Monthly News Bulletin of Dignity International: August 2004
DIGNITY INTERNATIONAL: MONTHLY NEWSBULLETIN - August 2004
Dignity News
* Third Global Linking & Learning Programme on ESC Rights Deadline
extended by 15 days
* Forum Barcelona 2004
* Visits to the Dignity Office
Other News
* Crisis in Darfur, Sudan including resources on applying a Human Rights
Based Approach in Emergency Situations
* Human Right to Food Civil Society inputs in the Governmental
Negotiations
* US-Peru Trade Negotiations respect human rights reminds Paul Hunt,
Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health
* Top economist, Jeffrey Sachs advises African countries not to pay their
debts
* New UN Human Rights Chief Louis Arbour at the African Union summit
* Access for All - 15th International AIDS Conference, Bangkok
* Israeli Security Wall Illegal rules the International Court of Justice
* World Social Forum Updates
Publications
* Darfur Destroyed A New Report by Human Rights Watch
* 2003 Annual Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Announcements
* Thirst: a film on the right to water
* Freedom Summer Palestine 2004
Forthcoming Events Highlights
* People’s caravan for Food Sovereignty
DIGNITY NEWS
*** Third Global Linking & Learning Programme on ESC Rights Due to the
spread of SPAM, some of the e-mails sent to us were rejected by the virus
protection system. If you have sent in your application and you have
received an acknowledgement then do not worry. However if you have not
received an acknowledgement by e-mail, please resend your application by fax
to +351 21 08 78 400 or by e-mail to applications@dignityinternational.org
For this reason, the deadline for applications has been extended by 15 days
to 30 August 2004. Selection will take place in the first two weeks of
September and all applicants will be notified thereafter.
*** Forum Barcelona 2004 is a space where the citizens of the world gather,
engage in dialogue, and debate the most urgent issues of the 21st century.
The Dialogues (conferences, congresses, debates and seminars) are at the
core of Forum Barcelona 2004.
Dignity’s Simone Andrade participated in the Poverty, microcredits and
development seminar from
15-17 July. The seminar examined the resources and tools for eradicating
poverty: past and present. For further details of Forum Barcelona 2004, see
http://www.barcelona2004.org/eng/eventos/dialogos/ficha.cfm?IdEvento=165
For a summary of the meeting, see
http://www.barcelona2004.org/esp/eventos/dialogos/docs/conclusiones/c_pobrezaesp.pdf
*** Visits to Dignity International Dignity International office received
numerous visits during the month of July. Hanne Lund Madsen, a human rights
consultant from Denmark and an expert on the Rights Based Approach visited
Dignity International. The discussions focussed in particular on the
Capacity Building Programme on ESC Rights of Dignity International as well
as the involvement of Dignity in a seminar on ESC Rights in Denmark.
Dignity team also received Maria Brederode Soares and Teresa Gaspar, from
the National Council of Education of Portugal. They were introduced to
Dignity’s work. Dignity team also learned of the work of the visitors on
promoting human rights education in the schools in Portugal.
Dignity’s Executive Director Aye Aye Win also met with Firoze Manji Director
of Fahamu, Learning for Change, an organisation based in Oxford UK,
promoting distance learning for organisations working for progressive social
change in Africa see http://www.fahamu.org
OTHER NEWS
*** Crisis in Darfur One million people have left their homes in Darfur,
Western Sudan, fleeing fighting and danger. Camps have been set up for the
displaced people in Sudan and those who have fled to Chad.
* For the work of the United Nations in Sudan and the crisis in Sudan see
http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=88&Body=Sudan&Body1=
* For further details on the Field office of the UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights in Sudan see
http://www.ohchr.org/english/countries/field/sudan.htm
* On 22 August 2000, the 23rd session of the Committee on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights examined the initial report of Sudan on how that country
is implementing the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights.
