News

IMADR delivered the oral statement on “Racism in law enforcement and related human rights violations in the United States” at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here.  . ——— Oral Statement: 43rd session of the Human Rights Council Urgent Debate on the “current racially inspired human rights violations, systemic racism, police brutality and the violence against peaceful protest” 18 June 2020 Madam President, At the outset, we express our solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. We welcome the Human Rights Council’s decision to hold this urgent debate which has been much needed since its establishment. We reiterate our joint […]

IMADR delivered the oral statement on “COVID-19 pandemic, racism and discrimination” at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here.  . ——— Oral Statement: 43rd session of the Human Rights Council Item 9: General Debate 16 June 2020 Madam President, We are deeply concerned by the global rise of the manifestations of racism and discrimination during the current pandemic. Racist hate speech, hate crimes and other forms of discrimination that first targeted Asians and people of Asian descent are now also directed to other groups such as indigenous peoples, people of African descent, Dalits, Roma, Travellers and other minorities, migrants including […]

TB-Net Statement Informal Meeting of Chairs of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies 2-5 June, 2020 Introduction This is a joint statement on behalf of seven organizations, which form TB-Net (NGO Network on UN Treaty Bodies)[1]. Created in February 2017, TB-Net is an informal group of international NGOs and networks who work closely with 7 of the UN treaty bodies (CERD, CCPR, CESCR, CEDAW, CAT, CRC, CRPD) and have specialised expertise on their procedures and substantive work. Our mission is to support and enhance the effectiveness of the treaty bodies so that they can better contribute to the realisation of the human rights of all persons. The COVID-19 pandemic is spotlighting […]

  Chairpersons of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies Ms. Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 11 May 2020 RE: UN human rights treaty bodies during the COVID-19 pandemic Dear Chairpersons of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies and High Commissioner Bachelet, We, the undersigned non-governmental organisations, write to you concerning the functioning of the treaty body system during the COVID-19 pandemic. We express our appreciation for the Chairpersons’ joint statement on the COVID-19 pandemic issued on 24 March as well as the individual guidance issued by various Committees.[1] We echo that States’ responses to the crisis, including declarations of a state of emergency, must comply with international human […]

IMADR joined over 85 NGOs for the statement on “United Nations’ COVID-19 response” at the Human Rights Council’s virtual informal conversation with the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the implications of the COVID-19 crisis on human rights . Whole text can be read below or download here. ——— Human Rights Council virtual informal conversation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Joint NGO statement on the United Nations’ COVID-19 response Thursday, 09 April 2020 The COVID-19 crisis is powerfully demonstrating the ways in which the human rights of all people are interdependent and interrelated and that ensuring a safe and enabling environment for civil society to promote, protect […]

IMADR joined over 70 NGOs for the statement on “Civil and political rights” at the Human Rights Council’s virtual informal conversation with the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the implications of the COVID-19 crisis on human rights . Whole text can be read below or download here. ——— Human Rights Council virtual informal conversation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Joint NGO statement on civil and political rights Thursday, 09 April 2020 Civil society’s call to states:   we are in this together, don’t violate human rights while responding to COVID-19. As States are undertaking extraordinary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, we recognize the good faith […]

IMADR joined over 65 NGOs for the statement on “Economic, social and cultural rights” at the Human Rights Council’s virtual informal conversation with the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the implications of the COVID-19 crisis on human rights . Whole text can be read below or download here. ——— Human Rights Council virtual informal conversation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Joint NGO statement on economic, social and cultural rights Thursday, 09 April 2020   Madame President, We thank the High Commissioner for her update, and her Office’s ongoing work to ensure human rights are central to the response to COVID-19. We urge states to cooperate in […]

To commemorate 21st of March – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, IMADR released a three-minute video clip. It explains the historical background of the International Day, the Sharpeville massacre by the apartheid regime in South Africa in 1960, and illustrates contemporary issues of racism and discrimination such as human rights violations against migrants including refugees and asylum-seekers and racist hate speech by politicians and high-ranking officials. Watch and share the video!

IMADR delivered the joint oral statement on “Civil society and human rights of people of African descent” at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. The joint statement is co-sponsored by Minority Rights Group International and supported by the International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race & Equality). ——— Joint Oral Statement: 43rd session of the Human Rights Council Debate on the midterm review of the International Decade for People of African Descent 13 March 2020 Thank you, Madam President, In this joint statement, we want to highlight the critical role of civil society organisations in combatting violence […]