The plight of thousands of migrants attempting to make their way to safety and dignity needs a global response, and not piecemeal and reactionary policies, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. Those who make such trips – whether to escape violence or war, or economic deprivation – are still entitled to the same human rights as the rest of us, he said.
“When people are unable to use regular channels to escape oppression, violence and economic despair, they may attempt, in desperation, to find irregular ones. This does not make them criminals. It does not withdraw their right to be treated with dignity. On the contrary, their vulnerability cries out for humanity – an approach that is motivated by respect for their plight, and for their fundamental rights as human beings.”
Zeid made his comments as the part of a discussion on the human rights of migrants that took place during the 29th session of the Human Rights Council. The topic was also the subject of a report presented later to the Council by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.
Experts from a number of organizations that deal with the migration issue on several fronts took part including the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.
Concludes Interactive Dialogue on Freedom of Opinion and Expression and on Peaceful Assembly and Association
18 June 2015 - The Human Rights Council this morning held a clustered interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and the Special Rapporteur on the right to health. It also concluded its clustered interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
Gabriela Knaul, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, said that her thematic report this year addressed the question of protecting children’s rights in the justice system. It went beyond the notion of juvenile justice to include the diverse experiences of children when they encountered the justice system, as victims or witnesses, or because they were in conflict with the law. Despite the quasi-universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children still counted among the most vulnerable to human rights violations and other types of abuse and that was why the importance of child-sensitive justice could not be overemphasized. The Special Rapporteur also presented reports on her country visits to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, and Portugal.
Strasbourg event marks ten years of Europe’s anti-trafficking convention
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland has called on the Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Russia and Turkey, to join 43 other European states in ratifying the Council of Europe’s legally-binding convention against human trafficking.
Speaking at a conference in Strasbourg to mark the 10th anniversary of the convention, the Secretary General said: “Every day, in 21st century Europe, people are being trafficked across borders – and also within their own countries – and then exploited in the most horrendous ways. This has to stop.”
“Human trafficking affects the whole continent and requires a coordinated, pan-European response. Ten years after the convention was launched, there should no longer be any gaps.”
The Secretary General has sent letters to the authorities of the five Council of Europe member states concerned, urging them to take the necessary steps towards ratification of the convention.
The Council of Europe convention on action against trafficking in human beings was opened for signature on 16 May 2005. Countries which join the convention make a legal commitment to introducing measures to help prevent human trafficking, protect victims and prosecute offenders.
Despite 70 years since the founding of the United Nations, and some progress made in many realms, human rights remain under a sustained attack driven by greed, ambition and contempt for human life, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.
“Too many are still denied their economic and social right, and the result is suffering on a colossal scale,” he said. “Discrimination so severe and pervasive still that it deprives too many people of the means of existence.”
Zeid made his statement at the opening of 29th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The Council is a three-week meeting where different human rights issues and reports are debated and discussed before Member States.
The practice of naming specific countries of concern in the opening statement was also addressed. Some Member States believed that such a custom amounted to bringing shame on the country. Zeid disagreed. The shame does not come from naming the country, he said. It comes from the actions, conduct or violations that have been alleged with supporting evidence or proven.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today held a half-day general discussion on a draft General Comment on Article 7 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the right to just and favourable conditions of work.
The discussion focused on the various parts of the draft General Comment, notably related to 1) the normative content, 2) obligations and 3) violations.
Opening the general discussion, the Chairperson of the Committee, Waleed Sadi, underlined that Article 7 discussed a very important aspect of the Covenant, namely the right to just and favourable conditions of work.
Article 7 states that “States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work which ensure, in particular: (a) Remuneration which provides all workers, as a minimum, with: (i) Fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value without distinction of any kind, in particular women being guaranteed conditions of work not inferior to those enjoyed by men, with equal pay for equal work; (ii) A decent living for themselves and their families in accordance with the provisions of the present Covenant; (b) Safe and healthy working conditions; (c) Equal opportunity for everyone to be promoted in his employment to an appropriate higher level, subject to no considerations other than those of seniority and competence; (d) Rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay, as well as remuneration for public holidays.”
The general discussion was led by the two Committee Rapporteurs, Maria-Virginia Bras-Gomes and Renato Zerbini Ribeiro Leao, who introduced the draft General Comment. The ensuing discussion included submissions by States, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and other relevant stakeholders.
