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29. 09. 2015.

g-din Goran Milić u obilasku romskih porodica



Institucionalno rešavanje romskih problema

Romi su naši prijatelji, komšije, građani

   g-din Goran Milić u obilasku romskih porodica

Sombor,Tekstilna ulica

Situacija na terenu ukazuju kako na ogromne probleme u romskoj zajednici tako i na propuste koji su načinjeni u decenijskoj nebrizi o romsku zajednicu.
Pre svega, Romi su naši prijatelji, komšije, građani, zaista nisam očekivao „ovih razmera alarmantnu situaciju“.

                               Tekstilna ulica                                              
Nagomilani problemi se moraju „rešavati urgentno“ jer nedozvoljavaju odlaganje, sve što je u nadležnosti grada Sombora i njenog rukovodstva preduzeti ćemo, neophodne mere da se najzad romska problematika sistematski rešava, naravno u skladu sa zakonom i neposrednim učešćem romske zajednice i preuzimanjem odgovornosti samih Roma.

    Đurica Nikolić
Složit će te se samnom da Romi najbolje poznaju svoju problematiku i način kako da istu reše, svakako uz direktnu saradnju i podršku SNS.
Nasleđeni problemi ove vrste se nemogu rešiti „preko noći“ mi smo spremni da krenemo u rešavanje istih, ali želimo da i romska zajednica preuzme deo odgovornosti, te ću stoga inicirati uspostavljanje mehanizama institucionalnog  rešavanja problema romske zajednice na nivou grada Sombora i rukovodstva SNS.
Porodica Nikolić
Usvajanjem nove „Strategije“ od strane Vlade Republike Srbije, se bitno promenula „Strategija“ jer je u centar zbivanja stavljena porodica.
Istakao bih i pozitivan primer porodice Tšeniže, koja je izrazila želju da se Bela Tšeniže upiše na fakultet, a što će gradska vlast na čelu sa gradonačelnikom Sašom Todorović i SNS kao i šef kabineta gradonačelnika Goran Milić apsolutno podržati i pružiti svu neophodnu pomoć.
        Porodica Tšeniže
Danas sam obišao dvadesetak romskih porodica, naših prijatelja, komšije, građana. Obećavam vam da ću posetiti svaku romsku kuću.
Takođe bih napomenuo da je i određeni broj članova romske zajednice izrazio potrebu pokretanja sopstvenog biznisa (samozapošljavanja).
        Porodica Šol
Članovi romske zajednice su napomenuli „da ih niti jedan političar nije obilazio pre kampanje“ sem Vas g-dine Miliću, mnoge političke partije dolaze samo dan,dva pred izbore i daju nam 1-2 ulja,1 kg. šećera, par sapuna, šampon i traže od nas da glasamo za njih, a nakon izbora „nema ih nikada više, svi nas zaborave“.
Porodica Mezei
Članovi romske zajednice kao spornu problemetiku, a bitnu za njihovo preživljavanje navode:
·         Izuzetan težak socio-ekonomski položaj članova romske zajednice koja              živi bez osnovnih uslova za život ( bez vode,struje,kanalizacije )
·         Nesaradnju sa bivšim koordinatorom za romska pitanja grada Sombora
·         Lošu komunikaciju sa Centrom za socijalni rad u Somboru
·         Probleme stanovanja
·         Problem „uličnog svirača“
·         Saobraćajnu bezbednost
·         Obrazovanje dece ( udžbenici,školski pribor )

  Nebojša Vladisavljević

NEWS RELEASE - Zeid urges all parties to ensure protection of civilians in Kunduz, Afghanistan



UN Human Rights Chief urges all parties to ensure protection of civilians in Kunduz, Afghanistan
  
