5 December 2008 - Child Rights at the Human Rights Council 48
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Children Have Rights Too!
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UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW: 3rd session kicks off [news]
The 3rd session of the Universal Periodic Review (what is this?) has begun in Geneva. The following States are being examined:
1. Botswana
2. Bahamas
3. Burundi
4. Luxembourg
5. Barbados
6. Montenegro
7. United Arab Emirates
8. Israel
9. Liechtenstein
10. Serbia
11. Turkmenistan
12. Burkina Faso
13. Cape verde
14. Colombia
15. Uzbekistan
16. Tuvalu
As with previous sessions, CRIN is compiling reports of all the mentions of children's rights during the review process. You can read about how child rights were addressed in the first two sessions, in both submissions before the review and official reports from the review, here
International Service for Human Rights publishes reports on country sessions at the UPR in their 'UPR monitor'. Visit their website for more information
Further information
For more information, contact:
Child Rights Information Network
1 St John's Lane, London EC1M 4AR
Tel: + 44 20 7012 6866 or 67; Fax: + 44 020 7012 6899
Email: info@crin.org
Website: www.crin.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=19169
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DRC: Council Gives Weak Response to Civilian Protection in DRC [news]
[GENEVA, 3 December 2008] – The UN Human Rights Council’s resolution condemning abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) failed to include concrete steps to protect civilians, Human Rights Watch said.
“The situation in eastern Congo desperately deserves the attention of the UN’s leading human rights body,” said Juliette de Rivero, Geneva advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. “But the Human Rights Council spent its energy on internal political struggles, rather than focusing on how it could save lives.”
The council concluded its special session on the situation in the eastern Congo, where government forces and allied militia have been battling a rebel force and United Nations peacekeepers have not been able to protect the civilian population. The Council adopted a resolution expressing serious concern at the deteriorating situation in North Kivu, and called for an immediate end to human rights violations. The Council also condemned acts of violence, in particular sexual violence, and stressed the importance of bringing all perpetrators to justice.
Unfortunately, the council limited its action to recalling a previous resolution for a group of independent experts and for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to report to it on the situation in Congo in March 2009.
“The Council should have assessed why the international response to the situation in the Congo has failed to protect civilians and to propose alternatives,” said de Rivero. “Condemnation without action will not help the Congolese people.”
During the special session, Human Rights Watch called on the Council to appoint a human rights envoy to the international team engaged in the peace mediation efforts and to accelerate the deployment of human rights monitors in eastern Congo. It also called for the Council to recognise that protecting civilians should be the primary objective of MONUC, the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo.
The top UN human rights official and newly appointed high commissioner for human rights, Navanethem Pillay, addressed the Council about the unparalleled violence against women, including rape.
She said her office had documented a steady deterioration of the human rights situation, with killings, kidnappings, and widespread looting committed by warring factions on a daily basis. She cautioned the Council that Congo “runs the risk of becoming a case study in how peace processes can go awry without the will to make justice and accountability an integral part of these processes.”
“Unfortunately, the UN Human Rights Council failed to recognise its own added value in this crisis,” said de Rivero. “It missed the opportunity to put the protection of civilians at the heart of international mediation and the UN peacekeeping effort.”
Further information
For more information, contact:
Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor, New York, NY 10118-3299
Tel: + 1 212 216 1837; Fax: + 1 212 736-1300
Email: hrwnyc@hrw.org
Website: www.hrw.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=19168
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EDUCATION: Questionnaire on human rights education and training [publication]
The UN Human Rights Council's Advisory Committee has prepared a questionnaire, pursuant to resolution 6/10 of 28 September 2007, to seek the views and inputs from civil society organisations, including NGOs, on the possible elements for a draft declaration on human rights education and training.
The questionnaire is available in English, French and Spanish
Deadline: 31 December 2008
For more information, contact:
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10
Tel: + 41-22 917-9000; Fax: + 41-22 917-9016
Website: www.unhchr.ch
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=19156
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REFORM: Call for suggestions/information on improving UN human rights [news]
بالعربية
Council resolution 7/3 asks that the High Commissioner for Human Rights consults with States, NGOs and others on how to better international cooperation and dialogue in the UN human rights machinery, including the Human Rights Council. The Commissioner must present a report to the Council in 2009.
A such, the Human Rights Council secretariat is asking governments, UN agencies, NGOs and other relevant organisations to submit any information on the subject by 13 December 2008 to:
Secretariat of the Human Rights Council
OHCHR
Palais Wilson, Office 4-092, United Nations Office at Geneva, CH-1201 Geneva 10
+41 22 917 90 11
vjeantet@ohchr.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=18981
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SPECIAL PROCEDURES: Upcoming visits of the UN Special Procedures
Are any of the Special Procedures coming to your country? Find out with our updated list here
Further information
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=16213&flag=event
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This update has been produced by CRIN, in collaboration with the Working Group on the Human Rights Council. To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives, visit http://www.crin.org/email.
Further information about child rights at the Human Rights Council is available on the CRIN website at: www.crin.org/hrc. To submit information, contact us on info@crin.org. CRIN, c/o Save the Children, 1, St John's Lane, London EC1M 4AR, UK.
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