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updated: 02/05/2008
The UK government last year submitted its fifth periodic report to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and in May of this year the Committee will meet in a pre-sessional Working Group to decide on the questions it would like to explore further with the government when the formal examination takes place next year.
This is an important opportunity to lobby the UN Committee and CAJ recently held a meeting of groups working on a range of socio-economic issues to discuss the process of making a submission. CAJ has also made its own submission to the Working Group.
To read CAJ’s submission, click here
Anyone interested in receiving further information about this process should contact the CAJ office on 02890 961122 / info@caj.org.uk
CAJ responded to the equality assessment of the Budget/Programme for Government that we submitted last week.
CAJ has expressed particular concerns about the equality implications of the current spending plans which we believe will lead to an overall increase in inequality in Northern Ireland.
Please find the response to the EQIA of the Budget Programme for Government here
CAJ recently submitted a response to the Equality Impact Assessment consultation on the proposed introduction of Tasers by the PSNI.
Please find the response here
CAJ welcomed the production of a report by the Bill of Rights Forum
Click here to read the press release
Click here to view the Forum's report
CAJ recently made a submission and gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee as part of its ongoing inquiry into policing and criminal justice in Northern Ireland.
Click here to read the submission.
The work of the inquiry can be followed at: www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/northern_ireland_affairs.cfm
CAJ continues to monitor the various 'Cory' public inquiries.
Robert Hamill Inquiry
The application for leave to apply for judicial review by the Robert Hamill family came before Mr Justice Gillen on 11th April 2008.
The family is challenging Secretary of State Shaun Woodward's decision of 20th March 2008, refusing to extend the Public Inquiry terms of reference to include the decisions taken by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The Robert Hamill Inquiry supported the family's application. Counsel for the Inquiry Mr Underwood in his skeleton argument stated that the Inquiry's support for the application emanates from "the chairman's belief that the Inquiry must address, and be seen to address,
failures to secure convictions in connection with Mr Hamill's death". Following, the Court of Appeal judgment in R (Gentle and ors) the Prime Minister and Another [2006] EWCA Civ. 1078, Gillen J granted leave on all grounds.
He found that the issues raised in this application are of such public importance as to merit leave being granted. He also directed that the Director of the Public Prosecution Service should be made a notice party to the hearing.
We understand that the substantive hearing will be held on 9-11th June 2008. Click here for full judgment.
Rosemary Nelson Inquiry
The Rosemary Nelson Inquiry commenced on 15th April 2008. Counsel for the Inquiry Mr Rory Phillips QC, has been since then delivering his opening submissions. We understand that he is to conclude his opening submissions this Friday, 15th April.
Billy Wright Inquiry
The Billy Wright Inquiry continues to hear oral evidence. CAJ/BIRW will shortly be posting a report on the Inquiry.
For more details, please see their respective websites on www.billywrightinquiry.org; www.rosemarynelsoninquiry.org;
www.roberthamillinquiry.org
The UK government was recently examined as part of the Universal Periodic Review, a new UN scrutiny mechanism that mandates the UN Human Rights Council to:
“undertake a universal periodic review, based on objective and reliable information, of the fulfilment by each State of its human rights obligations and commitments in a manner which ensures universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all States.”
This is the first time this review has taken place, and the UK is among the first wave of countries scrutinized. Whilst there was an eagerness to hear from national human rights institutions, and non-governmental organisations, the procedure for making submissions had to be highly regulated - and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was charged with summarising all the NGO submissions into a single 10 page report.
This report, together with their own commentary, will be examined by the Council alongside the formal government report. Given the need for brevity, CAJ has submitted to Geneva a two page note highlighting issues of particular significance to Northern Ireland.
For CAJ submission to Universal Periodic Review see the Universal Periodic Review
in relation to the United Kingdom (2008)
The work of the UPR can be followed on www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRmain.aspx
CAJ recently launched a major report in Westminster entitled "War on Terror: lessons from Northern Ireland."
