Commonwealth Secretariat Human Rights Update
Human Rights Update August - October 2007
www.thecommonwealth.org/humanrights
 
Human Rights Update, previously a hard copy publication, is intended to feature news of some of the projects, advice and activities carried out and offered by the Human Rights Unit in fulfillment of its mandate to assist member governments to promote and protect human rights. It is also intended to continue to provide some of the information service previously provided by the Commonwealth Human Rights e-Newsletter produced for Commonwealth National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) by the British Council, following the end of that important project in December 2006. The Update will continue to disseminate information of interest to Commonwealth NHRIs and to support networking between them. It will continue to comprise news of projects, publications and important training and other events in the field of human rights, collated from NHRIs and other sources in the Commonwealth. HRU welcomes information and contributions from NHRIs and others that might be of interest to recipients of this newsletter.

Human Rights News

Human Rights Unit - What we have been doing:
This edition of the newsletter carries a quick update on the activities of the Human Rights Unit in the last financial year (July 2006–July 2007) In addition to its role providing advice to the Secretary General and Secretariat Divisions, the Human Rights Unit has carried out a range of activities. (click here)

Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
The United Nations on 13 September adopted the Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Dr. Helena Whall, Associate Fellow at the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit, enumerates briefly on the major landmark development. (click here)

 
Forthcoming Events of the Human Rights Unit


The Forum of Commonwealth NHRIs (19-20 Nov 2007)
Preparations are underway for the first meeting of the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, scheduled in the sidelines of CHOGM in Kampala, Uganda from 19 to 20 November 2007. The Forum, jointly organized by HRU and Uganda Human Rights Commission, takes place within the People’s Forum and aims to bring together Human Rights Commissioners and Senior Officials from NHRIs across the Commonwealth. HRU envisages that the Forum will serve as a common platform for Commonwealth NHRIs to share experiences and build a common voice for the better national-level promotion and protection of human rights. At the Forum, a report of the Steering Committee will be discussed and considered and HRU also aims to launch a publication entitled: Comparative Study on the Mandates of National Human Rights Institutions across the Commonwealth.

Symposium for the establishment of the Human Rights Commission in Swaziland (Oct 07)
In consultation with the government of Swaziland, HRU plans to organize a National symposium for the establishment of the Human Rights Commission in Swaziland. The symposium will bring together parliamentarians, government officials, judiciary, technical experts, legal profession, civil society and other key stakeholders.

Forthcoming publications of the Human Rights Unit
 
Commonwealth Model National Action Plan
HRU has developed the Commonwealth Model National Action Plan with the advice and assistance of an Expert Group assembled in London in June 2007. The Model is intended to primarily assist Commonwealth member countries in the process of developing their own national plan, in accordance with their national and international obligations, imperatives and their own perceived priorities, for the promotion and protection of human rights at the national level. The Model will be launched at the Forum of the Commonwealth NHRIs in Kampala, Uganda in November. MORE…

Comparative study of the mandates and structures of Commonwealth NHRIs

HRU has commissioned a comparative study of the mandates and structures of Commonwealth NHRIs. The study is first of its kind and is designed to assist in a better understanding of the work of Commonwealth NHRIs and other national bodies with a human rights mandate with a view to possible exchange of best practices. The publication will be launched at the Forum of the Commonwealth NHRIs in Kampala, Uganda, on 19 November.

 
Other Human Rights News
 

Commonwealth Secretary-General speaks at an event marking 20years of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)

The Secretary-General in his speech emphasized on human rights as a cornerstone of Commonwealth and as well urged on greater action in implementation and compliance with human rights principles. Please see the link for more details:

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/34580/34581/169300/140907humanrights.htm

UN General Assembly adopts the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The decision to adopt the Declaration, after more than two decades of negotiations between the Member States and the representatives of the indigenous peoples’ around the world, is hailed as a moment of triumph for the world’s 370 million indigenous people. Please see link for more details:

http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/indigenous/docs/draftdeclaration.pdf

The Commonwealth Human Rights Essay Competition 2007

The Human Rights Unit organized an essay competition for young people between the ages of 12 and 16 from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and the South Pacific. Among the good number of entries received from across the Commonwealth, the essay submitted by Ssekandi Ronald Ssegujja of Uganda was adjudged as the best entry. The winner will receive a certificate of commendation and prize money at the Commonwealth Youth Forum to be held in Kampala on the sidelines of CHOGM.

Other announcements

The Head of Human Rights, Ms. Rabab Fatima and Human Rights Officer Mr. J Ford leave the Commonwealth Secretariat at the end of September to take up assignments abroad. Ms. Fatima will be joining the International Organization for Migration as its Regional Representative for South Asia. Ms. Fatima has conveyed her best wishes to all whom she had the privilege to meet and work with from around the Commonwealth, and thanks them for their support, cooperation and friendship. Both Ms. Fatima and Mr. Ford will be dearly missed by HRU, and we wish to sincerely thank them for their contribution and wish them every success in their future endeavors.

GENERAL

The future publications of the e-newsletter Human Rights Update of the Human Rights Unit (HRU) of the Commonwealth Secretariat will include reports on activities of the HRU, conference and workshop announcements and reports, human rights developments on an international, regional and national basis (with a particular focus on the human rights developments of Commonwealth nations). In order to make the e-newsletter Update a useful and valuable information forum, we would strongly invite contributions from national and international human rights institutions, human rights NGOs, experts and readers. Ideally, contributions would be most welcomed in the form of short articles on human rights.

Please note that this is not an invitation for the submission of communications that deal with particular human rights situations.

Please send your comments and contributions to the HRU at:
Human Rights Unit,
Commonwealth Secretariat
Marlborough House Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX

Fax +44(0)2077476418
Email:hru@commonwealth.int

The Commonwealth Secretariat continues to fund the Commonwealth Human Rights Law Digest which is published by INTERIGHTS. See: www.interights.org

If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter please __UNSUB__