Thursday, July 6, 2017

GENEVA (6 July 2017) - Portugal, Burundi and Uruguay are among the countries that the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) will visit in 2017 to assess the treatment of people deprived of their liberty, as well as the measures taken for their protection against torture and ill-treatment.

Under the SPT’s mandate, members may make unannounced visits to any places where people are or may be deprived of their liberty, including prisons, police stations, centres for migrants, security services, interrogation facilities and psychiatric hospitals. In addition, the SPT provides advice to national authorities on the establishment of national detention monitoring bodies, known as National Preventive Mechanisms (NPM). It also cooperates and assists the NPMs on their functioning.

During its June session, the SPT has also decided to add Bosnia and Herzegovina to the list of countries that have failed to establish their NPM within four years of ratification, which is a serious violation of their obligations under the OPCAT. Considering that Lebanon has recently adopted legislation to establish its NPM, the SPT decided to remove Lebanon from this list, which is now currently composed of 14 States: Argentina, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nauru, Nigeria, Panama and the Philippines. The list is public on the SPT website at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/OPCAT/Pages/Article17.aspx

In the coming months, the SPT will also visit: Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Morocco, Panama, Rwanda, and Spain, after having already visited Niger, Hungary, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bolivia earlier this year.

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Joao Nataf, SPT Secretary, Human Rights Treaty Division: + 41 (0) 22 917 9102/jnataf@ohchr.org

For media inquiries, please contact:

Nicoleta Panta, +41 (0) 22 /917 9310/npanta@ohchr.org

Background:

The SPT’s role is to prevent and eliminate torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment of detainees, and it has a mandate to visit all States that are parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT).

The OPCAT is a unique international human rights treaty which assists States to prevent torture and other forms of ill-treatment.

The Optional Protocol on the Prevention of Torture has to date been ratified by 83 countries. The SPT communicates its recommendations and observations to the State by means of a confidential report, and if necessary to National Preventive Mechanisms. However, State parties are encouraged to request that the SPT makes these reports public. More about the SPT: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/OPCAT/Pages/OPCATIndex.aspx

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Peru: First official visit by UN expert group on business and human rights

English version, see below
Vea abajo la versión en inglés

Perú: primera visita oficial del grupo de expertos de la ONU sobre las empresas y los derechos humanos

GINEBRA (6 de julio de 2017) – El Grupo de Trabajo de las Naciones Unidas sobre Empresas y Derechos Humanos realizará su primera visita oficial al Perú del 10 al 19 de julio para evaluar los esfuerzos para prevenir y hacer frente a los impactos de las operaciones comerciales sobre los derechos humanos.

“El Perú tiene una riqueza de recursos naturales en agricultura, pesca, petróleo, gas y minería. De hecho, se encuentra entre los 10 países más ricos en minerales del mundo, con muchas de las grandes multinacionales mineras operando en el país”, señaló Michael K. Addo, uno de los miembros del grupo de expertos.

“Esperamos conocer las medidas adoptadas por el Gobierno y por las propias empresas para prevenir y abordar las violaciones de los derechos humanos resultantes de las actividades empresariales, así como las intenciones de elaborar un Plan Nacional de Acción sobre empresas y derechos humanos”, agregó el Sr. Addo.

Los expertos de la ONU evaluarán cómo el Gobierno peruano y las empresas están cumpliendo con sus obligaciones y responsabilidades en materia de derechos humanos en virtud de los Principios Rectores de las Naciones Unidas sobre las Empresas y los Derechos Humanos. Estos principios proporcionan un marco autoritativo para prevenir y abordar los riesgos e impactos negativos de las actividades empresariales sobre los derechos humanos y para garantizar que las víctimas tengan acceso a mecanismos de reparación eficaces.

“Acogemos con gran satisfacción la invitación del Gobierno a realizar esta visita, que esperamos ayude a promover el respeto de los derechos humanos por parte de las empresas”, dijo Dante Pesce, otro miembro de la delegación del Grupo de Trabajo.

