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This
e-Newsletter has been produced for Commonwealth National Human Rights
Institutions (NHRIs) by the British Council, as part of the British
Council's project to support networking and sharing between such NHRIs. |
| Content: | |
1. Forthcoming Events |
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| FORTHCOMING EVENTS |
 Justice Initiative Human Rights Fellows Programme from 2005-2007 Administered by the Open Society Justice Initiative, this fellowship programme is a two-year internship programme for lawyers working in human rights to attend graduate-level studies at a university in Hungary . The aim of the program is to support and further develop a network of lawyers and activists working on human rights-related issues internationally. The programme is open to applicants from Central and Eastern Europe; the former Soviet Union; Mongolia ; West and Southern Africa; the African Great Lakes region; Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Haiti , Guatemala , Mexico and Peru . Deadline: 6 January 2005 |
| African Dreams: Turning the drams into reality for Right to Health - An International Essay Competition Italian Association Amici di Raoul Follereau (AIFO)/Italy and People's Health Movement Africa invite articles in English, French, Portuguese and Italian from activists, non-governmental organisations and grass-roots organisations based in Africa related to experiences of innovative approaches linked to promotion of any aspect of better health for different community groups. Articles selected by an international jury will be part of a book to be released and distributed at Second People's Health Assembly (PHA-II) in Ecuador in 2005 and will also be made available on AIFO website. Three best articles will receive a cash prize of 500 Euros each. Last date for sending entries is 15 January 2005. |
| Workshop for Chief Executives of National Human Rights Institutions in the Commonwealth Belfast , Northern Ireland : 30 January to 3 February 2005 This workshop, to be run jointly by the British Council and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, will look at some of the issues facing Chief Executives and Senior Managers of Human Rights Commissions and National Human Rights Institutions. These issues will include independence and accountability; relationships and the roles of the chief executives; legal strategy and strategic enforcement; political engagement and effective lobbying; communication strategies from public education to lobbying; budgeting. For more information, please contact Mary Redshaw at mary.redshaw@britishcouncil.org |
| Call for applications for Distance Education Course on Human Rights Advocacy from 21 February to 15 May 2004 Human Rights Education Associates is calling for applications for the distance learning courses "Human Rights Advocacy", "The United Nations Human Rights System" and "Project Development and Management in the NGO Sector", which will be offered from 21 February - 15 May 2005. This distance learning course provides human rights activists with a range of proven human rights advocacy methods and critical concepts as a means for them to reflect on and deepen their own work. The course will look at the theoretical foundations and critical issues of human rights advocacy, elements of advocacy planning, and strategies for action. The course tuition fee is € 545. The deadline for applications is 15 December 2004. |
| Call for applications for the 26th annual International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) from June 12 to July 1, 2005 in Québec , Canada The Canadian Human Rights Foundation (CHRF) will be holding its 26th International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec , Canada , from June 12 to July 1, 2005. This annual, intensive three-week program brings together over 100 participants from approximately 60 countries. The goal of the IHRTP is to strengthen the capacity of human rights organizations to undertake educational efforts aimed at building a global culture of human rights. The participation fee is CAN $4,445. This includes tuition, accommodation and meals, program materials, and emergency medical insurance. Please note that the deadline for applications is January 26, 2005. Candidates must complete an Application Form, which can be obtained either by contacting the IHRTP Team at ihrtp@chrf.ca or by visiting the CHRF website. |
| AWARDS |
Reebok Human Rights Award for young human rights activists |
| REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS |
| Australia |
 Missed Business - How to attract more customers by providing better access to your business'Missed Business' is a guide developed by the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and Marrickville Council. It aims to provide small businesses with information on how they can make their businesses more accessible to all their customers, particularly people with disabilities. 'Missed Business' was developed in partnership between Marrickville Council in New South Wales and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, and will be freely available to local business associations, community groups and individual businesses. |
| Fiji Islands |
| Access to Justice in a Changing World: Collection of Papers and Suva Statement on the Principles of
Judicial Independence and Access to Justice This collection is the result of the Judicial Colloquium held in Suva , Fiji in August 2004, co-organised by INTERIGHTS, the Fiji Human Rights Commission and the Fiji Judiciary. This collection features papers presented at the event by Commonwealth judges, and commentaries from local Fiji judges, on the topics of judicial independence, liberty and security of the person, and ensuring access to justice for marginalised groups. It incorporates the Suva Statement, the final communiqué agreed by the participants. Hypertext links in the Table of Contents allow you to go directly to the different sections of the collection. |
