Public Policy
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from public policy organizations whose goal it is to influence the debate Washington.
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World Vision International: Millions of Vulnerable Children at Risk as Governments Fail to Renew Pledges to Protect Their Rights
LONDON, England, Nov. 14 -- World Vision International issued the following news release:
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- Child rights organisations express outrage at global inaction as the UN marks the 30th anniversary of the most widely ratified international human rights treaty
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The lives of millions of vulnerable children are at risk because the majority of the world's nations have failed to renew their commitment to children's rights, six leading international child rights organisations have warned.
The agencies, represented by a coalition - Joining Forces - expressed dismay that only a handful of countries
... Show Full Article
LONDON, England, Nov. 14 -- World Vision International issued the following news release:
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- Child rights organisations express outrage at global inaction as the UN marks the 30th anniversary of the most widely ratified international human rights treaty
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The lives of millions of vulnerable children are at risk because the majority of the world's nations have failed to renew their commitment to children's rights, six leading international child rights organisations have warned.
The agencies, represented by a coalition - Joining Forces - expressed dismay that only a handful of countrieshave made concrete commitments to advance children's rights to mark the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November.
Less than half of all countries have so far adopted the "For every child, every right" global pledge to redouble action for children, at the invitation of UNICEF and the United Nations.
Worse still, less than 50 countries have submitted national pledges and almost none of the countries with the highest rates of child poverty and deprivation have made any commitments.
"There are millions of children who have been left behind," said Meg Gardinier, secretary general of ChildFund Alliance and chair of Joining Forces. "For all we have achieved since 1989, their suffering is a grave breach of the promises made to children 30 years ago. It is imperative that states work with renewed vigour and urgency to realize the rights of all children."
The six agencies urged governments to make specific policy commitments for children or pledge increased investments in areas such as education, health or social protection.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified international human rights treaty in history. It has prompted substantial investment in children's health, education and safety and the adoption of laws and policies that recognise the rights of children, particularly in areas where they are vulnerable, including labour exploitation, corporal punishment, alternative care and forced and early marriage.
However, the coalition expressed grave concern that despite extraordinary advances in the last three decades, the lives of too many children remain blighted.
Andrew Morley, President and Chief Executive Officer of World Vision International, said: "Shocking numbers continue to die from preventable causes, with millions more missing school or facing heart-breaking abuse. An estimated 12 million girls under 18 are married each year. I recently met an 8-year-old girl in East Africa who had been subjected to FGM and forced marriage. Her childhood was stolen and her future devastated. We cannot stand by and allow this atrocity to keep happening."
The Joining Forces report: A Second Revolution: 30 Years of Child Rights, and the Unfinished Agenda, showed commitments made three decades ago to protect the rights of children remain unfulfilled for millions. Violence still affects countless children. Discrimination based on age, gender, disability, sexual orientation and religion harms children worldwide.
Key factors include a lack of investment in critically important services. Most countries fall well short of spending the 5-6% of GDP needed to ensure universal coverage of essential health care. And foreign aid, which many lower income countries rely on, is falling short in areas such as health and education.
Another factor, the report said, is the lack of quality data. Governments tend to rely on data that reflects national averages, making it difficult to identify the needs of specific children and to monitor progress. Comprehensive data collection and disaggregation of data by gender, age, disability and locality, are increasingly important as rights violations disproportionally affect disadvantaged children.
Existing statistics show that poverty is still the single greatest determinant of outcomes for a child. Children in the poorest 20% of households are 40% more likely than average to die before their fifth birthday. Young children in the poorest families, as well as in rural and remote areas, are 2 to 3 times more likely to suffer stunted physical growth. And children worldwide are twice as likely as adults to live in extreme poverty.
Vietnam: Activist Facing Prison Term for Facebook Posts
BANGKOK, Thailand, Nov. 14 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release:
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- Music Teacher Shared Protest Images; Voiced Support for Political Prisoners
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The Vietnamese authorities should drop all charges against human rights activist Nguyen Nang Tinh and immediately release him, Human Rights Watch said today. A court in Nghe An is scheduled to hear his case on November 15, 2019.
