"We are all guilty. We have the tools and resources to protect children, even in situations of armed conflict; but we have not been able to do it. We need to act now." Gamba, V. Ambition and interest, as well as mistrust and suspicion have been the cause of huge violations of human rights. In the news as well as on social networks, we hear how the world "falls apart". But it hurts in the soul, knowing that our children and young people, "the most vulnerable group in our society"[1] are...

UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) organizes every year, the "World Investment Forum", which is characterized as the pre-eminent platform that brings together businessmen and politicians to discuss issues of investments and development. Organized under the overall theme Investing in Sustainable Development, the “Ministerial Roundtable: Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development”[1] was addressed by professors, entrepreneurs and politicians, who presented strategies, good practices, and ideas aimed at creating associations to promote the prosperity and to achieve SDGs 8 and 9. The participation of Ms. Amelia Anne Kyambadde who is currently Minister of...

October 15-19 the Working Group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights debated on the zero draft legally binding international instrument regulating transnational enterprises activities. It is a burning topic, because if the proposed international instrument is adopted it would oblige states to respect human rights in business transnational activities. On Wednesday the 17th, a group of faith-based NGOs organised a side event titled “High-level religious voices for a future treaty”. Franciscan International, Caritas Internationalis, Misereor, CIDSE, CAFOD, Fastenopfer and Brot für die Welt convened to integrate...

"I was a victim of several floods generated by multiple typhoons. Once the Pasing river overflowed and submerged our house, almost reaching the second floor. That was the time in 2009 when I became a more active defender of the environment, I saw the need and felt the strong desire to do something concrete about that." This is Zarah De Guzman from VIDES Philippines who shares her experience. Now she is 23, but her story brings us back to when she was 14. On September 28th she was invited to share...

Do you not fear ridicule with this peace talk of yours? -  Oh yes, but what is ridiculous? I, having believed in a kind of ascending sunrise for the human race, or those whose convictions are being swallowed by the ascending darkness? Talking about peace is not easy, one always risks making a fool of himself. In spite of this, Henrik Sørensen, Norwegian painter and author of “The Dream of Peace”, thought it was a risk one should take. The International Day of Peace was celebrated last September 21 in the so-called...

On Friday 14th September 2018 the new High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet gathered NGO representatives to thank them and to engage in a constructive dialogue. In her introduction, she underlined the pivotal role played by civil society in ensuring participation at the UN level. Non-governmental organisations are in fact human rights partners. They are an essential presence in the Council; the broadest existing arena committed to fighting inequalities, climate change and human rights challenges. Bachelet recognised that human rights defenders are facing tough times in many countries, where they are...

The 38th regular session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) was officially opened on 18th June 2018 by H.E. Ambassador Vojislav Šuc, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) and HRC President. After which the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, gave the oral update on the situation of human rights worldwide and on the activities of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). 22nd June was an important day for IIMA, Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice, VIDES International, the...

After the tragic events of 14th May 2018 in Gaza, the Human Rights Council (HRC) convened the 28th special session on the deteriorating human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. In accordance with resolution 5/1, the HRC  can convene special sessions, when needed, for emergency and urgent human rights violations and situations which need the attention of the HRC, at the request of a member of the Council with the support of one-third of its membership. The resolution A/HRC/S-28/L.1 demanded that the HRC “urgently dispatch an independent,...

The 30th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group concluded on 18th May 2018. It was held from the 7th to the 18th of May, at Palais des Nations in Geneva where it reviewed the human rights situation on the ground of 14 States. The UPR is a mechanism of the Human Rights Council which reviews the human rights situation of each of the 193 UN Member States once every four years and a half. It provides an opportunity for all States to declare what actions they have...