JBI Human Rights

Available now: JBI Human Rights Lecture "Why We Stand for Human Rights" by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

“Why We Stand for Human Rights,” delivered by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein was the third Jacob Blaustein Institute Human Rights Lecture, presented at an event in New York City.

In the lecture, available here, the High Commissioner asks “What is happening to us?” and expresses dismay about the global retreat from human rights. He criticizes a number of world leaders, including presidents of Russia and China. He cites particular alarm at rhetoric from various Western officials and responds to the remarks by the US president before the UN General Assembly. Zeid characterizes the latter speech as “One part chauvinistic nationalisms. One part balance-of-power swordplay and a crumbling adherence to law…” Recalling that “we have been here before,” the High Commissioner suggests that limiting international and domestic policy to security and sovereignty, and failing to include human rights considerations, will lead to calamitous results.

The High Commissioner concludes with a compelling response to the threats facing human rights today: “What would change the trajectory, would be the existence of a world-wide wave of popular support for universal human rights – pushing, prodding, holding their governments to the mark, and shaking-up the slumbering politicians. We must now intensify, greatly, our advocacy and expand our reach in a manner that is without precedent.”

The publication of Zeid’s lecture also contains a brief introduction by JBI Director Felice Gaer. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the lecture, please contact us at [email protected].

Groundbreaking Joint Statement Declares Abuse of Human Rights Defenders Violate Human Rights Treaties

The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, together with representatives from each international human rights treaty body, issued a joint statement at the outset of the 30^th annual meeting of Treaty Body chairs this summer, affirming that abuse and undue limitation of human rights defenders violates State party obligations delineated in the treaties. JBI’s Director, Felice Gaer, who is vice chair of the UN Committee against Torture, was one of the signatories.

The joint statement emphasizes the importance of human rights defenders in the application of the rights included within the treaties and the UN Declaration on human rights defenders, marking its 20^th anniversary. In addition, the statement affirms that all individuals should be able to engage with the UN treaty body system without risk of discrimination, reprisals, or retaliation. It includes a list of recommended measures States may adopt to ensure the protection of human rights defenders.

The full text of the joint statement can be found here.

“The Universality of Human Rights: Pragmatism Meets Idealism” by Professor Yuval Shany

“The Universality of Human Rights: Pragmatism Meets Idealism” by Professor Yuval Shany,  the second JBI Human Rights Lecture,  is now available online here.

Professor Shany explores whether the universality of human rights is fixed and beyond challenge. He confronts a number of ways in which rights may not be delivered to right holders in a uniform or universally similar form. Shany recounts some familiar arguments concerning the need to adapt to different cultures. He delves into issues of enforcement of rights including the failure of States to invest adequate financial resources to monitor rights, resulting in a lack of effective monitoring.

In an introduction to the lecture, JBI points out that while all human rights are not upheld in every situation, de facto, this does  not necessarily mean the rights themselves lack universal application or normative value. The availability and effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms (or lack thereof) for human rights obligations do not alter the universality of the rights themselves.

As with other JBI Human Rights Lectures, we encourage readers to address the questions Professor Shany raises in the framework of the ongoing effort to promote and protect human rights.

For a hard copy of the lecture, please send a request to [email protected].