GENEVA (29 September 2015) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein today expressed deep concern about the human rights situation in Afghanistan's northeastern city of Kunduz following a major Taliban attack yesterday. He urged both parties to the conflict to take all measures to protect civilians from harm.
“The civilian population in Kunduz has already suffered months of fighting and is now in grave danger – with very worrying signs that the violence may intensify,” the High Commissioner said. “I urge all parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians and to take all feasible steps to prevent the loss of life and injuries to civilians.” 
“The situation in Kunduz threatens to severely undermine the progress Afghanistan has made in restoring peace, stability and the rule of law, which is what all Afghans deserve,” he added.
The Taliban attack sparked ground engagements throughout the city between Taliban and Afghan National Security Forces. Pro-Government Forces also carried out airstrikes in certain parts of the city. The UN presence in Afghanistan received additional reports of fighting in the districts of Takhar province, which borders Kunduz province.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN Human Rights Office are seeking to verify reports that at least 110 civilians were killed and injured as a result of the fighting.
“We fear that many more civilians may be harmed if fighting continues over the next few days,” Zeid said.
Intense fighting around Kunduz between April and June this year caused 176 civilian casualties (36 deaths and 140 injured), of which 64 per cent resulted from the operations of pro-Government forces countering the Taliban advance.
A Taliban statement released yesterday informed Kunduz residents to continue normal life and reassured the population that “lives, property and honour will be safeguarded”. However, the freedom of movement of the civilian population has been restricted due to the ongoing fighting, preventing civilians from leaving the city. Previously, the Taliban had imposed restrictions on freedom of movement and access to education for women and girls in other areas of Kunduz province under their de facto control.
The Taliban have reportedly taken control of the city’s main hospital, some government facilities and UN premises. In addition, the Taliban have also reportedly freed approximately 700 inmates from the provincial prison, including up to 350 conflict-related detainees. Fifty-six juveniles, including 10 girls and 10 conflict-related child detainees, reportedly fled the juvenile detention facility following the Taliban occupation of the city.
“We are aware the Taliban leadership has directed its forces to protect civilian lives and property, but there are disturbing signs that these commitments are being breached,” Zeid said. “International law upholds the protected status of healthcare facilities and personnel, preserves humanitarian space, and requires that those who have laid down their arms, are injured, detained or otherwise hors de combat, must be treated humanely.”

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 97 67 / rcolville@ohchr.org), Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org ) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org)
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MEDIA ADVISORY - Ghana: UN rights expert to follow up recommendations in key criminal justice and mental health areas



Ghana: UN rights expert to follow up recommendations in key criminal justice and mental health areas

GENEVA (29 September 2015) – United Nations Special Rapporteur Juan E. Méndez will carry out a follow-up visit to Ghana from 4 to 7 October 2015, to discuss and assess the level of implementation of the recommendations issued after his first mission to the country in November 2013.

“I will focus on the challenges I encountered in Ghana, such as critical issues in the criminal justice system, including conditions of detention, and mental health-care practices, including the treatment and living conditions of persons held in psychiatric hospitals and prayer camps,” said the independent expert charged by the UN Human Rights Council with monitoring and reporting on the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

“I hope that my second visit to Ghana will assist the Government in coping with some of the remaining challenges it faces in the fight against torture, and in finding solutions that will ensure the promotion of human rights and dignity of all persons,” Mr. Méndez stated.

During the visit at the invitation of the Ghanaian authorities, the human rights expert will engage with key Government decision makers and with civil society leaders. “I look forward to assisting the authorities to further implement my recommendations, uphold the rule of law, promote accountability, and fulfil the right of victims to reparations,” he said.

Mr. Méndez will share his preliminary observations and recommendations at a press conference to be held in Accra on Wednesday, 7 October 2015, at 3 pm, at the FAO Regional Office for Africa conference room (Block C) - FAO is adjacent the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park, Ridge.  Access to the press conference is strictly limited to journalists.

The Special Rapporteur will present a follow-up report to the Human Rights Council in March 2016.

(*) Check the Special Rapporteur’s report on Ghana to the UN Human Rights Council: http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/25/60/Add.1

ENDS

Mr. Juan E. Méndez (Argentina) was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in November 2010. Mr. Méndez has dedicated his legal career to the defense of human rights, and has a long and distinguished record of advocacy throughout the Americas. He is currently a Professor of Law at the American University – Washington College of Law and Co-Chair of the Human Rights Institute of the International Bar Association. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Torture/SRTorture/Pages/SRTortureIndex.aspx

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

Check the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CAT.aspx


For media requests, please contact in Ghana: Ms. Cynthia Prah (Tel: +233 (302) 665511 / Cell: +233 (0) 24 628 1113 / Cynthia.prah@unic.org)
For further information, please contact Ms. Andrea Furger (afurger@ohchr.org) or Ms. Andra Nicolescu , anicoles@wcl.american.edu.

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)  

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MEDIA STATEMENT - For the 25th UN International Day of Older Persons - Thursday 1



For the 25th United Nations International Day of Older Persons
Thursday 1 October 2015

Re-think our cities – UN expert calls for older persons’ accessibility to all urban settings

GENEVA (29 September 2015) – Speaking ahead of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons*, the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, urges States to improve older persons’ accessibility to urban infrastructure, facilities and services.

“We need to re-think our cities. Over 900 million older persons will be living in cities across the world by 2050, but our cities are not fit for this global demographic revolution.

