Témoignages

IOM Builds Capacity to Combat Human Trafficking in Mauritius

2016-01-28T20:22:00Z

IOM Mauritius, in partnership with UNODC and Mauritius' Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions organized a US-funded training on combating human trafficking on 27 and 28 January in Port Louis.

Some 25 participants included representatives of the Mauritian Police Force, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare.

The training focused on victim identification, investigation and prosecution. It also discussed ways to improve coordination between government stakeholders involved in counter-trafficking activities.

Director of Public Prosecutions Satyajit Boolell opened the training, noting that are many challenges in addressing human trafficking in Mauritius. They include the need to better protect the victims and to prosecute perpetrators.

US Ambassador in Mauritius Shari Villarosa highlighted the vulnerability of minors working in the sex trade, as well as migrant workers in the textile industry.

Mauritius is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked men, women, and children. But the government is making significant efforts to comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. A strong commitment from all stakeholders is highly needed to improve the situation.

IOM Mauritius Head of Office Timon Van Lidth said: “We need as much as possible to join our competencies, resources and efforts in order to combat human trafficking effectively. The very close collaboration that has led to this training is a good example of how we can work and achieve positive results together.”

IOM Says New Witnesses Provide Further Details of Mediterranean Shipwreck Tragedy

2014-09-18T08:59:39Z

IOM Greece staff in Crete today interviewed more survivors of the deliberate shipwreck of migrants heading to Europe from Egypt.

The survivors provided corroboration that the traffickers turned violent when the 500 migrants they were escorting to Europe refused to switch to an unseaworthy boat.

The survivors told IOM Tuesday that they already had been forced to change boats three times. When they refused a fourth switch – because they felt the smaller vessel was unsafe – an violent argument ensued. The smugglers threatened that if the passengers did not board the smaller boat they would be returned to Egypt, the survivors told IOM. The migrants persisted saying they would rather return than board the smaller boat.

At this stage, according to testimony from four of six survivors, the ten smugglers, said to be Palestinian and Egyptian, began yelling and throwing sticks at the migrants.

The smuggler's vessel approached the boat with migrants some of whom managed to jump into the smaller boat. Witnesses say the smugglers forced them in the water and then rammed the bigger boat. It began to sink immediately while the smugglers stayed in the area until they were certain that the migrant's vessel had sunk, witnesses said.

“After they hit our boat they waited to make sure that it had sunk completely before leaving. They were laughing” one of the survivors told IOM.

“When the boat was first struck, one of the passengers killed himself in despair by hanging,” he added.

The survivors, women among them, included two Palestinian nationals, an Egyptian national and one Syrian. All the witnesses stated that the smugglers were Palestinian and Egyptian nationals.

The two Palestinian survivors in Crete said their voyage began hopefully at what they called a “travel” office in Gaza, which made arrangements to get them to Italy. The cost of travel for each migrant was US$2000, paid in advance. The survivors said they had received grants to rebuild their homes and used that to pay the smugglers. The migrants were advised by the “travel” office to be in a particular spot in Egypt so that they could travel onwards by boat.

According to their statements, they arrived separately at the rendezvous in Egypt where four buses waited to take them to the Port of Damietta near Alexandria. The survivors estimated that each bus contained up to 100 persons. At the port they boarded a ship, which they estimated was 15-18 metres long with migrants already aboard.

“When we got to the port to board it looked like the ship was already half full,” the witness said.

The Captain did a headcount, and without including minors under 10 years old, counted 400-450 migrants. Based on this testimony IOM believes that up to 100 children may have been aboard and are lost at sea.

According to witnesses testimony the ship had two decks with 300 people below and 200 on the upper deck. They were at sea for four days and had to change to smaller vessels three times. Witnesses stated that the 300 people who were in the lower deck were trapped and drowned immediately. The survivors say they watched as those thrown in the water clung to each other trying to stay alive.

“The rest of us linked arms in a circle so that no one else would be lost,” a survivor told IOM in Crete.

Several managed to stay above the water for up to three days. But on the third day the weather changed: strong winds and waves swept the area and people began to disappear under the water.