Police in Nghe An province arrested Nguyen Nang Tinh on May 29, and charged him with "making, storing, disseminating or propagandizing information, materials and products that aim to oppose the
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BANGKOK, Thailand, Nov. 14 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release:
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- Music Teacher Shared Protest Images; Voiced Support for Political Prisoners
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The Vietnamese authorities should drop all charges against human rights activist Nguyen Nang Tinh and immediately release him, Human Rights Watch said today. A court in Nghe An is scheduled to hear his case on November 15, 2019.
Police in Nghe An province arrested Nguyen Nang Tinh on May 29, and charged him with "making, storing, disseminating or propagandizing information, materials and products that aim to oppose theState of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," under article 117 of the country's penal code. State-owned media announced the charges related to Facebook posts, many of which are critical of the government and Communist Party of Vietnam.
"Nguyen Nang Tinh is the latest in a long line of dissidents targeted for posting information and criticism on Facebook," said John Sifton, Asia advocacy director. "The government is abusing its penal code to lock up citizens for doing nothing more than exercising their basic right to freedom of expression."
Trials of activists and critics for Facebook comments have become a regular feature in Vietnam. In June, an environmental activist, Nguyen Ngoc Anh, was put on trial for Facebook posts criticizing the government. A court upheld his verdict in November. In late September, another dissident, Nguyen Quoc Duc Vuong, was arrested for Facebook posts criticizing the government and Communist Party.
Nguyen Nang Tinh, 43, was a music lecturer at Nghe An province's College of Culture and Art. On Facebook, he previously voiced support for political prisoners including Le Dinh Luong, Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Nguyen Van Hoa, Ho Duc Hoa, Nguyen Huu Vinh (also known as Anh Ba Sam; who completed his prison term in May 2019), and now-in-exile activists Nguyen Van Dai and Dang Xuan Dieu.
He also posted an image of a protest against a new draft law on a special economic zone, and protests against Formosa Ha Tinh Steel, a Taiwanese company that dumped toxic waste into the ocean, which caused an environmental disaster off Vietnam's central coast in April 2016. Videos on YouTube show him teaching children a song about human rights written by a former political prisoner, Vo Minh Tri (also known as Viet Khang). He has also supported the Vinh Human Development Fund, a Catholic charity, and raised money to help the poor.
After the police arrested Nguyen Nang Tinh in May, the newspaper Nghe An, a mouthpiece of the communist party's branch in Nghe An province, issued a statement about the case that made clear that the government's purpose was to frighten other casual critics into silence. The paper wrote that his posts, "Tak[e] advantage of the so-called 'freedom of speech,'... distort the guidelines and policies of the Party and the State ... distort history; smear the leaders; and infringe [upon] the people's administration and the socialist regime, with the aim to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and infringe upon the interests of the State and the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organizations...."
The article also said the arrest was a "wake-up call to other subjects who are plotting activities against the State and activities that go contrary to national interests and traditions," and "a lesson for 'netizens,'" including civil servants, to show more vigilance about what material they share and take care not to "press the like/love reactions indiscriminately."
Nguyen Nang Tinh has previously been the victim of violence by thugs - in May 2014 and November 2015 - most likely carried out by police in civilian clothes. At the first beating, uniformed police were present and did nothing to intervene.
Article 117 gives authorities wide latitude to decide what speech is intended "to oppose" the state and is often used against simple criticism of the state or communist party, in contravention to freedom of expression guarantees in Vietnam's constitution and international treaty obligations.
Nguyen Nang Tinh's trial was originally scheduled for October 17. His defense lawyer, Nguyen Van Mieng, said his team only received a 10-day advanced notice of the trial, through an October 7 phone call. The lawyers tried to visit the court and access Nguyen Nang Tinh's case file on October 11, but were kept waiting and then only allowed to view his enormous file - reportedly containing more than 1,000 pages - for one hour, with no opportunity to copy pages and could only take notes. Nguyen Nang Tinh's defense team filed a complaint with the court, asking for a postponement, which was granted. On October 13, the court rejected the lawyers' requests to copy the file, citing that the documents are state "top secret" and "utmost secret."
"The best proof that Vietnam is prosecuting Nguyen Nang Tinh for exercising his freedom of speech is that they're preventing him from making a defense," said Sifton. "It seems that for the Vietnamese government, Nguyen Nang Tinh's statements are so incendiary they must be hidden - not just from the Vietnamese people, but from his own legal team."
