UN Human Rights Council – Page 4 – International Justice Resource Center

January 2017: Child Rights and Social Rights Committees in Session

December 28, 2016 IJRC children, economic, social & cultural rights, European System, health, human rights defenders, international human rights, liberty & security of person, monthly overview, regional human rights protection, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal system, women's rights

In the month of January, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and the European Committee of Social Rights will convene to assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations by reviewing State reports and assessing individual complaints. In addition, three UN special rapporteurs will conduct country visits and the UN Working Group on the issue of

First Older Persons’ Rights Convention Enters into Force in Americas

December 27, 2016 IJRC African System, assembly and association, cultural rights, discrimination, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, education, environmental rights, equal protection, European System, health, Inter-American System, international human rights, labor rights, persons with disabilities, privacy, property, regional human rights protection, thought, expression & association, torture, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, Universal system, women's rights

The Inter-American human rights system will soon welcome the entry into force of the world’s first binding convention on the rights of older persons. Costa Rica deposited its ratification of the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons on December 12, 2016. [OAS Press Release; IACHR Press Release] Costa Rica is the second OAS Member State—following Uruguay—to

UN Expert Decries Disability Rights Progress on Convention’s 10-year Anniversary

December 20, 2016 IJRC African System, discrimination, education, international human rights, labor rights, persons with disabilities, regional human rights protection, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, Universal system

December 13, 2016 marked 10 years since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, but according to one United Nations expert, States have yet to take adequate steps to realize the rights of persons with disabilities. [OHCHR Press Release: Lagging] Catalina Devandas Aguilar, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, described the

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

UN Commission Urges Security Council Referral of Eritrea to ICC

November 9, 2016 IJRC assembly and association, children, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial executions, freedom of religion, International Criminal Court, international criminal law, international human rights, liberty & security of person, right to life, thought, expression & association, torture, UN Human Rights Council, UN Security Council, Universal system, women's rights

The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea has again called on the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Eritrea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for adjudication of possible crimes against humanity committed by State officials since 1991. Speaking on behalf of the former three-member commission, whose mandate ended in June 2016, Sheila Keetharuth

General Assembly Elects 14 Members to Human Rights Council

November 8, 2016 IJRC UN Human Rights Council, Universal system

On Friday, October 29th the United Nations General Assembly elected 14 States to the UN Human Rights Council, the main intergovernmental body charged with promoting and monitoring human rights around the world. [New York Times] The 14 new members include Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Hungary, Iraq, Japan, Rwanda, Tunisia, and the United States. China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the

News Clips – November 4, 2016

November 4, 2016 IJRC armed conflict, assembly and association, civil litigation, civil society, corporate accountability, cultural rights, death penalty, democracy & political rights, discrimination, domestic courts, economic, social & cultural rights, environmental rights, health, human rights defenders, immigration & asylum, indigenous communities, international human rights, LGBTI rights, migrants, News Clips, persons with disabilities, right to life, thought, expression & association, U.S. courts, UN General Assembly, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, Universal system

Civil Society Two girls in Morocco are facing charges of homosexual conduct after they were seen kissing. [Guardian] Thousands protested this week against the United Nation’s peace proposal to end the conflict in Yemen. [Al Jazeera] Several UN experts called on the Democratic Republic of the Congo to put an end to the ban on protests that has been in

November 2016: UN Treaty Bodies, UPR, Regional Bodies in Session

November 1, 2016 IJRC African System, children, discrimination, economic, social & cultural rights, European System, Inter-American System, international human rights, liberty & security of person, monthly overview, regional human rights protection, right to life, thought, expression & association, UN General Assembly, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review, Universal system, women's rights

In the month of November, various universal and regional bodies will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through debates, the consideration of State and civil society reports, country visits, and the review of individual complaints. Six United Nations treaty bodies will meet throughout November to engage with States regarding their treaty obligations related to civil and political rights,

News Clips- October 7, 2016

October 7, 2016 IJRC armed conflict, assembly and association, due process & judicial protection, economic, social & cultural rights, immigration & asylum, international human rights, migrants, military and humanitarian intervention, News Clips, right to life, thought, expression & association, UN Human Rights Council, UN Security Council, Universal system

Civil Society After demonstrators in Poland protested a new law to ban abortion early this week, a parliamentary committee recommended parliament vote against the bill. [Guardian] Anti-government protests continued in Ethiopia this week after tear gas and shots from the police instigated a stampede at a religious festival last weekend, trampling between 55 and over 100 people. [Al Jazeera] The authorities

October 2016: UN Treaty Bodies, UPR, Regional Bodies in Session

October 3, 2016 IJRC African System, children, discrimination, economic, social & cultural rights, enforced disappearance, European System, Inter-American System, international human rights, monthly overview, regional human rights protection, right to life, UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Procedures, UN treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review, Universal system, women's rights

During the month of October 2016, numerous universal and regional human rights bodies will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations, visit countries, and hold hearings on individual complaints. Five UN treaty bodies meeting this month will engage in dialogues with States regarding their implementation of treaty obligations related to civil and political rights; economic, social, and cultural rights;