The existing barriers in public spaces and buildings, as well as the lack of safe, affordable, accessible and barrier-free housing and transportation obstruct older persons from fully enjoying their rights and from living in dignity and safety in their communities.

Urban spaces and design often exacerbate segregation and the exclusion of older persons. This becomes increasingly visible during recovery after disasters and emergency situations in the face of climate change. But in this regard, I am encouraged by the recent adoption of the new 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and hope that States will actually do what they agreed to.

Innovative housing, innovative transportation and innovative buildings programmes that make our cities accessible to all are urgently needed. Urban spaces have to be resilient and accessible to older persons, if we want to build inclusive, dynamic, resilient and sustainable cities and communities.

For cities and environments to be age-friendly, the effective implementation of comprehensive and inter-sectorial policies and planning is required. Regulatory procedures, building codes and mortgage regulations need to take into account the concerns of older persons and reflect their diversity.

The Third UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), which will take place in 2016, will be an important occasion for States and other parties to renew their commitments to protect and promote the rights of older persons in urban related context. And I strongly urge all States to include an age perspective and a human rights-based approach into the New Urban Agenda as a matter of priority.

Urban spaces have to be resilient and accessible to older persons, if we want to build inclusive, dynamic, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. For that, we need to re-think our cities now.”

(*) On 14 December 1990, the UN General Assembly designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons. Every year, a theme is selected and many events are organized at the UN headquarters in Geneva and New York to give visibility to the situation of older persons. This year’s theme is: “Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment”.

ENDS

Ms. Rosa Kornfeld-Matte (Chile) was appointed by the Human Rights Council as the first Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons in May 2014. Ms. Kornfeld-Matte served as the National Director of the Chilean National Service of Ageing where she designed and implemented the National Policy of Ageing. She has a long career as an academic and is the founder of the programme for older persons at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Learn more, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/OlderPersons/IE/Pages/IEOlderPersons.aspx

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.


For further information and media requests, please contact Mr. Khaled Hassine (+41 22 917 93 67 / khassine@ohchr.org) or write to olderpersons@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 /xcelaya@ohchr.org)  

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OHCHR PRESS BRIEFING NOTES - (1) Yemen, (2) Central African Republic, and (3) Escalating tensions in East Jerusalem and West Bank



Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville
Location: Geneva
Subjects:   (1) Yemen
                  (2) Central African Republic
                  (3) Escalating tensions in East Jerusalem and West Bank

(1) Yemen

In the two weeks from 11-24 September, a further 151 civilians have been killed -- including 26 children and 10 women -- and 151 injured in Yemen. This takes the total number of civilian casualties in the six months since 26 March to 7,217, including 2,355 killed and 4,862 wounded. During the reporting period, civilian casualties, including women and children, continued to be recorded as a result of airstrikes and indiscriminate shelling in residential areas by both sides to the conflict, which was taking place to a greater or lesser degree in 11 different Governorates. More civilians have been killed and injured by an increasing number of airstrikes targeting bridges and highways.

On Sunday, Jordan’s Foreign Minister described his Government’s “absolute rejection” of the parts of the High Commissioner’s recent report on Yemen* to the Human Rights Council concerning possible violations of international humanitarian law by the Saudi-led coalition forces.

The High Commissioner regrets that statement, and all other suggestions that his Office should only report on alleged violations by the Popular Committees affiliated with the Houthis and their allies. He notes that the report – which contains a number of specific examples of possible violations and abuses by both sides to the conflict – does not at any point accuse the coalition forces of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, although it does catalogue several specific incidents involving airstrikes that caused large numbers of civilian casualties. Indeed, by the end of the 12-month period covered by the report, almost two-thirds of reported civilian deaths had allegedly been caused by coalition airstrikes, which were also responsible for almost two-thirds of damaged or destroyed civilian public buildings.

The high number of civilian casualties being caused by airstrikes was starkly underlined by reports that yesterday a wedding party in Wahijah, in Taizz Governorate, was hit by a coalition airstrike reportedly killing as many as 130 civilians, including a large number of women and children, and injuring many others. Our staff in Yemen are currently seeking to confirm these reports, including precise details on casualties. If the numbers are as high as suggested, this may be the single deadliest incident since the start of the conflict.