Concerned governments and donors, as well as Facebook and other internet companies operating in Vietnam, should speak out publicly against cases in which dissidents are imprisoned for posting material on social media, Human Rights Watch said.
"Facebook's users in Vietnam are being jailed simply for using the platform as it was intended: to communicate information and opinions to other users," Sifton said. "Concerned countries and social media companies should speak out."
PIRG Education Fund: New Study Outlines Issues, Case Studies and Remedies for U.S. Recycling Across the Country
DENVER, Colorado, Nov. 14 -- The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund issued the following news release:
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- Survey of eight states nationwide shows the pitfalls and opportunities in recycling programs
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Recycling challenges vary across the country, but, overall, states are failing to both reduce unnecessary waste and adjust to a changing recycling landscape, according to a new study from U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment America Research & Policy Center. The State Of Recycling U.S. National Survey looks at programs in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina,
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DENVER, Colorado, Nov. 14 -- The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund issued the following news release:
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- Survey of eight states nationwide shows the pitfalls and opportunities in recycling programs
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Recycling challenges vary across the country, but, overall, states are failing to both reduce unnecessary waste and adjust to a changing recycling landscape, according to a new study from U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment America Research & Policy Center. The State Of Recycling U.S. National Survey looks at programs in Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina,Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, providing case studies and insight into specific issues that plague recycling efforts nationwide.
The survey reflects on how the decision by East Asian countries to reject American waste, has impacted statewide programs. It also shows that this is only part of a larger structural problem -- and does not impact each state equally. In particular, the study addresses America's plastics recycling problem. "The hard truth is that plastics are difficult to recycle and aren't worth much. This reality means that we could only consistently afford to collect and recycle it when China and its neighbors were willing to buy it," said U.S. PIRG Education Fund President Faye Park. "Now that we have to deal with it ourselves, plastic is choking our recycling system as effectively as it chokes ocean life."
The report outlines three different directions recycling programs have gone over the past year. Oregon, Virginia and Pennsylvania were all vibrant recycling states that have shown a decline in their combined recycling and composting rates -- in part due to less international waste exports. North Carolina, Illinois and Wisconsin were not as impacted by Asian countries' policy changes, but those states have never been robust recyclers. Maryland and Minnesota continue to be strong recyclers despite shifts in the world market. Beyond offering case studies from these states, the report also suggests wide-ranging reforms necessary to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills or incinerators every year. Policies include cutting back on the amount of plastic being created, encouraging the reuse of already existing objects, and making sure that products are recycled at the end of their working life.
"It's entirely within our power to fix the system. We're just missing the necessary sense of urgency." said Carrie Katan, co-author of the report and U.S. PIRG Education Fund's Zero Waste program fellow. "It's past time to make sure that recycling, composting and waste reduction each play an important role in the fight against microplastic pollution, climate change and other environmental challenges."
Nepal: New NGO Law Should Protect Rights
NEW YORK, Nov. 14 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release:
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- Government's Recent Moves Have Restricted Activists
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The government of Nepal should ensure that forthcoming legislation to regulate social organizations protects the right to freedom of association, Human Rights Watch said. The government should hold open consultations with activists before introducing these laws.
Following previous attempts to impose draconian regulations on nongovernment organizations (NGOs), activists fear that legislation being prepared by the Home Ministry will weaken civil society,
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NEW YORK, Nov. 14 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release:
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- Government's Recent Moves Have Restricted Activists
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The government of Nepal should ensure that forthcoming legislation to regulate social organizations protects the right to freedom of association, Human Rights Watch said. The government should hold open consultations with activists before introducing these laws.
Following previous attempts to impose draconian regulations on nongovernment organizations (NGOs), activists fear that legislation being prepared by the Home Ministry will weaken civil society,including organizations defending human rights. These groups had been supervised by the Social Welfare Council, a government body established in 1992 to "co-ordinate" and "promote" social organizations. But under the current government, the Home Ministry, which is otherwise responsible for internal security and law and order, has been taking over the regulation, registration, and supervision of social organizations.
"Nongovernmental organizations need to be independent so that they can hold the government accountable, criticize policies, propose alternative ideas, and represent different points of view," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director. "The Nepal government's recent attempts to place constraints on groups rings alarm bells for democracy and human rights."
