News

On 23 November 2016, civil society from all over the world, including indigenous and minority groups, met with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Civil society representatives from every region of the world shared their experiences and ideas in order to improve the work of the CERD to achieve the goal of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Visit the CERD webpage  for the programme and further information of the event. Participants exchanged views based on three questions:  1. What are the key challenges and issues of racial discrimination in your country/region today and how do you work to address them? 2. […]

Together with Minority Rights Group International (MRG), IMADR is organising a breakfast event on “Informal Exchange with Prof. Thornberry on his Commentary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)” during the 91st session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) from 8:30 am, Friday 25th November at Room 1-016 in Palais Wilson. For further information, click on the flyer below.

Together with Minority Rights Group International (MRG) and Race and Equality, IMADR presented a joint response for the consultation of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) with civil society “Joining hands to end racial discrimination”  on 23rd November 2016. The joint response  seeks to respond to one of the questions raised by the Committee, “How can the CERD improve and enhance its engagement with civil society, and its work on racial discrimination for greater impact on the ground?”. It examined different follow-up mechanism of the existing treaty bodies on recommendations in order to identify areas where the CERD can further strengthen its cooperation with civil society to achieve the full implementation of the International Convention on […]

Professor Rodolfo Stavenhagen, one of IMADR board members, passed away on November  5, 2016 in Cuernavaca, Mexico. He was 84 years old. As a sociologist, researcher and human rights defender, Rodolfo dedicated his life to the realization of human rights of indigenous peoples and minorities in the world. We have lost a great human rights defender, but he will be in our memories. Goodbye Rodolfo! Messages from the Board of Directors  “I wish before anything else to express my deepest condolence to the family and to the close colleagues of Rodolfo. He has been a mentor for me since the end of the 1970s when he joined the UN Programme on human […]

Today civil society activists and organisations, including IMADR Asia Committee, sent a joint letter in expressing deeps concerns on the Government of Sri Lanka’s plans to indefinitely delay the establishment of the proposed accountability mechanism. Read the letter below or download here in English, Tamil and Shinhala. . ——— 03rd November, 2016 Dear Mr. Tittawella, We wish to register our deep concern with regard to the government’s plans to indefinitely delay the establishment of the proposed accountability mechanism, by sequencing the mechanisms in a way that establishes the accountability mechanism after having established all the other mechanisms. This sequencing approach has most recently been expressed in a document circulated by the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation […]

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) invites civil society organisations to attend its Consultation titled “Joining hands to end racial discrimination” during the 91st session on 23 November 2016 from 15:00 to 18:00 at the Palais des Nations, Conference Room XX. The objective of the Consultations is to explore new and innovative ways for the Committee to work with civil society organizations to strengthen the implementation of the Convention. The Consultation will include discussions on three guiding questions outlined below. The Committee is requesting written responses from civil society organisations via email to cerd@ohchr.org with the subject consultation by 14 November 2016. Questions: 1. What are the key challenges and […]

UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, concluded her mission to Sri Lanka on 20th October 2016. In her end of the mission statement , she recommended the Government of Sri Lanka to establish an Independent Commission on Minorities under the Constitution which can conduct: reviewing and proposing domestic standards and providing expertise and information to legislation drafting and policy-making processes; monitoring laws and policies with respect to minority rights and recommending amendments or implementation measures; encouraging and coordinating programming on minority issues and strategies devised to address problems relating to minorities; promotion and education activities; developing good practice guides, information resources and reports; developing campaigns and outreach relating to minority rights; forming […]

On 4 October, we have issued our new issue of E-CONNECT. If you have not subscribed to our newsletter, you ca do it from here! Back number is also available. Feature story UN urge USA to end impunity for State violence against African Americans UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent presented its country visit report to the USA at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council. The Working Group stated in the report that it “remains extremely concerned about the human rights situation of African Americans”, urging the Government to take measures against racial bias and disparities in the criminal justice system and structural racial discrimination. On […]

Following the country visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on the freedom of opinion and expression to Japan in April this year , IMADR and All Okinawa Council for Human Rights released the joint report “Targeted attack on freedom of expression in Okinawa”.    The report identified disproportionate restrictions on the freedom of expression in Okinawa including surveillance and excessive use of force against protesters, violation of the press freedom as well as persistent oppressive comments by government officials against the Okinawan media.