The coalition is also indubitably responsible for the naval blockade of Yemen’s main seaports, which UN humanitarian agencies have repeatedly stated is greatly exacerbating the extremely dire humanitarian situation affecting almost all of Yemen. As Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien informed the Security Council on 19 August, “a shocking four out of five Yemenis [some 21 million people] require humanitarian assistance and nearly 1.5 million people are internally displaced.” Mr. O’Brien noted specifically that “disregard for human life by all parties continues” and said that airstrikes and other shelling in and around Hudaydah port were “in clear contravention of international humanitarian law and are unacceptable.”

The numerous alleged violations and abuses described in the High Commissioner’s report to the Human Rights Council were, unless stated otherwise, individually verified or cross-checked with a number of independent and credible sources, in accordance with established methodology. Members of the High Commissioner’s team in Yemen have taken considerable trouble, at great personal risk, to verify as many incidents as they can. However, the report clearly acknowledges that, because of the dire security situation, they were “unable to verify the vast majority of allegations of human rights violations and abuses or violations of humanitarian law.”

For this reason, among others, the High Commissioner’s report recommended that the coalition forces and the Government of Yemen ensure prompt, thorough, effective, independent and impartial investigations. The report also called on the international community to encourage the establishment of an international independent and impartial mechanism to investigate alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law and alleged violations of international humanitarian law.

The UN’s Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and on the Responsibility to Protect, Adama Dieng and Jennifer Welsh, on 15 September expressed “alarm about allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law throughout the country, committed by both sides to the conflict.” The High Commissioner shares that alarm as well as their concern at what they termed “the virtual silence of the international community about the threat to populations.” He stresses that reporting on alleged violations and abuses by one side only would be a dereliction of duty, and is not an option any UN High Commissioner for Human Rights would consider.

On a more positive note, the Government of Yemen, which enabled the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish a Country Office in 2012, has recognized that violations and abuses have been committed by both sides, and established a national investigative body – a development the High Commissioner has welcomed.

We shared the report on Yemen with the Governments of Yemen and Saudi Arabia before submitting it to the Human Rights Council, which will decide what action to take based on the findings and recommendations it contains.

*The High Commissioner's report to the Human Rights Council on Yemen (A/HRC/30/31) can be found here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session30/Pages/ListReports.aspx
  
(2) Central African Republic

We are extremely concerned about the recent outbreak of violence in Bangui, following the gruesome killing of a young Muslim motorcycle-taxi driver last Saturday.  Clashes and reprisal attacks have so far reportedly killed at least 37 people and injured more than 100 others.

Private properties, religious premises and the offices of international humanitarian organisations have also been looted. Last night, some 500 prisoners escaped from Bangui’s main prison. This is a huge setback for the preservation of law and order, and for the fight against impunity, which has been and remains a chronic problem in CAR.

This is a crucial moment for the Central African Republic. The Transitional Government authorities must work closely with MINUSCA and other international forces to urgently stop what appears to be a deliberate attempt to derail the current peace process and important progress made in CAR over the last 18 months.

During his recent mission to CAR from 1 to 4 September, the High Commissioner called for concrete measures to end cycles of impunity and violence that have left the CAR decimated after decades of misrule.

The protection of civilians, the prevention of killings, including based on the victim’s religion or ethnicity, and other serious human rights violations as well as the disarmament of armed groups must be the top priorities.

The High-Level Meeting on CAR which will take place on Thursday on the margins of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York provides a critical opportunity for the international community to commit the financial, technical and political support needed to implement the key outcomes of the Bangui Forum, in particular to disarm militias wreaking havoc today and to establish transitional justice mechanisms.


(3) Escalating tensions in East Jerusalem and West Bank

We are concerned about clashes and escalating tensions in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank, due to a wave of protests against access restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on Palestinian worshippers wishing to enter the Al Aqsa Compound.

We note with concern allegations that Israeli security forces may, in some cases, have used excessive force against Palestinian protesters in East Jerusalem in recent days. We also call for restraint following the authorisation granted by Israeli authorities on Sunday on the use of live fire in life-threatening situations in East Jerusalem. Any lethal use of force could exacerbate the cycle of violence and further inflame an already tense situation. We urge the Israeli authorities to ensure that security forces only employ force as a last resort and in full accordance with the standards laid out under international law for maintaining public order, including detailed guidelines governing the use of live ammunition.*

We also note with concerns allegations of excessive use of force against protesters by Palestinian security forces in Bethlehem on Friday. We welcome the decision by the Government of the State of Palestine to set up an investigative committee into the conduct of Palestinian police during this demonstration.

We urge all sides to exercise restraint and to take measures to restore calm in the area, including through the maintenance of the historic status quo at Haram Al-Sharif, which includes the Al Aqsa Compound. We remind Palestinian and Israeli authorities of their duty to investigate any alleged excessive of force by their security forces and to ensure accountability.