Committee experts asked a Government delegation about women's rights in
Sudan, including using flogging as a punishment, and female genital
mutilation. see
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/308717CB4399D009C125694400
2A53FB?opendocument
* Human Rights in Darfour for very good background materials and analysis
of the human rights situation in Darfour region of Sudan see the Human
Rights Watch website http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=africa&c=darfur
* See also the Amnesty International report on Sudan Darfur: Rape as a
weapon of war: sexual violence and its consequences
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engafr540762004
* Developing sustainable human rights communities Sudan For further
details of the project started by People’s Movement for Human Rights
education with the Sudanese Organization for Human Rights
Education and Democracy, see http://www.pdhre.org/pdhre/projects/sudan.html
* For activities of the various development agencies in Sudan, check out:
Oxfam http://www.oxfam.org/eng/campaigns_emer_sudan.htm
* CARE emergency aid and long term solutions for war torn Sudan see
http://www.careusa.org/newsroom/featurestories/2004/may/05072004_sudanfeatur
e.asp
* Applying the rights based approach in emergency situation:
* Forced Displacement and Human Rights,
Luis Morago Nicolas, October 2000. Action Aid briefing paper: the
International legal framework applicable to refugees and internally
displaced persons
http://www.actionaid.org.uk/wps/content/documents/emu_displace.pdf
* Learning about rights - Luis Morago Nicolas, December 2001 A set of
modules on rights and humanitarian standards in emergencies that are
conceived as a supporting tool for the design and implementation of learning
programmes. 1: Basic concepts: rights, law & society; 2: Values & principles
of humanitarianism & human rights; 3: Legal protection of human rights on
emergencies; 4: Women & human rights in emergencies; 5: Rights-based
emergency work: analysis & practice.
http://www.actionaid.org.uk/wps/content/documents/intro.pdf
*** Human Right to Food - More than 50 civil society organizations (CSOs)
participated in government negotiations on the human right to food, held at
the FAO, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization in early July.
The negotiations are aimed at producing practical guidelines for the
implementation of the right to food, as part of an international effort to
end hunger.
The FAO has reported that in a world that produces more than enough food to
feed itself, more than 840 million people suffer from hunger and
malnutrition. Members of the United Nations have committed themselves to
cutting that number by half by 2015. It is hoped that the "Voluntary
Guidelines on the Right to Food" become a practical tool for reaching that
goal. In a paper released to government delegates, the CSOs from Africa,
Asia, Latin America, North America and Europe expressed concern that the
current version of the guidelines text does not adequately reflect the need
to have national strategies to implement the right to food. Moreover, it is
critical that such strategies be based on a comprehensive analysis of the
causes of hunger.
The CSOs also urged government delegates to ensure that the international
dimensions of hunger and malnutrition are adequately reflected in the
document. They were united in pressing for firm adherence to existing human
rights standards rather than accepting language that has already been
debated and agreed upon within the UN human rights system.
Source: FIAN (http:/www.fian.org ) For more information, please contact
Michael Windfuhr, cell phone 0049-177-388-4385, windfuhr@fian.org.
For the regular daily updates produced by the NGO Caucus at the meeting,
contact Caroline Samdup at csamdup@ichrdd.ca
For the General comments 12 on the Right to Food, produced by the UN
Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights see
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/3d02758c707031d58025677f003b73b9?O
pendocument
*** US-Peru Trade Negotiations: Special Rapporteur on the Right to health
Reminds parties of Human Rights Obligations Following his recent Mission
to Peru, Paul Hunt, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to
the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental
health, urged the United States and Peru to take the right to health into
account during their current trade negotiations. The US and Peru are holding
talks about establishing a bilateral trade agreement as part of wider
negotiations about a possible trade deal between the US and the Andean
region in South America.
Recognising the existent Peru’s “commitment to human rights, including the
right to health”, Paul Hunt stated “if the final agreement has the effect of
restricting access to essential drugs it will be inconsistent with Peru's
national and international human rights obligations”. The Special Rapporteur
expressed being “deeply concerned that the US-Peru trade agreement will
water-down internationally agreed health safeguards, leading to higher
prices for essential drugs that millions of Peruvians will find
unaffordable”. He added that the “trade agreement must not restrict Peru's
ability to use the public health safeguards enshrined in TRIPS and the Doha
Declaration” it “must improve - not further impede - access to essential
medicines, especially for those living in poverty”.