| International |
| Report of the Secretary-General on the preliminary review by the Coordinator of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People on the activities of the United Nations system in relation to the Decade The preliminary review of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People and its addenda provide a summary of activities undertaken by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations system during the period 1995 to 2004. Summaries are also included of the information received from seven States and six indigenous organizations. The report concludes by noting the advances in the area of inter-agency cooperation on indigenous issues, the establishment of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, and the implementation of the activities contained in the Programme of Activities adopted by the General Assembly. However, despite the important institutional developments that have taken place in the framework of the Decade, the report acknowledges that indigenous peoples in many countries continue to be among the poorest and most marginalised. It also notes that the adoption of a declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, one of the main objectives of the Decade, has not been achieved. The report considers that further efforts are needed by the Member States concerned and the international community to ensure that all indigenous peoples everywhere enjoy full human rights and enjoy real and measurable improvements in their living conditions. |
| Child Soldiers Global Report 2004 “Governments are undermining progress in ending the use of children as soldiers,” says the 'Child Soldiers Global Report 2004' produced by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, a group of human rights and humanitarian organisations. The report says children are fighting in almost every major conflict, in both government and opposition forces. “They are being injured, subjected to horrific abuse and killed,” the report says. The Coalition says that “at least 60 governments including Australia , Austria , Germany , the Netherlands , Britain and the United States continue to legally recruit children aged 16 and 17.” The report concludes that “opportunities for progress, including the creation of and growing support for a UN child soldiers treaty, the creation of demobilisation programmes in some countries and momentum towards prosecutions of those recruiting children, have been undermined by governments actively breaking pledges or failing to show political leadership". ”The report covers the period from April 2001 to March 2004. Information for the country entries was sought from a wide range of sources. These included governments, UN agencies and peacekeeping missions, other intergovernmental organizations, news media, academic sources, and human rights and humanitarian organizations. |
| Statewatch Report: The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture criticises the undermining of the non-refoulement principle and the use of terrorism as a pretext to justify torture Theo van Boven, the Special Rapporteur on Torture, and Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment, special Rapporteur, produces damning report on how governments are using the "war on terrorism" to undermine and ignore fundamental rights. He specifically refers to the use of terrorism as a pretext for justifying torture and inhuman treatment, and on the erosion of the non-refoulement principle, whereby States should not "expel, return 'refouler', or extradite a person to another State" if there are "substantial" grounds for suspecting that they may be in danger of being subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment after their return. |
Responsibilities of transnational corporations and related business enterprises with regard to Human Rights: Submission to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights As the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) prepares its report to the UN High Commission on Human Rights (UNHCHR) in March 2005, a number of stakeholders have been given the opportunity to comment on questions of corporate social responsibility for human rights. With this report Christian Aid has taken the opportunity, and submitted their comments on two main areas: existing policy initiatives in the area of corporate social accountability and their limits as well as suggested OHCHR actions on outstanding issues. With regards to existing policy initiatives, the report hopes that the OHCHR will recognise that existing measures need to be strengthened and that the UN will provide leadership to forge a global legal framework for corporate social accountability. In that context the report points out that a growing number of NGOs, policy institutes, legal experts and development specialists are urging that voluntary efforts towards CSR should be augmented by legally binding obligations. |
| Summary of national initiatives undertaken within the Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004) This is a summary of information received by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) from Governments, concerning their activities in the framework of the Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004). The information is updated as of October 2003, and is included in related reports submitted by OHCHR to the United Nations General Assembly and Commission on Human Rights. National initiatives are presented by country, under five regions (Africa; Arab countries; Asia/Pacific; Europe and North America ; Latin America and the Caribbean ). At the national level, the Decade's Plan of Action provides for the establishment, upon the initiative of Governments or other relevant institutions, of a national committee for human rights education. This committee should consist of a broad coalition of governmental and non-governmental actors and should be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive (in terms of outreach), effective (in terms of educational strategies) and sustainable (over the long term) national plan of action for human rights education, in consultation with regional and international organizations. The call for the establishment of such plans has been reiterated both by the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights. |