At its 91st session from 21st November to 9th December 2016 , UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will consider the situation of racial discrimination in following 6 countries. Civil society organisations are encouraged to submit information on Argentina, Italy, Portugal, Togo, Turkmenistan and Uruguay.  The Committee will hold a consultation with civil society on 23rd November from 3 pm. If you are an NGO participating in the forthcoming session and wishes to receive practical advice on advocacy at the CERD, contact us at: geneva[@]imadr.org (remove “[]” when you send e-mail)  Practical Information Deadline for submission of NGO reports: 31st October 2016 Information Note for NGOs  for the submission of reports, accreditation and participation in informal meetings and […]

IMADR delivered the joint oral statement with US Human Rights Network on “Racial discrimination against African Americans” at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— Joint Oral Statement: 33rd session of the Human Rights Council Item 9: Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent 26 September 2016 Thank you Mr. President,  IMADR and the US Human Rights Network welcome the Working Group’s report on the USA and its recommendations. We reiterate the Working Group’s regret that the U.S. Government failed to facilitate a visit to the Parchman Farm and meetings with various authorities requested by the experts. […]

IMADR joined the oral statement on “Gender integration in UN human rights mechanisms” at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— HRC33 Joint NGO Oral Statement Annual discussion on the integration of a gender perspective throughout the work of the Human Rights Council and that of its mechanisms Monday, 26 September, 2016 Last year this panel discussed gender parity in international human rights bodies, including the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms. States resolutely called for the redoubling of efforts to improve gender balance on UN human rights bodies and mechanisms, courts and tribunals and specialised agencies. Unfortunately, since then, the […]

On Tuesday 20th September, during the 33rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR), jointly with Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances and Franciscans International, hosted a side event titled “Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka”. With the moderation by Ms. Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso from (AFAD), the event invited two wives of the disappeared, Ms. Sandya EKNELYGODA and Ms. Vathana SUNDARARAJ, to share their perspectives on challenges victims are facing. Mr. Freddy GAMAGE, a journalist and human rights defender, spoke the issue of murdered and disappeared journalists to highlight the need for institutional reforms to tackle […]

IMADR delivered the joint oral statement with Franciscans International, Human Rights Now as well as All Okinawa Council for Human Rights on “Freedom of expression in Ryukyu/ Okinawa, Japan” at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 33rd session of the Human Rights Council Item 4: General Debate 19 September 2016 Thank you Mr. President,  Together with the All Okinawa Council for Human Rights, IMADR, Franciscans International and Human Rights Now would like to draw this Council’s attention to the human rights situation in Ryukyu/ Okinawa, Japan. The Okinawa islands host about three quarters of the U.S. military’s exclusive-use […]

IMADR delivered its oral statement on “Enforced and involuntary disappearances in Sri Lanka” at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 33rd session of the Human Rights Council Item 3: Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery 15 September 2016 Thank you Mr. President, We express our appreciation to the country visit report of the Working Group and endorse its recommendations to Sri Lanka. The Government’s constructive cooperation with the Working Group through facilitating visits to requested places including the former secret detention facility and […]

IMADR delivered its oral statement on “Racist hate speech in politics, caste discrimination in India and Nepal, transitional justice in Sri Lanka” at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here.  ——— IMADR Oral Statement: 33rd session of the Human Rights Council Item 2: General Debate on the oral update by the High Commissioner 14 September 2016 Thank you Mr. President,  We share the High Commissioner’s concern on the widespread racism and xenophobia in the political discourse. Racist hate speech by politicians is not limited in so-called “West”, but in every region of the world. We urge the High Commissioner’s office to monitor this […]