@font-face { font-family: "Arial"; }@font-face { font-family: "Cambria Math"; }@font-face { font-family: "Calibri"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; }span.longtext { }span.hps { }.MsoChpDefault { font-size: 10pt; font-family: Calibri; }div.WordSection1 { page: WordSection1; } The 46th session of the Committee against Torture (CAT) took place at Palais Wilson, in Geneva from 9 May to 3 June 2011. Sr. MariaGrazia Caputo and her collaborators of...

During a conference held in Rome on 16 May 2011, the UN General Assembly President Joseph Deiss, argued the importance of a Security Council reform to avoid the loss of credibility of the United Nations.  “Unless we find the determination to advance on this issue, the United Nations will lose its credibility,” he said. “Our organization will be marginalized, and important issues will be discussed in other forums and groupings which are perceived to be more efficient and more representative of the new realities of the day.” According to Mr....

On 17 may 2011, the Committee on Women and Development (CWD) of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), opened in Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) its 7th Session concerning “Narrowing Gaps, Maximizing Opportunities: Beyond Beijing+15”. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss progress made, the problems encountered and the strategies needed to improve gender equality and women’s development.The ECA’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Jennifer Kargbo, underlined that an important progress has been achieved with regard to the participation of women in decision-making, especially in Rwanda with 56% women MPs, followed by South...

During the annual conference of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, underlined the importance of these institutions in maintaining and restoring rule of law as well as in assisting victims of human rights violations. These institutions play a key role especially in post-conflict situations, contributing to restore the normal life of society. An important issue raised is the necessity to establish a close cooperation between the national institutions and the...

On May 5th, 2011, the IIMA Human Rights Office participated in the Side event “The Death Penalty Worldwide: new data regarding the practice and laws of death penalty retentionist States” held at Palais des Nations, in Geneva.  The Round Table was organised by the Center for International Human Rights at the Northwestern University School of Law of Chicago in partnership with the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. It aimed at informing the UN Member States and civil society actors about the creation of a new website and database collecting...

After an eight-day visit to Cairo and Amman, Mr. Richard Falk, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, expressed his concern about the situation of Palestinian children, still subjected to attacks, detention and abuse.He said that since 2000, due to the Israeli occupation, 1,335 Palestinian children have been killed. In fact, the Israeli military, forces people to leave their home. It arrests children who are often blindfolded, beaten, kicked, or subjected to other physical and psychological abuse. Many of these children are between 12 and 15 years old....

On 3 May 2011, the General Assembly recognized to the European Union the observer status. By now the European Union can intervene during the Human Rights Council sessions, participate in the general debate of the General Assembly, present proposals and amendments, but they will not have the right to vote or to put forward candidates.This decision is important because give to the EU the possibility to participate at the UN works and it creates a precedent to recognize the status of observer to other regional organizations. Today, the Human Rights...

On 3 May 2011, the IIMA Human Rights Office participated in the World Press Freedom Day, commemorated by the United Nation Information Service, UNESCO and the United Nations Office in Geneva, to celebrate the 20thanniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration. After a short film on the World Press Freedom Day, Mr. Stéphane Bussard (Journalist, Le Temps), explained the importance of this day dedicated to supporting freedom of expression across all media, including new means of communication.The World Press Freedom Day was born twenty years ago in the vision...

The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people, James Anaya, visited Costa Rica last 25-27 April 2011. He was invited by the Government to assess the impact of the hydroelectric dam “El Diquis”, that will be built in the indigenous territory of Terraba, on the local communities settled in this area. In other words, his task was to verify if the hydroelectric project carried out by Costa Rica Government would imply a violation of indigenous people’s rights.On April 25 and 26, the Special Rapporteur had a meeting with members...

On April 29, 2011, following the request of 38 member and observer states, the Human Rights Council held the 16th special session to respond to the grave violations of human rights in the Syrian Arabic Republic.At the end of the session, it has been adopted a draft resolution which condemned the perpetuation of human rights violations in Syria, and decided to create a fact-finding mission to investigate into violations.The representative of Syria government argued that the draft is not a good way to resolve the situation in the country,...