The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) published on August 1, 2016 its annual report on activities and progress for the period of July 2015 to July 2016, marking the first time an AICHR annual report was made public on its website. [AICHR Press Release] The AICHR, a regional human rights body founded in 2009 under the auspices of
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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
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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
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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
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During July 2016, the European Committee of Social Rights and the United Nations human rights treaty bodies focused on civil and political rights, discrimination against women, and torture will convene to review States’ compliance with their treaty obligations. Additionally, the UN experts on freedom of assembly and association and on the rights of persons with disabilities will carry out country visits
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new report to help medical practitioners engage in a human-rights-based approach toward managing and treating health complications associated with or caused by female genital mutilation (FGM). See World Health Organization, WHO Guidelines on the Management of Health Complications from Female Genital Mutilation (2016). The guidelines identify the human rights implications of FGM,
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During the month of May 2016, supranational human rights bodies’ activities will include review of dozens of States’ compliance with their treaty obligations, public hearings on individual complaints, and 11 country visits. The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) will hear a Finnish case concerning the tension between privacy and freedom of expression and a Belgian case
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On April 5, 2016, the International Criminal Court (ICC) terminated charges of crimes against humanity against Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto and co-accused radio broadcaster Joshua Sang due to a lack of evidence, following controversy surrounding witness testimony. [ICC Press Release] In part because of interference with witnesses and “political meddling” in the prosecution’s case, the ICC judges declined to
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The United Nations is struggling to appear responsive to allegations of serious sexual misconduct by UN peacekeepers, who have been accused in recent years of raping or abusing women and children in a number of countries, where they were deployed to foster security and provide assistance to communities affected by conflict and natural disasters. On March 10, 2016 UN Secretary
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During the month of March 2016, ten supranational human rights bodies will be in session. These include three regional human rights monitoring bodies: the African Court on Human and People’s Rights (AfCHPR), the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), and the Inter-American Court on Human Rights (IACtHR). Additionally, seven United Nations mechanisms will meet in Geneva, Switzerland: the Human Rights
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