Sudan outlaws Female Genital Mutilation: what does it mean for women’s rights in the country?

by Tiago Medeiros Delgado, Universal Rights Group Beyond the Council BORRAR, Beyond the Council BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, Human rights implementation and impact, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Implementation BORRAR, In focus: domestic implementation of universal norms BORRAR, Religion, Religion-based reservations BORRAR, SDGs borrar, Thematic human rights issues

In a significant move for women’s rights in Sudan and the wider region, the country’s transitional government has outlawed the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The amendment to the criminal code that makes ‘whoever removed, mutilated the female genitalia by cutting, mutilating or modifying any natural part of it leading to the full or partial loss of its functions’ punishable …

The world is marching towards – not away from – universal human rights, argues new study by the Universal Rights Group

by Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group and Geneva Blog BORRAR, In Focus: Human rights and religion BORRAR, Religion, Religion-based reservations BORRAR, Thematic human rights issues

The debate over whether ‘human rights’ are indeed ‘universal’ or, as some would argue, are to be understood and applied differently depending on national, regional, cultural or religious contexts (so-called ‘cultural relativism’) is well-known. In today’s world, where political leaders in some established democracies appear to be sounding the retreat from liberal internationalism, and where religious extremists are bent on …

Islam, human rights and universality

by Prof. Dr. Mouez Khalfaoui and the URG team Blog BORRAR, By invitation, By invitation BORRAR, In Focus: Human rights and religion BORRAR, Religion, Religion-based reservations BORRAR, Thematic human rights issues

Ever since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights came into effect in 1948, the relationship between human rights and Islam has constituted a topic of heated debate. As of today, politicians, NGO workers, academics and journalists continue to discuss the compatibility of human rights and Islamic legal systems, traditions, and cultures. Geographically speaking, these debates encompass both Muslim countries as …

Religion-based reservations to the human rights conventions

A number of states have entered reservations to articles of core human rights conventions on the grounds that national laws, traditions, religion or culture are not in line with the principles outlined in the respective treaty. This project looks to analyse, understand and generate awareness as to the extent, impact and necessity of religion-based reservations to the core human rights …