The Evolution of International Indigenous Rights in the Inter-American Human Rights System

Indigenous communities in the Western hemisphere are increasinglyrelying on international law and international fora for enforcementof their human rights. When there are no domestic laws thatrecognise indigenous rights, or such laws exist but there isno political will to enforce them, indigenous peoples in theAmericas may turn to the Inter-American human rights system.Consequently, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and theInter-American Commission on Human Rights have developed a progressivecase law in this area. In 2005 and 2006, the Inter-AmericanCourt decided seminal indigenous ancestral land rights casesand a political rights case. This article analyses these casesand the previous jurisprudence and decisions on indigenous rightsin the Inter-American system.     

An Equality and Human Rights Commission Worthy of the Name

The Human Rights Act 1998 came fully into force on 2 October 2000, enabling the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to be relied on directly in our domestic courts.¹ The Act lacked provision for a Human Rights Commission to advise and assist alleged victims in bringing proceedings for breaches of Convention rights, to research, intervene in court proceedings, and promote a culture of human rights, although such a Commission had been created for Northern Ireland. A White Paper has now been issued outlining plans for a Commission for Equality and Human Rights. This paper considers the future role and potential impact of the Commission and highlights opportunities that have been missed since October 2000 in its absence. We focus on its human rights aspects and summarize key conditions for the new Commission's success.     

Panel recommends significant changes to federal law against discrimination

In a report released on 23 June 2000, the Review Panel tasked by the federal Minister of Justice with reviewing the Canadian Human Rights Act made some welcome recommendations for improving the Act and the way the Canadian Human Rights Commission functions. Three are of particular significance: the recommendation that "social condition" be added to the prohibited grounds for discrimination listed in the Act; the recommendation that the Canadian Human Rights Commission should have, under its governing legislation, the duty to monitor and report to Parliament and the UN Human Rights Committee on the federal government's compliance with international human rights treaties regarding economic, social, and cultural rights; and the recommendation that "gender identity" should be expressly added to the Act as a prohibited ground of discrimination.     

儒家思想对世界新人权理论的贡献——从张彭春对《世界人权宣言》订立的贡献出发

<世界人权宣言>是二战后最重要的国际人权文件之一.它超越抽象的"自然权利"人权理论和地域性"基本权利"人权理论,建立了"全球道德共识"人权理论.这一世界新人权理论的确立与中国学者张彭春的贡献密不可分.张彭春作为人权委员会副主席全程参与了<世界人权宣言>的制定.他以儒家思想为依托,提出了反对西方中心、提倡多元、抛弃宗教哲学纷争寻求道德共识、用良心制约理性等诸多人权理论主张.他提出把"仁"这一道德禀赋作为人权的基础,为面临宗教批判、理性批判和权力批判而陷入困境的传统人权话语找到了新的合法性源泉.     

Homosexuality and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights: What Can Be Learned from the History of the European Convention on Human Rights?

Despite differences between the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) in terms of the substantive rights guaranteed and machineries to enforce them, both instruments have been foundational in the establishment of organizations that share a common history of rejecting human rights complaints from homosexuals. Although the contemporary jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on homosexuality may contrast sharply with that of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACtHPR) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACmHPR) – because the ACtHPR and ACmHPR have never upheld a complaint relating to sexual orientation – the early history of the ECtHR and the former European Commission on Human Rights (ECmHR) mirrors the current African stance. This article explores what those seeking to develop gay and lesbian rights in Africa might usefully learn from the historical evolution of similar rights under the ECHR.     

UN Commission on Human Rights adopts resolutions on access to medication, right to health

In April 2002, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted two resolutions that are important in the context of access to treatment. The Commission is the UN's leading body with respect to international human rights issues. It consists of 53 UN member states and meets annually. The Commission's resolutions can be found on the website of the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights via www.unhchr.ch/ by clicking on "Documents of Charter-based bodies".     