ENDS

* The conduct of law enforcement officials is addressed by a number of specific international standards and codes, including the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, and the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials.

For more information or media requests, please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org) or Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org)

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NEWS RELEASE - Twelve UN agencies issue unprecedented joint statement on rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & intersex people



Twelve UN agencies issue unprecedented joint statement on rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & intersex people
  
GENEVA (29 September 2015) – In an unprecedented joint initiative, 12 UN agencies* today issued a powerful joint call to action on ending violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) adults, adolescents and children.  

“This is the first time that so many members of the UN family have joined forces in defence of the basic rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people,” said the UN Human Rights Office’s Chief of Global Issues, Charles Radcliffe. “It’s both an expression of commitment on the part of UN agencies, and a powerful call to action for Governments around the world to do more to tackle homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination and abuses against intersex people.”

The statement highlights the link between human rights abuses against LGBTI people and ill health, family break-up, social and economic exclusion and lost opportunities for development and economic growth. It sets out specific steps that Governments, in particular, should take to curb violence and protect individuals from discrimination – including measures to improve the investigation and reporting of hate crimes, torture and ill-treatment, prohibit discrimination, and review and repeal all laws used to arrest, punish or discriminate against people on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

“Violence and discrimination against people based on sexual orientation, gender identity and biological sex characteristics violate their human rights and impoverish whole communities. That is why United Nations agencies working across such a wide range of areas – from human rights to health, education, employment, development, children’s rights, gender equality, food security and refugees – have come together to push for change,” Radcliffe said. “While the symbolism of this is important, the practical recommendations we are putting forward are more important. We hope this statement can provide a blueprint to Governments, as well as to UN teams on the ground in countries around the world.”

The joint UN statement on “Ending Violence and Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex People” has been endorsed by 12 UN entities: the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Secretariat, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Fund for Children (UNICEF), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), UN Women, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

ENDS  


For more information and media requests, please contact:  
Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org
Cécile Pouilly: +41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org

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NEWS RELEASE - “The World Bank is a Human Rights-Free Zone” – UN expert on extreme



“The World Bank is a Human Rights-Free Zone” – UN expert on extreme poverty expresses deep concern

GENEVA (29 September 2015) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, has called on the World Bank  and its member States to adopt a new and consistent approach to human rights.

“For most purposes, the World Bank is currently a human rights-free zone. In its operational policies, in particular, it treats human rights more like an infectious disease than universal values and obligations,” Alston says in a new report* published online on the approach to human rights by the World Bank, the most important international actor on poverty alleviation.

The report, which will be officially presented to the UN General Assembly on 23 October, explains that the biggest single obstacle to better integrate human rights into the work of the World Bank is “the anachronistic and inconsistent interpretation of the ‘political prohibition’ contained in the Bank’s Articles of Agreement.”

“They invoke the Articles of Agreement, which were adopted in 1945, and argue that this clause not to interfere in States’ political affairs effectively prohibits the Bank from engaging with issues of human rights,” the expert says.

However, he stresses, “these Articles were written more than 70 years ago, when there was no international catalogue of human rights, no specific treaty obligations upon States, and not a single international institution addressing these issues.”

In his report, Alston notes that –despite their legal arguments– the World Bank’s real reason to avoid dealing with human rights is clearly political.

“Western countries, cheered on by Western civil society, have often pushed the Bank to sanction developing countries with a poor human rights record by delaying or withholding development loans to those countries. Countries that borrow money from the Bank, or member states that are critical of human rights, don’t want the World Bank to turn into a ‘human rights cop’ that meddles in their internal affairs,” he explains.

For the Special Rapporteur, all these approaches are misguided. “World Bank member States from all parts of the world are to blame,” he says.

“The use of the human rights framework makes an enormous difference, which is exactly why the Bank is so resistant to using it,” the expert notes, stressing that human rights invoke the legal obligations that States have agreed upon and brings a degree of normative certainty. “Even more importantly, the language of rights recognizes the dignity and agency of all individuals.”
 
“It is striking how little thought has been given to what a World Bank human rights policy might look like in practice. It is now time for World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to take the initiative”, Alston says in his report. “But World Bank member states also have a responsibility: they should begin to grapple seriously with what a World Bank human rights policy should look like, and they should start doing that today!”        

The UN Special Rapporteur will spend the next few weeks talking to the World Bank and its member states about his recommendations, before the official presentation of his report to the UN General Assembly in New York.


