civicus at the un

• Human Rights situations that require the Council's attention

  18th session of the Human Rights Council Item 4

  Delivered by Renate Bloem

  Thank you Mme President,

  During the recent 10th World Assembly of CIVICUS (10-12 September) our members and partners from the ground asked to bring to the Council following strong concerns:

  1.    Syria: With the death toll and arbitrary detention each day increasing - most recently Gayath Matar, a 26 years old, was arrested and died under torture and his body was sent back to his family with harsh bruises- the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) and CIVICUS condemn strongly this cycle of violence and terror. We welcome the appointment of the International Commission on Inquiry, but ask for depth investigation, field visits all around the country and insurance that witnesses and interrogated people will be safe of reprisals.

• Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention

  21h session of the
  Human Rights Council
  Item4   

  Delivered by Renate Bloem

  Thank you Madam President,
  CIVICUS has repeatedly urged the Ethiopian Government to realign its policy to international   human rights law. Following passing of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s we believe that now is the time for the new leadership to recommit the State to the full respect of its population’s human rights. The Council and Ethiopia’s international partners should equally take the opportunity to call for a number of pressing reforms to re-establish respect for the freedoms of association, assembly and expression as a matter of priority during this time of transition. In particular, we ask HRC member and observer states to call upon Ethiopian authorities to

  • Amend the 2009 Ethiopian Charities and Societies Proclamation to remove restrictions on human rights organizations and bring the Proclamation in line with the Ethiopian Constitution and international human rights obligations, including the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders
  • Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention: North Korea, Syria, Egypt and Bahrain

    CIVICUS is deeply concerned about the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), its unparalleled human rights violations, about the governments terrorization, murder, torture, mass starvation, lack of freedom of movement for its citizens both within the country as well as abroad. We therefore join recommendations of the Commission on Inquiry to ask the Security Council for DPRK’s referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC)

    CIVICUS also continues to be concerned about Syria and with the third year anniversary is supporting a new campaign to raise awareness about the ongoing crisis. www.with-Syria.org 

    Read the full statement here.

  • Human Rights Violations in Cambodia: Joint letter to UN HRC calling for resolution

     

    12 international, regional, and Cambodian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), urge the Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution addressing Cambodia's gravely deteriorating human rights situation.

  • HUNGARY: UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW - CIVICUS Statement at the Human Rights Council

    33nd session of the Human Rights Council

    CIVICUS welcomes Hungary’s commitment to engage with the Universal Periodic Review process and takes seriously the recommendations made by states and other stakeholders during the 2^nd cycle review.

    We urge the Government of Hungary to accept all recommendations made, and draw particular attention to those recommendations related to the recent erosion of respect for fundamental freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression.

  • Interactive Dialogue on access to safe drinking water and sanitation and on arbitrary detention

    CIVICUS thanks the Special Rapporteur on access to safe drinking water and sanitation for his very innovative report, for looking through the gender lens on the myriad challenges women face in tackling the material and structural determinants of gender inequalities in access to water, sanitation and hygiene which could serve as an entry point to address gender inequality more broadly. We particularly thank him for making the link to participation, not only as a right in itself, but also imperative for fulfilling other rights. We concur that.the lack of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities that meet women’s and girls’ needs can be largely attributed to the absence of women’s participation in decision-making and planning.

  • Interactive Dialogue on Burundi - Civicus Statement at the Human Rights Council

    33rd session of the Human Rights Council

    CIVICUS welcomes the final report of the Independent Experts and commends them for their clear analysis of the shocking situation of human rights in Burundi. 

    We note that the report concedes that violence against human rights defenders, journalists and ordinary citizens continues unabated and those who are behind the violence act with unacceptable impunity. 

    Mr. President, we agree with the findings of the report on the enforced disappearances, abductions, killings, torture, arrests and detentions of those perceived to be opponents of the regime.  Human rights defenders, journalists and ordinary citizens have been killed, others been abducted and taken to unknown locations.  Those fortunate enough to be released alive are tortured before they are released.

  • Interactive Dialogue on Somalia - Joint Statement at the Human Rights Council

    33rd session of the Human Rights Council

    CIVICUS and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project thank the Independent Expert on Somalia for his report. 

    As Somalia prepares for its electoral process later this year, we take this opportunity to welcome steps taken by the government to strengthen its human rights framework in preparation for the election.

    While recognising this progress, we call on Somali authorities to make a concerted effort to  address undue restrictions on freedom of expression. In particular, we call on Somalia to ensure that government officials’ threats and intimidation of media workers are swiftly and effectively investigated. In June 2016, Puntland Ministry of Information issued a directive restricting journalists from interviewing persons linked to pirates and terrorists, and in an audio recording, the Minister of Information threatened to use force and to kill journalists who violate the order. Although Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the majority of violations committed against media workers, the Government should cease its practice of closing radio stations and arresting journalists deemed critical. 

  • Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association

    32nd Session of the Human Rights Council

    While religious fundamentalism continues to dominate international headlines and many of the proceedings of the Council, we urge all states to acknowledge how various iterations of fundamentalism undermine the realization of human rights, including the right to assembly and association. While less visceral than religious fundamentalism, market, political, cultural and nationalism forms of fundamentalism, must assume greater prominence within discussions at the Council.

  • Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Cambodia - Joint Statement at the Human Rights Council

    33rd session of the Human Rights Council
    Joint Oral Submission
    World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) and CIVICUS

    Next month marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the signing of the Paris Peace Agreements, which set out a framework for peace in Cambodia based on a multi-party democracy guaranteeing human rights; however, the past year has seen the pillars of Cambodian democracy come under attack.

    Despite the Council’s call in October 2015 for the government “to promote a pluralistic and democratic process”, political opposition have systematically been targeted: last October two opposition lawmakers were brutally beaten by members of the Prime Minister’s Bodyguard Unit; opposition leader Sam Rainsy faces charges for defamation and remains in self-imposed exile; and earlier this month acting opposition leader Kem Sokha was sentenced to five months imprisonment following a criminal investigation widely considered to be politically motivated. 

  • Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples - CIVICUS Statement

    33rd session of the Human Rights Council

    CIVICUS welcomes the Special Rapporteur’s report on the rights of indigenous peoples and its contribution towards the development of a stronger guiding framework on the relationship between business and human rights. We especially applaud the Special Rapporteur’s thematic analysis of the impact of international investment agreements on the rights of indigenous peoples within the context of achieving greater coherence between international investment law and international human rights standards to safeguard the fulfilment of states’ duties to protect and promote the rights of indigenous peoples.

  • Joint CIVICUS & Save the Children UN Human Rights Council Statement on civic space for children

    Joint NGO Oral Statement by Save the Children, CIVICUS and 17 NGOs

    A strong, diverse and independent civil society is also a space for children. Children, who constitute more than 30% of the world’s population, have the right to be heard and participate in different spheres of society. Children want to participate in public processes. We need them to speak out to better respond to their situation. Despite this, children’s voices are often marginalized.

  • Joint CIVICUS EHAHRDP Burundi UNHRC Oral Statement

    CIVICUS and the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (EHAHRDP) welcome the holding of this Special Session and the Council’s effort to address the escalation of violence and gross violations of human rights in Burundi. 

  • Joint CIVICUS UN HRC statement on the Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea

    Human Rights Council: 32nd Session

    CIVICUS and Citizens for Democratic Rights in Eritrea welcome the report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on Eritrea. 

    We remain deeply concerned by the findings presented in the CoI’s report, including those amounting to crimes against humanity, which indicate that there has been no material improvement in human rights situation on the ground. We note with particular alarm that extensive violations of freedom of expression, assembly and association continue unabated. The absolute and violent repression of all forms of dissent and civil society freedoms in Eritrea is emblematic of the extreme consequences of denying people the right to participate in the development of the state.

  • Joint CIVICUS UN HRC statement on the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women

    WILPF has the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of 27 CSOs. We applaud the ambitious and complementary thematic priorities proposed by the Special Rapporteur in her first annual report to the Council and we congratulate her in her appointment. 

    We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s attention to: 1) closing the implementation gap on violence against women under the aegis of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and; 2) the use of data as a tool for prevention through the establishment of “femicide watch”.

  • Joint civil society statement on Swaziland at the Human Rights Council

    33rd session of the Human Rights Council

    We are concerned that even though the Swaziland government has committed to consider 72 recommendations, there has been no consultation with civil society on the recommendations. We continue to witness violations (e.g. the right to freedom of association, expression and assembly) 

  • Joint CSO Letter on Human Rights Situation in Bahrain

    CIVICS along with 11 other civil society organisations have sent a letter to the permanent representatives of Member and Observer states of the UN Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution to address the human rights situation in Bahrain. There is particular concern over the Government of Bahrain´s continued repression of dissenting voices, including through the arbitrary detentions of high-profile opposition activists and human rights defenders. 

  • Joint Letter to Human Rights Council on resolution related to peaceful protests

    Civil society organisations urge States to reject amendments to Human Rights Council resolution on “the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests” (HRC/31/L.21)

  • Joint letter to the UN HRC: Address restrictions on freedom of assembly and civil society in Ethiopia

    

    A group of civil society organizations (CSOs) have written to the UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC) to express their concern over the Ethiopian Government’s grave restrictions on fundamental human rights, exemplified by the recent crackdown on largely peaceful protests in the Oromia region.

    They call on the delegation of the 31st HRC session to make joint or individual statements reinforcing and building upon the concerns of these and other international bodies.

    Read the letter here. 

     

  • Joint letter to the UN HRC: Addressing the escalating human rights crisis in Ethiopia

     

    A group of civil society organizations (CSOs) have written to the UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC) to draw the delegation's attention to grave violations of human rights in Ethiopia, including the recent crackdown on largely peaceful protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions. 

    They call on the delegation of the 33rd HRC session to prioritise and address through joint and individual statements the escalating human rights crisis in Ethiopia. 
    Read the letter here. 
     

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