Sometime later a freighter picked up nine survivors. Seven of these, including a 2 year-old girl were flown by a Greek military helicopter to hospital in Crete. One of the survivors perished and a girl remains in critical condition.

Survivors in Crete have provided the authorities' information on the criminal gangs to the Greek Coastguard.

Gambia: President Should Reject Homophobic Law

africanpressorganization — 2014-09-11T08:13:57Z

President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia should not sign a new Criminal Code amendment that would increase the punishment for “aggravated homosexuality” to life in prison, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today. The measure would further add to the climate of fear for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people in Gambia.

Several provisions of the law violate international human rights law and amount to persecution on the basis of real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Sections of the law are similar to the harsh homophobic legislation that was annulled in August 2014 in Uganda.

“President Jammeh should not approve this profoundly damaging act that violates international human rights law,” said Stephen Cockburn, deputy regional Director for West and Central Africa director at Amnesty International. “Gambia's National Assembly and the President should not endorse state-sponsored homophobia.”

The National Assembly passed the bill for the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 2014 on August 25.The president has 30 days from that date to sign the law or return it to the National Assembly for further review.

Consensual sex between same-sex adults is already a crime in Gambia, in violation of international human rights law. However, the proposed amendment introduces even harsher sentences for those suspected of being lesbian, bisexual or gay.

The charge of “aggravated homosexuality” carries a life sentence. The charge is vaguely worded and could enable wide-ranging abuses by the authorities. Among those who could be charged with “aggravated homosexuality” and imprisoned for life are “repeat offenders” and people living with HIV who are suspected to be gay or lesbian.

“This new law will only heap further stigma on people who are already marginalized and living in a climate of deep fear and hate in Gambia,” said Graeme Reid, LGBT rights director at Human Rights Watch.

President Jammeh has made numerous public statements attacking LGBTI rights, including at the United Nations General Assembly in 2013, where he declared: “Those who promote homosexuality want to put an end to human existence, it is becoming an epidemic and we Muslims and Africans will fight to end this behavior.” In February, he stated, “We will fight these vermin called homosexuals or gays the same way we are fighting malaria-causing mosquitoes – if not more aggressively.”

In May, President Jammeh threatened Gambians seeking asylum as a result of discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation, telling the African news service APA, “If I catch them I will kill them.”

In 2012, the authorities arrested 18 men and two women during a raid on a nightclub. They were charged with attempting to commit “unnatural acts” and “conspiracy to commit a felony.” Their pictures and names were displayed in the newspapers. The charges against them were eventually dropped due to lack of evidence.

In May, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights adopted a resolution on the Protection against Violence and other Human Rights Violations against Persons on the basis of their real or imputed Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity. The resolution condemned “the situation of systematic attacks by State and non-state actors against persons on the basis of their imputed or real sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Pillay urges review of Egyptian laws and judicial procedures after latest “shocking” conviction of Al Jazeera journalists

africanpressorganization — 2014-06-24T06:00:13Z

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said she was “shocked and alarmed” by the verdicts and heavy jail sentences of between 7 and 10 years handed down to three Al Jazeera journalists on Monday, as well as 11 other defendants who were tried in absentia.

While noting that they are subject to appeal, Pillay said the Al Jazeera verdicts, along with Saturday's confirmation by an Egyptian court of the death penalty for 183 Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters convicted in an earlier mass trial, are the latest in a string of prosecutions and court proceedings that have been “rife with procedural irregularities and in breach of international human rights law.”

The High Commissioner expressed her alarm at the increasingly severe clampdown and physical attacks on both media and civil society activists in Egypt, which is hampering their ability to operate freely.

“I am particularly concerned about the role of the judicial system in this clampdown,” she said.

“Harassment, detention and prosecution of national and international journalists, including bloggers, as well as violent attacks by unidentified assailants, have become commonplace,” she added, noting that at least six journalists have been killed in Egypt since August 2013. “Media employees trying to carry out their work in Egypt are now confronted by an extremely difficult and dangerous environment. They should be protected not prosecuted.”

