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The report ENDING VIOLENCE and other human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity: A joint dialogue of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and United Nations was published in 2016.

On 3 November 2015, a joint dialogue on sexual orientation and gender identity was held between the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission or ACHPR), Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (Inter-American Commission or IACHR), and United Nations (UN) human rights mechanisms in Banjul, The Gambia, ahead of the 57th ordinary session of the African Commission.

The dialogue hosted by the African Commission was supported and organised by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

It built on recent developments in the African, Inter-American and UN human rights systems in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity. The dialogue allowed for interactive discussions among the three human rights systems on substantive issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity including:

• Rights to life, integrity, freedom from torture, prohibition of violence and related rights;
• Right to liberty, freedom of association and assembly, freedom of expression, human rights defenders and related rights; and
• Right to health and other economic and social rights.

This 2013 Monitoring Report on the Status of Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Middle East and North Africa was published by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR).

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Contextualizing Women’s Rights and Health Expenditure
3. Reproductive Health and Rights
4. Sexual Health and Rights
5. Voices from the Region
6. Conclusion and Recommendations

 

Economy Watch published this brief on The US Evangelical Roots of African Homophobia in October 2015.

Part I examines the high economic cost of the severe homophobia in modern African states.

Part II deals with the astonishing influence of the US right-wing evangelical movement in entrenching homophobia in the African church and state.

Economy Watch published this brief on The Hidden Cost of Homophoia in Africa in October 2015.

Part I examines the high economic cost of the severe homophobia in modern African states.

Part II deals with the astonishing influence of the US right-wing evangelical movement in entrenching homophobia in the African church and state.

The Economic Commission for Africa adopted this African Platform for Action in Dakar, Senegal in January 1995.

The document is the result of the African Regional Preparatory Conference for the 1995 World Conference on Women having taken place in Dakar in November 1994. It includes agreements on women’s participation in sustainable development and the African Common Position on the advancement of women.

 

 

The Research Division of the European Court of Human Rights published this report on the Cultural rights in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights in January 2011.

This report provides a selection of the European Court of Human Rights’ main jurisprudence in the context of cultural rights. Although neither the Convention nor the Court explicitly recognise the “right to culture” or the right to take part in cultural life, unlike other international treaties, the Court’s case-law provides interesting examples of how some rights falling under the notion of “cultural rights” in a broad sense can be protected under core civil rights, such as the right to respect for private and family life (Article 8 of the Convention), the right to freedom of expression (Article 10) and the right to education (Article 2 of Protocol No. 1).

This report on the discrimination against women in family and cultural life was submitted to the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women in Law and Practice by the Due Diligence Project in January 2015.

Table of Contents

I Introduction 1

1. Situational context 1
2. Purpose of Submission 3
3. Concepts and terminology 3

II Contributions to discourse 4

1. Due Diligence Framework and the Role of the State 4
2. Culture 5
   1. Basic premise 5
   2. Factors that influence culture 8
   3. Sites and actors 11
3. Family 16
   1. Various Forms of Family 16
   2. Rights and violations experienced within the family 19
   3. Plural legal systems 22

III. Recommendations and State Obligation 23

1. On Culture 25
2. On Family 27
3. On Plural Legal Systems 28

This report discusses the ‘due diligence’ principle and state obligation to eliminate violence against women. The ‘due diligence’ principle is now generally accepted to include an obligation of the State to prevent, protect against, prosecute, punish and provide redress for acts of violence against women (“5P’s”).

The report is divided into five sections:

• Section I sets out the definition, evolution and situational context of the due diligence principle and the definition and understanding of VAW as used here. It also briefly describes the DDP and the purpose and layout of this report.
• Section II outlines the methodology of the report and its various inputs.
• Section III introduces the Due Diligence Framework and lays out the report’s findings. Trends are identified, good practices illustrated,and recommendations made. These are organized according to five applicable areas: prevention, protection, prosecution, punishment and provision of redress. In this report, these five areas are also referred to as the ‘5P’s’.
• Conclusion
• Annex 1: Due Diligence Guidelines for State compliance for each of the ‘P’s’, as an outcome of the findings in Chapter 3.
• Annex 2: Questionnaire

This report analyses the ‘due diligence’ principle and state obligation to eliminate violence against women in the Middle East & North Africa.

The ‘due diligence’ principle is now generally accepted to include an obligation of the State to prevent, protect against, prosecute, punish and provide redress for acts of violence against women (“5P’s”).

The report is divided into four main sections:

• Section I is the introduction and it sets out the report’s purpose, scope and methodology. It provides the definition of VAW used in the report and the various forms of violence, contexts and groups of women that form the focus of the report.
• Section II probes the socio-political context of the MENA region, detailing the relevant socio-politicallegal contexts within which VAW and related State (in)action is taking place. It also elaborates on the forms of violence particularly visible in this region and the manner and extent to which the due diligence principle has unfolded within the region.
• Section III lays out the findings of the report. Trends are identified, good practices illustrated and recommendations made. These are organized according to the five areas in which the due diligence principle is applicable — prevention, protection, prosecution, punishment and provision of redress. In this report, these five areas are also referred to as the ‘5P’s’.
• Section IV closes with conclusions and reflections for future action.
• Annex I: Due Diligence Framework and GuidingPrinciples
• Annex II: Due Diligence Project Questionnaire

This report analyses the ‘due diligence’ principle and state obligation to eliminate violence against women in Europe.

The ‘due diligence’ principle is now generally accepted to include an obligation of the State to prevent, protect against, prosecute, punish and provide redress for acts of violence against women (“5P’s”).

This report is divided into four sections:

• Section I is the introduction and it sets out the report’s purpose, scope and methodology. It provides the definition of VAW used in the report and the various forms of violence, contexts and groups of women that form the focus of the report.
• Section II probes the socio-political context of the LAC region, detailing the relevant socio-political-legal contexts within which VAW and related State (in)action is taking place. It also elaborates on the forms of violence particularly visible in this region and the manner and extent to which the due diligence principle has unfolded within the region.
• Section III lays out the findings of the report. Trends are identified, good practices illustrated and recommendations made. These are organised according to the five areas in which the due diligence principle is applicable — prevention, protection, prosecution, punishment and provision of redress. In this report, these five areas are also referred to as the ‘5P’s’.
• Section IV closes with conclusions and reflections for future action.
• Annex I: Due Diligence Framework and Guiding Principles
• Annex II: Due Diligence Project Questionnaire