Copies of the report and executive summary can be got by contacting the office.
See also press release about the launch, which is taking place together with Liberty and the International Commission of Jurists.
See press release here
See summary of report here
For free copies of the printed summary or copies of the full report see order form attached here
CAJ continues to make submissions to the Committee of Ministers.
CAJ continues to make representations to the Committee of Ministers, the body responsible for the execution of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments.
There has been little noticeable progress in relation to the implementation of the ECtHR judgments in Shanaghan v UK, Jordan v UK, Kelly & Ors. v UK, McKerr v UK, McShane v UK, and Finucane v UK.
The United Kingdom was found in violation of Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights, for failing to adequately investigate the deaths contrary to its obligation under Article 2.
Disappointingly, this has been a protracted process and certainly a more robust approach by the Committee of Ministers would be welcomed. The majority of these judgments were delivered by the ECtHR as long ago as 2001.
Click here to read full submissions of February 2008.
2008 is the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement; hopefully the year when we will make real advances towards a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland, and the year in which the UK government will be scrutinised by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Please click here for CAJ's recent submission to CEDAW. (February 2008)
Moreover, it seems like a good time to take the "Women's Rights are Human Rights" quilt out of its wrappings and encourage women's groups and others to consider displaying this throughout the coming year at their events and meetings.
The quilt is currently on display at the Verbal Arts Centre in Derry where the exhibition "The Art of Survival, International and Irish Quilts" has been extended due to popular demand, having previously been displayed at "The Junction" in Derry.
For further details please visit www.derrycity.gov.uk/museums/
CAJ coordinated the production of this quilt & it was prepared for display at the 1995 Beijing conference and has been widely used since then.
For info on the quilt and an explanation of the different panels click here
For bookings of the quilt contact Liz - liz@caj.org.uk
CAJ recently submitted responses to the consultations on the future of the Crumlin Road Gaol/Girdwood Barracks site in North Belfast and Fort George in Derry.
In both cases CAJ called for a full Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) of the proposals to take place immediately in order to ensure that regeneration takes place in a way that will have maximum impact on the promotion of equality. CAJ also submitted a follow-up letter to the Minister for Social Development reiterating our view that any further decisions on the Girdwood site should be taken in light of the findings of the full Equality Impact Assessment, and not prior to the completion of the EQIA. CAJ will be meeting officials from the North Belfast Community Action Unit next week to further outline our views on this matter.”
See submissions and the letter to the Minister attached:
The Girdwood Response here
Cover Letter Girdwood here
Fort George Response here
Letter to Minister 2008 here
CAJ would encourage anyone interested in either of these projects to contact the relevant bodies and make similar representations – it is vital that the next stage of the process in both cases is fully informed by a full EQIA
CAJ has just published a summary of our equality report – “Rhetoric and the Reality” and is circulating it widely.
Please see the summary attached here
CAJ has produced an updated version of its Information Pack on a Bill of Rights.
The pack - which is free - is designed for use by local groups and others who are interested
in learning more about human rights generally and a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. The Pack is simple and easy to
use and contains some background information and a number of exercises that groups can carry out to help them think
about what a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland could contain.
To obtain your free copy, contact the CAJ
office on 02890 961122, mail to info@caj.org.uk or
click here for the order form.
Click here to see a CAJ Bill of Rights
Programme, showing how the Information Pack is used and discussing what a Bill of Rights for NI means, courtesy of NVTV.
At the launch of the pack a massive Bill of Rights Board was produced from what the two groups involved in the
training - Star Neighbourhood Centre, New Lodge and Old Warren Partnership, Lisburn - want to prioritise in a Bill of
Rights. These boards are available for display purposes at Bill of Rights events.
Please contact fiona@caj.org.uk to arrange.
 Since January 2006 CAJ has been sending out its monthly published
"E-Newsletter". It contains a number of Just News-articles and the latest from our Webnews. If you would
like to subscribe, please input your email below and click on "subscribe".
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