“The charges levelled against the journalists, which include harming national unity and social peace, spreading false reports, and membership of a ‘terrorist organization,' are far too broad and vague, and therefore reinforce the belief that the real target is freedom of expression,” Pillay said. She noted that charges based on Egypt's anti-terrorism law have also been used to bring convictions in a number of other trials, including the two mass trials of more than 1,100 people in Minya earlier in the year that led to at least 220 people being handed death sentences, including the 183 whose death sentences were confirmed on Saturday.

“I believe these mass trials and death penalty convictions are obscene, and a complete travesty of justice,” the High Commissioner said.

Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a binding treaty that Egypt ratified in 1982, states that ‘Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.'

“It is not a crime to carry a camera, or to try to report various points of views about events,” Pillay said. “It is not a crime to criticize the authorities, or to interview people who hold unpopular views. Journalists and civil society members should not be arrested, prosecuted, beaten up or sacked for reporting on sensitive issues. They should not be shot for trying to report or film things we, the public, have a right to know are happening.”

The High Commissioner urged the Egyptian authorities to promptly release all journalists and other media employees imprisoned for carrying out legitimate news reporting activities, including Mohamed Fahmy, Peter Greste and Bahar Mohamed, the three journalists who were convicted and sentenced on Monday.

“It is the State's obligation to ensure that the right to freedom of expression is respected, and that journalists are able to report on diverse views and issues surrounding the current situation in Egypt,” she said. “Crushing media reporting will only hinder Egypt's efforts to come through this period of social and political turmoil.”

In the light of the succession of highly contentious trials, especially those resulting in the mass imposition of the death penalty, Pillay urged the Government to review the laws on which the trials were based, and in particular the Anti-terrorism Law and the so-called Protest Law, which, since its promulgation in November 2013, has been used to arrest and convict dozens of protesters, including political activists.

“In addition to journalists, several prominent activists have been harshly sentenced in court proceedings that generally fell far short of key international standards for fair trials,” the High Commissioner said, citing the cases of Ahmed Maher, Mohamed Adel and Ahmed Douma, whose convictions, three-year jail sentences and heavy fines were upheld by an appeal court on 7 April. She also pointed to the 11 June conviction and sentencing of a further 25 Egyptian activists, including Alaa Abdelfattah, Ahmed Abdel Rahman and Wael Metwally to 15 years imprisonment and 100,000 Egyptian pound fines, with a further five years of police surveillance after their release. More civil society activists and protestors, including Abdelfattah's sister, Sanaa Seif, were arrested at the weekend.

Pillay, a former international judge, also called on Egypt's judicial establishment to conduct a review of the handling of these and other cases. “Egypt's reputation, and especially the reputation of its judiciary as an independent institution, are at stake,” she said. “There is a risk that miscarriage of justice is becoming the norm in Egypt.”

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ —

Swaziland: UN experts condemn continued detention and trial of human rights defenders

africanpressorganization — 2014-06-15T10:52:37Z

A group of United Nations human rights experts today expressed serious concerns at the arrest, detention and prosecution of human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko and the editor-in-chief of The Nation magazine Bheki Makhubu in Swaziland.

“We condemn the repeated arrests, detention and trial of Mr. Maseko and Mr. Makhubu and are concerned that these may be directly related to their legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression,” the experts said, noting that the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland recognises the rights to freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial.

Both men were arrested on 17 and 18 March 2014 respectively on charges of criminal contempt of the court for publishing articles in The Nation magazine which questioned the circumstances and rationale of a case pending before the High Court of Swaziland. They were detained after a summary proceeding in the Chief Justice's chambers and were remanded in prison for seven days without appearing before an open court, contrary to the provisions of Swaziland's Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act.

Mr. Maseko and Mr. Makhubu were released on 6 April following a High Court judgment by Judge Mumcy Dlamini who set aside the initial warrant for their arrest as unconstitutional, unlawful and irregular. They were shortly re-arrested after the Chief Justice lodged an appeal to overturn the High Court judgment. For the past two months, the two men have remained detained at the provisional detention centre of Sidwashini in Mbabane, the capital city of Swaziland.