| Draft plan of action for the first phase (2005-2007) of the proposed world programme for human rights education The report was submitted on 21 October 2004 to allow adequate consultations for the preparation of the enclosed draft plan of action, as requested by the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 2004/71. The report contains a draft plan of action for the first phase (2005-2007) of the proposed world programme for human rights education, prepared jointly by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). From May to July 2004 a first draft was prepared by OHCHR and UNESCO on the basis of, inter alia, United Nations relevant instruments and documents, final recommendations of relevant regional intergovernmental meetings as well as correspondence sent by Governments to OHCHR and summarized in High Commissioner's reports. The first draft was reviewed by over 50 specialists from all continents from ministries of education, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions and United Nations agencies during an expert meeting organised jointly by OHCHR and UNESCO in Geneva from 13 to 15 September 2004. Subsequently, OHCHR and UNESCO reviewed and finalised the draft plan of action on the basis of the experts' comments. |
 Pathway to Gender Equality: CEDAW, Beijing and the MDGs This UNIFEM publication outlines how the wealth of knowledge generated from the processes surrounding the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Platform for Action can be used as a lens to understand and address the gender equality dimensions of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The publication highlights critical gender equality concerns for each MDG, identifies specific measures governments must take, and provides helpful resources to facilitate this work. |
 Beyond victims and villains - addressing sexual violence in the education sector: A report Gender violence causes as much of a burden of ill-health and death among women aged 15 to 44 as cancer, and more than malaria and traffic accidents combined. A new report from the Panos Institute ( London ) reveals that such violence also occurs in the very places where girls and young women should be safe - in schools, universities and higher education institutes. The report, Beyond victims and villains - addressing sexual violence in the education sector, cites extensive case studies from around the world to show that girls and young women are subjected to a wide range of violent and aggressive behaviours, from verbal abuse and being groped in the cafeteria queue, to rape. Harassment and violence often involves peers, but teachers and other staff are also perpetrators. While young men and boys are sometimes the victims, more often they are girls and young women. |
| Rights in Exile by Guglielmo Verdirame and Barbara Harrell-Bond Of the 12 million refugees in the world, more than 7 million have been confined to camps or segregated settlements, effectively "warehoused", in some cases for 10 years and more. Refugee camps have become wards of the international community, a community that too often holds itself above serious scrutiny, sometimes even above the law, infringing the fundamental rights of refugees it should protect as well as the sovereignty of host countries. Holding European refugees in camps was anathema to the founders of the refugee protection regime. Today, with most refugees encamped in the less developed world, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the humanitarian apparatus originally designed to protect and safeguard their human rights has in many ways been transformed into a custodial regime for innocent people. Based on the analysis of rich ethnographic data, Rights in Exile exposes the gap between human rights norms and the mandates of international organisations, on the one hand, and the reality on the ground, on the other. |
| Women and HIV/AIDS: Confronting the Crisis This report, published jointly by UNIFEM, UNFPA and UNAIDS, concludes that women are bearing the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and that strategies to reverse it cannot succeed unless women and girls are empowered to reclaim their rights. Noting that half of all people infected with HIV are women, the report documents the devastating and often invisible impact of AIDS on women and girls and highlights the ways discrimination, poverty and gender-based violence help fuel the epidemic. |
| Electronic Privacy Information Center releases 2004 Privacy & Human Rights Report The Electronic Privacy Information Center and Privacy International released the seventh annual Privacy & Human Rights survey on November 17. This report reviews the state of privacy in more than sixty countries around the world. It outlines legal protections for privacy and new challenges, and summarizes important issues and events relating to privacy and surveillance. The 2004 survey points to several key global developments that have taken place in the last year, from the establishment of traveller profiling systems, the creation of biometric IDs and smart cards to the use of radio frequency identification technologies, video surveillance, and DNA and health information databases. Government authorities and private companies have increased their use of these new technologies and been keen on setting up sophisticated identification and surveillance of their citizens, customers and employees. The report warns that threats to personal privacy have reached a level that is dangerous to fundamental human rights. |
| Kenya |
