Edmund Rice International

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 […]

Participants in the Local Parks Project In December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/71/L.38)  recognizing the potential of sport as a valuable tool to bring about positive social change and build a peaceful and better world. The Edmund Rice Centre in Perth Western Australia (ERCWA), has provided sporting activities for young […]

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 […]

Since 1970, the 22nd April has been designated as World Earth Day, “a movement which gave voice to an emerging consciousness, channelling human energy toward environmental issues.” This years Earth Day is especially significant, with world leaders and diplomats converging on the United Nations’ New York headquarters to sign the Paris Agreement on climate change […]

On the 15th April Dr. David Nabarro, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the 2030 Agenda, briefed NGOs on progress of implementation of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). According to Dr. Nabarro the SDGs represent the biggest upheaval in thinking and working that he’s seen in his career – it requires a radical change in […]

Edmund Rice International, together with Franciscans International, Destination Justice, and ChilOut organised a side event during the 31st session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on the topic of Asylum Seekers Rights in Australia. Panellists included Phil Glendenning, President of the Refugee Council of Australia and Director of the Edmund Rice Centre in Sydney, Mohammad […]

I was privileged to attend the first week of the COP21 in Paris on Climate Change as a delegate for Franciscans International, and I monitored for ERI networks the second week of decisions, when the draft text was refashioned by the politicians into the final Paris Agreement and Decisions. It was a tremendous process of […]

Fifty years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted two international treaties that would forever shape international human rights: The International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Created in the aftermath of WWII, the two Covenants along with the Universal Declaration of Human […]