Amid ongoing sectarian violence in the Central African Republic, including reported war crimes and crimes against humanity, the United Nations has established two expert mechanisms to monitor the human rights situation, but has so far stopped short of authorizing a UN peacekeeping mission to support the French and African Union troops already in the country. Hundreds have been killed and
Read moreOn the first day of the Human Rights Council’s 24th Regular Session, held in Geneva from September 9 to 27, UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay identified a broad range of human rights concerns in her opening statement. She discussed both emerging issues and ongoing human rights violations throughout the world while paying specific attention to the “appalling situation” in Syria.
Read moreAs advocates prepare to attend the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 24th Session, to be held in Geneva from September 9 to 27, two of the Council’s subsidiary bodies will be in session this month. The Advisory Committee will convene to make advances in the study of topics of interest identified by the Council, and the Working Group on Communications
Read moreThe United Nations is one step closer to specially protecting the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas, as the open-ended intergovernmental Working Group on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas prepares to hold its first meeting. [OHCHR] Underscoring the need to achieve the Millennium Development Goals to eradicate poverty and hunger by
Read moreAt the conclusion of its 23rd Regular Session this month, the UN Human Rights Council adopted by consensus Resolution A/HRC/23/6 on the “independence and impartiality of the judiciary, jurors and assessors, and the independence of lawyers.” The Resolution addresses a range of critical areas requiring State attention to ensure an independent legal system, from the impartiality of prosecutors to the
Read moreOn April 22, the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group commenced its sixteenth session in Geneva. During this two-week session, the Council will review and confirm reports on the human rights situation in Turkmenistan, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Tuvalu, Germany, Djibouti, Canada, Bangladesh, the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, and Cuba. [UN HRC] The fourteen
Read moreThe Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is soliciting input on pending reports, feedback on its management plan, and nominations for newly-created special procedures from civil society in April and May. Candidates for Special Rapporteurs for Mali and Haiti OHCHR seeks the proposal of independent experts for nomination to one year Special Rapporteur mandates reporting
Read moreThe UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, recently released the Draft Basic Principles on the Right to an Effective Remedy for Trafficked Persons. The Principles address both legal and procedural measures that States should take to support and assist survivors of trafficking, with attention to the particular vulnerability of trafficked children.
Read moreThe United Nations Human Rights Council concluded its twenty-second regular session last week after adopting a number of decisions, statements and resolutions to address pressing concerns in a handful of countries, advance its work on a range of human rights issues, and call for greater protection of human rights defenders. [OHCHR] Among other notable decisions during the four-week session, the
Read moreUN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Mr. Juan Méndez, presented last week a controversial report to the UN Human Rights Council asserting that certain acts under national healthcare systems may violate the Convention against Torture (CAT). Special Rapporteur Méndez recognized that the report may arguably extend beyond his mandate as traditionally defined and into the realm of the “right to health,”
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