Posts Tagged ‘NGOs’

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Uganda to ban 38 NGOs for “promotion” of homosexuality

June 21, 2012

As I reported recently the Ugandan Government raided a regional workshop of gay rights NGOs as part of its continuing crusade against homosexuality. It is not surprising that on 20 June the news agency AFP reported that Uganda will ban 38 nongovernmental organisations for spreading homosexuality. According to AFP the minister for ethics and integrity, Simon Lokodo: “I have investigated and established beyond reasonable doubt that these NGOs have been involved in the promotion and recruitment in terms of the [gay] issues”. Lokodo did not specify which organisations would be de-registered but said that the list included international and Ugandan group.

“We will tell them to stop operating and they will not have the legal right to practice here”. Lokodo said he submitted the names of the organisations to the internal affairs ministry and hoped they would be de-listed in the near future. “The sooner we can do this the better,” Lokodo added for good measure.

MEA Laureate Kasha is likely to be in the firing line again.

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Concrete steps towards better protection of human rights defenders

March 15, 2012

On March 8 and 9, 2012, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), organised the fourth “inter-mechanisms” meeting, which was hosted by the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland. This is a unique informal platform where under Chatham House Rules key actors meet to fine tune standards and mechanisms for Human Rights Defenders.

On this occasion, international and regional mechanisms and programmes for the protection of human rights defenders – operating within the United Nations, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the Council of Europe, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights(IACHR) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights – joined by representatives of the European Union, the International Organisation of the Francophonie and various NGOs, discussed the drafting of a joint report on existing standards and recommendations related to the protection of human rights defenders at the international and regional levels. IACHR offered to take a coordinating role in drafting the report, with the back up of the Observatory. This report would be inspired by the 2011 Commentary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and the IACHR Second Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders. Such a document, the first of its kind, will not only be a useful tool to human rights defenders, States and other relevant stakeholders, but will also demonstrate a unity of approaches among mechanisms.

Participants also shared their experiences and lessons learnt in order to identify possible ways tostrengthen the coordination and cooperation among existing mandates on the protection of human rights defenders. In particular, action-oriented discussions focused on how to ensure accountability for human rights violations against human rights defenders, which is a central issue for all mechanisms and programmes in order to combat impunity.

Participants also discussed core policy challenges affecting the protection of human rights defenders in relation to freedom of association, as well as possibilities of cooperation with the newly appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. A specific focus on the right to receive and access funding, including foreign funding was discussed, reflecting renewed preoccupations by mechanisms on restrictions by States in this regard. These issues should be further discussed during a future inter-mechanisms meeting, to be organised by the Observatory.

For more information, please contact :

• OMCT : Delphine Reculeau : + 41 22 809 49 39
• FIDH : Karine Appy / Arthur Manet : + 33 1 43 55 25 18

Concrete steps towards better protection of human rights defenders / March 15, 2012 / Urgent Interventions / Human rights defenders / OMCT.

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Don’t cut but re-direct aid say African Human Rights Defenders

November 3, 2011

Fifty three Human Rights groups have petitioned the British government, pleading not to cut its foreign aid to countries such as Uganda for the actions of their tyrannical leaders and corrupt governments but rather direct the aid to non-governmental organisations. This followed the announcement by British Prime Minister David Cameron’s to withhold aid going to governments that do not reform legislation interdicting homosexuality. Sweden’s SIDA, Canada and the US made similar threats in the context of the homophobic bill in Uganda this year.  The organisations called on the UK government not to cut aid because of the persecution of LGBT people but instead support African social justice activists. 

This is of course not a simple issue as there are degrees of violation that are so severe that a donor can simply not continue to (be seen to)assist a country while the capacity of the NGO sector to process and spend a huge amount of money remains insufficient. Besides, the aid given to the Government may be in a sector that is not touched at all by the violations in question (think of medical supplies to hospitals). Moreover, NGOs are not the panacea of all aid and are themselves sometimes involved in mismanagement. Still, it is good to hear from the non-governmental community that cutting aid to their should be the last resort and that they feel confident that that the NGO channel is a viable alternative. But this is valid only where governments allow NGOs to operate freely.

For the full story see: Blackstar News, Re-direct, But Dont cut aid, over human rights abuses, Activists say.

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Help make 9 December a special day for Human Rights Defenders!

October 1, 2011

 

 

 

 

I proposed some time ago to do something special for HRDs on 9 December see:  Human Rights Defenders Day // Bloggers Unite.

There are now 8 bloggers ‘participating’ which is a good start, but I think we need more persons and especially the ears and minds of the larger human rights NGOs. And then we need I new ideas……Please let me have yours..

What I wrote is the following:

10 December is International Human Rights Day but individual human rights defenders (HRDs) are so important that they deserve special and separate attention. On 9 December 1998 the UN adopted the ‘Declaration on the right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms’. It marks a historic achievement in the long struggle toward better protection of those at risk for carrying out legitimate human rights activities and is the first UN instrument that recognizes the importance and legitimacy of the work of human rights defenders, as well as their need for better protection. The UN Council for Human Rights also has a Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. Most NGOs have some kind of mandate to come to the rescue of their colleagues in difficulty. It is not necessary to create another formal UN-sanctioned International Day for Human Rights Defenders, but more focus could be achieved on this special day. I am open to ideas from others. I could think of a common list HRDs in prison or killed, to be remembered the next day, human rights day.

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UN Special Rapporteurs urge Cambodia not to go ahead with draft Law on Associations and NGOs

September 28, 2011

According to a UN press release (issued 28 September 2011) the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Surya Subedi, together with colleague-rapporteurs on freedom of  assembly and association, Mr. Maina Kiai, and on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms. Margaret Sekaggya,urged the Cambodian authorities to take fully on board the concerns raised during the consultation process before enacting the law, especially the onerous requirements for registration and the lack of clear criteria on which registration applications will be considered. The draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations, in its current form, “may hamper the legitimate work of NGOs in the country.”
“The Government of Cambodia should not proceed with the draft NGO law in its present form,” Mr. Subedi said presenting his annual report on the situation of human rights in Cambodia to the UN Human Rights Council. “Of course, as a sovereign country, Cambodia is entitled to enact a law on NGOs, but the decision to adopt a law to regulate NGOs and associations is a critical initiative which requires careful attention, given its long-term implications for the development of Cambodian society – and in turn the country – itself.”  The UN expert drew attention to the fact that many of the civil society organizations in Cambodia have been playing a complementary role to that of the State in helping or delivering key social services in the areas of education, health, rural development, sanitation, social welfare and the protection of natural resources and the environment.

Mr. Subedi acknowledges that the overall situation of human rights had improved over the years in Cambodia, but that there still was “a great deal of work to be done to strengthen the rule of law, to accelerate the process of democratisation and to enhance the capacity of parliament to hold executive to account.”

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Interesting seminar by euro-mediterranean NGOs on changes in Arab world

July 7, 2011

The Euro-Mediterranean Foundation of Support to Human Rights Defenders (EMHRF) which has been supporting human rights defenders organized on 2-3 April  a discussion seminar on democratic change in the Arab region. This seminar was among the first of its kind to be organized in the wake of the pivotal uprisings that have taken place in the region. I provided space for a preliminary exchange and reflection between key academics, civil society actors, donors, and government representatives working on and in the region. Discussions focused on four major axes:  local state actors, international actors, civil society and non governmental actors, and the donors’ community. The resulting document “Democratic Change in the Arab Region: State Policy and the Dynamics of Civil Society” can be found at: http://www.scribd.com/full/59127297?access_key=key-2kvxq3fz0wim07987e8c

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