracy & political rights, discrimination, economic, social & cultural rights, environmental rights, European System, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, international human rights, LGBTI rights, migrants, News Clips, regional human rights protection, reproductive and sexual rights, right to life, thought, expression & association, UN General Assembly, Universal system, women's rights

Civil Society On Thursday, several civil society organizations urged for the prompt and independent investigation into the “barrage of assaults and threats” against human rights lawyers in Pakistan. [ICJ] On Saturday, thousands of protesters in Madrid, Spain marched to demand that the government fulfill its pledge to take in 17,000 refugees. [Al Jazeera] Violence & Humanitarian Crises On Thursday, the

News Clips- June 2, 2017

June 2, 2017 IJRC African System, assembly and association, civil society, cultural rights, discrimination, economic, social & cultural rights, freedom of religion, international human rights, labor rights, migrants, News Clips, regional human rights protection, thought, expression & association, UN General Assembly, UN Human Rights Council, Universal system

Civil Society On Wednesday, a court in Bahrain ordered the dissolution of the last major opposition group in the country. [Washington Post] This week, it was reported that labor activists investigating alleged abuses at a Chinese factory producing Ivanka Trump shoes were detained or missing. [Guardian] On Friday, hundreds of Palestinians protested Israeli troops across the West Bank and Gaza

News Clips- January 20, 2017

January 20, 2017 IJRC armed conflict, Asia, assembly and association, civil litigation, civil society, democracy & political rights, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, environmental rights, family, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, Inter-American System, international human rights, liberty & security of person, migrants, News Clips, privacy, property, regional human rights protection, right to life, thought, expression & association, UN General Assembly, Universal system, women's rights

Civil Society In Jordan this week, a military court arrested and charged eight activists with “insulting the King,” and “incitement to spread chaos,” through social media posts. [Al Jazeera] On Wednesday, Turkish authorities denied entry to New York Times correspondent Rob Nordland allegedly based on Nordland’s prior coverage of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. [Al Jazeera] In Mexico, environmental and land

António Guterres Assumes UN Secretary General Office, Calls for Peace

January 11, 2017 IJRC international human rights, UN General Assembly, UN Security Council

The new United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, recently appealed to Member States to join him in committing to ensuring and sustaining peace and has further called for a holistic approach to the UN’s work through close coordination between the UN’s three pillars: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights policies. Guterres, who assumed office on January 1, 2017,

News Clips – December 23, 2016

December 23, 2016 IJRC armed conflict, Asia, assembly and association, civil society, conditions of detention, crime & impunity, democracy & political rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, extrajudicial executions, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, Inter-American System, international criminal law, international human rights, internationalized criminal tribunals, liberty & security of person, migrants, News Clips, privacy, regional human rights protection, right to life, thought, expression & association, torture, UN General Assembly, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Security Council, UN Special Procedures, Universal system

Civil Society This week, Human Rights Watch reported that police officers regularly mistreat prisoners in India through the use of torture and the failure to bring detainees before a judge soon after arrest. [Washington Post] On Wednesday, a civil society organization reported escalated violence against human rights defenders in Guatemala, including 14 murders and seven attempted murders this year. [FIDH]

December 2016: United Nations and Regional Human Rights Bodies in Session

November 30, 2016 IJRC African System, armed conflict, assembly and association, children, civil society, corporate accountability, cultural rights, discrimination, economic, social & cultural rights, enforced disappearance, environmental rights, European System, family, health, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, Inter-American System, international human rights, labor rights, LGBTI rights, liberty & security of person, massacres, migrants, monthly overview, regional human rights protection, reproductive and sexual rights, right to life, thought, expression & association, torture, UN General Assembly, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal system, women's rights

In the month of December, various universal and regional bodies will be in session. Three United Nations treaty bodies will meet to engage with States regarding their treaty obligations related to torture, racial discrimination, and enforced disappearances. Seven UN special rapporteurs and one working group will conduct country visits, and three working groups will meet in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss