DOCSLIB.ORG

64947 HRI Realizing Rights Report-FINAL.Indd

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
64947 HRI Realizing Rights Report-FINAL.Indd THETHE ROADROAD TTOO R RIGHTS:IGHTS: ESTABLISHINGESTABLISHING AA DDOMESTICOMESTIC H HUMANUMAN RIGH RIGHTSTS INSTITUTIONINSTITUTION ININ T THEHE U UNITEDNITED ST STATESATES A Post-Conference Report from the Global Convening on National Human Rights Commissions A Post-Conference Report from the Global Convening on National Human Rights Commissions THE ROAD TO RIGHTS: E STABLISHING A DOMESTIC HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTION IN THE UNITED StATES Report from the Global Exchange on National Human Rights Commissions at the Rockefeller Foundation Center, Bellagio, Italy: August 2-6, 2010 Dedicated to the memory of John Payton, a participant in the Global Convening, whose passionate commitment, wisdom and tireless efforts to advance civil and human rights have had a profound impact on the United States and the world. The Global Exchange was co-convened by The Leadership Conference Education Fund and Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute, advocacy and academic institutions based in Washington, D.C., and New York City, respectively. The convening was made possible by generous support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the U.S. Human Rights Fund and the Ford Foundation. The Leadership Conference Education Fund is the sister organization to The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Nation’s oldest and largest civil rights coalition, consisting of more than 200 national organizations, represent- ing persons of color, women, children, labor unions, individuals with disabilities, older Americans, major religious groups, gays and lesbians and civil liberties and human rights groups. The Leadership Conference was founded in 1950 and has coordinated national lobbying efforts on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957. Since 1969, The Education Fund has assisted the work of the civil and human rights coalition in providing research, education, and communications regarding the need for national public policy that provides opportunity and justice for all. The Human Rights Institute, founded in 1998, serves as the focal point of international human rights education, scholarship and practice at Columbia Law School. The Institute fosters the development of a rich and comprehensive human rights cur- riculum and builds bridges between theory and practice, between law and other disciplines, between constitutional rights and international human rights, and between Columbia Law School and the worldwide human rights movement. Our Human Rights in the U.S. Project builds the capacity of domestic lawyers, policy-makers and advocates to incorporate a human rights framework into social justice advocacy. The Project also directly contributes to the development of legal theories and positive precedents based on international law through work on select litigation before U.S. courts, in international and regional fora, and through other advocacy projects. THE RoaD To RIGHTS Table of Contents Foreword . 3 Executive Summary. 7 I. Introduction . 11 A. Support for Human Rights in the U.S. 11 B. Calls for a Domestic Human Rights Monitoring Body . 12 II. Convening Background . 13 A. Global Proliferation of National Human Rights Institutions . 13 B. Domestic Proposals for a Human Rights Monitoring Body . 14 C. International Calls for a U.S. National Human Rights Institution . 16 III. Convening Overview . 17 A. Convening Goals . 17 B. Convening Structure . 17 C. Convening Outcomes. 18 IV. Key Ingredients For a U.S. Human Rights Institution. 19 A. Mandate . 19 B. Essential Functions and Powers . 20 1. Engaging in Fact-Finding and Assessing Human Rights Situations Through Investigations, Hearings and Inquiries . 21 2. Advising, Reporting and making Recommendations Regarding Human Rights Implementation . 22 3. Promoting Human Rights Education and Awareness . 22 4. Undertaking and Promoting Human Rights Research . 23 5. monitoring governmental Agencies to Ensure Compliance . 24 With Domestic Civil Rights Laws and International Standards 6. Partnering With Subnational Human Rights Structures and Indigenous governing bodies . 25 7. Proactive Engagement With Civil Society . 26 8. Authority to Strengthen Domestic Human Rights Compliance by Engaging With Regional and International Human Rights bodies . 27 9. Flexibility to Achieve its mandate . 28 ESTAbLISHINg A DOmESTIC HUmAN RIgHTS INSTITUTION IN THE UNITED STATES THE RoaD To RIGHTS C. Potential Additional Functions and Powers . 29 1. Complaint Handling. 29 2. Participating in Domestic Litigation . 30 a. Initiating Litigation to Ensure Compliance With Civil and Human Rights Laws . 31 b. Filing Amicus Curiae briefs at the Federal Level . 31 D. Structural Characteristics to Promote Independence and Effectiveness . 32 1. Adequate Resources and Autonomy . 33 2. Transparent Appointment and Removal Processes . 33 3. Ability to Assess Human Rights Locally . 33 V. Next Steps & Challenges . 35 A. Strengthening and Transforming the U.S. Civil Rights Commission as an Initial Step to Establishing a U.S. Human Rights Institution . 35 B. Ensuring Local Presence and Impact . 36 C. Establishing Broad Based Support . 36 D. Carrying Out Additional Research . 37 E. Need for a Campaign to Undertake Additional Tasks . 37 VI. Conclusion . 39 VII. Appendix . 40 A. Domestic Proposals for a Human Rights Monitoring Body . 