International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
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November 2011 Newsletter
Celebrate International Human Rights Day: Call of your State to Ratify the OP-ICESCR
December 10th of 2011, Human Rights Day: The NGO Coalition for an OP-ICESCR in collaboration with its members, partners and allies around the world takes this opportunity to reiterate the call for ratification of this mechanism to all countries. The Declaration in support of ratification by eminent jurists from around the world is available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.
B-HRD Project Launches Special Feature on “Big Pharma” and Access to HIV/AIDS Drugs
A new "In Focus" feature launched by the B-HRD Project details the tactics pursued by "Big Pharma" to frustrate access to essential medicines in India and Brazil, and showcases the strategies of human rights defenders to challenge abusive business practices and counterbalance patent safeguards with strong human rights protections
Working Group on Human Rights in India: Report to the UN
On December 7, 2011, The Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN released the report it has submitted to the United Nations (UN) titled "Human Rights in India: An Overview." Click here for more information and a copy of the report.
Social Watch Report: 2012
Social Watch is an international network of citizens' organizations in the struggle to eradicate poverty and the causes of poverty, to end all forms of discrimination and racism, to ensure an equitable distribution of wealth and the realization of human rights. Please see their recently released report: "The Right to a Future" Click here for more information.
Jan. 31, 2012: Land for the Yakye Axa and the Enxet People
The Yakye Axa indigenous community can now take possession of the land that the Paraguayan state obtained January 31 2012 in their favor.
Nov. 21, 2011: The Kenyan High Court issues leading ESCR decision
The Kenyan High Court has just issued an important decision on the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights (ESCRs), based on the country's new constitution and international human rights law. The decision was a great achievement for Kenyan civil society, Hakijamii, ESCR-Net, the members of the ESCR-Net's Adjudication Working Group, and our goal of promoting economic, social and cultural rights around the world.
Dec. 5th, 2011: Constitutional Court declares City of Johannesburg's Housing Policy Unconstitutional
ESCR-Net members Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) and Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) in South Africa won a very important case within the Constitutional Court on the right to housing, particularly because of its inclusion of positive State obligations.
Dec. 5th, 2011: Macroeconomics and the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation
This report is the culmination of a two-day experts meeting, "Macroeconomics and the Rights to Water and Sanitation," which took place in Lisbon, Portugal from March 31 to April 1, 2011.
Nov. 29th, 2011: Call for Action- One more step to International Convention on the Rights of Peasants
After a long-sought struggle by La Via Campesina and other organizations for further recognition and protection of the rights of peasants, the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Human Rights Council will present a final study on ways and means to further advance the rights of people working in rural areas (English) (Spanish).
Nov. 9, 2011: Human Rights and Financial Regulation - Survey
The financial crisis of 2008 has exposed the important consequences that government choices made on financial regulations and reforms bear for the enjoyment of human rights such as housing, food, health, etc.
Nov. 2, 2011: Using video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations
ESCR-Net member WITNESS and the Habitat International Coalition (HIC) are working together to incorporate video advocacy into local and global campaigns on forced evictions across HIC's worldwide network in Brazil, Cambodia, Egypt, India and Mexico and will continue into other countries over the course of the 3-year partnership.
Oct. 04, 2011: Seeing Financial Regulation Anew
In an article appeared on the Summer 2011 issue of Center Focus, Aldo Caliari describes the discrediting of the two beliefs that kept control of financial regulation in the hands of a small cadre of so-called technical elites for the last two decades. "If we want the next decade to see the emergence of a financial system that serves the common good, it is imperative to ensure that the debate on financial regulation sees the active scrutiny and participation of broad swathes of society," he says.
Oct. 04, 2011: Paraguay to Restore Indigenous Community's Ancestral Lands
In a landmark ruling on the right to restitution of ancestral lands, Sawhoyamaxa indigenous community leaders, Paraguayan officials and local companies have recently signed an agreement to allow the community to return to their ancestral lands.
Oct. 05, 2011: ESCR-Net Members Demand that US Congress Respect Human Rights in Budget Decisions
Yesterday, a letter demanding that Congress respect human rights on budget decisions was distributed to Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Eric Cantor and Nancy Pelosi, and copied to many other Congressional and Administration officials including President Obama. This letter was signed by 50 organizations spread across the United States, from established national policy groups to grassroots community organizations.