Sep 21, 2019 | Advocacy
The ICJ has joined several hundred organizations working to defend human rights, the environment, and climate justice in a bold declaration setting out a vision and objectives for addressing the climate crisis and the devastating human rights and environmental impact of catastrophic climate change.
The Declaration was adopted at a gathering of the the Peoples’ Summit on Climate, Rights and Human Survival in New York on 18-19 September, which brought together some 200 representatives of Indigenous Peoples, workers, academia, environmental and human rights groups, including the ICJ.
The Declaration warns that “the climate emergency threatens human survival, the environment and the enjoyment of all human rights, for present and future generations.”
It emphasizes that governments and corporations bear the primary responsibility for acting to address and reverse the drivers of climate change.
The signatories to the Declaration agreed to 10 types of actions, including, among others, placing human rights at the core of climate activism, demanding effective access to justice for individuals and communities whose rights are impacted by the climate crisis, and support for environmental human rights defenders.
Download
Universal-Peoples Summit Declaration CC-Advocacy-2019-ENG (full declaration in PDF)
Sep 18, 2019 | Events, News
The Colombian Commission of Jurists (CCJ) and the ICJ invite you to a discussion on the strengths and challenges that the System and its institutions face. The event takes place Thursday, 19 September 2019, at 11:00 – 12:00, room XXI, in the Palais des Nations.
One of the essential elements of the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC-EP was the creation of an Integral System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition. This System contains a set of transitional mechanisms to protect and guarantee victims’ rights. It comprises three institutions: a tribunal called the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), a Truth commission, and a Unit to search for the missing persons. A year ago, after some delays, the three institutions have entered into operation. They all have made significant advances in fulfilling victims’ rights. However, there are still several challenges they must face to be considered successful transitional justice mechanisms.
The panel will feature:
Moderator:
- Sam Zarifi, ICJ Secretary General
Speakers:
- Philippe Texier, former judge of the Court of Cassation of France and ICJ commissioner.
- Edinson Cuéllar, Colectivo Sociojurídico Orlando Fals Borda
- Ana María Rodríguez, CCJ Senior Legal Adviser
- Rocío Quintero, ICJ Legal Adviser
Printed copies of the ICJ report “Colombia: Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz, análisis a un año y medio de su entrada en funcionamiento” will be available. (Full version in Spanish and Executive Summary in English)
A flyer for the event is available here.
Sep 17, 2019 | Advocacy
In a statement issued today, the ICJ and other human rights groups, as well as lawyers and members of the legal profession, expressed deep concern over the increasing attacks against lawyers under President Duterte’s administration.
Find the full statement available as PDF here: Philippines-attacks against lawyers escalating-advocacy-2019-ENG
Sep 17, 2019 | Events, News
This event held in Warsaw, Poland, will provide an overview of the ongoing challenges human rights lawyers in the OSCE region are facing in their daily work.
A flyer for the event is available here.
Sep 16, 2019 | Events, News
The ICJ, together with the Netherlands, Finland and Swiss missions to Geneva, OHCHR and other NGOs invite you to a panel discussion on Advancing accountability for human rights violations and abuses in Libya at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The event takes place on Friday 20 September 2019, at 15:00 – 16:30, Room XXIII, in the Palais des Nations.
With the onset of armed conflicts in Tripoli and surroundings on April 4, 2019, human rights violations and abuses have become more entrenched in Libya. There is now an urgency to discuss appropriate means to strengthen the rule of law in Libya and break the cycle of impunity prevailing in the country. The United Nations Human Rights Council can play a vital role in this process by establishing an independent international investigation into violations and abuses of human rights in Libya with a view to future accountability.
The event will be opened by Geoffrey van Leeuwen, Director for Middle East of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, moderated by Bahey Eldin Hassan, Director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, and feature:
–Elham Saudi, Director – Lawyers for Justice in Libya
–Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General & Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya – via video link
–Francesco Motta, Chief of OHCHR Asia, Pacific, Middle East & North Africa Branch
–Said Benarbia, Director of the Middle East & North Africa program, International Commission of Jurists
–Salah Al Marghani, Lawyer, human rights activist & former Minister of Justice for Libya
–Bruno Stagno Ugarte, Deputy Executive Director for Advocacy – Human Rights Watch
A flyer for the event is available here.