Jitbir Lama, president of NGO Federation Nepal, described activists' concerns to the Kathmandu Post, saying "We are concerned if the ministry is focusing on controlling nongovernment organizations, instead of regulating and facilitating them." Achyut Luitel, chairperson of the Association of International NGOs, warned that the government is trying to adopt "controlling measures" to restrict groups that work on human rights.
The government's 2019 International Development Cooperation Policy states that international aid mobilized through Nepali groups should be in line with government priorities, which it identifies mostly as infrastructure development.
The National Integrity Policy introduced in 2018 placed a number of onerous restrictions on activist groups and on the foreign funding that many rely on for their work. The policy requires groups to seek government permission to receive foreign grants. Once enforced, international nongovernmental organizations will be banned from doing advocacy on policy issues and from making "inappropriate allegations," "spreading ill will," or doing anything to "jeopardize the Nepali civilization, culture, social relationships and harmony." Reports that they send to their home countries must be approved by the government.
These broadly drawn prohibitions could be used to prevent a wide range of activism on issues such as human rights, corruption, and gender and caste discrimination. Since the work of all international groups must be carried out through local partner organizations, the policy severely constrains domestic organizations supported by foreign partners.
A 2018 letter from four United Nations special rapporteurs stated, among numerous concerns, that the National Integrity Policy would "severely hinder the access of funding for associations." They pointed out that even unregistered organizations are entitled to freedom of expression rights under international law and said that restrictions on activities of these groups under the policy do "not appear to pursue a legitimate objective under international human rights standards." The special rapporteurs concluded that the policy was "aimed at hindering civil society's ability to operate, especially NGOs and INGOs that are advocating for the promotion of ideas that are not shared by the Government."
In June 2018, the government also introduced a directive that all nongovernmental groups must register with Home Ministry officials in each district, include a declaration of the personal property of all officeholders, and amend their statutes to specify just one field in which they would work. Those orders were later rolled back in the face of widespread opposition and threats of legal action.
International law protects freedom of association, including through nongovernmental groups. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) holds that no restrictions may be placed on this right other than those that "are necessary in a democratic society" such as protecting public safety or the rights of others. Any limitations should not destroy or negate the essence of the rights guaranteed in the covenant.
Groups in Nepal accept that some regulation is necessary, for example with relation to financial management. While it is appropriate to regulate and scrutinize the financial affairs of not-for-profit organizations to address corruption, the Nepali government's approach unnecessarily infringes on the fundamental right of citizens to organize and campaign on issues of their choosing, Human Rights Watch said.
"The government should not be interfering with or constraining which issues organizations can work on, and should listen to activists, including critics, instead of treating them as a threat," Ganguly said. "In the past, Nepali political parties, including the one currently in office, received the support of groups that backed democracy and human rights, and all members of parliament should ensure that any new regulation is bolstering these groups instead of undermining them."
Lizzo Makes Her Australian Headline Debut in the Concert Hall This January
SYDNEY, Australia, Nov. 14 -- The Sydney Opera House issued the following news release:
The Sydney Opera House announced today that US rapper-singer-songwriter-flautist Lizzo will make her highly-anticipated Australian headline debut on the Concert Hall stage on January 6 for one night of effervescent pop featuring all the hits from her sensational, chart-topping album, Cuz I Love You.
In 2019, Lizzo (AKA Melissa Jefferson) is "the feel-good superstar everyone needs" (The Guardian). The Detroit-born breakout artist will entertain fans with an explosive stage design, soaring vocal range and uncanny
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SYDNEY, Australia, Nov. 14 -- The Sydney Opera House issued the following news release:
The Sydney Opera House announced today that US rapper-singer-songwriter-flautist Lizzo will make her highly-anticipated Australian headline debut on the Concert Hall stage on January 6 for one night of effervescent pop featuring all the hits from her sensational, chart-topping album, Cuz I Love You.
In 2019, Lizzo (AKA Melissa Jefferson) is "the feel-good superstar everyone needs" (The Guardian). The Detroit-born breakout artist will entertain fans with an explosive stage design, soaring vocal range and uncannyability to simultaneously twerk and play the flute, while advocating for body-positivity, self-care and LGBTQIA+ rights through her infectious hits.
