International Organizations

UNOHCHR Faces Criticism over Zika Virus Comments

February 25, 2016

C-Fam reports that diplomats from countries including Nicaragua and the Holy See have objected to statements from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ("UNOHCHR") that they have interpreted as encouraging Latin American countries in which the Zika virus is spreading to permit access of women infected by the virus to abortions.
UN Rights Chief Seeks "Due Process" for Guantanamo Detainees

February 24, 2016

Applauding US President Barack Obama's proposal to close the terror detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and to transfer some occupants to US prisons, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called on the US to try detainees before civilian courts and to provide them "due process guarantees" in line with international standards.
AI Recommends Climate Action by UN Women's Rights Committee

February 24, 2016

A submission from Amnesty International ("AI") to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women ("CEDAW") applauds CEDAW's scrutiny of government action on global warming due to "the disproportionate impact it has on women and girls" and recommends a broad CEDAW review of states' obligations to counter climate change.
NGOs Recommend Broad Convention on Crimes Against Humanity

February 24, 2016

Writing to Professor Sean Murphy of the UN International Law Commission on his development of an international Convention on crimes against humanity, a group of nongovernmental organizations warn that such a Convention must include universal jurisdiction and an obligation for governments to try suspects of such crimes who are located in their territory.
NGOs Object to Proposed EU Counterterrorism Directive

February 24, 2016

A group of nongovernmental organizations have published their human rights-based objections to the European Commission's proposed Directive on Combating Terrorism, arguing in part that the directive contravenes European and other international human rights instruments and demanding that the EU perform a "human rights impact assessment" on the proposal.