Publications by Type: Government Report

2015
Status of signatures and ratifications to Belem do Para. Organization of American States. 2015. Publisher's VersionAbstract

https://www.oas.org/en/mesecvi/convention.asp

The Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women, known as the Convention of Belém do Pará (where it was adopted in 1994), defines violence against women, establishes that women have the right to live a life free of violence and that violence against women constitutes a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

It calls for the first time for the establishment of mechanisms for protecting and defending women's rights as essential to combating the phenomenon of violence against women's physical, sexual, and psychological integrity, whether in the public or the private sphere, and for asserting those rights within society.

European Court – Rules of Court. European Court of Human Rights. 2015. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts/rules&c=#n1347875693676_pointer

The Rules of Court outline the policies and procedures of the European Court of Human Rights. The document explains the organization, proceedings, judgments, and overall working of the Court. 

2014
Women's Lives and Challenges: Equality and Empowerment since 2000. United States Agency for International Development. 2014. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/mar-7-2014-usaid-re...

This report, among the most extensive recent assessments of women’s status, looks at women’s progress in four continents and more than 45 countries.  Women’s Lives and Challenges evaluates trends in women’s employment, domestic decision-making, exposure to violence, and access to education and health care. 

2013
Factsheet: Violence Against Women. European Court of Human Rights. 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.echr.coe.int/sites/search_eng/pages/search.aspx#{"fulltext":["factsheet: Violence against women"],"subcategory":["factsheets"]}

Document summaries the court’s case law in relation to domestic violence, genital mutilations, rape, violence and social exclusion, violence at the hands of state authorities and violence in public places.

12 cases dealing with domestic violence refer to the violation of different articles of the European Convention of human rights, namely of the article 2 on the right to life, article 13 on the right to an effective remedy, article 8 on the right to respect for family life, prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment and article 14 on prohibition of discrimination. Both cases relating genital mutilation against Austria and Ireland were declared inadmissible for the reasons of insufficient protection of the young Nigerian girls that should be provided by their parents. 5 cases dealing with rape reaffirmed the violation of articles 3 on the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, article 8 and artcile 13 mentioned above. The case of violence and social exclusion confirmed violation of the article 3 whereas the violence at the hands of state authorities brought forward violation of the article 3, artcile 14 and article 11 on freedom of assembly. The last case presented in the factsheet deals with the violence in public places giving declaring the violation of the article 3 and article 8.

A Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. United Nations. 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-declaration-of-commitment-to-end-sexual-violence-in-conflict

The Declaration contains a set of practical and political commitments to end the use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war, which terrorises and destroys communities during conflict. The Declaration sends an important message to the victims of these crimes that the international community has not forgotten them, and to the perpetrators of rape that they will be held to account.

The Declaration was launched in New York on 24 September 2013 during the United Nations General Assembly, by Foreign Secretary William Hague and UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Bangura.

2013 Department of State Trafficking in Persons Country Narratives. US Department of State. 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2013/index.htm

Remarks from John Kerry on the release of the report: Governments bear primary responsibility for responding to this crime, and this annual Report is the gold standard in assessing how well governments—including our own—are meeting that responsibility. This year, 188 countries and territories are included, and we have taken a hard look at one of the biggest problems we face in combating modern slavery: the challenge of accurate, effective victim identification. Only through vigorous victim identification can we ensure that trafficking survivors get the services they need, can participate in legal proceedings, and can have their voices heard.

Declaration Of The Committee Of Experts Of The MESECVI On The Celebration Of The Twentieth Anniversary Of The Adoption Of The Belém Do Pará Convention. Organization of American States. 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.oas.org/en/mesecvi/meetingofexperts.asp

Can be found under "Key Results" from the Tenth Meeting of the Committee of Experts

CONSIDERING that the year 2014 will mark twenty years since the adoption of the Belém do Pará Convention and ten years since the creation of the MESECVI by the General Assembly of the OAS and that this historic moment warrants broad reflection on the impact of the Convention for the States Party and the women of the hemisphere reiterates its commitment to support the efforts of OAS Member States and civil society to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Belém do Pará Convention and the tenth anniversary of the creation of the MESECVI, which will include national and sub­regional forums and meetings for progress reports on implementation of the Belém do Pará Convention. 