| The impact of HIV/AIDS on land rights: Case studies from Kenya This study, produced by Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), South Africa , explores the relationship between HIV/AIDS and land rights in Kenya , with a particular focus on women as a socially vulnerable group. It examines: the ways that HIV/ AIDS-affected households are coping in terms of land access, use and management; the consequences of these coping strategies on security of access and rights to land; and how changes in land tenure, access and rights to land among different categories of people are affecting agricultural productivity, food security and poverty. The report also explores the future policy implications for land tenure arrangements for HIV/AIDS-affected households and identifies policy interventions for securing land rights of people affected by HIV/AIDS. The study makes a number of recommendations for consciousness raising, including: a proactive communications policy; training on land policy, procedures, rights, gender equality, HIV/AIDS and stigma; and developing regulations to guide and monitor land officials' performance. |
| Malaysia |
| Report on ‘Adequate Housing: A Human Right' by Human Rights Commission of Malaysia The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) has made public its report on ‘Adequate Housing: A Human Right' that calls on the Government to develop the formulation of a comprehensive national housing policy to include human rights standards on housing. The report is based on SUHAKAM's research on adequate housing and from the Seminar on Adequate Housing – a Human Right held by SUHAKAM in January 2004. |
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| Northern Ireland |
| Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission launches annual report The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission presented its Fifth Annual Report (covering the period April 2003 to March 2004) before Parliament on 11 November 2004. The report sets out the Commission's activities during the year, describing its work on casework, legislation, policy development, education, investigations and research as well as progress on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland . In its report the Commission provides an overview of developments in human rights standards in Northern Ireland and identifies seven key areas about which it has serious concerns. These areas include allegations of collusion, paramilitary violence, systems for preventing and investigating deaths, policing and prisons issues, the Bill of Rights and the failure of Government to provide effective support to the Commission. |
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Sri Lanka |
| Living in Fear - Child Soldiers and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka This is Human Rights Watch's fifteenth report on the recruitment and use of child soldiers. This 80 page report includes firsthand testimonies from dozens of children from northeastern Sri Lanka who have been recruited by the Tamil Tigers since the ceasefire came into effect. Children described rigorous and sometimes brutal military training, including training with heavy weapons, bombs and land mines. Children who try to escape are typically beaten in front of their entire unit as a warning to others. Human Rights Watch conducted research for this report in Sri Lanka in August 2004 and subsequently by telephone and electronic mail from New York and the Hague . Researchers visited Colombo , Batticaloa, Ampara, Trincomalee, and Kilinochchi. During the course of investigation, they spoke with thirty-five former child soldiers from the LTTE, who had been recruited between the ages of twelve and seventeen. Most had been recruited between 2001 and 2004 and spent between three weeks and eight years with the LTTE. The average length of time in the LTTE for these children was approximately 2.7 years. |
| Uganda |
| Kampala declaration on upholding democratic principles for a peaceful political transition Democracy is not simply a set of rules and principles that produce results on being put on paper. Democracy is a process, which must gradually grow into a culture of the people and of the nation. On 7th October 2004, participants and facilitators in a two-day Constitutional Conference organised by the Uganda Human Rights Commission, from the 6th to 7th October, 2004 on upholding democratic principles for a peaceful political transition, came out with recommendations and resolutions for the way forward for upholding democratic principles for a peaceful political transition. |
| United Kingdom |
| Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill A radical overhaul of the way law enforcement agencies combat organised crime, and modernisation of police powers, was set out by the UK Government as the Home Office published the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill. Reforms to police powers of arrest and the new measures aim to help crack the scourge of organised criminals, who trade in fear and intimidation, tearing apart communities and affecting the quality of life of every citizen, while strengthening and modernising the police service to ensure stronger, safer communities for all. This is one of the biggest changes in UK law enforcement since the 1960s. In the Bill are plans to extend the harassment laws to protect people from animal rights extremists and measures to prohibit people stirring up hatred against people because of their religious beliefs. |
| Annual Report on Human Rights 2004 British Foreign Minister Jack Straw launched the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Annual Report on Human Rights, on 10 November 2004. The Annual Report on Human Rights sets out how the UK Government is working to uphold human rights and promote more stable and open societies: from the day-to-day work on the ground through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) global network of posts, through dialogue with human rights groups, to action on the international stage through the EU, UN and other organisations. The Annual Report for Human Rights is the seventh produced by the FCO. The report covers the 12-month period until the end of July 2004. The Report was delayed this year due to the events in Beslan in September. The report was updated to reflect the tragedy. The Report highlights not only those countries which are cause for concern, but also recognises improvements where they have been made. |
