August 2020 - Human Rights Courts and Committees Updates
By: Diana Sposito & Mohammed Nazeeruddin Khan, Junior Research Associates, PILPG-NL
This month, several updates happened throughout the 16 human rights courts and committees. This article summarizes and highlights the most relevant news updates.
INTERNATIONAL
Human Rights Council | Threat to Peace and Stability in South Sudan
The Human Rights Council, through the Commission on South Sudan, expressed grave concern over the escalating violence in 6 of its 10 states countrywide. The violence has seen large scale destruction and the displacement of nearly 80,000 civilians. The Commission informed that Sexual and Gender Based Violence was central to the violence, and starvation was rampant. The commission urged the parties to implement the peace agreement. [August 14th, 2020]
Committee on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities | UN Experts Launch Guidelines on Access to Justice for People with Disabilities
The UN Special Rapporteur for the rights of people with disabilities, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the rights of people with disabilities jointly launched the International Principles and Guidelines on Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities. The guidelines outline 10 principles and are the first-ever practical handbook for states and other stakeholders. It aims to increase the accessibility of justice mechanisms for disabled people and is considered an important contribution to international human rights law. [August 28th, 2017]
Human Rights Committee | Underfunding is a Threat to Committees’ Work
Chairpersons of the 10 UN human rights treaty bodies, which monitor the implementation of international human rights treaties, called on states to properly support their work, warning that the current underfunding is set to affect upcoming review meetings from September onwards. The UN is facing a budget crisis, and, according to the chairpersons, this is a major threat to the Committees’ work. They noted that there is currently no guaranteed funding available to support the treaty bodies’ meetings from September onwards. [August 4th, 2020]
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women | CEDAW calls Bosnia and Herzegovina to Recognize Sexual Violence Survivors’ Rights
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimnation Against Women (CEDAW) recognized that survivors of sexual violence in armed conflict have long been neglected in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thus, the Committee urged the government to take immediate action to provide adequate social and economic support, after 25 years of impunity. It also concluded that conflict-related sexual violence investigations in the country had been ineffective and that proceedings were slow and the compensation was insufficient for the victims. [August 19th, 2020]
Committee on Enforced Disappearances | Statement on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
To mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances on 30 August, the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances issued a statement claiming that states must continue to search for victims of enforced disappearances even during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Committee, the situation is all the more worrying as the searches and investigations into enforced disappearances are frequently being put on hold because of the restrictions introduced as a result of the pandemic. [August 27th, 2020]
AFRICA
African Commission on Human and People’s Rights | Concern over Oil Spill and Environmental Pollution in Mauritius
The African Commission showed grave concern over the oil spill in the Indian Ocean on the reef near Pointe d’Esny on the southeast coast of the Mauritian island. The spill allegedly occurred when the Japanese bulk carrier, the MV Wakashio, ran aground around July 25 and began to leak tons of diesel and oil into the ocean. It further gave several recommendations to concerned stakeholders and commended the Government of Mauritius for proclaiming an environmental emergency. [August 14th, 2020]
THE AMERICAS
Inter-American Court of Human Rights | Argentina is Responsible for Violating Right to Appeal
In the Judgment in the Case of Valle Ambrosio et al. V. Argentina, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights found the state of Argentina responsible for the violation of the right to appeal the ruling before a higher court, to the detriment of César Ramón del Valle Ambrosio and Carlos Eduardo Dominguez Linares. [August 5th, 2020]
Inter-American Court of Human Rights | Ecuador is Responsible for Sexual Violence Committed in a State School
The State of Ecuador was found responsible for sexual violence committed by state agents to an adolescent girl in the case Guzmán Albarracín y Otras vs. Ecuador. The act was committed in a state educational institution by the school director, which led to the suicide of the victim. This was the first case in which the Court looks at sexual violence against girls in state schools. [August 14th, 2020]
Inter-American Commission of Human Rights | IACHR Calls on the United States to Implement Structural Reforms in the Institutional Systems of Security and Justice
In the framework of the protests against racial discrimination, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) calls on the United States to make progress with structural reforms in its security and justice systems. The IACHR urges the State to make said reforms a central axis of transformation in eradicating institutional racism present in the actions of law enforcement authorities, as well as in the operation of the justice system, which has a disproportionate impact on the detriment of Afro-descendant persons. [August 8th, 2020]
Inter-American Commission of Human Rights | Joint Statement on the Necessity to Strengthen Environmental Protection During COVID-19 Pandemic
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment and the Special Rapporteur for Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights from the OAS’ Inter-American Commission for Human Rights issued a joint statement to highlight challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global environmental crisis. Instead of seeing Governments improve environmental safeguards in response to the pandemic, several regressions have been observed, with consequences on the enjoyment of the right to a healthy environment in the region. [August 13th, 2020]
EUROPE
European Court of Human Rights | Interim Measures in Aleksey Navalnyy case
The Grand Chamber of the ECtHR ruled to grant Aleksey Navalnyy an interim measure to allow his doctors and family to have access to him and evaluate if he is fit to be transported to Germany for treatment. The interim measure was granted under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court,Mr. Navalnyy’s family asked that he be transferred to the Charité hospital in Berlin for treatment. [August 24th, 2020]