“Además de abordar el tema con el Gobierno, incluidos los ministerios en las áreas de economía, finanzas y energía, nos reuniremos con una serie de actores de la sociedad civil, defensores de derechos humanos y sindicalistas, así como representantes de empresas y asociaciones empresariales, incluidas las empresas estatales, nacionales y multinacionales”, dijo.

“Prestaremos especial atención a la situación de los pueblos indígenas y los conflictos sociales en el contexto de la extracción de recursos naturales, así como a factores que pueden hacer que algunos grupos sean más vulnerables a los abusos de los derechos humanos”, agregó el Sr. Pesce.

Durante su visita al Perú, los expertos se reunirán en Lima y en las regiones de Loreto, Cajamarca, Cusco y Apurímac.

Al final de su misión el miércoles 19 de julio a las 12:00, los expertos ofrecerán unaconferencia de prensa para compartir las observaciones preliminares de su visita. Se celebrará en el Centro de Información de las Naciones Unidas, Complejo Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Av. Pérez Araníbar 750, Magdalena, Lima. El acceso estará estrictamente limitado a los periodistas.

El Grupo de Trabajo presentará un informe completo de sus conclusiones y recomendaciones en un informe oficial al Consejo de Derechos Humanos en junio de 2018.

FIN
El Grupo de Trabajo sobre empresas y derechos humanos fue establecido por el Consejo de Derechos Humanos de la ONU en junio de 2011. Sus miembros actuales son: el Sr. Michael Addo, el Sr. Surya Deva (actual Presidente), el Sr. Dante Pesce, el Sr. Pavel Sulyandziga, y la Sra. Anita Ramasastry actual Vicepresidente).

El Grupo de Trabajo forma parte de lo que se conoce como los ‘Procedimientos Especiales’ del Consejo de Derechos Humanos. Los Procedimientos Especiales, el mayor órgano de expertos independientes en el sistema de la ONU para los Derechos Humanos, es el nombre general de los mecanismos de investigación y monitoreo del Consejo de Derechos Humanos para hacer frente a situaciones concretas en países o a cuestiones temáticas en todo el mundo. Los expertos de los Procedimientos Especiales trabajan de manera voluntaria; no son personal de la ONU y no perciben un salario por su labor. Son independientes de cualquier gobierno u organización y actúan a título individual.

ONU Derechos Humanos, página de país: Perú

Para más información, póngase en contacto con Ulrik Halsteen o Alexia Ghyoot: +41 22 917 9323 (en Ginebra) / + 41 79 444 4187 (número de celular durante las fechas de la visita) / wg-business@ohchr.org

Para solicitudes de prensa y consultas relacionadas con la conferencia de prensa del 19 de julio, póngase en contacto con (en Lima): Christian Sánchez: + 511 625 9140 / christian.sanchez@unic.org.
Para consultas de prensa sobre otros expertos independientes de la ONU:
Xabier Celaya – Sección de Medios (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

Accede aquí a este aviso a los medios

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________________________

NEWS RELEASE

Peru: First official visit by UN expert group on business and human rights

GENEVA (6 July 2017) – The United Nations Working Group on business and human rights will undertake its first official visit to Peru from 10 to 19 July to assess efforts to prevent and address adverse human rights impacts of business operations.

“Peru has a wealth of natural resources in agriculture, fisheries, oil, gas and mining. Indeed, Peru is among the 10 most mineral-rich countries in the world, with many of the world’s large mining multinationals operating in the country,” noted Michael K. Addo, one of the expert group’s members.

“We look forward to learning about steps taken by the Government and by companies themselves to prevent and address human rights violations resulting from business activities, as well as about intentions to elaborate a National Action Plan on business and human rights,” Mr. Addo added.

The UN experts will be assessing how the Peruvian Government and businesses are implementing their respective human rights obligations and responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. These principles provide an authoritative framework to prevent and address adverse human rights risks and impacts of business activities, and to ensure that victims have access to effective remedies.

