7th Session of the CDW reviews Banjul Declaration

On 17 may 2011, the Committee on Women and Development (CWD) of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), opened in Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) its 7^th Session concerning “Narrowing Gaps, Maximizing Opportunities: Beyond Beijing+15”.

The Protection of Human Rights and the importance of National Institutions

During the annual conference of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, underlined the importance of these institutions in maintaining and restoring rule of law as well as in assisting victims of human rights violations.

These institutions play a key role especially in post-conflict situations, contributing to restore the normal life of society. An important issue raised is the necessity to establish a close cooperation between the national institutions and the UN human rights bodies, such as the Human Rights Council.

Finally, Navi Pillay stressed that national human rights institutions must fulfil the “Paris principles” in order to ensure an effective national system for the protection of human rights. 

A new database on death penalty

On May 5^th, 2011, the IIMA Human Rights Office participated in the Side event “The Death Penalty Worldwide: new data regarding the practice and laws of death penalty retentionist States” held at Palais des Nations, in Geneva. 

UN expert warns of impact of prolonged Israeli occupation on Palestinian children

After an eight-day visit to Cairo and Amman, Mr. Richard Falk, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, expressed his concern about the situation of Palestinian children, still subjected to attacks, detention and abuse.

European Union obtains the observer state status at the United Nations

On 3 May 2011, the General Assembly recognized to the European Union the observer status. By now the European Union can intervene during the Human Rights Council sessions, participate in the general debate of the General Assembly, present proposals and amendments, but they will not have the right to vote or to put forward candidates.

This decision is important because give to the EU the possibility to participate at the UN works and it creates a precedent to recognize the status of observer to other regional organizations. Today, the Human Rights Council counts two observers: Holy See and European Union.

Twenty years on from the Windhoek Declaration: Freedom of the press in a changed world

On 3 May 2011, the IIMA Human Rights Office participated in the World Press Freedom Day, commemorated by the United Nation Information Service, UNESCO and the United Nations Office in Geneva, to celebrate the 20^thanniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration.

VIDES meets the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people during his visit in Costa Rica

The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people, James Anaya, visited Costa Rica last 25-27 April 2011. He was invited by the Government to assess the impact of the hydroelectric dam “El Diquis”, that will be built in the indigenous territory of Terraba, on the local communities settled in this area. In other words, his task was to verify if the hydroelectric project carried out by Costa Rica Government would imply a violation of indigenous people’s rights.

The Human Rights Council holds Special Session on Syria

On April 29, 2011, following the request of 38 member and observer states, the Human Rights Council held the 16^th special session to respond to the grave violations of human rights in the Syrian Arabic Republic.

46 Salesian Sisters of the Mother Ersilia Canta House (Rome) visit the IIMA Human Rights Office

On 29 April 2011, the IIMA Human Rights Office welcomed 46 Salesian Sisters coming from India, South Africa, Ethiopia and Japan among other countries.

All sisters, who were pilgrimaging to Annecy, scheduled the Human Rights Office in Geneva in their plan.

After the presentation of all Sisters, Sr. MariaGrazia Caputo, Director of the Office, and her young collaborators, illustrated the mission of the office: promote and defend human rights worldwide, and in particular the Right to Education for all.

UN Panel begins investigation into the Libyan country

A panel composed by three UN experts arrived in Libya on 27 April to investigate into the violence and the abuse of human rights perpetrated by forces supporting Muammar al-Qadhafi.
The creation of the panel led by Professor Cherif Bassiouni and composed by Asma Khader and Philippe Kirsch, follow the decision of the UN General Assembly to suspend Libya’s membership in the Human Rights Council and the authorization gave by the UN Security Council to the Member States to take “all necessary measures” to protect civilians.
The UN agencies strengthened all the efforts to intervene in the place more hit of the country and to fulfil medical, food and water priorities.

To read more:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=38205&Cr=libya&Cr1=

Salesian sisters visited the IIMA Human Rights Office

 On 15 April 2011, a group of 36 Salesian sisters coming from India, Australia, USA, UK, Ireland Rwanda , Sudan and Zambia visited the IIMA Human Rights Office in Geneva.

The goal of the meeting was to present the mission and activities of the office and to remember the possible areas for collaboration. 