Her remarkable year can be highlighted by her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, "Truth Hurts," sailing all the way to No. 1 and dominating for seven weeks, tying for the longest reign ever for a rap song by a female artist and garnering more than 600 million on-demand streams in the US according to Nielsen Music. Plus, her album Cuz I Love You debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and has earned one million equivalent album units in America. Lizzo's latest hit single,"Good As Hell," has already reached the Top 10 of the Hot 100 chart, thanks in part to a new remix of the track with Ariana Grande. She is also quickly approaching one billion global streams and has already more than doubled the record for the longest Hot 100 command for a rap No. 1 by a female artist unaccompanied by another act.
Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Music, Ben Marshall says: "In what must be one of the most hotly anticipated headline debuts ever, woman of the hour Lizzo will join an amazing line-up of R&B artists including Solange Knowles and Ella Mai at the Sydney Opera House this January when she brings her uplifting, never-to-be-repeated performance to the Concert Hall stage. The story of Lizzo's fierce commitment to her mighty talents and innate sense of fun and self is not only one of the most empowering arcs in modern music but is also the undeniable reason why she is the breakout pop act of 2019. This could well be the most intimate room you'll ever see Lizzo perform in, don't miss it."
Hailed by her hometown press Chicago Tribune as "modern diva star power that draws on that of Beyonce, the attitude and assertiveness of Lil Kim and the enigmatic energy and unbridled vocal intensity evoking Tina Turner", don't miss the chance to witness the popstar we need right now take to the Concert Hall stage, joining an amazing line-up of R&B contemporary music artists this January including Solange and Ella Mai.
Iraq: Security Forces Attack Medics Treating Protesters
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Nov. 14 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release:
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- Fire Teargas, Live Ammunition; Destroy Medical Tents
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Iraqi security forces have attacked medical workers for treating protesters since protests began on October 25, 2019, firing on medical workers, tents, and ambulances with teargas and live ammunition, Human Rights Watch said today. The attacks have left at least one medic dead.
"Medics have become another victim of the state's excessive force," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "These attacks show an utter disregard
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BEIRUT, Lebanon, Nov. 14 -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news release:
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- Fire Teargas, Live Ammunition; Destroy Medical Tents
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Iraqi security forces have attacked medical workers for treating protesters since protests began on October 25, 2019, firing on medical workers, tents, and ambulances with teargas and live ammunition, Human Rights Watch said today. The attacks have left at least one medic dead.
"Medics have become another victim of the state's excessive force," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "These attacks show an utter disregardfor the overriding need to ensure medical workers can do their essential job."
A Baghdad doctor told Human Rights Watch that he has seen security forces in Tahrir Square and on three Baghdad bridges fire teargas cartridges at ambulances at least five times since October 25. On October 25, they fired live ammunition that struck an ambulance, he said.
A medic working in Tahrir Square said that on October 25, at around 6:15 p.m., he was in the back of an ambulance with the doors open facing Jumhuriya Bridge, where security forces were firing teargas cartridges in the direction of the ambulance. The ambulance he was in was parked away from protesters when a teargas cartridge struck him: "Something hit my chest, it was heavy, but I could not see what it was because the ambulance filled up with smoke. Everyone in the ambulance started having a hard time breathing."
A medic in Baghdad said that on October 31, an officer on the bridge fired two teargas cartridges directly at him as he was kneeling to treat a wounded protester on the banks of the Tigris River, below Jumhuriya Bridge. He was able to shield himself, he said.
Another medic in Baghdad said he was part of a team of 20 medics working in a makeshift medical tent on Ahrar Bridge, where some protesters had been demonstrating since early November. He said that on November 6 at around 5 p.m., protesters started to climb over barriers toward security forces. He then saw hundreds of Federal Police and Anti-Riot Police, which he recognized from the marked vehicles behind them, and other forces wearing black uniforms and masks, open fire.
Some fired live bullets at their tent. He and the other medics fled, with security forces shooting at them as they ran, he said. The Federal Police chased them, detaining two medics who he said remain in detention, but he did not know if they have been charged with a crime.
A doctor who was at the tent on Ahrar Bridge at that time said that medic Abbas Ali, who was also there, had told him that Federal Police had given the team permission to provide first aid to injured protesters on the bridge. The Federal Police and the Anti-Riot Police subsequently opened fire without warning, he said, wounding several protesters. He said Ali went out to treat one of those injured.