ENDS

Philip Alston (Australia) took office as UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights in June 2014, following his appointment by the Human Rights Council. He is John Norton Pomeroy Professor of Law at New York University School of Law.  Mr. Alston has previously served the UN in several capacities including as Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Special Adviser to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Millennium Development Goals, as well as chairperson of the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/Pages/SRExtremePovertyIndex.aspx

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

For more information and media requests, please contact Ms. Junko Tadaki (+ 41 22 917 9298 / jtadaki@ohchr.org) or write to srextremepoverty@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)  

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28. 09. 2015.

NEWS RELEASE - States and businesses must prevent harm from highly hazardous pest



States and businesses must prevent harm from highly hazardous pesticides – UN experts
  
GENEVA (28 September 2015) – Two United Nations experts on hazardous substance and waste and right to food have called today for an immediate worldwide phase-out on use of highly hazardous pesticides that are inflicting significant damage on human health and the environment.

The experts’ appeal comes as States, businesses and other parties from around the world gather in Geneva, Switzerland, for the fourth meeting of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (28 September to 2 October 2015). This is the last gathering of its kind before 2020, the year by which States pledged to achieve sound management of chemicals following the 2002 Earth Summit.

“Workers, children and others at risk continue to suffer severe impacts from hazardous pesticides,” the UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights and hazardous substance and waste, Baskut Tuncak, said. “Those living in danger cannot wait several years for the next opportunity. It is imperative that States take collective action now.”  

Mr. Tuncak noted that, since the 2002 Earth Summit, coordinated global action to reduce highly hazardous pesticide use has not materialized. “Risks are particularly grave in developing countries, many of who import these highly hazardous pesticides despite having inadequate systems to reduce risks,” he said.

“There are still a significant proportion of pesticides being used around the world which can be considered as highly hazardous,” the expert warned, “despite international pesticide experts’ claim that there are almost always safer alternatives to highly hazardous pesticides.”

Criteria developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization include pesticides with high acute toxicity, with established chronic toxic effects including the ability to cause cancer even at very low exposure levels, or which are very persistent in the environment or in organisms.

“Often, the residues of these hazardous pesticides are found in the food that we consume and this impedes individual’s right to access safe healthy food. The exposure is particularly serious for farmworkers and their families. Children are exposed to highly hazardous pesticides through their mother’s milk,” the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Hilal Elver, stressed. “Agro-ecology is a proven alternative to an intensive reliance on highly hazardous pesticides.”

“Urgent action is needed. States must reorient their methods of food production towards systems that inflict less harm, are more sustainable, and truly contribute to the realization of all human rights,” Ms. Elver urged.

ENDS

Mr. Baskut Tuncak (Turkey) was appointed Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014. Learn more, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Environment/ToxicWastes/Pages/SRToxicWastesIndex.aspx

Ms. Hilal Elver (Turkey) is a Research Professor, and global distinguished fellow at the UCLA Law School Resnick Food Law and Policy Center. She was appointed Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food by the Human Rights Council in 2014. Learn more: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Food/Pages/FoodIndex.aspx  

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

For enquiries and media requests, please contact Ahreum Lee (+41 22 917 9391/ ahreumlee@ohchr.org) and Orlagh Mccann (+41 22 917 9578/ omccann@ohchr.org) or write to srtoxicwaste@ohchr.org and srfood@ohchr.org
 
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NEWS RELEASE - New Sustainable Development Goals: UN expert urges Governments to announce plans on education



New Sustainable Development Goals: UN expert urges Governments to announce plans on education

GENEVA (28 September 2015) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Kishore Singh, today called on all UN Member States to announce without delay their plans to realize the right to education in line with the new Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to end poverty by 2030 and universally promote shared economic prosperity, social development and environmental protection.

Welcoming the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals -the successor to the Millennium Development Goals- in New York on Sunday, he noted that “political commitments made by governments to education goals in future development agenda will remain hollow unless governments take real action to expand educational opportunities and restore public confidence in good quality public education.”

“This is all the more important as education is a key instrument to eradicate poverty, and for achieving any of the new development goals,” the human rights expert stressed.

The Special Raporteur emphasized that achieving free, universal secondary education of good quality, to which international community is committed, cannot happen unless governments’ investment in education is significantly enhanced. “This will require new investments, as well as ensuring existing funds are well spent,” he said.

“These goals expand free, universal education to the secondary level, and call for full equality between boys and girls. These commitments require not just financial support, but bold political actions to address the barriers which have kept many children out of school,” Mr. Singh added.
 
