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12. 08. 2017.

VISO A LOS MEDIOS (ESPAÑOL/ENGLISH) - El Salvador: Experta de la ONU sobre los desplazados internos realizará su primera visita oficial / El Salvador: UN expert on internally displaced persons to conduct first official visit



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El Salvador: Experta de la ONU sobre los desplazados internos realizará su primera visita oficial


GINEBRA / SAN SALVADOR (10 de agosto de 2017) – La experta en derechos humanos de las Naciones Unidas Cecilia Jimenez-Damary hará su primera visita oficial a El Salvador del 14 al 18 de agosto, para evaluar la situación de los derechos humanos de las personas que se ven obligadas a abandonar sus hogares debido a factores como los altos niveles de violencia pandillera.

“Las pandillas de El Salvador usan muchas formas de violencia y criminalidad, como asesinato, tortura, violación, explotación sexual, extorsión, desapariciones forzadas y amenazas, que no dejan más alternativa a las personas que huir de sus casas”, señaló la Sra. Jiménez-Damary, Relatora Especial de la ONU sobre los derechos humanos de los desplazados internos

“Esta visita constituye una oportunidad importante para colaborar con el Gobierno de El Salvador y con otros actores sobre los desafíos que enfrentan, así como para examinar las medidas jurídicas, de política y de tipo práctico necesarias para responder eficazmente al desplazamiento, incluida la prestación de servicios esenciales de protección para las personas afectadas”, dijo la Relatora, quien visitará San Salvador y otras áreas del país.

Las cifras sugieren que, cada año, decenas de miles de personas son desplazadas por la violencia en El Salvador y que la gran mayoría se ven obligadas a huir de la persecución y de la violencia de las pandillas. Muchos buscan el anonimato y se han convertido en víctimas invisibles, mientras que otros se unen a rutas migratorias irregulares.

Para realizar su examen de la situación de las personas afectadas por el desplazamiento, la Relatora se reunirá con altos funcionarios del Gobierno, representantes de la ONU y otras organizaciones de derechos humanos, humanitarias y de desarrollo, así como representantes de la sociedad civil y personas que han huido de sus hogares.

La Sra. Jiménez-Damary presentará sus conclusiones preliminares al final de su visita el 18 de agosto, en una conferencia de prensa que tendrá lugar a las 2:30 pm, en el Auditorio del edificio de las Naciones Unidas, Boulevard Orden de Malta Sur, No. 2B, Santa Elena. El acceso a la conferencia de prensa está estrictamente reservado a los periodistas.  

Los resultados completos de su visita se incluirán en un informe que será presentado al Consejo de Derechos Humanos en junio de 2018.

FIN

La Sra. Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, abogada de derechos humanos especializada en desplazamiento forzado y migración, tiene más de dos décadas de experiencia en organizaciones no gubernamentales especializadas en la promoción de derechos humanos. Fue designada como Relatora Especial sobre los derechos humanos de los desplazados internos por el Consejo de Derechos Humanos en 2016. Como Relatora Especial, forma parte de lo que se conoce como los ‘Procedimientos Especiales’ del Consejo de Derechos Humanos. Los Procedimientos Especiales, el mayor órgano de expertos independientes en el sistema de la ONU para los Derechos Humanos, es el nombre general de los mecanismos de investigación y monitoreo del Consejo de Derechos Humanos para hacer frente a situaciones concretas en países o a cuestiones temáticas en todo el mundo. Los expertos de los Procedimientos Especiales trabajan de manera voluntaria; no son personal de la ONU y no perciben un salario por su labor. Son independientes de cualquier gobierno u organización y actúan a título individual.

ONU Derechos Humanos, página de país: El Salvador

Para más información y solicitudes de prensa, póngase en contacto con:
En San Salvador (durante la visita): Carlos León Ramón (+503 772 95220 / carlos.leon@one.un.org)
En Ginebra (antes y después de la visita): Graham Fox (+41 22 917 9640 / gfox@ohchr.org)

Para consultas de prensa sobre otros expertos independientes de la ONU:
Xabier Celaya – Sección de Medios (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)  

Accede aquí a este aviso a los medios

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NEWS RELEASE

El Salvador: UN expert on internally displaced persons to conduct first official visit

GENEVA / SAN SALVADOR (10 August 2017) – United Nations human rights expert Cecilia Jimenez-Damary will conduct her first official visit to El Salvador from 14 to 18 August 2017, to assess the human rights situation of people forced to leave their homes due to factors including high levels of gang-related violence.

“Gangs in El Salvador use many forms of violence and criminality including murder, torture, rape, sexual exploitation, extortion, forced disappearances and threats, which leave people no option but to flee their homes,” said Ms. Jimenez-Damary, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons.

“This visit provides an important and timely opportunity for me to engage with the Government of El Salvador and others on the challenges they face and to consider legal, policy and other practical measures required to respond effectively to displacement, including the provision of essential protection for those affected,” said the expert, who will visit San Salvador and other areas of the country.