“We warmly welcome the invitation from the Government to conduct this visit, which we hope will help further promote corporate respect for human rights,” said Dante Pesce, the other member of the Working Group’s delegation.

“In addition to engaging with the Government, including ministries in the areas of economy, finance, and energy, we will meet a range of civil society actors, human rights defenders and trade unionists, as well as representatives of business associations and companies, including State-owned, national and multinational companies,” he noted.

“We will pay special attention to the situation of indigenous peoples and social conflicts in the context of natural resource extraction, as well as factors that may make some groups more vulnerable to human rights abuses,” added Mr. Pesce.

During their visit to Peru, the experts will hold meetings in Lima and in the regions of Loreto, Cajamarca, Cusco and Apurímac.

At the end of their mission on Wednesday 19 July at 12:00, the experts will hold a press conference to present preliminary observations from their visit. It will be held at the UN Information Centre, Complejo Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Av. Pérez Araníbar 750, Magdalena, Lima. Access will be strictly limited to journalists.

The Working Group will present a full report of its findings and recommendations to the Human Rights Council in June 2018.

ENDS

The Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises was established by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2011. Its current members are: Mr. Michael Addo, Mr. Surya Deva (current Chairperson), Mr. Dante Pesce, Mr. Pavel Sulyandziga, and Ms. Anita Ramasastry (current vice-chair).

The Working Group is part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent human rights monitoring mechanisms. The Working Group reports to the Human Rights Council and to the UN General Assembly. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. The experts are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

UN Human Rights, country page: Peru

For additional information and media requests, please contact Ulrik Halsteen or Alexia Ghyoot: +41 22 917 9323 (in Geneva) / + 41 79 444 4187 (cellphone number during the dates of the visit) / wg-business@ohchr.org.

For media requests and queries relating to the press conference on 19 July please contact: Christian Sanchez: +511 625 9140 / christian.sanchez@unic.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

You can access this media advisory online

Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights / @WGBizHRs and Facebook:unitednationshumanrights

Concerned about the world we live in? Then STAND UP for someone’s rights today. #Standup4humanrights and visit the web page at http://www.standup4humanrights.org

Monday, July 3, 2017

Catherine Coleman Flowers: Climate Champion

REALITY NOW

June 2017

Welcome to the June 2017 edition of Reality Now! Each month, we deliver the latest updates on the climate solutions movement straight to your inbox.

This month, we share the incredible story of Catherine Coleman Flowers, who works to address the relationship between pollution and poverty. We also explain why the US leaving the Paris Agreement isn’t the end of the world, share key facts on solar energy, and much more.

WHY THE US LEAVING THE PARIS AGREEMENT
ISN’T THE END OF THE WORLD

The White House announced on June 1 that the US would begin the process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. Find out why this move by the Trump Administration won’t slow down our movement’s progress.

READ MORE →

WOMEN CLIMATE CHAMPIONS SPOTLIGHT:
CATHERINE COLEMAN FLOWERS

Meet Catherine Coleman Flowers. She’s fighting for climate solutions and social justice by addressing the impact of pollution on poor and rural areas of the United States. Read her story here.

READ MORE →

HOW THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS CHANGING OUR RIVERS

So much of the reporting on how the climate crisis is affecting water systems has centered on shrinking sea ice, glacial melt, and sea-level rise that it’s easy to forget that the crisis impacts every drop of H2O on the earth’s surface. In this blog post, find out how climate change is impacting our rivers.

READ MORE →

LIGHTEN UP: 21 SOLAR FACTS
FOR THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

June 21 was the summer solstice, otherwise known as the longest day of the year in terms of daylight. To celebrate, we put together this list of facts about solar power.

READ MORE →

CHANGE STARTS AT HOME:
FOUR WAYS TO SWITCH TO RENEWABLES

How do you translate the words from our I Am Still In pledge into major action? Find out here.

READ MORE →

Check out the Climate Reality blog for new, informative content and ways to get involved in the movement for solutions. We’ll see you next month with the latest updates in the fight against the climate crisis.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NEXT