40 B. Details of International Calls for a U.S. National Human Rights Institution . 47 C. List of Relevant U.S. Federal Civil Rights Laws and Enforcing Agencies . 48 D. Convening Agenda . 55 E. Meeting Participants . 61 F. Contact Information for Select National Human Rights Commissions . 63 G. Paris Principles . 64 Endnotes . 67 ESTAbLISHINg A DOmESTIC HUmAN RIgHTS INSTITUTION IN THE UNITED STATES THE RoaD To RIGHTS 1 acknowledgements This report builds upon an international meeting convened ment and contributing to drafts of the report. Risa Kaufman, by the Human Rights Institute and The Leadership Confer- executive director of Columbia Law School’s Human Rights ence Education Fund. JoAnn Kamuf Ward, associate direc- Institute, provided substantial input into the convening and tor of the Human Rights in the U.S. Project at Columbia guided the development of this report. June Zeitlin, director Law School’s Human Rights Institute co-coordinated the of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights/ convening, conducted comparative research and drafted the The Education Fund’s CEDAW project, Margaret Huang, report. Fordham Law Professor Catherine Powell developed executive director of the Rights Working Group, and Debo- the initial concept for the convening as well as the conven- rah J. Vagins, senior legislative counsel for the American Civil ing proposal. Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Liberties Union, Washington Legislative Office, reviewed, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The edited and contributed to drafts of the report. Contributing Leadership Conference Education Fund played a key role in researchers and editors from Columbia Law School include conceptualizing the convening and this report. Karen McGill Zarizana Abdul-Aziz, Esha Bhandari, Alison Corkery, Lisa Lawson, executive vice president and Chief Operating Officer Knox, Sarah Morris and Brian Rice. of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights We are grateful to the participants in the Global Conven- and The Leadership Conference Education Fund partnered ing, who shared insights, expertise and experience and whose in coordinating the convening, shaping this Outcomes Docu- contributions laid the foundation for this report. ESTAbLISHINg A DOmESTIC HUmAN RIgHTS INSTITUTION IN THE UNITED STATES THE RoaD To RIGHTS 3 Foreword By Wade Henderson, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are Human Rights: created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator The U.S. Leads the Way Worldwide with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are While America’s journey toward justice has never been easy, Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” it has widened the circle of citizenship in our own country — U.S. Declaration of Independence, 1776 and inspired a watchful world. As the vision of democracy and human rights has expanded in this country, it has been “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the embraced in other countries. And the United States helped equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human to lead the way. family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in As early as January 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt the world…” proposed four fundamental freedoms—freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from — Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 fear—that people “everywhere in the world” ought to enjoy. After the nation entered World War II, these “Four Freedoms” Human Rights: were widely believed to be the aims of the U.S., its allies and Building and Bettering america freedom fighters in Europe, Asia and Africa. With the allied victory in World War II and the founding The Declaration of Independence sets forth the American of the United Nations, Eleanor Roosevelt chaired the com- Creed: All persons have rights that must be respected by vir- mission that drafted the Universal Declaration of Human tue of our humanity. This basic belief in human rights under- Rights. Adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1948, girds the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Emancipation the document declares, “All human beings are born free and Proclamation, the Reconstruction
Load more

Recommended publications
  • West Bank and Gaza 2020 Human Rights Report
    WEST BANK AND GAZA 2020 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Palestinian Authority basic law provides for an elected president and legislative council. There have been no national elections in the West Bank and Gaza since 2006. President Mahmoud Abbas has remained in office despite the expiration of his four-year term in 2009. The Palestinian Legislative Council has not functioned since 2007, and in 2018 the Palestinian Authority dissolved the Constitutional Court. In September 2019 and again in September, President Abbas called for the Palestinian Authority to organize elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council within six months, but elections had not taken place as of the end of the year. The Palestinian Authority head of government is Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. President Abbas is also chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization and general commander of the Fatah movement. Six Palestinian Authority security forces agencies operate in parts of the West Bank. Several are under Palestinian Authority Ministry of Interior operational control and follow the prime minister’s guidance. The Palestinian Civil Police have primary responsibility for civil and community policing. The National Security Force conducts gendarmerie-style security operations in circumstances that exceed the capabilities of the civil police. The Military Intelligence Agency handles intelligence and criminal matters involving Palestinian Authority security forces personnel, including accusations of abuse and corruption. The General Intelligence Service is responsible for external intelligence gathering and operations. The Preventive Security Organization is responsible for internal intelligence gathering and investigations related to internal security cases, including political dissent. The Presidential Guard protects facilities and provides dignitary protection.