CEDAW. CEDAW General Recommendation No. 29 - 2013 - Marriage & Family Relations. C/GC/29 . 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CEDAW/Pages/Recommendations.aspx

Article 16 of the Convention provides for the elimination of discrimination against women at the inception of marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution by divorce or death. In 1994 the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women adopted general recommendation No. 21, which elaborated upon many aspects of article 16 as well as its relationship to articles 9 and 15. General recommendation No. 21 notes that article 16 (1) (h) specifically refers to the economic dimensions of marriage and its dissolution. This new general recommendation builds upon principles articulated in general recommendation No. 21, other relevant general recommendations such as No. 27, and the Committee‟s jurisprudence. It invokes the definition of discrimination contained in article 1 of the Convention and calls upon States parties to take legal and policy measures as required under article 2 of the Convention and general recommendation No. 28. It also integrates social and legal developments that took place since the adoption of GR 21, such as the adoption by some State parties of laws on registered partnerships and/or de facto unions, as well as the increase in the number of couples living in such relationships. 

AHRD Book Launch Remarks – Chair of the AICHR. Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://aichr.org/documents/

It is indeed an honor for me as Chair of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to officiate this important occasion as we gather to celebrate the launch of the book on the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration and the Phnom Penh Statement on the Adoption of the AHRD in the national languages of ASEAN Member States and to introduce the AHRD to all of you during the 46th Anniversary of ASEAN. The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration is a landmark document and milestone journey for our region demonstrating the commitment and support of ASEAN to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.

ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection. Association of South East Asian Nations. 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://aichr.org/documents/

We, the Heads of State/Government of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (hereinafter referred to as “ASEAN”), namely Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on the occasion of the 23rd ASEAN Summit in Brunei Darussalam.

The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Elimination of Violence Against Children in ASEAN. Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://aichr.org/documents/

WE, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (hereinafter referred to as “ASEAN”), namely Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on the occasion of the 23rd ASEAN Summit;

 UPHOLDING the goals, purposes and principles of ASEAN as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter and Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Roadmap for the ASEAN Community (2009-2015); 

REAFFIRMING the goals and commitments of ASEAN to eliminating violence against women and monitor their progress as reflected in the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in the ASEAN Region adopted at the 37th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) on 30 June 2004;

 FURTHER REAFFIRMING the importance and general principles of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) and the Phnom Penh Statement on the Adoption of the AHRD adopted at the 21st ASEAN Summit on 18 November 2012; and the commitments of ASEAN as reflected in the ASEAN Leaders’ Joint Statement in Enhancing Cooperation Against Trafficking in Persons in Southeast Asia adopted at the 18th ASEAN Summit on 8 May 2011; the Ha Noi Declaration on the Enhancement of Welfare and Development of ASEAN Women and Children adopted at the 17th ASEAN Summit on 28 October 2010; the ASEAN Declaration Against Trafficking in Persons Particularly Women and Children adopted at the 10th ASEAN Summit on 29 November 2004; the Declaration on the Commitments for Children in ASEAN adopted at the 4th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare (AMRSW) on 2 August 2001; the Resolution on the ASEAN Plan of Action for Children adopted at the 3rd AMRSW Meeting on 2 December 1993; and the Declaration on the Advancement

Haugli H. Tackling discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. 2013. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/Xref-DocDetails-EN.asp?fileid=19779&lang=EN&search=U2V4dWFsIG9yaWVudGF0aW9ufHR5cGVfc3RyX2VuOlJlcG9ydA==

Since 2010, when both the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers adopted far-reaching texts on how to tackle discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, important positive developments have occurred in some Council of Europe member States, including the introduction of specific legislative measures, action plans and strategies.

Despite this progress, however, prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons (LGBTs) is widespread in society. Discrimination against LGBTs remains a serious problem, as indicated by repeated infringements of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and the authorities’ failure to provide protection against homophobic and transphobic violence. The introduction of legislation or draft legislation on the prohibition of so-called homosexual propaganda in countries such as Lithuania, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and Ukraine is at variance with these countries’ legal obligations. It would also legitimise the prejudice against LGBTs which all too often is fuelled by inconsiderate discourse by politicians and other authoritative figures.

Council of Europe member States should take measures to prevent discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, promote equality and tackle homophobia and transphobia. The Republic of Moldova, Poland and the Russian Federation should give full execution to the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.

The Committee of Ministers should continue to strengthen its activities in this area with a view to ensuring the full implementation of its Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5.

