On the occasion of the 30th Session of Human Rights Council, IIMA addressed once again the topic of Youth Empowerment, by delivering an oral statement co-sponsored by VIDES.The human rights office of IIMA and VIDES urged the  Council to address major challenges youth are facing in regards to the full enjoyment of their rights. The statement highlighted the importance of  young people as an instrument in fostering constructive dialog for the well being of present and future generations. Accordingly, IIMA called on all Member States to take concrete actions at local and...

 “Show me who makes a profit from war and I’ll show you how to stop the war.”                                         Henry FordOn Thursday, September 17, the office attended in conjunction with the 30th session of the Human Rights Council the side-event “Where is the Political Will to Stop the Wars in Syria and Iraq?” organized by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See along with Caritas International, Dominicans for Justice and Peace,...

 “Show me who makes a profit from war and I’ll show you how to stop the war.”                                          Henry Ford On Thursday, September 17, the office attended in conjunction with the 30th session of the Human Rights Council the side-event “Where is the Political Will to Stop the Wars in Syria and Iraq?” organized by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See along with Caritas International, Dominicans for Justice and Peace, World Evangelical Alliance and Associazione Comunita Papa...

Imagine, your daughter disappears with a child in her womb and you never know what happened to either of them…Estela de Carlotto, a testimony of hope and peaceful fightThe 14 September 2015 the Permanent Mission of Argentina at the United Nations presented, at the Palais de Nations in Geneva, the movie “True truths” directed by Nicolás Gil Lavedra.  The protagonist Estela Barnes de Carlotto was among those present, as well as a large number of NGOs and ambassadors from the Human Rights Council Member States. “The truth is neither good...

On Monday the office of human rights attended the 30th Session of the Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, where the annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Humans Rights and the Report of the office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary General were discussed.Present in the council were H.E. Mr. Mangala Samaraweera,Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka, and H.E. Mr. Roberto Campa, Undersecretary for Human Rights, Ministry of the Interior, Mexico.The Council was inaugurated by a touching speech of the High Commissioner...

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.- Mother TheresaIt has been four years, 4 million refugees, 7.6 million of internally displaced people, 23 million in need and 220 000 deaths since Syria’s civil war started.Desperate to flee the violence that has overran their country and their lives, Syrians are taking dangerous routes in the search for peace in nearby countries. One of this routes is the passage to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea, in which according to a UNHCR...

On June 16, IIMA and VIDES attended the “Panel on Realizing the Equal Enjoyment of the Right to Education by Every Girl” to end the second full day of the 29th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC). The President of the HRC, Joachim Rucker, introduced the panel, noting that still close to 62 million girls around the world are not in school, and many suffer attacks only because they wish to attend. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the High Commissioner, then gave his report, setting the scene for the panel by pointing out the barriers that girls worldwide...

On May 27, 2015, IIMA and VIDES attended the Symposium “Religions Together for Humanitarian Action,” hosted by the Sovereign Order of Malta, at the United Nations. The morning panel discussed the present challenges for faith-based humanitarian institutions, while the afternoon panel tackled how to prepare for the future regarding better assistance and protection for civilian populations. There were many members of a variety of religious institutions in attendance (also reflected in the panel), along with many State representatives, and members of the general public. In his introductory remarks, His Excellency Ambassador...

IIMA and VIDES attended the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC) for Honduras on Wednesday, May 20, 2015. This Convention addresses all Human Rights associated with children, including the right to education, migration and the presence of unaccompanied minors, violence and insecurity, child labor, etc. At the request of the Committee, the Honduran delegation presented information about improvements to each of these human rights issues since the last CRC. The main concern raised by the Committee was how the government is addressing the root causes of major and interconnected issues such as gang participation and violence, lack of...