ASIA: States should commit to ensure adequate resources for Special Procedure mandates to function effectively

An Oral Statement to the 34th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Mr. President, It takes sustained efforts and resources for organisations like the ALRC to report to the Special Procedures mandates, cases of human rights violations. The expectation is, that when cases are reported, mandate holders are in a position to promptly act. Unfortunately, our experience is that all Special Procedure mandate holders face acute paucity in resources, sufficient staff members, and other facilities for them to effectively act upon the information and complaints they receive. Two concerns arise out of the current situation are: (i) despite their earnestness to […]

ASIA: Reengineer justice institutions to end infant malnutrition in Asia

An Oral Statement to the 34th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Clustered Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteurs on Environment and Right to Food Mr. President. 70% of all malnourished children live in Asia. South Asian countries comprising of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan make up more than 50% of this number. Exact figures of child malnutrition in China and Myanmar are not known due to restrictions the two states employ against independent assessments. However, available limited research findings throw China and Myanmar into the same basket of states that have neglected their future generations for decades. Countries like India […]

ASIA: Upholding Truth and Justice or Protecting Religious Freedom is impossible without capable justice institutions

An Oral Statement to the 34th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) Clustered Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteurs on Truth Justice Reconciliation and Freedom of Religion Mr. President. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to bring to the attention of this Council that irrespective of the international documents a state is party to, truth, justice, reparation and guarantee of non-recurrence is impossible at the domestic level, without functioning national justice institutions that are equipped, independent and willing to be the first line of defence to human rights violations. This principle, of having domestic institutions, also applies to guarantee freedom of […]

INDONESIA: Human rights defenders remain unprotected

A written submission to the UN Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) wishes to inform the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that the Government of Indonesia has yet to demonstrate any serious intention to protect human rights defenders (HRD’s). So far there is no specific law or regulation that undertakes the protection of human rights defenders. In the past two years there were some cases of assassinations and persecution of HRD’s. The government has yet to change its policies to protect them.

INDIA: Urge authorities to take concrete steps to arrest farmer suicides

A Written Submission to the 34th Regular Session of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) draws the attention of the Human Rights Council to the continuing problem of farmer suicides in India. The suicides have seen a spike despite authorities’ claims of measures from loan waivers to compensation for crop failures.

PAKISTAN: Persecution of Human Rights Defenders deserves effective international intervention

A Written Submission to the 34th Regular Session of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council by the Asian Legal Resource Centre The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) would like to draw the UN Human Rights Council’s attention to the threats to life facing human rights defenders in Pakistan. While arresting and torturing rights defenders is an old government tactic to silence dissent, the present enforced disappearance of social media activists is creating an atmosphere of fear and apprehension. Due to this worsening climate of fear and intimidation, many activists working for a tolerant, progressive and inclusive Pakistan have left the country, or are forced into submission.