How UN Treaty Bodies can better address corruption and its negative impact on human rights

by Patrick Mutzenberg, Director of the Centre for Civil and Political Rights. Blog BORRAR, By invitation, By invitation BORRAR, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, Corruption and human rights, Human rights implementation and impact, Thematic human rights issues, Treaty Bodies

It is now widely recognised that corruption negatively affects the enjoyment of civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights. Corruption not only has a negative impact on the ability of States to implement their treaty-based human rights obligations, but it also directly affects the population of such countries. This concern was raised several times by …

Time for a ‘Universal Magnitsky Act’?

by Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group and Mary Grace Carey, Universal Rights Group Accountability, Blog BORRAR, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, Corruption and human rights, Justice, Magnitsky BORRAR, Prevention, Prevention, accountability and justice BORRAR, Thematic human rights issues

In 2009, Russian tax accountant Sergei Magnitsky died in a Moscow prison after investigating a $230 million tax fraud involving Russian officials. A subsequent investigation into his case by the Kremlin’s own human rights commission, ordered and endorsed (in July 2011) by the-then Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, found that in order to silence Magnitsky, corrupt officials had accused him of …

It is time for the United Nations to recognise the human right to a healthy environment

by Professor John H. Knox, former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment Blog BORRAR, By invitation, By invitation BORRAR, Climate, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, EHRD BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Special Procedures, Thematic human rights issues

Earlier this month, on World Environment Day, the Executive Director of UN Environment, Erik Solheim, and I jointly stated that the historic moment has arrived for the United Nations to recognise the human right to a healthy environment at the global level. The fundamental UN human rights treaties do not include this right because the modern environmental movement began in the late 1960s, …

Anti-corruption and human rights

by H.E. Ambassador Julian Braithwaite, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom Blog BORRAR, By invitation, By invitation BORRAR, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, Corruption and human rights, Human Rights Council BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Prevention, Prevention, accountability and justice BORRAR, Thematic human rights issues

On 1 May this year, MPs from across the major UK political parties, agreed in the UK Parliament to support a ‘Magnitsky’ amendment to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill. The amendment was adopted without a vote and was described by the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, as “an important moment” that would “allow the UK to act against those responsible …

New policy paper demonstrates the impact of corruption on internationally protected human rights

by the URG team Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, News BORRAR, Prensa BORRAR, URG News BORRAR

5 June, 2018 Corruption has major negative implications, both direct and indirect, for the enjoyment of human rights and the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals’ ‘leaving no one behind’ Findings from new policy paper presented in Geneva on 22 May provides policymakers and other stakeholders with an empirical basis to tackle corruption from a human rights perspective Corruption is …

It’s time we all recognise the human right to a healthy environment

by Professor John H. Knox, former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment Blog BORRAR, By invitation, By invitation BORRAR, Climate, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, EHRD BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Special Procedures, Thematic human rights issues

Note: This article is based on a Joint Statement by UN Environment and the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment ahead of World Environment Day.   Speaking ahead of World Environment Day on 5 June, the head of UN Environment, Mr Erik Solheim, and the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, Mr John Knox, issued a …

2018: an important year for human rights and climate change

by Tiphaine Di Ruscio, Universal Rights Group Blog BORRAR, Climate, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, COP BORRAR, Thematic human rights issues

Cet article est également disponible en français . The idea that climate change undermines and may contribute to the violation of human rights, and that human rights obligations and principles can guide improved international and national climate change policy by focusing attention on the needs of the most vulnerable, is now well established. Yet it was not always so. Back in …

Inter-American Court clarifies human rights obligations of States in the context of environmental protection

by Liliana Ávila Blog BORRAR, By invitation, By invitation BORRAR, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR

Advisory opinion also clarifies extraterritorial obligations On February 7, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights shared its response to an advisory opinion solicited by Colombia on the international obligations of States regarding activities that could negatively impact the environment. Advisory opinions are legal concepts in which the Court, as the highest human rights court in the Americas, seeks to unravel the meaning …

Latin American defenders share experiences and gain safety net

by Liliana Jauregui Blog BORRAR, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, EHRD BORRAR, Thematic human rights issues

Currently, Latin America is the most deadly region in the world to be an environmental defender. IUCN NL and other partners recently held a  meeting  in Bogota, Colombia, centered on improving the safety of these defenders. Attendee and IUCN NL Environmental Justice Expert, Liliana Jauregui, learnt that we need to take action on three levels; Protection mechanisms on the ground, sharing …

Indigenous peoples and the environment: challenges and opportunities for the UN human rights system

by Mariana Montoya, Universal Rights Group and Geneva Blog BORRAR, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, EHRD BORRAR, Thematic human rights issues

On 1 August 2017, the Embassy of Turkey in Colombia, the Fundación el Nogal, and the Universal Rights Group, with the support of Club El Nogal, organised an event to raise awareness of the situation of the rights of indigenous peoples (IPs) in Colombia. This event saw the participation of high-level representatives of the Colombian Government, leaders of indigenous communities, …