Edmund Rice International

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 […]

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 […]

The first formal consultation in relation to the zero draft of the Global Compact on Refugees took place in New York in February. The draft has its origins in the 2016 New York Declaration when all UN member states agreed to work towards the adoption of a global agreement to improve international practice with regard […]

One of the functions of the committee of experts that constitute a UN Treaty Body is to publish their interpretation of the content of the human rights provisions contained in the treaty they monitor. These interpretations are known as general comments and also may include guidance on the information that should be submitted in State […]

At the recent Human Rights Council session, Edmund Rice International made statements as part of the formal adoption of the outcomes of the Universal Periodic Reviews (UPR) of the United Kingdom and South Africa. During the review itself, which took place in May of this year, ERI lobbied member states regarding the recommendations made in […]

Speaking at the opening of the 28th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva the High Commissioner highlighted the intimidation, bullying and reprisals directed towards human rights defenders and NGOs by governments that were increasingly setting a course towards authoritarianism and oppression. He reiterated that adherence to human rights principles were the only way […]

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, has expressed concern at the growing threat to important international agreements. He pointed to the refusal of Burundi to be bound by the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and of states such as South Africa and Jordan allowing free movement of the indicted […]

A recently released major UN report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns that climate change is “a major and growing threat to global food security”.  By 2030 an increase in the global population living in extreme poverty of between 35 and 122 million is predicted. The report is of particular relevance given that […]

Introducing our latest ERI interns:- “My name is Emma Bacchetto and I’m from Canberra, Australia. – I am currently studying law and politics at the University of Canberra, with the intention of working in human rights. I work in the Edmund Rice network as an archivist for St Edmund’s College in Canberra. I have volunteered […]

Edmund Rice International is an ECOSOC accredited NGO working within the UN. This means that it can be active within the UN in a variety of ways. From its very inception, NGOs have been recognised as having had a major role to play within the UN, particularly with regards to human rights. Increasing restrictions on […]