"While Abbas was treating him, I saw him get shot in the hand," the other doctor said. "Abbas raised his hand up, trying to signal to his medical coat. Then a shot hit him in the neck. Protesters put Abbas into a tuk-tuk and then into an ambulance, and drove him to Al Kindi Hospital. I followed him there in my car, but by the time I arrived, staff there told me he had died."
Human Rights Watch reviewed footage of Ali on the ground at the bridge with a bullet wound to the neck.
In another attack, a Health Ministry worker volunteering with medics said that at around 1:30 a.m. on November 9, as clashes between protesters throwing Molotov cocktails and Anti-Riot Police escalated on Sinak Bridge, about 40 police destroyed their medical tent, equipment and medication, and then torched the tent. He said they also fired a teargas cartridge at the ambulance he was in.
Human Rights Watch reviewed footage of security forces lighting the tent on fire. On November 11, the Health Ministry worker said he went back to the area with three other medics to pick up medication they had in storage when security forces opened fire on them without warning. He said there were no protesters around them at the time of the attack.
Two medics outside of Baghdad said they had come under threat for providing medical assistance to protesters. One, a doctor in Karbala who has been donating food and money to the protesters, and providing medical treatment on the streets, said that a government representative on November 5 told him: "If you don't stop your activities, the next warning will be a bullet to your head."
The second, a Basra medic in charge of a team of eight other medics and four ambulances in Bahrya Square, said that on November 6 his team had treated at least 25 protesters with gunshot wounds when, at around 10:15 p.m., all the security forces in the square suddenly retreated. The approximately 1,000 remaining protesters started playing music, dancing, and lighting fireworks. But at 11 p.m., the medic said, a group of about 40 Interior Ministry forces from the Basra command operation appeared from inside a Provincial Council office and opened fire on the crowds.
"Four of them came up to the ambulance I was in, and two started beating me with wood sticks, and told me and my team had to leave the square immediately," the medic said. They asked why we were treating the protesters and I explained we were neutral, and were there to treat everyone, including security forces. They swore at us and made us leave but one of our ambulances was stalled and because we didn't move it, they smashed the windows and side mirrors."
He said that the security forces then opened fire on a makeshift medical tent run by Health Ministry volunteers, sending them running: "One medic in the tent at that time got shot in the back, I saw him bleeding. I begged them to let me take him and a wounded protester I saw lying on the ground in his own blood to the hospital, but they didn't. I waited there until 2 a.m. begging them to let me get help." He said he finally left when an officer threatened to arrest him and did not know what happened to the injured men.
A medic in Nasriya told Human Rights Watch that on November 10, about 600 protesters gathered near the gate of Haboby Teaching Hospital at noon. Clashes escalated between Anti-Riot Police, who were throwing stones and firing teargas cartridges at the crowd, and protesters throwing rocks back at the police.
"We were 15 medics standing a distance away from the protesters," he said. "When one teargas cartridge landed next to us, one medic put a blanket over the cartridge to stop the gas." He said that police started pushing the protesters in the direction of the medics, who went into the hospital. About 100 policemen followed the medics inside. A commander fired three bullets into the ceiling above the medics and accused them of supporting the protesters. During the clashes, police fired three teargas cartridges that landed inside the hospital, he said, damaging the windows and causing breathing problems for two female patients.
The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials forbids government security forces from using excessive force against protesters and calls on them to ensure provision of medical assistance at the earliest possible moment to anyone injured by law enforcement officials.
The Iraqi government should ensure an independent investigation into every death at the hands of security forces, with the help of international experts if necessary, Human Rights Watch said. The authorities should also investigate allegations of security forces interfering with medical services and ensure that anyone wounded has access to immediate and unimpeded care. Security force members responsible for the use of unnecessary or excessive lethal force, including commanders, should be disciplined or prosecuted as appropriate.
Countries that provide military and law enforcement training and support to Iraq should end assistance to units involved in serious human rights violations unless the authorities hold abusers accountable and curtail the abuses.
"Medical workers should not have reason to fear for their lives as they engage in heroic work in already dangerous environments," Whitson said.