Sister Rosita, FMA in Argentina, meets the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to adequate housing

From 13^th to 21^st April 2011, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, Ms. Raquel Rolnik, is visiting Argentina where she has met members of the civil society.

Our Institute, through the Human Rights Office of ARO Province in Argentina, participated in one meeting. In fact, Sister Rosa Silvia Sidasmed, FMA in Argtentina, presented a detailed report concerning the situation of campesinos and indigenous people, who lived in the North of the country.

Message of the UN Secretary General in occasion of the World Water Day

On 22 March, on the occasion of the World Water Day, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, reaffirmed the importance of the management of water resource to fight against poverty and to guarantee the dignity for all.

The management of water resource was among the several challenges decided during the Millennium Development Goal meeting. “Water for Cities” is the the theme of this year’s observance of World Water Day.

On the one hand, urbanization could play an important role to improve both the efficiency water management and the access to safe drinking water. On the other hand, the urbanization could overdraw the problems concerning water. Moreover, the problem of access to water is connected to the sanitation issue.

The water problems will be faced during the future UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, in 2012- Rio+20.

Ban Ki-moon concluded calling governments to recognize the urban water crisis as a crisis of governance, weak policies and poor management, rather than one of scarcity.

To read more information, please follow the link below:

http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=5157

UN welcomes the decision of AU to appoint a Special Representative on Women, Peace and Security in the region

The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Margot Wallström, welcomed the decision of the African Union to appoint a Special Representative on Women, Peace and Security as a point of contact to strengthen the collaboration between the UN and the AU to eradicate sexual violence in Africa.Margot Wallström said that “without the political leadership of Africa, we will not succeed in eradicating this international crime”. In addition, she encouraged the UN Security Council to include conflict-related sexual violence as an item of the agenda in their annual meeting.

IIMA Side Event: Right to Education of Children Living and/or Working in the Street- March 4 2011, Geneva

On the occasion of the 16^th session of the Human Rights Council, held from 28 February to 26 March 2011, the Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice  (IIMA) organized a side event on the “Right to Education of Children Living and/or Working in the Street”.

International Day for the Right to Truth Concerning Victims of Gross Human Rights Violations and Dignity of Victims

24 March 1980--- El Salvadorian human rights defender, Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, was shot to death while celebrating mass and after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence. Thirty years later, the UN General Assembly, marked the day as the “International Day for the Right to Truth Concerning Victims of Gross Human Rights Violations and Dignity of Victims”.  

On the occasion of its first commemoration, on 24 March 2011, the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, expressed their support on the key concept that the victims of human rights abuses and their families possess an inalienable right to know the truth about the circumstances concerning the perpetration of heinous crimes against them. Ban Ki-moon emphasized that right to the truth is now provided in the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance which entered into force in December last year. Navi Pillay shared the three fundamental rights to fight against impunity and to restore the dignity of victims: the right to the truth, to justice, and to reparations. In addition, she pointed out the importance of public, independent, and impartial inquiries into gross violations in order to bring out the truth on the suffered violations.

Special Rapporteur on the situation in Iran

On 24^th March, the Human Rights Council created a post of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran to assess and report on the respect of human rights in the country.

This is an important innovation because it implies that, henceforth, the situation of human rights in Iran will be constantly monitored by a UN expert who will submit at the Human Rights Council periodic reports. Consequently, Iran should cooperate with the Special Rapporteur, among other things, by inviting him/her to visit the country.

To read more information, please follow the link below:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37887&Cr=iran&Cr1=

Climate change and Human Rights

Geneva, 17 March 2011- Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Center for International Environment Law,  Earthjustice and WaterLex led a side event at Room XXV, Palais des Nations on the topic “Climate Change and Human Rights.”  The panel was composed of Joshua Cooper (University of Hawaii), Alyssa Johl (Center for International Environment Law), Yves Lador (Earthjustice) and Maria Francisca Ize-Charin (WaterLex). Felix Kirchmeier (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung) acted as the moderator.

Timor-Leste towards consolidation of peace and development

After the creation of the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) in 2006, the country has taken important steps toward peace and development.

Tunisia: transition to democracy

After a week-mission in Tunisia, four top Experts from the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a report that currently it is vital to support the country to the transition to democracy.