“The detention and trial of Mr. Maseko and Mr. Makhubu for their exercise of the right to express their opinion on a court case runs contrary to Swaziland's international human rights obligations, in particular under article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” said the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue.

“Criminal sanctions, in particular imprisonment, for alleged libel or defamation are not proportional to the effective exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression,” he noted.

“At a time when the space for human rights defenders is visibly shrinking, we need to be very vigilant with respect to any case where imprisonment may be directly related to individuals' work in defence of human rights,” added the new Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Michel Forst.

“The right to defend human rights includes the right freely to publish, impart or disseminate views and information on all human rights and fundamental freedoms both in law and in practice,” Mr. Forst said.

Human rights expert Mads Andenas, who currently heads the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, appealed to the Government of Swaziland to “take all necessary measures to guarantee their right not to be deprived arbitrarily of their liberty and their right to fair proceedings before an independent and impartial tribunal.”

The Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul noted that Maseko, as a lawyer, “has the right to take part in public discussions of matters concerning the law and the administration of justice.” “I am also concerned about allegations of lack of due process in the trials of these two men,” she said.

The experts expressed concern that, according to information provided to them, arrest warrants were issued on 16 May for three High Court judges, including High Court Judge Dlamini, for allegedly bringing the High Court into disrepute.

“The independence of the judiciary is a fundamental democratic principle and judges must be protected against any restrictions, improper influence, pressures, threats or interferences, direct or indirect, from any quarter, for any reason,” Ms. Knaul added.

The experts urged the authorities of Swaziland to uphold the independence of the judiciary and ensure that judicial proceedings are conducted fairly and in accordance with the State's international human rights obligations.

“We also call on the authorities to take immediate measures to ensure everyone's right to freedom of opinion and expression and to respect the work of human rights defenders,” they added.

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ —

Migrant Boat Arrivals in Italy Top 50,000: IOM Calls for Action

africanpressorganization — 2014-06-12T09:53:30Z

IOM Director General William Lacy Swing today called for urgent international action and intensified cooperation following the arrival of over 5,470 migrants by boat in Sicily over the weekend. Over 50,000 migrants and asylum seekers have now reached Italy from North Africa in 2014.

The most recent rescues included 200 migrants picked up in international waters off Malta by a US naval vessel and another 107 picked up by a Maltese merchant ship. During the rescue operations, two migrants reportedly died and three went missing.

While Operation Mare Nostrum – carried out since last October by the Italian Government – has saved thousands of lives, deaths at sea are continuing. Last month, an unknown number of migrants died and 17 bodies were recovered after a shipwreck on May 13th.

“The tragedy of migrants drowning at sea is unfortunately a global phenomenon, not just a Mediterranean emergency,” said Ambassador Swing. “For example, over 60 migrants coming from Somalia and Eritrea died a few days ago while trying to cross the Red Sea to Yemen.”

“Migrants risk their lives because they are desperate and become victims of criminals who take advantage of their desperation. There is an urgent need to increase international cooperation to crack down on traffickers and smugglers, who must be identified and prosecuted,” underlines the IOM Director General.

“The unnecessary deaths of these migrants and asylum seekers is an affront to all civilized nations,” said Ambassador Swing. “I offer my condolences to the families of the victims and call for urgent measures to make these tragedies a thing of the past.”

“The international community must develop a more comprehensive approach to protect migrants and uphold human dignity. No single action is enough to address the root causes of these mixed migration flows, but lives will be saved if action is taken now to help both migrants and countries during the entire length of the migratory route,” notes Swing.

To this effect, IOM is calling for a high level debate on mixed migratory flows that could bring together countries of destination, of origin and transit and all concerned actors and partners along the Mediterranean routes to Europe.

“We need to urgently look at a comprehensive range of actions that we can take together to prevent further loss of life. These include the enhancement of legal avenues for migrants seeking better prospects in Europe and the establishment of various mechanisms and measures in countries of transit in north Africa to provide migrants and asylum seekers in need of protection with opportunities to receive legal counselling,” said Mr. Swing.