“But I urge governments to refrain from privatizing education to meet these new goals if the education is not free to students, or if it increases inequality in society,” the expert warned. “The rapid rise of private providers, often unregulated and privileging the wealthy, must be replaced by efforts which reduce inequality and expand opportunities of good quality public education without exclusion.”

“Governments must ensure that education of good quality is available from early childhood until late adulthood, equally to all,” Mr. Singh said, commending the Incheon Declaration made at the World Education Forum last May, which provided a detailed roadmap for nations seeking to improve the state of education.

“We must all work to preserve education as a public good and to foster the humanist mission of education,” the human rights expert underscored.

ENDS

Mr. Kishore Singh (India), the Special Rapporteur on the right to education since August 2010, is a professor specialized in international law who has worked for many years with UNESCO for the promotion of the right to education, and advised a number of international, regional and national bodies on right to education issues. Throughout his career, Mr. Singh has supported the development of the right to education in its various dimensions and worked to promote better understanding of this right as an internationally recognized right. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Education/SREducation/Pages/SREducationIndex.aspx

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

For inquiries and media requests, please contact Stee Asbjornsen (+41 22 917 9827 / sasbjornsen@ohchr.org) or write to sreducation@ohchr.org

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NEWS RELEASE (ENGLISH/FRENCH) - Zeid alarmed by recent upsurge in arrests, detention and



French version below

Zeid alarmed by recent upsurge in arrests, detention and killings in Burundi

GENEVA (28 September 2015) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Monday reported an alarming upsurge in arrests, detention and killings in Burundi since the beginning of September.
“Almost every day, dead bodies are found lying on the streets of some of Bujumbura’s neighbourhoods. In many cases, the victims appear to have been killed by a bullet fired at close range. The bodies sometimes show signs of torture and are typically found with their hands tied behind their backs,” Zeid said.
“Reports suggest that many of these people had been arrested by the police or by the National Intelligence Agency (SNR) prior to their deaths. This succession of unexplained killings, and the widespread perception that they may be linked to State institutions, is instilling a deep sense of fear within the population, especially in neighbourhoods known to be supportive of the opposition,” he added.
Since April 2015, the UN Human Rights Office has registered 134 killings as well as hundreds of cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, including 704 arrests since the beginning of September alone. In many cases, people are released after a few days. However, others sometimes stay in pre-trial detention for months on end, far beyond the maximum duration allowed by national and international law.
“We have seen an intensification of search operations allegedly aimed at seizing illegal weapons, in specific neighbourhoods of Bujumbura and in other parts of the country,” the High Commissioner said. “Young adults seem to be particularly targeted, with many of them alleging they were accused by the authorities of intending to join rebel groups based in neighbouring countries.”
“In Bujumbura, the police often surround a specific neighbourhood, blocking all entry and exit points while they carry out their searches. Given these searches sometimes continue for several days, this method raises serious concerns with regard to freedom of movement,” Zeid said. Consistent accusations of looting and destruction of property by police during such search operations have been received from diverse sources.
“My Office has documented more than 90 cases of torture since April 2015,” Zeid said. “We have also been receiving many allegations of torture carried out by the police or the SNR, with the reported aim of forcing victims to confess to participation in an armed rebellion. The perpetrators of both torture and killings appear, to date, to have enjoyed absolute impunity.”
“Because crimes as serious as extrajudicial executions and torture are going unpunished, more people are looking to take the law into their own hands. There is an increasing risk that spiralling tit-for-tat violence will plunge the country back into its bloody past,” Zeid said, noting that his team in Burundi has documented incidents of targeted attacks on members of the opposition and civil society on one hand, as well on members and supporters of the ruling CNDD-FDD party, their families, high-level Government officials and military leaders on the other.
The large number of arrests has resulted in overcrowding and deteriorating living conditions in prisons. Mid-September, some 87 civilians illegally detained in Mabanda military camp in Makamba province were finally either released or transferred to a regular prison, following advocacy efforts by the UN Human Rights Office team on the ground.
The High Commissioner also expressed concern at the situation of 52 minors who are detained alongside adults during the day in Rumonge Central Prison. He urged the Burundian authorities to transfer them to a nearby re-education centre for children.
Zeid also noted that the security situation negatively affects the daily lives of ordinary citizens, especially when it comes to their rights to education and health, and has further weakened the country’s already fragile economy. Many business have closed down or have been operating at a reduced pace. 
Zeid stressed the importance of the ongoing cooperation with the Burundian authorities and urged them to fight against impunity.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 97 67 / rcolville@ohchr.org), Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org ) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org)

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Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein alarmé par la hausse récente des arrestations, détentions et meurtres au Burundi

