Jun 29, 2016
The ICJ has joined a group of 244 civil society organizations, spanning across all regions of the world, to call on States at the UN Human Rights Council to cosponsor the resolution on civil society space.
The groups also call to vote against amendments proposed by the Russian Federation that would weaken it, and to vote in favour of the resolution itself.
The vote is expected to take place later this week.
The draft resolution, presented by a cross-regional group of States comprising of Chile, Ireland, Japan, Sierra Leone, and Tunisia, was developed through broad consultation with States and civil society and in the past was adopted by consensus.
The draft resolution welcomes the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and recognizes the key role of civil society in achieving the goals. Once adopted, the resolution will be a substantive contribution to the Council’s work to protect civil society space.
However, fifteen amendments tabled by the Russian Federation seek to remove these essential elements from the draft resolution, and insert language to justify illegitimate restrictions on civil society that would undermine the protections of international human rights law. Many of the amendments challenge previously agreed HRC or General Assembly language.
If adopted, the amendments would undermine international efforts to safeguard space or civil society, including because they would effectively:
- Reject the expert guidance and practical recommendations made by the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights on civil society space, including to remove substantive recommendations to states on ensuring: a supportive legal framework for civil society and access to justice; public and political environment for civil society; access to information; public participation of civil society actors, and human rights education;
- Remove or otherwise limit commitments to protect and promote the right to freedom of association, in particular civil society’s right to access resources for its vital work, and to be free of arbitrary registration and reporting requirements that seek to hinder the work and safety of civil society;
- Remove references to the gravity of threats civil society faces, including illegitimate restrictions to their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, as well as reprisals against those seeking to cooperate or cooperating with the United Nations and other international bodies;
- Narrow the understanding of “minority groups”, by seeking to include only a limited and under-inclusive list of protected characteristics to the exclusion of others recognised under international human rights law;
- Remove reference to the term “human rights defenders”, as well as previous work of the HRC on their protection;
- Remove concerns that restrictions on civil society may limit the United Nations in achieving its purposes and principles, and removing the emphasis on the Universal Periodic Review as an important mechanism to create space for civil society.
The full letter and list of organizations can be downloaded in PDF format here: HRC32-OpenLetter-CivilSocietySpace-2016-EN
Jun 27, 2016 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today joined 567 other organisations, from 142 countries, in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council calling on the Council to create an Independent UN Expert to address discrimination and violence against persons based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The statement can be downloaded in full here: HRC32-OralStatement-Item8-SOGI-2016-ENG
Jun 23, 2016 | Events
Side-event to the 32nd regular session of the Human Rights Council
24 June 2016, from 13:30 to 15:00 hrs
Room IX, Palais des Nations, Geneva
Accountability and remedy for business-related human rights abuse have been key advocacy objectives for many human rights organizations over the years.
Accountability and remedy have been identified as being some of the most salient normative and governance gaps in business and human rights. States and international organizations are now taking some action in response to those gaps and are considering initiatives and ways to tackle accountability and remedy deficits.
The Human Rights Council is currently engaged in a treaty-making process through an Intergovernmental Working Group, and it is considering a report by OHCHR on Accountability and Remedy during its 32nd session. Just one week prior, the International Labour Conference carried out crucial deliberations about ways to address those governance gaps and promote decent work in the global supply chain and to deter abuse.
This panel will look at these issues from the perspective of civil society and practitioners’ work, drawing from concrete experiences, recent achievements in the field and ongoing concerns.
Introduction:
- Surya Deva, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
Panel:
- Gabriela Kletzel – CELS
- Richard Meeran – Leigh Day
- Anna Biondi – ILO
- Gaëlle Dusepulchre- FIDH
- Moderator : Carlos López – ICJ
From the groundbreaking work to investigate and prosecute serious abuse against workers during the Argentinian military regime to the forward looking work of litigators of cases concerning parent and subsidiary companies’ responsibilities, exploring the new paths being broken in the recent International Labour Conference’s decisions on decent work on supply chains and the UN IGWG on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights, this panel will discuss ways in which these initiatives may address the crucial issues of accountability and remedy looking at past and present achievements and plans for the future.
The event flyer may be downloaded (PDF) here: Past abuses and remaining challenges_flyer_side event_HRC32
The event is organized by ICJ, Franciscans International, FIDH and CELS.
Jun 22, 2016 | Advocacy
The ICJ and other human rights groups issued a joint statement on the 10th anniversary of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.
It can be downloaded here: Universal-OPCAT+10 Joint Statement-Advocacy-2016-ENG (full text in PDF)
Jun 17, 2016 | Advocacy, Non-legal submissions
The ICJ today delivered an oral statement on human rights and state-owned enterprises, as well as the right to a remedy and reparation for human rights abuses caused by businesses.
The statement was made to the UN Human Rights Council and can be downloaded here in PDF: HRC32-OralStatement-WGBHR-2016