2012
2012 Department of State Trafficking in Persons Country Narratives. US Department of State. 2012. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2012/index.htm

Remarks from Hillary Clinton on the release of the report: In this year’s report, we are especially focused on that third P, victim protection. And in these pages, you’ll find a lot of proven practices and innovative approaches to protecting victims. This is a useful and specific guide for governments looking to scale up their own efforts. What kind of psychological support might a victim need? How should immigration laws work to protect migrant victims? How can labor inspectors learn to recognize the warning signs of traffickers? And what can you and all of us do to try to help?

Grape M. The Role of Faith Based Organisations in a Strategy to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls. 2012. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/previous-sessions/csw57-2013/preparations/expert-group-meeting

This presentation does not reflect a formal position of the World Council of Churches. It does not have any ambitions to be a scientific contribution to the discussion of the expert group. Instead, my paper is basically a reflection of my own experience of working for thirty-five years in the intersection of faith and politics, both out of Sweden and in the global arena.

It is a scandal that violence against women is still an everyday reality in the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and girls all over the world. The scandal is aggravated by the fact that, more often than not, victims are accused of bringing the violence upon themselves – for being disobedient wives or for dressing in a provocative way, or for any number of reasons, all of which aim at pushing the responsibility from the perpetrator to the victim.

The magnitude of the on-going violence against women, in homes, in public spaces, and in wars and conflicts, is well-known and carefully documented. Scientific studies and testimonies from abused women have been presented over the years at conferences, in reports, in media, and in courts of law. No one can say: We did not know.

European Court – New Admissibility Criterion. European Court of Human Rights. 2012. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=caselaw/analysis&c=#n1347459030234_pointer

The purpose of the current overview is to set out the case-law principles for the new admissibility criterion under Article 35 § 3 (b), as developed by the Court during the first two years of its operation. It is to be recalled that application of the criterion was reserved exclusively to Chambers and the Grand Chamber1 from 1 June 2010 until 31 May 2012. In accordance with Article 20 of Protocol No. 14, the new provision began to apply to all applications pending before the Court, except those declared admissible.

 

European Court – References to Inter-American Court Case Law. European Court of Human Rights. 2012. Publisher's VersionAbstract
AICHR: What You Need To Know. Association of South East Asian Nations. 2012. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://aichr.org/documents/

For over four decades since its establishment, ASEAN as an intergovernmental organization has always endeavored towards improving the lives of the peoples in the region, particularly in the economic, political security and socio-cultural aspects. To further ensure the wellbeing of the ASEAN people, ASEAN decided to have its own regional human rights body, which reflects ASEAN's strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Human rights are an integral part of the ASEAN Community and are reflected in both the ASEAN Charter (Article 1.7, 2.2.i, and 14), and the ASEAN Political-Security Blueprint (Section A. 1.5). The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) were established in 2009 and 2010 respectively. The establishment of the AICHR presents to the region and the global community ASEAN's strong commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The AICHR will set the tone for cooperation in human rights promotion and protection in ASEAN. The AICHR is the overarching body with a cross-cutting mandate that handles matters related to human rights cooperation with other ASEAN Bodies, external partners and stakeholders. 

 

Yet how many people within the ASEAN region know of the AICHR's existence? And how many are aware of how the AICHR came about and what mandate it holds? This booklet is intended to provide quick facts regarding the AICHR and the development of human rights in the ASEAN region. 

ASEAN Human Rights Declaration. Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 2012. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://aichr.org/documents/

The ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection was adopted at the 23rd ASEAN Summit in 2013. The ASEAN Member States had declared to enforce adequate social protection measures, expand social insurance to the informal sector and social assistance to the unemployed and vulnerable groups.

Guidelines on the Operations of AICHR. Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 2012. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://aichr.org/documents/

As the overarching institution responsible for the promotion and protection of Human Rights in ASEAN, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter shall be referred to as “the AICHR”) will discharge its duties pursuant to Article 14 of the ASEAN Charter and the AICHR’s Terms of Reference (TOR). The operations of the AICHR shall be conducted in accordance to the following Guidelines:

Phnom Penh Statement on the Adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD). Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 2012. Publisher's VersionAbstract

http://asean.org/2012/11/?cat=21

 

WE, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), on the occasion of the 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia;

REAFFIRMING ASEAN’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as the purposes and the principles as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter, including the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance;

REITERATING ASEAN and its Member States’ commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and other international human rights instruments, to which ASEAN Member States are parties as well as to relevant ASEAN declarations and instruments pertaining to human rights;

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