| An analysis of recent asylum policy in the UK A new Act has been passed - another raft of swingeing changes designed to reassure the public that the Government is in control of our borders. And thanks to a significant drop in asylum applicants, the Government can boast it's right on track. Hailing the Royal Assent of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act, Home Secretary David Blunkett said: “This is part of our balanced approach. We are determined to continue to be tough on those who seek to abuse the system, but with a selective admission system to welcome those who come here legally and want to contribute, and giving a safe haven to those who are fleeing persecution.” Tina Puryear investigates how an approach that promises balance can reconcile deterrence with the needs of those seeking protection. |
| NEWS STORIES |
| ASYLUM |
| Support for asylum work rights More than eight in 10 people in Scotland believe asylum seekers should be allowed to work to support themselves, according to a poll. The majority of those interviewed for Oxfam also said Scotland should welcome those fleeing persecution. The survey of 1,000 people found 83% said asylum seekers should be allowed to work and 64% said Scotland should be a safe haven. More than half also did not want children kept in secure accommodation. Acting head of Oxfam in Scotland Judith Robertson said: "The poll shows strong support for the humanitarian principle that those suffering persecution can seek safe haven in Scotland". |
| HEALTH |
 AIDS pandemic is human rights crisis: Amnesty International Amnesty International's Secretary General has called on governments to put human rights at the heart of their responses to HIV/AIDS. Speaking at the closing plenary of the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok , Thailand , Irene Khan called the AIDS pandemic a human rights crisis and decried the fact that people living with HIV/AIDS can still face grave human rights abuses. |
| HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION |
| Launch of UN stamp on Decade for Human Rights Education Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, and Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, participated in the launch of a series of United Nations postal stamps marking the end of the United Nations Decade on Human Rights Education (1995 – 2004). The United Nations Postal Administration took the initiative of launching the special six-stamp series of United Nations postal stamps dedicated to the theme of human rights and to the Decade of Human Rights Education. The stamps were designed by artist Yuri Gevorgian. Mr. Ordzhonikidze said that although we lived in an era of instant communication, a letter could still offer an occasion for reflection that was not always possible with rapid e-mail exchanges. These stamps would provide their many recipients and collectors with another opportunity for further thought that could, at times, be difficult with computerized contact. The stamps would not only enable communication, they themselves were messengers for human rights. |
| Data collection for Global Directory of Human Rights Educators Human Rights Education Associates is currently collecting data for the Global Directory of Human Rights Educators. The aim of this directory is to provide a resource for individuals, communities and organisations that are looking for assistance with their activities or want to exchange information. Through the directory one can identify trainers or curriculum developers, explore potential partnerships, or share your interest in certain thematic areas. In order to protect the privacy of those listed the directory will be password protected and will only be accessible to those who have registered. It will also be possible for those who are registered to edit their profile and contact information at any given time. If you are an educator, trainer or otherwise involved or interested in human rights education, you can add your profile to the directory by registering on-line. |
| Fiji Human Rights Commission to education teachers on child abuse The Fiji Human Rights Commission is concerned about the increasing media reports of abuse, corporal punishment and degrading treatment of every form meted out to children by parents, relatives, guardians, teachers and peers. The Commission is concerned that this epidemic continues to escalate even though Fiji has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international human rights instruments. Subject to approval from the teacher training institutions, the Commission is intending to start the training from the next academic year. The Commission is of the view that education is the key towards building a culture of mutual respect and dignity of the human person. Teachers who are sensitized to the issues of child abuse can help curb such acts. They can facilitate an environment where children are allowed to develop to their fullest potential without being subjected to the traumatic impediments of abuse and cruel and degrading treatment. |
JUVENILE JUSTICE |
Activists in Pakistan welcome extension of juvenile justice law Welcoming the extension of a juvenile justice law to Pakistan 's northwestern Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA), child rights activists have called for the further promulgation of the law to all parts of the country. The Juvenile Justice System Ordinance (JJSO) was promulgated in 2000 to protect and promote the rights of those under 18 years of age who come into conflict with the law. The law was applicable to the whole of the country except Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), northern areas, Pakistani administered Kashmir and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) coming under NWFP province. However, the law was extended to PATA in October 2004 through an official notification by the provincial governor of NWFP, where juvenile suspects had earlier been treated the same as adults. |