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ —

WHO Disease Outbreak News on Ebola virus disease, West Africa – update

africanpressorganization — 2014-06-10T06:33:25Z

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — WHO Disease Outbreak News on Ebola virus disease, West Africa – update

Guinea

Between 2 and 3 June 2014, 11 new cases (8 confirmed, 1 probable and 2 suspected) and 3 new deaths were reported from Conakry (7 new cases and 1 death), Gueckedou (2 new cases and 1 death), Telimele (1 new case and 0 deaths), and Boffa (1 new case and 1 death). This brings the cumulative total number of cases and deaths attributable to Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Guinea to 344 (207 confirmed, 81 probable, and 56 suspected cases) including 215 deaths. The geographical distribution of these cases and deaths is as follows: Conakry, 65 cases and 27 deaths; Gueckedou, 193 cases and 143 deaths; Macenta, 44 cases and 26 deaths; Dabola, 4 cases and 4 deaths; Kissidougou, 7 cases and 5 deaths; Dinguiraye, 1 case and 1 death; Telimele, 23 cases and 5 deaths; and Boffa, 7 cases and 4 deaths. In terms of isolation, 31 patients are currently hospitalized – 6 in Conakry, 9 in Gueckedou, 15 in Telimele, and 1 in Boffa. The number of contacts currently being followed-up countrywide is 987 distributed as follows: Conakry, 329 contacts; Gueckedou, 323 contacts; Macenta, 176 contacts; Telimele, 104 contacts; and Boffa, 55 contacts.

Sierra Leone

Between 2 and 5 June 2014, 9 new suspected cases were reported bringing the total number of EVD clinical cases to 81 (31 confirmed, 3 probable, and 47 suspected), including 6 deaths. Kailahun district is the epicentre of the outbreak in Sierra Leone. Eleven cases are currently in isolation at Kenema Hospital. The number of contacts currently being followed-up is 30. Community resistance is hindering the identification and follow-up of contacts.

Liberia

There have been no new confirmed cases since 6 April 2014. Eleven contacts (5 health-care workers and 6 community relatives) are currently being followed-up. These contacts are of the probable case from nearby Kailahun, Sierra Leone who died in Foya, Liberia. The dead body was taken back to Kailahun for burial.

The total number of cases is subject to change due to reclassification, retrospective investigation, consolidation of cases and laboratory data and enhanced surveillance.

WHO response

WHO and partners continue to support the implementation of preventive and control measures in affected countries. Six experts and over 5,000 PPEs have been deployed to Sierra Leone to support the response operations.

WHO also supported Sierra Leone in developing proposals which were submitted to CERF ($238,000) and OCHA Emergency Fund (about $50,000) and DFID (£200,000). A joint WHO/HQ and AFRO mission provided support to Guinea on reviewing the outbreak response operations. The total estimated budget for Sierra Leone's EVD outbreak response is about US $1.8 million. On 3 June 2014, WHO facilitated a cross-border collaboration meeting between Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. They agreed to reinforce cross-border surveillance and harmonize social mobilization communication tools to address community resistance.

WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Guinea, Liberia, or Sierra Leone based on the current information available for this event.

Fisheries: Urgent action needed on overfishing, pollution and climate change

africanpressorganization — 2014-06-10T04:49:13Z

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva opened a meeting of the world's only inter-governmental forum on fisheries and aquaculture issues, calling for urgent action to address climate change and other threats to sustainable fisheries and fish stocks.

FAO's Committee on Fisheries (COFI) opened its 9-13 June session to address a range of issues related to the long-term well-being of marine and inland fisheries and aquaculture and potential action by governments, regional fishery bodies, NGOs, fish workers and other actors in the international community.

Saying that fisheries and aquaculture make a “central contribution to food security and nutrition,” Graziano da Silva added that sustainable development in the world's island and coastal states was especially dependent on the “vitality of oceans and fish stocks.”

“Overfishing, pollution and climate change are putting this vitality at risk. The impacts are already evident. And the world's poor, in rural and coastal areas, are among the most affected,” said Graziano da Silva.