Civil Rights Leaders Urge Supreme Court to Uphold Oldest Anti-Discrimination Statutes
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights issued the following news release:
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments [Nov. 13] that pit Comcast (CMCSA), America's biggest cable provider, against National Association of African American-Owned Media and Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc., and more importantly one of the Nation's oldest anti-discrimination statutes, Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
Section 1981 prohibits intentional race discrimination in contracting, and protects African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities from discrimination
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights issued the following news release:
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments [Nov. 13] that pit Comcast (CMCSA), America's biggest cable provider, against National Association of African American-Owned Media and Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc., and more importantly one of the Nation's oldest anti-discrimination statutes, Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
Section 1981 prohibits intentional race discrimination in contracting, and protects African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities from discriminationin the workplace and marketplace. The law applies to all private and public actors and prohibits retaliation. It has been one of the cornerstones of the oldest and most storied pieces of civil rights laws for over 150 years.
Comcast is asking the Supreme Court to rule that intentional race discrimination claims brought under Section 1981 should be dismissed if plaintiffs are unable to show that race was the reason behind a discriminatory action, as opposed to a reason.
Civil rights leaders urge the Supreme Court to affirm the lower court's ruling that intentional race discrimination claims under Section 1981 are viable if the plaintiff is able to show that race played a role in the challenged discriminatory decisions. A ruling by the Supreme Court requiring plaintiffs to prove that race was the but for reason of a discriminatory decision would make it nearly impossible for litigants to prevail in their cases, and would result in meritorious cases being dismissed at the earliest stages of litigation.
Leaders representing the Lawyers' Committee For Civil Rights Under law, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), NAACP, and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, submitted "friend of the court" briefs in the case pending before the Supreme Court, Comcast v. National Association of African American-Owned Media and Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc.
"This is the most important racial justice case that will be heard by the Supreme Court this term," said Kristen Clarke, president & executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "An adverse ruling by the Court stands to impose a burdensome pleading standard in Section 1981 cases that would shut the courthouse door on victims of discrimination all across the country. Section 1981 is one of the oldest civil rights statutes that provides core protection from groups otherwise beyond the reach of civil rights statutes including independent contractors and gig economy workers. The Court should reject this challenge to help ensure that victims of discrimination get their day in court and have the opportunity to be heard."
"Section 1981 is one of our nation's oldest civil rights laws, specifically intended to end racial discrimination in contracting," said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "Every person, no matter who they are or what their race, should have fair and equitable access to opportunity and economic mobility. The Supreme Court must not weaken the vital protections of this historic civil rights statute."
"All eyes should be on this critical case," said Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. "An adverse decision by the Supreme Court could imperil the integrity of section 1981 as a tool for protecting the full economic and legal rights of Black people."
"The case that sits before the Supreme Court is one of monumental importance to the protection and continuation of Black businesses and contractors, said Derrick Johnson," President and CEO, NAACP. "The attempt to turn back the clock on one of the most vital civil rights protections is a grave threat to the very fabric of the nation -- we will continue to fight so that section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 is preserved for generations to come."
Background
The case contends that both Comcast and Charter Communications violated Section 1981 after minority-owned Entertainment Studios attempted have the two cable systems carry its networks and were denied.
The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and NAACP LDF argue in their briefs that the position taken by Comcast is inconsistent with the plain text of Section 1981, and would frustrate the fundamental purpose of the provision--to place African Americans on equal footing as white citizens in our nation's economy. Comcast urges the Supreme Court to hold that Section 1981 requires "but-for" causation if there are non-racial justifications, and that the telecom company's claim should be dismissed without discovery or trial. If successful, Comcast's arguments would, in many cases, impose an impossible pleading burden on victims of discrimination and prevent them from vindicating meritorious claims.
The Lawyers' Committee brief is joined by The Leadership Conference, NAACP and over 20 other organizations and can be read here (https://bit.ly/2nwRoGR). The NAACP Legal and Educational Defense Fund's brief is joined by 10 other organizations and can be read here (https://bit.ly/2mDRnk2).
Listen to the audio from our press call for the filing of the briefs here (https://bit.ly/33AokhG).
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The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 56th year, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to "Move America Toward Justice." The principal mission of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit http://www.civilrights.org.
Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation's first civil and human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957--although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP's work and our six "Game Changer" issue areas by visiting naacp.org.