GENEVE (28 septembre 2015) – Le Haut-Commissaire des Nations Unies aux droits de l’homme Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein a fait état lundi d’une augmentation alarmante du nombre d’arrestations, de détentions et de meurtres au Burundi depuis le début du mois de septembre.
« Presque chaque jour, des corps sans vie sont retrouvés dans les rues de certains quartiers de Bujumbura. Dans de nombreux cas, les victimes semblent avoir été tuées par des balles tirées à bout portant. Leurs corps portent parfois des traces de torture et sont souvent retrouvés les mains liées dans le dos », a déclaré le Haut-Commissaire.
« Des rapports suggèrent que nombre de ces personnes avaient été arrêtées par la police ou par le Service national de renseignement (SNR) avant leur mort. Cette succession de meurtres inexpliqués et l’impression largement répandue qu’ils pourraient avoir un lien avec les institutions étatiques instillent une peur profonde au sein de la population, en particulier au sein des quartiers connus pour leur soutien à l’opposition », a-t-il ajouté.
Depuis avril 2015, le Haut-Commissariat a enregistré 134 meurtres ainsi que des centaines de cas d’arrestations et de détentions arbitraires, dont 704 arrestations depuis début septembre. Les personnes arrêtées sont généralement relâchées après quelques jours, mais certaines restent en détention préventive pendant des mois, bien au-delà de la durée maximale autorisée par la législation nationale et internationale.
« Nous assistons à une intensification des opérations de recherche dans certains quartiers de Bujumbura et dans d’autres parties du pays, avec pour but présumé la saisie d’armes illégales », a déclaré le Haut-Commissaire. « Les jeunes adultes semblent être particulièrement ciblés. Nombre d’entre eux déclarent avoir été accusés par les autorités de vouloir rejoindre les rangs de groupes rebelles dans les pays voisins. »
« A Bujumbura, le plus souvent, la police encercle un quartier précis et bloque tous les points d’entrée et sortie pendant l’opération de recherche. Comme ces opérations durent parfois plusieurs jours, cette méthode soulève de sérieuses questions en termes de liberté de mouvement », a déclaré Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. Des accusations répétées de pillage et de destruction de biens par la police lors de ces perquisitions ont été reçues de diverses sources.
« Mon bureau a documenté plus de 90 cas de torture depuis le mois d’avril 2015 », a indiqué Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. « Nous avons aussi reçu de nombreuses allégations de tortures qui auraient été perpétrées par la police ou le SNR, avec pour but présumé de contraindre les victimes à avouer leur participation à la rébellion armée. A ce jour, les auteurs de ces tortures et de ces meurtres ont bénéficié d’une impunité totale. »
« Des crimes aussi graves que des exécutions extra-judiciaires et des tortures ayant lieu et demeurant  impunis, davantage de personnes sont tentées de faire justice elles-mêmes. Il existe un risque croissant de voir cette spirale de représailles violents ramener le pays vers son passé sanglant », a déclaré le Haut-Commissaire. Celui-ci a aussi noté que son équipe au Burundi avait documenté des cas d’attaques ciblées contre, d’un côté, des membres de l’opposition et de la société civile, et de l’autre, des membres et des partisans du parti au pouvoir, le CNDD-FDD, leurs familles, des hauts fonctionnaires et des responsables militaires.
Le grand nombre d’arrestations a conduit à une surpopulation carcérale et aggravé les conditions de vie dans les prisons. Mi-septembre, quelque 87 civils détenus illégalement dans le camp militaire de Mabanda, dans la province de Makamba, ont été finalement soit relâchés soit transférés dans une prison ordinaire, suite au plaidoyer de l’équipe du Haut-Commissariat présente sur place.
Le Haut-Commissaire a aussi fait part de sa préoccupation devant la situation de 52 mineurs qui sont détenus avec des adultes pendant la journée dans la prison centrale de Rumonge. Il a exhorté les autorités burundaises à les transférer dans un centre de rééducation pour enfants situé à proximité.
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein a aussi noté que la situation sécuritaire avait un impact négatif sur la vie quotidienne des citoyens ordinaires, notamment en termes de droits à l’éducation et à la santé, et avait affaibli la situation économique déjà fragile du pays. De nombreuses entreprises ont d’ores et déjà fermé leurs portes ou réduit leurs activités.
Le Haut-Commissaire a souligné l’importance de la coopération en cours avec les autorités burundaises et les a exhortées à lutter contre l’impunité.

FIN

Pour toute information ou demande d’interview, prière de contacter Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org), Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org) ou Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org )

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