“I want to stress the urgency of individual and collective action to address climate change, one of the most pressing challenges the world faces today,” he said, adding that FAO was making it a priority in its work to improve sustainable development through its Blue Growth Initiative.

The Director-General pointed out that fisheries and aquaculture were the sources of 17 percent of the animal protein consumed in the world and up to 50 percent in some Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Asian countries. They were also central to the livelihoods of some of the most vulnerable families in the world.

“The livelihoods of 12 percent of the world's population depend on this sector. In particular, small-scale fisheries are the source of employment for more than 90 percent of the world's capture fishers and fish workers, about half of whom are women,” he said.

“At the same time that small-scale fishers supply most of the fish consumed in the developing world, many of their families are food-insecure themselves. This is a paradox that we are working together to overcome,” he said, stressing that small-scale fishers were an integral part of efforts to improve sustainability and food security.

International forum

The Director-General joined Johan Williams, Chairperson of COFI's 31st Session, in welcoming ministers in charge of fisheries or agriculture and rural development from Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, the Republic of Guinea, Indonesia, Mali and Sri Lanka. Participants also included vice-ministers, deputy ministers and state ministers from Azerbaijan, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Maldives, Namibia, Peru, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Among other issues, participants were to consider endorsement of two key sets of voluntary guidelines designed to improve sustainability and responsible fisheries conduct, respectively: the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries and the Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance.

They were also to discuss progress in the implementation of the landmark Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and related instruments for international cooperation on fisheries.

ROME, Italy, June 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)

First UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi Heralds New Era in Global Efforts to Address Environmental Sustainability

africanpressorganization — 2014-06-08T13:04:23Z

The First UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) will convene in Nairobi, Kenya, from 23 to 27 June 2014. This marks a historic milestone in UNEP's 43-year history and is expected to be attended by high-level delegations from over 160 UN Member and Observer States.

NAIROBI, Kenya, June 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other High-Level Representatives from 160 UN Member and Observer States, UN Heads of Agencies, Business and Civil Society Set to participate

UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the President of the UN General Assembly, Ministers of Environment and Foreign Affairs and Chief Executives of a number of international organisations are set to attend the newly-established UNEA that will bring together over 1,200 high-level participants from government, business and civil society.

UNEA is the newly constituted UN high-level platform for decision making on environment that is tasked to chart a new course in the way the international community addresses environmental sustainability challenges. More than 80 Ministers, Vice-Ministers, Secretaries of State as well as heads of international convention secretariats have confirmed their attendance, so far.

UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Mr. Achim Steiner, said, “The convening of the first UNEA session in Nairobi – home of UNEP and the often referred to environment capital of the world – represents a coming-of-age for the global environment community. For the first time, all 193 members of the UN, plus Observer States and major stakeholders, will be represented in the new assembly—thereby bestowing upon UNEA a new level of representation, legitimacy and authority.”

“A broad range of actors from the world of economy, finance, social sciences, legislation, the judiciary and development are also due to participate to help shape the global environment agenda, under the stewardship of UNEA. The issues facing this first session of UNEA are weighty ones which require the voices of all member states and partners to be heard.”

“Now more than ever, it has become increasingly clear that the dichotomy between environmental sustainability and economic and social development should be overcome through the careful management of natural resources as the keystone of a prosperous and stable society. In this new forum, UNEP and its partners will be able to provide governments and other policymakers with the science, policy options and platform, for international cooperation to more effectively address the environmental dimension of sustainable development,” he added.

For Kenya, the host country of UNEP's headquarters for over four decades, the convening of UNEA in its capital city of Nairobi marks another milestone in this pioneering partnership.

Ambassador Martin Kimani, Kenya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said, “Kenya is ready to welcome the world's leading environmentalists and world experts, working in all areas related to sustainable development to UNEA in June. Our country has made immense strides in building a Green Economy – observe our cutting edge geothermal developments and the high percentage of our GDP from nature tourism.”

“The success of UNEA and UNEP are high in our priorities. Kenya is taking every measure to ensure the success of this landmark event. We are inviting delegates from around the world to actively participate in this historic moment and make their contributions to the assembly in a safe and friendly city that is rolling out every welcome to them,” he said.