Source UNHCHR See
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/35C240E546171AC1C1256EC800
308A37?opendocument
*** Top economist, Jeffrey Sachs advises African countries not to pay their
debts - Jeffrey Sachs, special adviser to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan
on anti-poverty targets, declared that Africa's heavy debt burden was
untenable and urged the continent not to pay its debts if rich countries
refused to cancel them. The U.S. economist spoke at a conference in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, on hunger, on the eve of a summit of the heads of state of
the African Union. The estimated sub-Saharan Africa's foreign debt lays at
$201 billion.
"The time has come to end this charade. The debts are unaffordable," Sachs
said. "If they won't cancel the debts I would suggest obstruction. You do
it yourselves."
Source:
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1553531,00.html
*** New UN Human Rights Chief Louis Arbour Visits Africa the new United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour participated in the
Third Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, from 5 to 7 July 2004.
Mrs. Arbour’s participation in the Summit represented her first official
mission as High Commissioner after taking up her duties at the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva on the 1 July. The trip
highlights the importance she and her Office attach to the promotion and
protection of human rights in Africa. See
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/NewsRoom?OpenFrameSet
*** Access for All - 15th International AIDS Conference took place in
Bangkok from 11-16 July - In 2003, more than 3 million people died of
HIV/AIDS and at least 5 million acquired the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV)— amounting to 40 million the number of people living with the virus
around the world.
For the final conference programme and the official daily summaries of the
conference proceedings, see http://www.aids2004.org/
The Secretary general of the United Nations said that "we need leaders
everywhere to demonstrate that speaking up about Aids is a point of pride,
not a source of shame. There must be no more sticking heads in the sand ...
no more hiding behind a veil of apathy", because "we are not doing nearly
well enough”. He added that "AIDS is far more than a health crisis. It is a
threat to development itself."
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Aids_Focus/0,,2-7-59_1555998,00.html
For good daily press coverage by the Inter Press Service see the conference
daily newspaper Terra Viva at
http://www.ipsnews.co.th/terraviva.asp
* Thai NGO Coalition on HIV/AIDS - Thai NGO Coalition on AIDS (TNCA)
TNCA, a network of 168 Thai NGOs, aims to improve the quality of life of
people living with HIV and AIDS (PHA) in Thailand, and to prevent further
infections. With four regional branches, TNCA works to support and develop
the NGO response to HIV/AIDS throughout the whole country. Working closely
with PHAs, TNCA advocates strongly for better health care and human rights,
and coordinates with public sector efforts on prevention and treatment and
care issues.
http://www.ias.se/bangkok/subpage.aspx?pageId=162
*** Dignity’s Board Member Acharn Bantorn Ondam spoke at the International
Forum on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, an international forum organized by the
Thai Working Group on Human Rights and HIV/AIDS. He emphasized the
importance of applying human rights in work related to HIV/AIDs. For
further information, on the International Forum on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights
please contact Boonthan Verawongse at Dignity International Asia e-mail
dignity@inet.co.th
Media Training manual on Gender HIV/AIDS and Rights - The manual was
developed by an experts group and tested in two IPS journalists training
workshops in South Africa and Jamaica. The manual has three modules: A
Gender Analysis Framework for the Media; Gender and HIV/AIDS - The Missing
Story; and Improved Knowledge and Skills. Hands on exercises and examples
from the media offer a practical feel to the content of the modules. See
http://www.ipsnews.co.th/trainningmanual.asp
The XVI International Aids Conference will be held in Toronto, Canada from
13 19 August 2006. For the official conference site and preparations,
please see http://www.aids2006.org/
*** Israeli Security Wall Illegal - the International Court of Justice in
the Hague ruled that the "security wall" Israel is building in the West Bank
is illegal. The Court further said that “Israel is under an obligation to
terminate its breaches of international law; it is under an obligation to
cease forthwith the works of construction of the wall”.
The legal arguments for the ruling are complex. The judges also based their
decisions on the obligations arising from the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Being that “Israel is bound by the provisions of the International Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”, “it is under an obligation not to
raise any obstacle to the exercise of such rights in those fields where
competence has been transferred to Palestinian authorities”.