Human rights watchdog in youth justice battle The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) is taking the Government to court to try to gain access to the Juvenile Justice Centre in Rathgael, Bangor. The NIHRC wants to visit the Rathgael Centre to check whether the recommendations contained in its report 'In Our Care: Promoting the Rights of Children in Custody', published in March 2002, are being implemented. The report made a number of disturbing findings regarding the treatment of young offenders in the juvenile justice system. For over one year now the NIHRC has been attempting to follow up this investigation but has been frustrated by the refusal of the Northern Ireland Office to allow the Commission's researchers to have access to the Rathgael Centre. |
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS |
Human Rights Day 2004 - A Tribute to human rights educators The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNESCO are dedicating Human Rights Day 2004 on 10 December to human rights education and encouraging other agencies and programmes of the United Nations System and relevant governmental and non-governmental actors to do the same. This year's observance will help highlight deliberations in the United Nations General Assembly, which is devoting a special plenary session on Human Rights Day to human rights education. The special meeting will mark the end of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004) and discuss possible future initiatives for the enhancement of human rights education worldwide. The Assembly is expected to proclaim a World Programme for Human Rights Education. The first phase of the Programme, to run from 2005 to 2007, is to be devoted to human rights education in the primary and secondary school systems. Announcing the 10 December observance, Mrs. Arbour said: "Every year, Human Rights Day reminds us of persisting human rights problems in our communities and in the world, and of the huge effort still needed, on the part of each and everyone of us, to make human rights a reality for all". |
PRISON REFORMS |
| United Nations condemns prison conditions in the UK The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has welcomed the support of the United Nations for its campaign to improve prison facilities in Northern Ireland and specifically to win a right of access to prisons in Northern Ireland . The United Nations Committee against Torture, meeting in Geneva in November 2004, has reviewed how the UK Government has complied with its international human rights obligations. The NIHRC submitted evidence on a range of human rights issues in Northern Ireland . The Committee specifically called for the NIHRC to be allowed access to places of detention and expressed its concern at conditions for women prisoners in Hydebank Wood Young Offenders' Centre. The UN Committee also questioned the need for a continuing state of emergency in Northern Ireland , the use of the Army in routine policing, and called for “all practicable steps” to investigate deaths resulting from the Troubles. |
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| Deaths of prisoners in Meru Prison - The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR)demands action The KNCHR Vice Chair Violet Mavisi has called on Parliament to amend the law immediately to enable a prison to decline admission of new prisoners where the prison has reached its maximum capacity. Reacting to the killing of prisoners in Meru, Ms Mavisi said this would be in line with provisions in the Borstal Institutions Act which requires a court to confirm that a borstal institution has accommodation before ordering that a youthful offender be committed. |
| RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE |
| UN panel adopts first text decrying anti-Semitism A U.N. General Assembly committee approved for the first time a resolution decrying an increase in anti-Semitism along with rising intolerance and violence directed at other religions. The resolution on religious intolerance was adopted 177-0 by the assembly's social and humanitarian committee, which has jurisdiction over human rights issues. Approval came after attempts by Muslim nations to delete or soften the reference to anti-Semitism, diplomats said. The resolution, which comes up every year, now goes to the General Assembly for a final vote. Routine approval is expected as all 191 U.N. member-nations have seats on both the committee and the full assembly. |
| RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED |
| Disability Discrimination Amendment (Education Standards) Bill 2004 re-introduced in Australia Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner Dr Sev Ozdowski has welcomed the re-introduction of amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The amendments clarify the operation of the Act in the education area and clear the way for authorisation of more detailed standards which have been drafted on access to education. The amendments address a drafting error in the original legislation, by providing that issues of unjustifiable hardship in providing equal access in particular cases can be considered at all stages rather than only at enrolment and admission. The amendments also confirm that Standards under the Act can provide for positive measures to provide equal opportunity for students with disabilities and to prevent harassment. Draft Standards on education under the Disability Discrimination Act have been negotiated over the last eight years, involving state and private education authorities as well as people with disabilities and Commonwealth Government departments. The amendments are intended to avoid any doubts regarding validity of making of disability standards in the terms of this draft. |
