Archive | Human Rights RSS feed for this section

ERI Active During 41st Human Rights Council Session

ERI delivered a series of statements during the recently concluded Human Rights Council (HRC) session in Geneva. These included :-– a statement regarding access to education in India as part of the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education. You can view the statement via the HRC webcast (commencing at no.4) – a […]

Read more

Pope Francis Denounces Resurgent Nationalism

In a recent speech to diplomats in Rome, Pope Francis defended “modern multilateral diplomacy” and international institutions against “the resurgence of nationalistic tendencies. While not identifying particular countries, Pope Francis  appeared to be lamenting the mix of jingoism and isolationism that has emerged in the United States and in European nations where populist governments have […]

Read more

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights After 70 Years – Is the Founding Vision Being Lost?

The world is back on a path to self-destruction as the global community is increasingly forgetting the lessons of the past according to the United Nations’ special rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer. His comments, made as the UN marks the 70th anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR), alleged that the global community […]

Read more

In Support of Religious Freedom

More than 61 per cent of the world’s population live in countries where religious freedom is not respected, according to a recently released worldwide report. The biennial Religious Freedom in the World report  was published by the international Catholic pastoral charity and pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need International. It was the 14th […]

Read more

ERI Training Program – A Journey of Being Sensitised and Empowered

“A right is not a special privilege of the fortunate but it is ingrained in the soul of every institution and in the dignity and worth of every person”. This is an insight I gained through the two weeks long training program conducted in Geneva by the Edmund Rice International. It was a great opportunity […]

Read more

Challenges Remain Despite Decline in Global Child Mortality

An estimated 6.3 million children under 15 years of age died in 2017, or 1 every 5 seconds, mostly of preventable causes, according to new mortality estimates released by WHO, UNICEF, the United Nations Population Division and the World Bank Group. Globally, in 2017, half of all deaths under 5 years of age took place in sub-Saharan Africa, and […]

Read more

Towards an International Treaty on Business and Human Rights

Rapid globalisation over recent decades has brought increased economic prosperity, but has led to greater marginalisation of many. Driven by profit maximisation in increasingly competitive markets, and without adequate regulatory mechanisms, concerns about human rights violations and environmental impacts are often ignored. Child labour, displacement of indigenous communities from their traditional lands by mining operations, […]

Read more

Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration is Welcomed

The Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration was finalised by UN Member States in New York in July with all UN member states except the USA approving the draft. The agreement is a “non-legally binding, cooperative framework” to encourage “international cooperation among all relevant actors on migration, acknowledging that no state can address […]

Read more

Promoting the Dignity of Migrants and Refugees

A number of organizations including Caritas Internationalis and the Global Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children organised a recent side event at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on  migrants and refugees entitled ‘Share the Journey: Promoting the Dignity of Migrants and Refugees’. The event featured a panel led discussion, including the testimonies of […]

Read more
US Withdrawal From Human Rights Council Deeply Regrettable

US Withdrawal From Human Rights Council Deeply Regrettable

The withdrawal of the United States from the Human Rights Council is deeply regrettable as it undermines progress towards the advancement of global human rights. Sadly the decision is consistent with the Trump administration’s previously demonstrated unwillingness to work with the international community and to prioritise its perceived national self-interest over international agreements. The decision […]

Read more