GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Twelve individuals from 10 countries with projects aimed at improving legal rights for people with HIV/Aids within the criminal justice system have been named JusticeMakers fellows by International Bridges to Justice (IBJ). The Geneva-based non-governmental organization awarded the fellowships Monday 10 December. Each carries a $5,000 prize to help the winners implement [...]
UN resolutions on death penalty moratorium gaining ground
November 20, 2012 by
Switzerland’s top human rights priority is for moratorium BERN, SWITZERLAND – The United Nations voted Monday 19 November in New York in favour of a resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, with 110 states voting yes, 36 abstaining and 39 against. The resolution is up for a new vote every two years [...]
Rio+20 conference opens With IP, tech transfer, underlying debate
June 20, 2012 by
Republished with permission from IP Watch By Patralekha Chatterjee for Intellectual Property Watch RIO DE JANEIRO — As world leaders, along with thousands of government, private-sector and nonprofit participants, get ready to meet in Rio de Janeiro this week, 20 years after this Brazilian city hosted the historic first Earth Summit, there are fears that [...]
Human rights film festival and forum
March 1, 2012 by
The festival will feature unscreened films and debates on crucial current issues such as the future of the Arab revolutions; Europe’s neo-populist drifts; opposition to the dictatorship of financial markets; international justice in action; peace-builders and reconciliators working behind the scenes to promote human rights, including in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Location: GenevaLink out: http://www.fifdh.org/?lan=en&rubID=1Start date: [...]
International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights
February 16, 2012 by
10th year of this annual film festival; programme available 22 February Location: MaisondesArtsduGrütli16,rueduGénéral-DufourLink out: http://www.fifdh.org/?lan=en&rubID=1Start date: 2 Mar 2012End date: 11 Mar 2012
Clinton brings gays out of the human rights closet (update)
December 6, 2011 by
Update 06:00, transcript available GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may have surprised more than one person in her audience at the United Nations Palais in Geneva Tuesday evening when her speech on human rights focused, not on the hot topic of Syria, but on a group whose rights rarely get this [...]
Patent for broccoli, conventionally bred, set to go ahead
October 28, 2011 by
This article is republished with permission from IP Watch By William New Revised EPO Patent For Conventional Broccoli Has Public Interest Ramifications GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – A patent for a conventionally bred form of the common household vegetable broccoli appears to be on its way to acceptance by the European Patent Office following a change to [...]
Australia: Sri Lanka should address claims of human rights violations
October 26, 2011 by
AUSTRALIA – The Australian government vetoed on 25 October an attempt to bring a private war crimes prosecution against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa while he is visiting the country. Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard however, urged Sri Lanka to address claims of serious human rights violations. In addition, Australia urged the UN to probe [...]
Burma/Myanmar to free 6,000 prisoners
October 11, 2011 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Cautious enthusiasm is coming from the West for the unexpected announcement late Monday Swiss time by the Myanmar junta that it will free 6,300 prisoners. The news came via state media, which did not mention political prisoners, referred to as prisoners of conscience, but at the same time a newly formed official [...]
US points finger at 7 nations for human rights abuses
September 22, 2011 by
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Seven countries were singled out by US Ambassador to the UN Eileen Donahoe Wednesday when she told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that the US “remains deeply disturbed by ongoing human rights violations around the world”. Iran, Burma, DPKR, China, Cuba, Venezuela and Zimbabwe came in for sharp criticism in [...]