As the new governing body of UNEP as well as the world's Environment Assembly, UNEA has the mandate to make strategic decisions and provide political guidance in the work of UNEP, and promote a strong science-policy interface.

The first UNEA session is expected to deliver a series of outcomes that would spell out concrete actions to address the key environmental challenges discussed at UNEA. Where appropriate, UNEA may also recommend draft resolutions for adoption at the United Nations General Assembly for UN system-wide action.

At UNEA's high-level segment – held under the slogan A Life of Dignity for All — Ministers and international leaders will gather to address two key sustainable development and environment topics of current international concern, namely:

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including sustainable consumption and production; and

• The illegal trade in wildlife to address the escalation in poaching and surge in related environmental crime.

To complement the Ministerial discussions, UNEA will also see the convening of two Symposia that address two key aspects of environmental sustainability:

• The environmental rule of law through the gathering of leading representatives of the international judicial community, including Chief Justices, Attorney Generals and Judges. More information is available at: http://www.unep.org/unea/erl.asp

• The role of Finance in the Green Economy by bringing to Nairobi and UNEA, leaders from the world of business, finance and industry. More information is available at: http://www.unep.org/unea/financing_green_economy.asp

The UNEA deliberations will conclude with a High-Level Segment led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President of the General Assembly John Ashe. It will comprise a: strategic briefing on the state of the environment by UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner; ministerial plenaries on Sustainable Development Goals, including Sustainable Consumption and Production, and the illegal trade in wildlife.

During the UNEA week, more than 40 special and side events, fora, and high level dialogues, will take place at UNEP's headquarters, covering a range of issues, such as: climate change, gender and the environment, green jobs, air quality, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the sound management of chemicals, among other topics.

Navi Pillay : Morocco is undergoing an important transition

africanpressorganization — 2014-05-30T08:53:02Z

Opening remarks by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay at a press conference in Rabat, Morocco, 29 May 2014.

Good morning and thank you for joining us here today.

As you know, this is my first official visit to Morocco as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. I would like to thank His Majesty King Mohamed VI for his invitation and for all the courtesies and hospitality that I have enjoyed over the past three days. I have had an audience with His Majesty the King and met with the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Justice and Freedoms, Interior, and the Inter-Ministerial Delegatation for Human Rights. I also met with the Speakers of both Houses of Parliament, a number of women judges, members of the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, as well as civil society representatives.

The purpose of my visit was to deepen the cooperation between my Office and the Government of Morocco and to gain a better understanding of the current human rights situation in the country.

In the 13 years since the last visit to this country by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Morocco has clearly made great strides towards the better promotion and protection of human rights. The Equity and Reconciliation Commission, established in 2004 to investigate past human rights violations, served as a catalyst for many of the wide-ranging human rights reforms that have taken place since.

Among these reforms is the 2011 Constitution of Morocco, a progressive constitution which gives primacy to international conventions. A number of key independent national institutions have also been strengthened, including the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) and the Ombudsman. Several members of the opposition, previously political detainees, are now a part of the Government, and the creation of the Inter-Ministerial Delegation on Human Rights is also a welcome development. All of these positive changes, coupled with Morocco's vibrant civil society, have resulted in a broad range of human rights issues being aired and addressed.

Several other key reforms, including legislation that will enable the enforcement of the rights set out in the Constitution, remain pending either in the executive or legislative arenas. As such, many of the promising protections under the Constitution have yet to be translated into reality for the people of Morocco.

The package of draft laws on gender equality and gender-based violence, on military justice and on judicial reform should all be swiftly presented in parliament. I understand that the military justice reform package is due to be considered by the parliamentary Chamber of Representatives shortly. I also urge the authorities to promptly adopt the national plan for democracy and human rights, formulated by the CNDH more than two years ago. The promised draft law on the press should also be expedited. In all of these areas there are high expectations about the positive impact of reforms, but these cannot be met until the laws are promulgated.

In other cases, where new laws to protect human rights have been enacted, implementation and enforcement need to be more robust.