    [Show full text]
  • The London School of Economics and Political Science Making EU
    The London School of Economics and Political Science Making EU Foreign Policy towards a ‘Pariah’ State: Consensus on Sanctions in EU Foreign Policy towards Myanmar Arthur Minsat A thesis submitted to the Department of International Relations of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, June 2012 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the author. I warrant that this authorization does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that my thesis consists of 97,547 words. Statement of use of third party for editorial help I can confirm that my thesis was copy edited for conventions of language, spelling and grammar by Dr. Joe Hoover. 2 Abstract This thesis seeks to explain why the European Union ratcheted up restrictive measures on Myanmar from 1991 until 2010, despite divergent interests of EU member states and the apparent inability of sanctions to quickly achieve the primary objectives of EU policy. This empirical puzzle applies the ‘sanctions paradox’ to the issue of joint action in the EU.
    [Show full text]
  • Factsheet: Promoting Freedom of Religion Or Belief Within the United
    UNITED STATES COMMISSION on INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FACTSHEET October 2020 UN HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM Gayle Manchin Promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief within the United Nations Chair Human Rights System Tony Perkins Vice Chair By Kirsten Lavery, Supervisory Policy Analyst Anurima Bhargava Vice Chair Pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) monitors freedom of religion or Commissioners belief abroad using international human rights standards, including the Universal Gary Bauer Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and James W. Carr Political Rights (ICCPR). Within the United Nations (UN) system, there are a variety of charter and treaty-based mechanisms with mandates that address international Frederick A. Davie human rights issues according to the same standards. This factsheet describes Nadine Maenza those mechanisms, with a particular focus on those most relevant to freedom of Johnnie Moore religion or belief. Although these bodies have various imperfections and limitations, Nury Turkel they nevertheless provide opportunities for advocacy by and collaboration among states and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to promote religious freedom internationally. Erin D. Singshinsuk Executive Director UN Human Rights Focused Mechanisms Charter-Based Mechanisms: UN charter-based mechanisms are mandated through resolutions of the principal organs of the UN that were established by the UN Charter. USCIRF’s Mission Currently, the charter-based human rights mechanisms are the Human Rights Council (HRC) and its subsidiaries. HRC: The HRC is an inter-governmental body of 47 member states that was To advance international established in 2006 by General Assembly Resolution 60/251 as a subsidiary body to the UN General Assembly.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 June 8, 2020 to Members of The
    June 8, 2020 To Members of the United Nations Human Rights Council Re: Request for the Convening of a Special Session on the Escalating Situation of Police Violence and Repression of Protests in the United States Excellencies, The undersigned family members of victims of police killings and civil society organizations from around the world, call on member states of the UN Human Rights Council to urgently convene a Special Session on the situation of human rights in the United States in order to respond to the unfolding grave human rights crisis borne out of the repression of nationwide protests. The recent protests erupted on May 26 in response to the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was only one of a recent string of unlawful killings of unarmed Black people by police and armed white vigilantes. We are deeply concerned about the escalation in violent police responses to largely peaceful protests in the United States, which included the use of rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray and in some cases live ammunition, in violation of international standards on the use of force and management of assemblies including recent U.N. Guidance on Less Lethal Weapons. Additionally, we are greatly concerned that rather than using his position to serve as a force for calm and unity, President Trump has chosen to weaponize the tensions through his rhetoric, evidenced by his promise to seize authority from Governors who fail to take the most extreme tactics against protestors and to deploy federal armed forces against protestors (an action which would be of questionable legality).
