UN Treaty Watch

UN Body Promotes Socio-Economic Dimensions of “Right to Life”

February 14, 2019

Lucy McKernan and Bret Thiele of the nongovernmental organization Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights praise the UN Human Rights Committee for promoting an expansive definition of an enforceable “right to life” that includes rights to environmental protection, housing, and sustainable development.
UN Treaty Body Opposes Rejection of Anti-Torture Mechanism

February 06, 2019

The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture has warned the Governor of São Paulo, Brazil, that his recent veto of legislation to establish an anti-torture mechanism places his state in violation of its international human rights treaty obligations and has called on the state legislature to reverse the veto.
UN Body: Finnish Court Ruling Violated Indigenous Rights

February 05, 2019

The UN Human Rights Committee has concluded that the decision of a Finnish court to expand the electoral roll of eligible candidates for an election of the parliament of the indigenous Sámi people violated the country’s international obligations to respect self-determination and indigenous rights.
Australian State Lawmakers Critique Broad Human Rights Bill

February 05, 2019

The Brisbane Times reports that legislation in Queensland, Australia, creating a Human Rights Commission and recognizing a broad set of rights - including social and cultural rights imported from international treaties - is facing criticism from some lawmakers who warn it will encourage “frivolous complaints.”
UN Body Receives Complaint over NZ Prisoner Voting Rights

January 31, 2019

A New Zealand barrister has announced plans to file a complaint with the UN Human Rights Committee over the refusal of the country’s government to grant prisoners the right to vote, arguing the voting restriction violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
New Zealand Official Confesses to “Broken” Justice System at UNHRC

January 22, 2019

In remarks to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) during its periodic review by countries including Saudi Arabia, New Zealand Justice Minister Andrew Little said his country’s justice system is “broken” and resulted in discrimination against women and the indigenous population.
UN Body Calls for Revision of Canadian Law on Indigenous Status

January 21, 2019

The UN Human Rights Committee has concluded that Canadian law continues to discriminate against Indigenous women by distinguishing between women and men in determining the recognized status of Indigenous people who marry non-Indigenous partners.
Gennarini: Abortion Is “Original Sin” of UN System

January 11, 2019

Stefano Gennarini of the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam) identifies “indifference to human life in the prenatal phase” as “the original sin” in the UN human rights system and argues that, through its promotion of “sexual and reproductive health rights,” the UN is currently “the loudest and most influential” advocate for legalizing abortion.
NGO Report Finds Push by UN Treaty Bodies for Abortion Access

January 09, 2019

Dr. Rebecca Oas of the Center for Family & Human Rights (C-Fam) has published a study of UN treaty monitoring bodies indicating that they are increasingly pressuring governments, in their periodic reviews of countries’ human rights records, to recognize a right to abortion access as a treaty obligation.
UK Promises to Consider UN Agent’s Report on Poverty

January 09, 2019

Human Rights Watch has published an article applauding UK government officials for agreeing to give “serious consideration” to allegations from UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Philip Alston including that Britain is responsible, due to cuts in social spending, for “inflicting unnecessary misery” on its people.