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14th Session of UN Human Rights Council
Report


Introduction
The UN Human Rights Council held its 14th Session from 31 May to 17 June 2010. For WILPF Geneva, this was the first session with our new General Secretary, Madeleine Rees and was a success with WILPF making several strategic interventions  to progress human rights issues on women, peace and security.
 
In this report -   
Take Action for Human Rights in Palestine - Get Actived and Educated!
Maternal Morality and Morbidity
Universal Periodic Review
Reports and Resolutions
Side Events

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Flotilla Attack and Occupied Palestinian Territories

The first day of the council was marked by the devastating Israeli attack on the Aid Flotilla, which spurred an Urgent Debate on 1 June 2010 (webcam archive, ISHR report).  It was moving to see the response of the WILPF Community to this grave attack with statements released by WILPF International Statement, WILPF Palestine Statement, and WILPF Israel Statement among others.
 
As a predecessor to Item 7, discussion on Occupied Palestinian Debates, the debate provided an opportunity for discourse between NGOs and member-states, of interest were statements from Israel and Palestine and resulted in the adoption of A/HRC/RES/14/1 The Grave Attacks by Israeli Forces Against the Humanitarian Boat Convoy.
 

Frustrated by the lack of action to protect human rights by the Council and member states, WILPF actively lobbied and advocated for alternative approaches including a notion of responsibility of the international community to protect.  Introductive summaries of this campaign can be found in WILPF Statement on Occupied Palestinian Territories and Statement by WILPF on human rights responsibilities in Gaza.  Other papers of note are WILPF Palestine Zion: Beyond the Pale and WILPF Middle East Committee Palestine Statement.  

 

  Take action for Human Rights in Palestine - Get Active and Educated!

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In the next few months WILPF will be continuing to develop this campaign with a focus of what YOU can do to hold the international community responsible to protect human rights in situations such as Palestine.  This campaign will also focus heavily on engaging women through UN Security Council Resolution 1325.


A crucial part of this campaign will be people like YOU and WILPF sections from around the world.

Ways you can make a difference to human rights, peace and security in Palestine and other conflict situations –
·       Join WILPF to make a difference
·       Encourage your friends to join WILPF, the HR news letters and become a fan of WILPF on facebook
·       Donate to make a difference
·       And most important stay tuned as you will be hearing a lot more from us in the near future!
 
Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

The Office of the High Commissioner of Human rights released the Report on the preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights.  To WILPF, maternal mortality is an example of discriminatory distribution of resources and services. The technology and money exist to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality across the world. Unfortunately states choose to direct their money elsewhere. WILPF, with an advocacy group that included Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurists among many others, co-signed an Oral Statement and circulated an Advocacy Paper to many member states.  WILPF expects maternal mortality to be a continuing key issue through out the Millenium Development Goals Conference, 1325 10th Anniversary and the 15th Human Rights Council Session in September.

Universal Periodic Review

The Council validated several Universal Periodic Reviews from countries including Fiji, Madagascar, Iran, Italy and Iran.  Working with women on the ground, WILPF made two oral statements on Fiji (webcast- session, statement) and Madagascar (webcast- session, statement).  WILPF Italy also played a critical role in their countries reviews as part of a coalition of organisations.
 
Many other countries will be reviewed under this process in the next 6 months, including USA and Australia. The Universal Periodic Review is an opportunity for you to report issues within your country on human rights.  WILPF Geneva encourages all countries to be active in this process. Check out when your country is due for review and contact us, rights@wilpf.ch, for more information.

 

Reports and Resolutions

WILPF played an active role in the negotiations and consulting of A/HRC/14/L.9 Accelearting efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and A/HRC/14/L.7 Addressing Attacks on Afghan School Children.

Other reports and resolutions of note-
·       Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to health and ISHR report
·       Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences
·       Report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons especially in women and children
·       Annual-day discussion on women’s human rights

Side Events

WILPF representatives Krishna Ahooja Patel, Edith Ballantyne and Lois A. Herman organised the following side events as part of the 14th Session of the Human Rights Council.
·       Afghanistan Women- Challenges for Rights, Advocacy for Peace
·       Human Right to Peace – Gender
·       Promotion of the right of peoples to peace
·       International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations

 
For more information on the Human Rights Council and United Nations Advocacy please see WILPF’s Quick Guide to the Human Rights Council and OHCHR information page.
Please use the hyperlinks through out this update to find out more information.
 
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