    [Show full text]
  • Conditions and Challenges Experienced by Human Rights Defenders in Carrying out Their Work
    Conditions and challenges experienced by human rights defenders in carrying out their work: Findings and recommendations of a fact-finding mission to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories carried out by Forefront and by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in their joint programme the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders Table of contents Paragraphs Executive Summary A. Mission’s rationale and objectives 1-4 B. The delegation’s composition and activities • Composition 5 • Programme 6-12 • Working methods 13-14 C. The environment in which human rights NGOs operate • Upholding human rights in a context of armed conflict and terrorism 15-23 • Freedom of association: Issues relating to human rights NGO’s registration and funding 24-34 • Freedom of expression of human rights defenders 35-37 • Restrictions on freedom of movement affecting the work of human rights NGOs 38-43 • Conditions experienced by the international human rights organisations 44-46 • The NGOs section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel 47-50 D. Main issues that human rights NGOs address • Upholding international humanitarian law in a context of occupation 51-55 • Protecting persons in administrative detention and opposing any forms of torture and ill-treatment 56-61 • Upholding the right to defence and due process of law 62-70 • Opposing house demolitions in the OPTs as collective punishment and ill-treatment 71-72 • Fighting for the dismantlement of Israeli settlements and opposing land-seizure in the OPTs 73-75 E. Specific risks to which human rights defenders are exposed • Physical risks and security hazards faced by human rights defenders in Israel and the OPTs 76-77 • Detention and ill-treatment of human rights defenders: The case of Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Bolstering the UN Human Rights Council's Effectiveness
    DISCUSSION PAPER Bolstering the UN Human Rights Council’s Effectiveness Mark P. Lagon Ryan Kaminski January 2017 This publication is part of the International Institutions and Global Governance program and was made possible by the generous support of the Robina Foundation. The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Founded in 1921, CFR carries out its mission by maintaining a diverse membership, with special programs to promote interest and develop expertise in the next generation of foreign policy leaders; convening meetings at its headquarters in New York and in Washington, DC, and other cities where senior government officials, members of Congress, global leaders, and promi- nent thinkers come together with CFR members to discuss and debate major international issues; sup- porting a Studies Program that fosters independent research, enabling CFR scholars to produce arti- cles, reports, and books and hold roundtables that analyze foreign policy issues and make concrete policy recommendations; publishing Foreign Affairs, the preeminent journal on international affairs and U.S. foreign policy; sponsoring Independent Task Forces that produce reports with both findings and policy prescriptions on the most important foreign policy topics; and providing up-to-date infor- mation and analysis about world events and American foreign policy on its website, CFR.org. The Council on Foreign Relations takes no institutional positions on policy issues and has no affiliation with the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2012
    © Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights – LBI and Research Association A-1010 Vienna, Freyung 6 (Schottenhof), Hof 1, Stiege II T +43/1/42 77-274 20, [email protected], http://bim.lbg.ac.at Vienna, April 2013 INHALTSVERZEICHNIS Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 5 20 Years Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights. 20 Years Committed to Human Rights Research. ..................................................................................................... 7 Human Dignity and Public Security .................................................................................... 9 Human Rights in Development Cooperation and Business / Digital Rights ................................................................................................... 