| Human Rights Commission welcomes new telephone service The Human Rights Commission, New Zealand has welcomed a new telephone service that will allow people who are deaf or who have hearing or speech impairments to communicate over the phone. Chief Human Rights Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan said the launch of the service was an important milestone and would enable people who were deaf or who have speech or hearing impairments to more fully participate in society. “Most of us take it for granted, but access to effective telephone communications is essential for ensuring the right to work, the right to education and the ability to take part in day-to-day activities with family and friends are realities for all,” Ms Noonan said. “The advent of the relay service means telecommunications providers will more effectively meet their human rights obligations.” In 2002 the Human Rights Commission found that the failure to provide a telephone relay service was likely to constitute discrimination under the Human Rights Act. |
| RIGHTS OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE |
| 10th session of the Working Group on the draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples from 29 November - 3 December 2004 The open-ended inter-sessional Working Group on the draft declaration was established in 1995 accordance with Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/32 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1995/32. The Working Group has the sole purpose of elaborating a draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, considering the draft contained in the annex to resolution 1994/45 of 26 August 1994 entitled draft "United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples". The draft is being prepared for consideration and adoption by the General Assembly during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. The Working Group on the draft declaration is a subsidiary organ of the Commission on Human Rights and is composed of representatives of Member States. As in similar human rights bodies, non-governmental and indigenous organizations with consultative status with the Economic and Social Council may take part in the proceedings. However, Commission on Human Rights resolution 1995/32 also sets out a procedure for participation for indigenous organizations without consultative status. |
| Tribal people journey to UK ; government under attack Three indigenous representatives arrived in London on 24 November to target the UK government for blocking an historic UN declaration on indigenous rights. Inuit woman Dalee Sambo Dorough from Alaska , Armand McKenzie of the Innu people from Quebec and Cree representative Romeo Saganash are protesting at the UK government's refusal to recognise collective rights – a position which is damaging to indigenous peoples around the world. This year marks the end of the UN Decade of Indigenous Peoples, during which a draft declaration on their rights has been completed following hundreds of consultations with indigenous representatives. If agreed by governments, the declaration would be the strongest international agreement on indigenous peoples. The UK has drawn global criticism from indigenous people for blocking the progress of the declaration. |
| TORTURE |
| Sri Lanka seeking to institutionalise torture in police stations and impunity for those who carry it out There is much evidence that shows that in Sri Lanka , which already suffers from the endemic use of torture, the authorities are failing to take steps to eliminate this abhorrent practice, in line with the county's obligations to its people and under international law according to a statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission. Instead, the authorities are taking measures that will facilitate the use of torture in police stations and that penalize any attempts by individuals or civil society to combat this phenomenon. |
| TRAFFICKING |
 Special Rapporteur on trafficking appointed United Nations Commission on Human Rights Chairman Mike Smith appointed Sigma Huda of Bangladesh as Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children. Ms. Huda is the founder and current president of the Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association, and the founding secretary of the Institute for Law and Development. She is also the secretary-general of the Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights, as well as a founding member of a number of other organizations active in the fight against trafficking and sexual exploitation, particularly of women and girls, from Bangladesh to India . In recognition of her work against trafficking, Ms. Huda was appointed to the National Council for Women in Development in Bangladesh , the highest national body for the development of women, by the country's Prime Minister. She has also worked with UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other international bodies on issues relating to human rights. The Special Rapporteur on trafficking is mandated by the Commission to make recommendations on ways to uphold the rights of trafficked persons based on gathered and received information from relevant sources. The Special Rapporteur is also mandated to respond effectively to reliable information on possible human rights violations with a view to protecting the human rights of actual or potential victims of trafficking. |
Girl-trafficking hampers Aids fight  The trafficking of young girls who are forced to work as prostitutes has been identified as a key factor in the steep rise in Aids in India . The country already has about 5.1m people who are HIV-positive - the second highest number in the world after South Africa . Some estimates predict this could rise to 20m in just six years. In big red light districts, such as Sonagachi in Calcutta , where at least 10,000 prostitutes make a living, some men continue to insist on sex without condoms. The trafficked girls are forced to oblige. Many come from rural villages and do not know what Aids is before they are sold to pimps. And as they are moved around the country they can unwittingly spread the disease. |
