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June 12, 2015
in News EN

IIMA and VIDES will be attending the 29th session of the Human Rights Council starting next week. It meets three times a year, in March, June, and September, and is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year.The Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by...

June 11, 2015
in News EN

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by its States parties. All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented. The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of “concluding observations”. Wanchai Roujanavong, Director-General of the International Affairs Department said that the 2014 Interim Constitution guaranteed all human rights and...

May 8, 2015
in News EN

On Monday, May 4, IIMA and VIDES attended a training organized by the International Catholic Center of Geneva (CCIG) aimed at helping NGOs and other stakeholders optimize their efforts to make their voice heard during the Universal Periodic Reviews (UPR). Since NGOs are not given the opportunity to speak during the UPR session, the best chance to voice concerns over the present Human Rights situation is the option to lobby States to bring up the concerns on the NGO’s behalf. Jean-Claude Vignoli, the Programs Director at UPR-info, held the training. He...

May 7, 2015
in News EN

In Nepal, the commitment of IIMA toward the population affected by the earthquake continues through the provision of various forms of relief. In recent days, from dawn until late at night, braving all odds, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians have managed to reach several interior villages in the districts of Kavre and Ramechap Manthali Bajar with material assistance. These are areas not yet reached by aid agencies, and the population is even now without food. The already poverty-stricken families have now lost the little they had in the earthquake....

May 2, 2015
in News EN

Last week, April 20-24, IIMA and VIDES participated in the third session of the intergovernmental working group on the Declaration of the Right to Peace. This is the last session before the text of the Declaration is presented before the Human Rights Council, so it was in everyone’s interest to come to a consensus by Friday night, though it is unclear what will actually be the final version until the Human Rights Council meets. Led by Chairperson Christian Guillermet-Fernandez, Ambassador of Costa Rica, the Working Group took various forms, sometimes formal debate, other times through informal negotiations and consultations. The...

May 1, 2015
in News EN

On Wednesday, April 22, IIMA and VIDES attended the “Women of Power” book launch and panel, which featured Torild Skard (Norwegian politician and author), Elayne Whyte Gomez (Ambassador of Costa Rica), Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda (world leader of Young Women Christian Association), and Sigrun Habermann (moderator). It was held in the UNOG library, directly in front of “The Dream of Peace” fresco by Norwegian painter Henrik Sørensen. First, Ms Skard spoke about the artist Sørensen, since he was a family friend. Then, she turned to her book, Women of Power, spanning the political...

April 17, 2015
in News EN

UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture Expert Panelists The discussion on the use of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture took place on April 16, 2015. The Director of the Human Rights Treaties Division, Ibrahim Salama, opened the discussion by reminding everyone that the Fund has existed for 30 years and has raised more than US$160 million since its inception, and introduced the panel of experts, representing different sectors of victim support. They were Felicitas Treue, CCTI, Mexico; Suzanne Jabbour, RESTART, Lebanon; Adam Bodnar, on the Board of...

April 8, 2015
in #youth, News EN

On the occasion of the 28th Session of Human Rights Council, IIMA addressed once again the topic of Youth Empowerment, by delivering and oral statement co-sponsored by VIDES International, Salesian Missions, Inc and VIS along with the support of Comitato per la promozione e protezione dei diritti umani, Don Bosco Network, Fundación Jovenes y Desarrollo, Misiones Salesianas and VIA Don Bosco BELGIUM. IIMA urged the  Council to address major challenges that youth are facing in regards to the full enjoyment of their rights. The statement highlighted the current inadequate political and...

April 6, 2015
in News EN

During the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council (March 2nd to 27th, 2015) IIMA and VIDES contributed to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Italy and El Salvador with a Joint Oral Statement for each country during item 6 (UPR - consideration of outcomes). Other NGOs, including local NGOs, supported both statements. IIMA and VIDES took the opportunity to express satisfaction in seeing that both countries accepted most of the recommendations relating to the protection of children’s rights, young people and women; especially those in most vulnerable situations (migrants, Roma, unaccompanied minors, and children/youth living/working in the...

April 5, 2015
in News EN

On Tuesday February 24th of 2015 the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy was carried out at the International Conference Center of Geneva with a successful outcome. Throughout the day, different discussion panels took place featuring human rights advocates and victims of human rights violations. Among them we can highlight the participation of Tamara Suju, Venezuelan Human Rights lawyer, Yeon-Mi Park, a 21 year old North Korean defector, Saa, a Nigerian schoolgirl who escaped from Boko Haram, Pierre Torres, a French journalist held hostage by ISIS for 10 months,...

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