11 European Neighbourhood and Integration Policy ........................................................... 14 Anti-Discrimination | Diversity | Asylum .......................................................................... 17 Women‘s Rights | Children‘s Rights | Trafficking in Human Being ............................... 19 Human Rights Education and Education for Democratic Citizenship .......................... 22 Staff ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Finances .............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Strong and Effective National Human Rights Institutions
    STRONGCommissions - promotionAND (advisory) Commissions - promotion and protection EFFECTIVEOmbud institutions - NATIONALTraditional Ombud institutions - 'Plus' HUMANInstitutes RIGHTS INSTITUTIONSCountry has no accredited NHRI CHALLENGES, PROMISING PRACTICES AND OPPORTUNITIES ― REPORT © European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2020 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not under the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights copyright, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. Neither the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights nor any person acting on behalf of the Agency is responsible for the use that might be made of the following information. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2020 Print ISBN 978-92-9474-866-9 doi:10.2811/297231 TK-01-20-138-EN-C PDF ISBN 978-92-9474-867-6 doi:10.2811/320913 TK-01-20-138-EN-N Photo credits: Page 7: © photo 5000 (AdobeStock) Page 10: © konoplizkaya (AdobeStock) Page 23: © Guillaume Le Bloas (AdobeStock) Page 28: © Grecaud Paul (AdobeStock) Page 33: © izkes (AdobeStock) Page 44: © araelf (AdobeStock) Page 50: © Fokussiert (AdobeStock) Page 54: © fotogestoeber (AdobeStock) Page 63: © aerogondo (AdobeStock) Page 69: © Zerbor (AdobeStock) Page 73: © konoplizkaya (AdobeStock) Page 80: © master1305 (AdobeStock) Page 86: © finecki (AdobeStock) Page 89: © Семен Саливанчук (AdobeStock) Page 92: © ipopba (AdobeStock) Page 94: © jirsak (AdobeStock) Page 95: © Ranta Images (AdobeStock) Foreword National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are a vital part of the country- level human rights protection system. By raising awareness, providing advice, monitoring and holding authorities to account, they have a central role in navigating the great human rights challenges of our day – tackling both persistent concerns like discrimination and inequality, and novel issues such as the rights implications of artificial intelligence and of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights and Peace-Keeping Operations Diego Garcia-Sayan
    University of Richmond Law Review Volume 29 | Issue 1 Article 4 1994 Human Rights and Peace-Keeping Operations Diego Garcia-Sayan Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/lawreview Part of the Human Rights Law Commons Recommended Citation Diego Garcia-Sayan, Human Rights and Peace-Keeping Operations, 29 U. Rich. L. Rev. 41 (1994). Available at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/lawreview/vol29/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School Journals at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Richmond Law Review by an authorized editor of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE-KEEPING OPERATIONS* Diego Garcta-Saydn** I. INTRODUCTION The purposes of the United Nations, as specified in Article 1 of the United Nations Charter, are to "maintain international peace,"' to promote and encourage "respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion"2 and to "achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character."' The changes that have occurred in the world order during the last few years, mainly the end of the Cold War, have revi- talized the original purposes of the United Nations and, as the Secretary-General of the United Nations has said, the need to explore "the place being accorded within the United Nations to the promotion of democracy side by side with the protection of human rights."4 The paralysis in the United Nations decision- making process-represented very explicitly by the continued vetoes in the Security Council (279 during the Cold War era)- seems to be a matter of the past.