For example, we have received reports that exceptions are often granted by judges to the age limit of 18 years in the law on early marriages in contravention of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Civil society organisations have also complained that the law on registration is not consistently applied – and this is particularly the case in Western Sahara, where administrative delays and other tactics are reportedly used to obstruct registration for some organisations.

Much work also remains to be done to engender the culture of respect for human rights among all institutions of the State, in Morocco and Western Sahara, including among judicial officers, law enforcement and corrections officers and administrative officials at the national, regional and local levels.

Old habits and harmful traditional practices can never justify violations of human rights and should not trump international law and Morocco's own Constitution and laws.

In this context, both the Special Rapporteur on Torture, who visited Morocco and Western Sahara in 2012, and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which visited in December 2013, expressed concern over the use of torture and ill-treatment as well as the admissibility in court of confessions obtained under torture or other ill-treatment. The UN Committee Against Torture has also addressed similar, serious concerns to the Government of Morocco.

His Majesty King Mohamed VI informed me that he will not tolerate torture, although he could not rule out that there are isolated cases. Other officials acknowledged that torture was not State policy but that “bad habits” will take time to eradicate. Measures, including the installation of CCTV in police stations and training for officers, have been proposed.

The litmus test of such commitments is accountability. Impunity is the most powerful fuel for human rights violations. But a single high-level prosecution of perpetrators of torture or ill-treatment will send a big signal to State officials and the wider public that Morocco will, in deed, not tolerate the use of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Allegations of torture must, without fail, be immediately investigated and evidence obtained under duress must be excluded, as clearly required by international and Moroccan law. The case of the 21 prisoners of Gdiem Izik is one such case, in need of thorough investigation.

I was pleased to hear that the Optional Protocol on the Convention Against Torture has been ratified by the Government and parliament and I look forward to Morocco's swift completion of the formalities and the establishment of the National Preventative Mechanism required by the Optional Protocol.

Reports of the excessive use of force by law enforcement officers are also of concern.

Demonstrations in Morocco take place regularly, without incident, including during my visit. However there are instances where law enforcement officials have allegedly used excessive force against peaceful protestors. In one such incident, on 2 August 2013 in Rabat, police beatings were reportedly caught on video. These must be investigated.

Grave allegations have also been made on violence against sub-Saharan migrants by Moroccan law enforcement officials. These allegations must also be thoroughly investigated and the authorities should ensure respect for the fundamental rights of sub-Saharan migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

While freedom of expression is generally respected in Morocco, it is disturbing that journalists and bloggers are targeted and subject to fines, withdrawal of registration and even imprisonment on allegedly trumped up charges for airing sensitive issues. The case of Ali Anouzla is an example of the application of the overly broad anti-terrorism legislation to penalise free expression.

In preparation for my visit, a technical team from my office visited Western Sahara and briefed me on the human rights situation. I have raised both the progress that has been made and human rights concerns in the region during my meetings here in Rabat.

My team witnessed first-hand the development projects and enormous investment made by the State in economic, social and cultural spheres. However, when it came to the exercise of freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, they noted a heightened scrutiny by the State, which is hampering the full enjoyment of these rights. I strongly encourage the Government to ensure that human rights and fundamental freedoms are equally protected in Morocco and Western Sahara.

I welcome the invitations that have been extended to UN independent human rights experts to visit Western Sahara, to enable them to provide advice and technical expertise towards better human rights protection in the Territory.

The role played by the regional commissions of the CNDH in Western Sahara is encouraging. For the CNDH to be able to effectively promote and protect human rights in Western Sahara, it needs the full support of local and national authorities who must reply promptly to complaints. My office stands ready to provide assistance in these areas, through technical assistance and capacity building, for the regional commissions of the CNDH.

Morocco is undergoing an important transition and is setting high standards through its Constitution and laws. In my exchanges with the authorities, including His Majesty King Mohamed VI and various ministers, it was clear that there is the political will at the highest levels to continue efforts to set a firm human rights foundation for Moroccan society. My office looks forward to supporting Morocco in vigilantly ensuring that these high standards are realised through the protection of human rights for all, including in Western Sahara.