| WOMEN'S RIGHTS |
| Violence against women will continue unless its roots in gender discrimination and inequality seriously addressed Addressing a United Nations Security Council Open Debate on "Women, Peace and Security," Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), emphasised that any real solutions to eliminating violence against women must derive from a concerted attack on its origins - deeply rooted, historical patterns of discrimination against women and systemic gender inequalities that are pervasive both in peacetime as well as during conflict. Ms Heyzer referred to the critical opportunity that post-conflict reconstruction presents for establishing justice and the rule of law for women - including constitutions with strong and clear guarantees of gender equality, legal reforms that ensure equality in marriage and family relations, in property ownership and in access to secure jobs and livelihoods. Ending violence against women requires all of these things, she stressed, as well as on support for women's participation in elections as voters and candidates, and on their equal representation in all facets of government. Gender justice and the rule of law rely upon "judicial processes that fully ensure and protect women's entitlements on a basis of equality with men." |
| Women in armed conflict at extreme risk of sexual violence The systematic use of rape as a weapon of war is a violation of human rights that demands urgent attention and an end to impunity,” says UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy. “The prevalence of rape and sexual violence during armed conflict is not a new problem, but it is as serious as it has ever been,” Bellamy said on the International Day for the Prevention of Violence Against Women. “Perpetrators of sexual violence during armed conflict are violating international law. States must hold them accountable, and there must be resources for victims to seek justice.” In the 14 years after the end of the Cold War, from 1990 to 2003, there were 59 different major armed conflicts in 48 locations. Only four of these involved war between nations. |
| UN, NGOs battle to back women in conflict areas As women in conflict areas like Sudan , Iraq and Afghanistan are facing unprecedented humanitarian challenges, U.N. bodies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have stepped up the fight for their rights. Initiatives to support women's struggles in conflict and post-conflict situations marked the October 31, fourth anniversary of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, which provides for the protection and political empowerment of women in such circumstances. On November 15, the Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women of the U.N. Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) granted 115,000 dollars to grassroots groups and researchers in Sudan working with issues of gender-based violence. Sudanese women are among the hardest hit in the civil war that has displaced 1.7 million people in the northeast African country. ”Women and girls have been subject to abductions, sexual slavery, torture and forced displacement,” and lack critical access to legal and medical resources, reported Amnesty International (AI) in its 2004 assessment of resolution 1325. |
 Progress on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action From now until the 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2005, INSTRAW will be carrying out a series of activities designed to measure the global progress that has been made on the achievement of the 12 Critical Areas (and associated strategic objectives) set forth in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (PfA), including a progress report on each of the 12 Criticial Areas, and a list of specific materials, events and other realted news. The Progress Report on Women and Armed Conflict is now accessible, and other reports will be posted online as they become available. |
 World Aids Day Forum focuses on women's rights "In addition to gender, education or health, HIV is a human rights issue. Inadequate protection of women's human rights or their inability to control situations in which they can be placed at risk multiplies their vulnerability to the disease," said Nancy Spence, Director of the Commonwealth Secretariat's Social Transformation Programmes Division (STPD). The challenges in addressing such human rights are enormous but the consequences of not addressing them are even more disastrous." Speaking at the World AIDS Day Forum organised by STPD at Marlborough House, London , UK , on 1 December 2004, Ms Spence also stated: "We can't really face the HIV/AIDS pandemic unless we look very closely at empowerment issues. Empowering women and girls to say 'no' to risky sex will act as a natural vaccine against the pandemic." She stressed this was one factor among many. |
 Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Sexual violence is a public health problem and a violation of human rights. It occurs worldwide and has a profound impact on physical, mental and social well-being both immediately and in the long-term. Despite this, sexual violence has received little attention so far from researchers, policy-makers and programme designers. Interventions to prevent or respond to sexual violence are limited and many have not been evaluated. SVRI is an initiative hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) whose aim is to build a global network of researchers, policy makers, activists, and donors to ensure that sexual violence is addressed from the perspective of different disciplines and cultures. |
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