    [Show full text]
  • Integrating Human Rights Into the Operational Readiness of UN Peacekeepers
    APRIL 2020 Integrating Human Rights into the Operational Readiness of UN Peacekeepers NAMIE DI RAZZA AND JAKE SHERMAN Cover Photo: UN peacekeepers ABOUT THE AUTHORS accompany the director of the human rights division of the UN Mission in South NAMIE DI RAZZA is a Senior Fellow at the International Sudan on a human rights assessment in Peace Institute. Wau, April 19, 2017. Nektarios Markogiannis/UNMISS. Email: [email protected] Disclaimer: The views expressed in this JAKE SHERMAN is the Director of the International Peace paper represent those of the authors Institute’s Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations. and not necessarily those of the International Peace Institute. IPI Email: [email protected] welcomes consideration of a wide range of perspectives in the pursuit of a well-informed debate on critical ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS policies and issues in international affairs. IPI owes a debt of gratitude to its many generous donors, whose support makes publications like this one possible. IPI Publications Adam Lupel, Vice President This project was funded by the Government of Finland. Albert Trithart, Editor Meredith Harris, Editorial Intern Suggested Citation: Namie Di Razza and Jake Sherman, “Integrating Human Rights into the Operational Readiness of UN Peacekeepers,” International Peace Institute, April 2020. © by International Peace Institute, 2020 All Rights Reserved www.ipinst.org CONTENTS Abbreviations . iii Executive Summary . v Introduction. 1 Human Rights in UN Peacekeeping. 2 Factoring Human Rights Readiness into Force Generation . 4 The Limitations of Self-Certification. 4 Screening Plus: Beyond Self-Certification. 5 Pre-deployment Visits and Mitigation Measures . 8 Shaping the Human Rights Readiness of Peacekeepers: Training Requirements .
    [Show full text]
  • Statement of Support for the Turin Process to Strengthen Social Rights in Europe
    Statement of Support for the Turin Process to strengthen Social Rights in Europe The Turin process, initiated by the Council of Europe (CoE) in October 2014, aims to reinforce the normative system of the European Social Charter within the Council of Europe and in relation to the law of the European Union (EU). Its key objective is to improve the implementation of social and economic rights in the Council of Europe Member States, in parallel to the civil and political rights guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. ENNHRI reiterates its strong commitment to the Turin Process. The European Social Charter of 1961 and the Revised European Social Charter of 1996 guarantee a wide range of fundamental rights, relating to health, housing, social protection, working conditions, freedom to organise, and protection against poverty and social exclusion. NHRIs address the full range of human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. Their core functions, to promote and protect human rights, enable them to improve the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights at the national level. They can do this, for example, through training and awareness raising, individual assistance, investigations and inquiries, monitoring, research and reporting, advising governments and parliaments, and engaging with regional and international human rights systems. ENNHRI members actively engage in the area of economic and social rights and attach great importance to the European Social Charter as one of the instruments that can be used to ensure the implementation economic and social rights, together with the European Convention on Human Rights, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the United Nations core human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Labour Organisation Conventions.
    [Show full text]
  • How to File Complaints on Human Rights Violations
    HOW TO FILE COMPLAINTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS A Manual for Individuals and NGOs Klaus Hüfner edited by the German Commission for UNESCO and the United Nations Association of Germany BILDUNG | WISSENSCHAFT | KULTUR | KOMMUNIKATION HOW TO FILE COMPLAINTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS A Manual for Individuals and NGOs Author: Klaus Hüfner, Berlin Editors: German Commission for UNESCO, Bonn and German United Nations Association, Berlin Bonn 2010 (fifth, updated and enlarged edition) A publication of the German Commission for UNESCO, Bonn / Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission e.V. (DUK) Colmantstraße15, 53115 Bonn, Germany The present version has been arranged by Benjamin Hanke (DUK). Cover picture: Human Rights Council © US Mission Geneva 2 How to File Complaints on Human Rights Violations Table of Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................... 4 List of Charts ................................................................................................................... 7 List Of Documents.............................................................................................................. 9 List of Abbrevations ......................................................................................................... 10 I. Introduction: The United Nations and Human Rights.................................................. 13 II. The UN Human Rights Council................................................................................... 34 III. Bodies
    [Show full text]