HR News Update:

July 2009

Much has happened the last few months in the Human Rights field. This update covers events since March. To request specific information please email rights@wilpf.ch. 

In this Update you will find information on the:

• 10th Human Rights Council Session [March]
• Durban Review Conference [April]
• 5th Universal Periodic Review [May]
• UN Fact Finding Mission to Gaza [May]
• Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [May]
• 11th Special Session Human Rights Council [May]
• 11th Human Rights Council Session [June]
• Meeting Special Procedure Mandate Holders [June]
• Upcoming Months [July, August & September]
• Deadlines Provision NGO information [2009]

10th Human Rights Council Session
2-27 March 2009

As introduced in the first HR News Update of this year: WILPF attended and reported on the 10th Human Rights Council session. Please click on the following links to read the reports on those items which were covered during this session:

Prior to the 10th HRC session WILPF had prepared and circulated a written statement on possible measures to eliminate wartime rape. During the session, multiple oral statements were read out in the Council on behalf of WILPF. These were focused on the Right to Water, Right to Food, Right to Development and the Human Rights situation in Gaza.

Durban Review Conference
20 – 24 April 2009

In 2001 a goal setting Conference was held in Durban (South Africa) on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. Eight years later these goals were evaluated in Geneva in the Durban Review Conference. The Conference started with a controversial statement by Iranian President Ahmadinejad, which led to an orchestrated walk out of (mostly European) Diplomats.

Prior to the actual Review Conference WILPF was one of the co-conveners of the Civil Society Forum, which was held from 17 until 19 April. Around 400 civil society representatives gathered and discussed different issues. A group of committed participants worked until the early hours of Monday on a meaningful statement on which all participants would agree and could work with back home. This statement strongly welcomes the Durban Review Conference and called on all Nations to support the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. If you would like to read more on the Durban Review Conference, please click here.

5th Universal Periodic Review
6, 7 & 8 May 2009

During the fifth UPR session, WILPF attended the meetings on those Countries with WILPF Sections or Groups: the Democratic Republic of Congo, New Zealand and Chile. The meetings on New Zealand and Chile received more attention than the one on the DRC, but it was good to see that Treaty Body members attended the UPR session on the DRC. Please click on the following reports to learn more:

If you would like to read more on the Universal Periodic Review, please have a look at the website www.upr-info.org or click here to learn more on WILPF’s role within the UPR.

UN Fact Finding Mission to Gaza
7 May 2009

During the 10th Human Rights Council session, the President installed an international independent UN Fact Finding Mission to Gaza with the Mandate: “to investigate all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law that might have been committed at any time in the context of the military operations that were conducted in Gaza during the period from 27 December 2008 to 18 January 2009, whether before, during or after”. This Mandate was based on the adopted Resolution following the 9th HRC Special Session.

WILPF attended the meeting between the members of the UN Fact Finding Mission and NGO representatives, where around 30 NGOs were represented, amongst which those based in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Richard Goldstone – the head of the Mission – emphasized that all violations of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law will be looked into. In WILPF’s statement the organization was introduced to the Fact Finding Mission and requested their specific attention for the impact of the attacks on women and girls. Upon this request especially member Dr. Christine Chinkin reacted enthusiastically and ensured that this was high up on the agenda. Please click here to learn more about the Mission’s call for information.

Committee on Social, Economic and Social Rights
5, 6, 12 & 13 May 2009

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is one of the UN Treaty Bodies. It monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which entered into force in 1976. The CESCR is made up out of 18 experts, who meet twice a year for three weeks at a time.

WILPF attended and reported on the sessions which were held for Australia (5 & 6 May) and the United Kingdom (12 & 13 May). To read the reports and to find out more about the CESCR, please click here.

11th Special Session of the HRC on Sri Lanka
26 & 27 May 2009

After months of lobbying by NGOs, the Human Rights Council convened a Special Session on the situation in Sri Lanka, following the call by 17 members of the Council: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Mauritius, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Ukraine, Uruguay, and the United Kingdom.

