26.03.10
Statements
Highlights of activities, 2009
Highlights of activities of OMCT’s project on Addressing the Economic, Social and Cultural Root Causes of Torture and other forms of Violence
- Strengthening NGO capacity to act on the economic, social and cultural root causes of violence
- Latin American Regional Seminar on addressing the economic, social and cultural root causes of violence aimed organised in Buenos Aires, May 2009 to enable 18 NGOs from Latin America to prepare cases together with recommendations for action addressing the root causes to governments, the UN system (Special Procedures, Treaty Bodies), international financial and development institutions and private sector actors.
- Third Special Procedures Seminar organised in Geneva June 2009 to enable 15 national NGOs to understand the UN Special Procedures system, meet with mandate holders and prepare cases relating to the economic, social and cultural root causes of violence for submission to mandate holders, governments and others together with practical recommendations for action. Mandate holders dealing with safe water and sanitation, violence against women, violence against children, human rights and extreme poverty and human rights defenders and the former chair of the working group on arbitrary detention met and discussed with the participants who also attended a session of the annual meeting of mandate holders. OMCT presented to that meeting a position paper based on contributions from participants.
- Asian Regional Seminar on addressing the economic, social and cultural root causes of torture and other forms of violence held in Manila, the Philippines from 26-30 October. The seminar was organised by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the Philippines Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), in cooperation with the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP); the country’s independent national human rights institution. It was attended by 20 participants from 10 countries from across Asia. Substantive presentations were made by the Head of Delegation of the European Union, the Chairperson of the CHRP and on behalf of the United Nations Resident Coordinator. The aim of the seminar was to explore the ways in which violations of economic, social and cultural rights are linked to violence and how acting on those root causes can in turn reduce levels of violence. Each participant presented a short country report analyzing the links between violations of economic, social and cultural rights and violence in that country which were discussed with a view to preparing action files or other forms of interventions. The participants also drafted the Manila Declaration on Addressing the Economic, Social and Cultural Root Causes of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment a companion to the Maputo Declaration adopted by the African Regional Seminar in 2008.
- Functioning of the network support group made up on seminar participants enabling an exchange of information and suggestions for action between members.
- In connection with the creation of OMCT’s economic, social and cultural rights database of a questionnaire to members of the economic, social and cultural network and the SOS-Torture network surveying their needs.
- Bringing about change through Alternative reports, action files and other forms of intervention
- Preparatory missions to Brazil and the Philippines were organised to gather with national partners information for alternative reports to be submitted to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee against Torture. During these missions, OMCT staff met in forums with persons directly affected by the violence caused by violations of economic, social and cultural rights.
- Drafting and submission of an alternative report on the Philippines to the UN Committee against Torture and the oral presentation to the Committee of the report by national partners (April - May 2009). This was a companion report to that submitted in 2008 to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. A press release was issues in this connection.
- Drafting and submission of an alternative report on Brazil (“The Criminalisation of Poverty”) to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and oral presentation to the Committee of the report by national partners (May 2009).
- Three month follow-up field presence in Kenya to assist and catalyse national partners in promoting with the Government the implementation of the recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee Against Torture, in particular relating to the economic, social and cultural root causes of violence (April - June 2009). English and Kiswahili versions of both reports published and distributed.
- Follow-up mission to the Philippines headed by the President of OMCT to examine the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee Against Torture relating to the economic, social and cultural root cause of torture and violence. The recommendations of both committees were dealt with together in order to encourage the cross-cutting and mutually reinforcing action necessary to effectively address to root causes of violence. Working closely with the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, the team met with representatives of a wide range of civil society organisations from the Manila area and elsewhere, with the Philippine National Economic Development Agency (NEDA), with the staff of the Philippine Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative, the Asian Development Bank and the Chair and senior staff of the CHRP.
- Drafting and sending of 2 Action Files and one follow-up (Bangladesh and India) and five appeals and one follow-up (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico) asking government action in relation to violence connected with failures to respect economic, social and cultural rights. These are submitted to governments, UN special procedures mandates and others and circulated to OMCT’s SOS-Torture Network asking for members interventions. The actions of 2009 related to killings, torture and severe brutality committed against peasant farmers, indigenous people and others by military and private forces in connection with the forced occupation of indigenous land by non-indigenous people, threatened eviction of some 5000 indigenous people in violation of international standards when violence had been used in the past (the eviction was suspended), demonstrations against the authorisation of mining activities threatening the water and environment, opposition to high energy prices and the violent expulsion of small farmers from their land in connection with the concentration of their land for agribusiness.
- Submission to the Special Rapporteur onextrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions prior to his visit to Kenya of the two alternative reports and relevant action files dealing with the root causes of violence in Kenya.
- Advocacy and outreach
- OHCHR Seminar on the Draft Guiding Principles on “Extreme Poverty and Human Rights: The Rights of the Poor (January 2009). OMCT presented the conclusions of the October 2008 NGO consultation on the subject.
- Organisation in Geneva of the launch of the first issue of the publication “Right to Food and Nutrition Watch” prepared by FIAN International in cooperation with a number of international NGOs including OMCT. That issue contains the alternative report on Brazil to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled “The Criminalisation of Poverty” prepared by OMCT and its national partners.
- OMCT also encouraged ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
- Working with the European Parliament
- Preparation and submission to the European Parliament of a report on the economic, social and cultural root causes of violence in the Philippines along with recommendations for action (January 2009) with presentation to the European Union (EU) Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights and subsequent adoption of a resolution reflecting issues and recommendations contained in OMCT’s submission. A press release was issues in this connection.