Estimates suggest that tens of thousands of people may have been displaced by violence in El Salvador each year with the vast majority thought to have fled persecution and violence by gangs. Many seek anonymity and have become invisible victims, while others eventually join irregular migrant routes.

In conducting her examination of the situation of those affected by displacement, the expert will meet senior Government officials, United Nations and other human rights, humanitarian and development partners, as well as representatives of civil society organizations and those who have fled their homes.

Ms. Jimenez-Damary will present her preliminary conclusions at the end of her visit on 18 August at a press conference, which will take place at 2:30 pm at the United Nations building, Boulevard Orden de Malta Sur, No. 2B, Santa Elena. Access to the press conference will be strictly limited to journalists.

The Special Rapporteur’s full findings will be included in a report to the Human Rights Council in June 2018.

ENDS

Ms. Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, a human rights lawyer specializing in forced displacement and migration, has over two decades of experience in NGO human rights advocacy. She was appointed Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons by the Human Rights Council in September 2016. As a Special Rapporteur, she is part of the Special Procedures of 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 UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement

UN Human Rights, Country Page: El Salvador

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In San Salvador (during the mission): Carlos León Ramón (+503 772 95220 / carlos.leon@one.un.org)
In Geneva (before and after the mission): Mr. Graham Fox (+41 22 917 9640 / gfox@ohchr.org)

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

You can access this media advisory online


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UN disability rights committee to review Panama, Morocco, Montenegro, Latvia, Luxembourg and the UK





UN disability rights committee to review Panama, Morocco, Montenegro, Latvia, Luxembourg and the UK

GENEVA (10 August 2017)  – The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is meeting in Geneva from 14 to 31 August 2017 to review the following countries: Latvia, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Morocco, Panama, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

During the meetings in Geneva, Committee members will hold dialogues with the respective State delegations. These will take place on the following dates: Panama (15-16 August); Morocco (16-17 August); Montenegro (17-18 August); Latvia (21-22 August); Luxembourg (22-23 August); UK (23-24 August).  The Committee will also hear from organisations representing persons with disabilities, NGOs and national human rights institutions.

Venue: Room 17, Palais des Nations, Geneva.

Time: Each dialogue runs from 15:00 to 18:00 Geneva time and continues the following day from 10:00 to 13:00.  The public sessions will be webcast at http://webtv.un.org/

The issues likely to be discussed, the States’ reports, plus information from civil society organisations can be found here. The Committee will publish its findings on the respective countries, known officially as concluding observations, at this same link on 31 August 2017. A news conference to discuss the findings is scheduled for 12:30 on 31 August at Palais des Nations in Geneva. 

ENDS

For media requests please contact: Nicoleta Panta,  +41(0) 22 9179310 / npanta@ohchr.org

Media accreditation – please see here

What is the Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities and why is it important?

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a human rights treaty negotiated by representatives of the international community - including persons with disabilities, government officials, representatives of nongovernmental organizations and others – designed to change the way persons with disabilities are viewed and treated in their societies.

Rather than considering disability as an issue of medicine, charity or dependency, the Convention challenges people worldwide to understand disability as a human rights issue. The Convention covers many areas where obstacles can arise, such as physical access to buildings, roads and transportation, and access to information through written and electronic communications. The Convention also aims to reduce stigma and discrimination, which are often reasons why persons with disabilities are excluded from education, employment and health and other services.

There are around 1 billion persons with disabilities in the world. They are often the poorest of the poor. The stigma and discrimination they face are common in all societies. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an important tool for ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to the same rights and opportunities as everybody else.

The Committee, which has a mandate to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities, is the international monitoring body that oversees the implementation of the Convention by those States that have ratified it.



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04. 08. 2017.

New UN Human Rights Office to open in Liberia in early 2018



New UN Human Rights Office to open in Liberia in early 2018

MONROVIA (4 August 2017) - UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour on Friday concluded a three-day visit to Liberia. The main purpose of the visit was to establish a UN Human Rights Office in the country, and an agreement was signed with the Government for the new office to open in early 2018.

“Liberia has progressed dramatically since my last visit just after the brutal civil war," Gilmour said at the end of his visit. "That is a tribute to the Liberian people and Government, and to the great efforts of the the United Nations Mission in Liberia."  He added, however, that the human rights gains are “still precarious, hence the vital need for the UN to continue our support.”

Gilmour expressed his appreciation to Foreign Minister Marjon V. Kamara, with whom he signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the new office that will open early next year. This Office will conduct human rights monitoring and reporting, as well as providing technical assistance to State institutions, the Independent National Commission for Human Rights, civil society and other partners. Gilmour highlighted the primary role of the Government in promoting and protecting human rights in Liberia.