Moreover, the International Court of Justice pointed some of the wall
constituted violations of international law under the ICESCR. More
specifically these refer to the right to work (Articles 6 and 7); protection
and assistance accorded to the family and to children and young persons
(Article 10); the right to an adequate standard of living, including
adequate food, clothing and housing, and the right “to be free from hunger”
(Art. 11); the right to health (Art. 12); the right to education (Arts. 13
and 14).
For further information on the International Court of Justice see,
http://www.icj-cij.org/ ICJ Advisory Opinion at:
http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idocket/imwp/imwpframe.htm
*** World Social Forum Updates
* Amercas Social Forum - The first edition of the Americas Social Forum was
held from July 25 to 30, 2004, in Quito, Ecuador. Articles and analyses from
the event are available at the FSA official website:
www.forosocialamericas.org.
* European Social Forum registration - Registration to participate to the
third edition of the European Social Forum is now open. The event will be
held from October 14 to 17, 2004, in London (United Kingdom). The form is
available on the website www.fse-esf.org. The theme of the Forum is “Another
Europe in Another World”. The programme is constituted by six main axles:
- War and peace
- Democracy and fundamental rights
- Social justice and solidarity: against privatisation (deregulation), for
workers, social and women’s rights
- Corporate globalisation and global justice
- Against racism, discrimination and the far right: for equality and
diversity
- Environmental crisis and sustainable society
For the complete list of plenaries that will discuss on the ESF central
issues see
http://www.fse-esf.org/en/esf.shtml?conds[0][category.......1]=Programme&als
[SSECTION]=Programme
PUBLICATIONS
*** Darfour Destroyed A report by Human Rights watch
http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/
*** 2003 Annual Report of the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights is now available. http://www.unhchr.ch/pdf/annualrep03.pdf
ANNOUNCEMENTS
*** THIRST: a new documentary film about the impacts of water privatisation.
It is the first film to focus on what is becoming one of the 21st century's
major sources of conflict: water. Who has the right to water? Is it one of
the commonly shared goods - a human right for all people? Or is it a
commodity to be bought, sold, and traded in the global marketplace, like all
commodities? "Thirst,” tells the stories of communities in Bolivia, India,
and the United States that are asking these fundamental questions.
The filmmakers have travelled all around the world, talking to people
affected by privatised water systems. The film features labour and community
activists struggling to assert that water is a public trust and a public
responsibility.
Source: www.globalexchange.org
Check: http://www.thirstthemovie.org/
*** Freedom Summer Palestine 2004: a 56-day campaign (one day for every year
of displacement and dispossession) against occupation; 56 days of
non-violent, direct actions by Palestinians and Internationals to promote
freedom and justice for Palestine.
The aim is to draw the attention of the world to the nature of the situation
on the ground in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially to clarify
that the Palestinian struggle is a matter of struggling for dignity, human
rights and freedom. (www.choike.org)
http://www.palsolidarity.org/traveltopalestine/freedomsummer2004.php
FORTHCOMING EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS
*** The People’s Caravan for Food Sovereignty is a grassroots-led mass
mobilisation that will pass by 13 Asian countries, from 1 to 30 of September
following 4 different routes, all starting in Malaysia and ending in Nepal.
It aims to raise awareness and mobilise various sectors of society on the
issue of the human right to food - although this is a fundamental right
enshrined in many conventions and agreements, the reality in many Asian
countries shows a different story. Massive hunger and poverty, landlessness
peasants, unsafe food and water, and many other social problems continue to
plague the region.
Under the main theme Assert Our Rights to Land and Food, seminars, meetings,
rallies, cultural activities, etc., will be held under the three sub-themes:
WTO out of Food and Agriculture; Eliminate Pesticides and Genetic
Engineering (GE); Resist Agrochemical TransNational Cooperations TNCs.
See: http://www.panap.net/caravan/index-en.cfm
CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES
For the updated Calendar of Activities for 2004, please see:
July September
http://www.dignityinternational.org/2004monthly_planner3.html
October December
http://www.dignityinternational.org/2004monthly_planner4.html
THIS NEWSBULLETIN CAN BE ACCESSED DIRECTLY FROM THE WEB AT
http://dignity.3pontos.net/doc/news_2004august.doc
or selected items can be seen at the Dignity International website at
http://www.dignityinternational.org/News_August2004.html
