In an opinion adopted on 20 November 2013, the United Nations UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention [WGAD] requested the release of Iranian human rights defenders Khosro Kordpour and Massoud Kordpour from arbitrary detention. The WGAD carried out its investigation pursuant to an appeal by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and informed the Observatory (an FIDH-OMCT joint program me) of its decision on 4 February, 2014.
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Posts Tagged ‘Working Group’
UN Working Group concludes that detention of human rights defenders in Iran is arbitrary
February 6, 2014UN expert body urges action to prevent violation of indigenous rights due to business
October 30, 2013
(Indigenous people in Totonicapán, Guatemala. Photo: OHCHR/Rolando Alfaro)
Yesterday’s post about the G.A. report of UN Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders pointing to the pressure on environmental HRDs, is followed immediately by another on a similar topic: on 28 October 2013 the ‘UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises‘ made its report to the General Assembly and concludes that States and corporations need to do more to prevent the violation of indigenous peoples’ rights as a result of business-related activities.
UN expert now suggests Sinterklaas celebration in the Netherlands is return to slavery
October 22, 2013
According to the Dutch news programme Een Vandaag of 22 October, the Head of the UN working group dealing with the Zwarte Piet [Black Pete] issue in the Dutch Sinterklaas celebration, Verene Shepherd, has declared that: “The working group cannot understand why the Dutch do not see that this is a return to slavery and that in the 21st century this celebration has to stop” [translation HT]. If correct, this will create further controversy as it implies that the whole Sinterklaas event should be scrapped – sounds like a bit of overreach in terms of mandate….
via EenVandaag :: het nieuws- en actualiteiten programma van de TROS en AVRO op Nederland 1.
Job Opportunity: Manual on Documenting Violations against Women Human Rights Defenders
June 4, 2013The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC) is looking to recruit an editor for the Manual on Documenting Violations against Women Human Rights Defenders. The editor will work closely with members of the WHRD IC’s Documentation Manual Working Group to complete the manual. Read the rest of this entry »
Statement by Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition on equality in public life
June 4, 2013
The Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition submitted the following statement to the UN Human Rights Council whose Working Group on women’s equal, full and effective participation in Read the rest of this entry »
Outcome of ISHR side-event on business and human rights defenders
June 3, 2013
Last week I informed you that the Geneva-based NGO, International Service for Human Rights Finally, organised a side-event on business and human rights defenders (co-sponsored by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and promised to keep you informed of the outcome. Thanks to the quick reply from Phil Lynch, Read the rest of this entry »
Human rights defenders and corporate accountability before the UN Human Rights Council
May 31, 2013Today an interesting meeting took place in Geneva as a side event to the UN Human Rights Council on the topic: “Human rights defenders working on corporate accountability: How can the Human Rights Council contribute to their protection?”
In its report to the Human Rights Council, Read the rest of this entry »
International Service for Human Rights holds again its Geneva Training Course: from 26 May to 7 June
April 23, 2013You can now apply for ISHR‘s Geneva Training Course 2013. This advanced level training course will be held in Geneva from 26 May to 7 June, in parallel to the 23rd session of the UN Human Rights Council. The course offers an opportunity for participants with existing advocacy experience at domestic or regional level to expand their knowledge and skills, and over the 2-week period in Geneva directly engage in lobbying and advocacy activities at the UN level. This new programme blends ISHR extensive training experience, with its unique access to the UN mechanisms in Geneva and its close collaboration with leading human rights organisations. It will combine a common intensive training course with supported lobbying and advocacy activities adapted to the areas of interest of participants, as well as peer education among different groups of defenders. The programme will consist of the following elements:
a) A short online learning component, which takes place prior to Human Rights Council sessions, and supports participants in consolidating existing knowledge and developing advocacy objectives;
b) An intensive course in Geneva during the beginning of the June 2013 session of the Human Rights Council, focusing on ways to use international human rights mechanisms and to influence outcomes at the Human Rights Council;
c) Specific advocacy at the Human Rights Council session, with regular feedback and peer education to learn from the experiences;
b) Where appropriate, common follow-up at national level.
It is directed at experienced human rights defenders at the national level who have already some prior knowledge of the international human rights system.
The 23rd session of the Human Rights Council, which runs in parallel, will among other things focus on the following key areas:
- A resolution to follow-up to the Council’s work combating discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity (the SOGI resolution).
- Thematic reports by the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women; Special Rap on Cultural Rights; Working Group on Discrimination Against Women
- Thematic Reports by Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression.
- Annual Full Day Discussion on Women’s Rights
- Report of the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, the Forum on Business and Human Rights and a panel discussion on human rights and business
The draft programme of work of the Human Rights Council is expected to be published shortly, and will be available at http://bit.ly/pow-hrc23.
A description of the course, what is expected of participants and instructions on how to apply are available at http://bit.ly/gtc2013-tor.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 