The 11th Special Session was held just a week before the regular HRC session, mostly due to a cessation of the fighting in Sri Lanka. WILPF’s written statement was one out of only four statements which were handed out amongst all Delegations, NHRIs, NGOs and press present at the start of the session. In addition, WILPF addressed the Council to propose changes to the Draft Resolution and pushed for, amongst others: greater access for humanitarian organisations and full participation of women in the peace building process, by urging that Security Council Resolution 1325 and 1820 be added to the Resolution text.

The adopted Resolution is very weak, as a strong consensual outcome was not possible despite serious efforts by many States. Sri Lanka kept on refusing to accept any proposals made to its own resolution text and the EU therefore tabled nine amendments. For the first time, the Council was faced with a no-action motion proposed by Cuba to suspend debate and action on these amendments. The Council proceeded to vote on the no action motion was won by 22 in favour, 7 abstentions and 17 against, dismissing the amendments as a result. This underlines the need for WILPF’s work in supporting the UN in its work.

11th Human Rights Council Session
2-19 June 2009

During the 11th HRC session there was a focus on women’s rights and the Special Procedure on Violence Against Women. WILPF focused on attending the following meetings and will report on these swiftly:

In addition, WILPF attended the informal meetings organized by Canada on the HRC Decision on the new mandate for the Special Rapporteur on VAW – currently Yakin Ertürk – and side-events organized to celebrate the 15 year existence of the Mandate. Please click here, if you want to read the review of the impact of the Mandate so far. To push for further recognition and follow-up for Security Council Resolution 1820, WILPF addressed the Council and distributed a written statement.  

Meeting Special Procedures Mandate Holders
30th June 2009

Every year the Special Procedure Mandate Holders convene for three days to discuss overarching issues. Part of these three days is a meeting with NGOs, in which input is requested. WILPF was present in this meeting and took the floor to address the Mandate holders on three issues:

1. To introduce the concept of “you get what you pay for”: in which disarmament could free sufficient financial means to realistically ensure the fulfilment of all human rights.
2. Specifically thanked Yakin Ertürk, the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, for her great efforts over the last 6 years and the way in which the 15 year Mandate was celebrated and reviewed. On the other hand WILPF expressed its disappointment in the new Mandate, as it lacked language linking SCR 1325 and 1820 into the reporting for CEDAW and the UPR.
3. To request information on the progress made by the UN Fact Finding Mission for Gaza.

Upcoming Months
July, August and September

In the coming months WILPF will be attending the following meetings and report on these:

Human Rights Committee (14 & 15 July):
WILPF will attend the meeting of the Human Rights Committee mid July on the Netherlands, during their 96th Session. The Committee will monitor the adherence of the Netherlands to the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR). Please click here to read the Dutch State report and information provided by NGOs.

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (12 & 13 August):
During the 74th CERD Session, WILPF will attend the review of Colombia mid August. During this review I will pay most attention to questions and answers regarding the discrimination of Indigenous and internally displaced women. To read Colombia’s State Report and the NGO reports, please follow this link.

12th Human Rights Council Session (14 September until 2nd October):
The 12th Session of the Human Rights Council will start mid September. Currently the agenda is not yet known. As usual, WILPF will follow those Items on the agenda which are relevant to WILPF or to one of its Sections or Groups. The reports can be found after the Session on the WILPF website. 

If there are other human rights meetings or activities coming up in these months, please inform me by emailing me at rights@wilpf.ch. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, please feel free to use rights@wilpf.ch to bring me up to date or suggest a focus for following these meetings.

Deadlines Provision NGO Information
2009

All Human Rights Treaty Bodies and the Universal Periodic Review invite NGOs to inform its Members on the situation in the Country under review. Please check the following timetable to see when you can provide information concerning your Country. Please click on the link to get information about the specific procedure:

Until the next Human Rights News Update!