“What we have learned in country after country is that neither peace nor development can be properly sustainable unless they are firmly grounded in human rights,” he said.

The Assistant Secretary-General met with the President of Liberia, cabinet ministers, several leaders of civil society organizations, and foreign ambassadors during his visit. 

He expressed serious concern about the continued prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country, and urged the Government to do far more within its power to discourage this and other harmful traditional practices, such as trial by ordeal, accusations of witchcraft and ritualistic killings. He underlined Liberia’s international human rights obligations in this regard.

Gilmour also raised the plight of lesbian, gay and transgender people who are subjected to unbearable discrimination and abuse, which must be confronted. He also raised concerns about the rights of people with disabilities.

He acknowledged efforts by the Government to address sexual violence, but stressed that the appalling frequency of rape in Liberia, including of young girls, is partly due to widespread impunity for this crime.

After visiting Monrovia Central Prison, Gilmour praised the work of the wardens but remarked on the very serious overcrowding and insufficient food. A large part of the problem, it was made clear to him, is the high number of people held in pre-trial detention owing to the slowness of judicial procedures.

At the end of his visit, Gilmour visited the Palava Hut Memorial for victims of the civil war. He expressed the importance of transitional justice for national reconciliation and called for it to be a paramount concern for the new Government following the October elections.

“True peace is never possible if people feel that their desire for justice has not been met. Abominable war crimes were committed in this country, and the perpetrators of the worst crimes should now understand that justice will catch up with them,” Gilmour said.

Gilmour also warned against what some are terming a worrying rise in hate speech as the election season approaches.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:
Liz Throssell - + 41 22 917 9466 / ethrossell@ohchr.org ethrossell@ohchr.org
Ravina Shamdasani + 41 22 917 9169 /rshamdasani@ohchr.org


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Comment by UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Mauritania



Comment by UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Mauritania

GENEVA (3 August 2017) – We are concerned about the unrest ahead of the constitutional referendum scheduled for Saturday in Mauritania, particularly the apparent suppression of dissenting voices and the reported use of excessive force by the authorities against protest leaders.

Protests have been taking place daily since 21 July, led by opposition politicians calling for a boycott of the vote. The authorities reportedly did not respond to the majority of requests for authorization for the protests and actively dispersed gatherings. In several cases, protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested.

Mass protests are planned this afternoon in Nouakchott and reports suggest that the Senate building has been cordoned off by the police and the gendarmerie. We urge the Government to ensure that its response to the protests is line with its obligations under international human rights law and to ensure that the rights to peaceful assembly, to freedom of opinion and expression are fully respected. These rights are particularly precious in a pre-electoral context. We call on all sides to refrain from the use of violence and to take measures to prevent the situation from escalating.

The Government has a responsibility to ensure that the elections are held in conformity with the international human rights obligations of Mauritania. The Government should take all necessary measures to ensure free, transparent and credible elections.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact Ravina Shamdasani: rshamdasani@ohchr.org or +41 22 917 9169

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Mauritanie : Commentaire de la porte-parole du Bureau des droits de l'homme de l'ONU, Ravina Shamdasani

GENEVE (3 août 2017) – Nous sommes préoccupés par les troubles qui précèdent le référendum sur les modifications constitutionnelles prévu samedi en Mauritanie, en particulier l'apparente suppression de certaines voix dissidentes et l'utilisation rapportée d'une force excessive par les autorités contre les dirigeants qui protestent contre le referendum.

Des manifestations pacifiques ont lieu quotidiennement depuis le 21 juillet, dirigées par des politiciens de l’opposition appelant au boycott du vote. Les autorités n’auraient pas répondu à la majorité des demandes d’autorisation pour les manifestations et auraient procédé activement à la dispersion des rassemblements. Dans plusieurs cas, des dirigeants d’opposition auraient été brutalisés et un certain nombre d'entre eux ont été arrêté.

Des manifestations différentes sont prévues cet après-midi à Nouakchott et des rapports ont parvenus selon lesquelles le bâtiment du Sénat a été encerclé par la police et la gendarmerie. Nous exhortons le gouvernement à veiller à ce que sa réponse aux  protestations soient gérées en conformité avec leurs obligations en vertu du droit international des droits de l’homme et à s’assurer que le droit de réunion pacifique, à la liberté d’opinion et d’expression soient entièrement respectés. Ces droits sont particulièrement importants dans un contexte préélectoral. Nous appelons à toutes les parties à s’abstenir de recourir à la violence et à prendre des mesures pour empêcher la situation de dégénérer.

Le gouvernement est responsable d’assurer que les élections se déroulent en conformité avec les obligations internationales des droits de l’homme de la Mauritanie. Le gouvernement devrait prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires pour assurer des élections libres, transparentes et crédibles.

FIN

Pour plus d’informations et requêtes afférentes, veuillez contacter Ravina Shamdasani: rshamdasani@ohchr.org or +41 22 917 9169


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