论欧洲人权机构对人身自由与安全权的保护

人身自由与安全权是一项重要的基本人权,同时也是实现其他权利的基础.作为<世界人权宣言>发表后诞生的第一个区域性人权保护组织,欧洲人权机构通过其丰富的判例对"人身自由"与"人身安全"内涵作出界定,确立了人身自由与安全权保护的一系列标准,并注重对被依法剥夺人身自由者所享有的权利的保护,但是,欧洲人权机构在保护人身自由与安全权方面存在人权委员会与人权法院对个案的决定相互矛盾的问题,欧洲人权法院对个别案件作出的判决也存在对公约的规定适用不当和对该项权利保护乏力的问题.     

Has the Right to Education a Future Within the United Nations? A Behind-the-Scenes Account by the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education 1998-2004

This article ponders over the future of human rights work withinthe United Nations on the basis of the author's six years ofexperience as the Special Rapporteur on the right to educationof the Commission on Human Rights. This broadens the analysisto the factors shaping the work of the Commission on Human Rightsthat are not formally documented, and generates a series ofquestions concerning the Commission's recent past and uncertainfuture.     

试析联合国人权理事会与涉朝人权问题——兼及朝鲜人权问题对周边国家的影响

朝鲜人权问题一直受到联合国的关注。2004年联合国人权委员会首次将朝鲜列入了国别人权审议名单;2006年联合国人权理事会取代了人权委员会,建立了普遍定期审查机制,并于2010年对朝鲜进行普遍定期审议;蒙丹篷特别报告员多次提交关于朝鲜的人权报告,引起了国际社会的关注和朝鲜的抗议。而朝鲜自身的人权问题也对其周边国家产生着重大影响。     

International human rights for mentally ill persons: the Ontario experience

This article is part of a working project which assesses Ontario's mental health legislation and practice vis-à-vis international human rights standards. The paper focuses on procedural safeguards provided by the major international human rights instruments in the field of mental health law such as the UN Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness (MI Principles) and the European Convention on Human Rights as interpreted by the European Human Rights Court. In analysing Ontario's compliance with international standards, the paper will explore some problems arising from the implementation of the legislation with which the author is familiar with from his experience as counsel for the Consent and Capacity Board. The paper aims to generate discussion for potential reforms in domestic legal systems and to provide a methodology to be used as a tool to assess similar mental health legislation in other local contexts.     

International Recognition of Victims' Rights

Since its inception, the United Nations has adopted two GeneralAssembly resolutions dealing with the rights of victims: the1985 Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victimsof Crime and Abuse of Power and the 2006 Basic Principles andGuidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victimsof Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and SeriousViolations of International Humanitarian Law. The focus of theformer was on victims of domestic crimes, while that of thelatter is on victims of international crimes; more particularly,gross violations of international human rights law and seriousviolations of international humanitarian law. The 2006 Principlesare, for all practical purposes, an international bill of rightsof victims. Their adoption has been hard-fought, but their implementationboth at the national and international levels is sure to stillface many obstacles. Parallel to this historic development havebeen decisions by the European Court of Human Rights and theInter-American Court of Human Rights, as well as provisionsin the statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), givingstanding to victims in ICC proceedings, but also certain rightsof compensation. These parallel developments, as well as otherswithin domestic legal systems, evidence a wide movement towardsthe recognition of the rights of victims of crime, whether domesticor international, or gross violations of human rights. Thisarticle re-traces the historic origin of victims' rights indomestic and international legal systems, focusing particularlyon the adoption of the two international instruments mentionedabove, and more particularly on the negotiating history of the2006 Principles. A detailed commentary of these Principles constitutesthe centerpiece of this article.     

亚洲建立区域人权机制的路径与选择

亚洲区域人权机制建设是当代国际人权法中最受关注的主题之一。亚洲建立区域人权机制是施行《世界人权宣言》和维护本区域人权的有效途径,亚洲现有人权机制具有局限性,应在亚洲未来人权机制建设模式选择的基础上,结合欧洲、非洲和美洲区域人权机制的经验和缺陷,创建和完善亚洲区域人权机制的路径和方法。     

Chinese Practice in Public International Law: 2006 (I)

This part of the Survey covers materials reflecting Chinesepractice in 2006 relating to: I. Subjects under discussion atthe ILC (Shared natural resources; responsibility of internationalorganizations; reservation to treaties; unilateral acts of states;effects of armed conflicts on treaties; obligation to extraditionor prosecution; fragmentation of international law); II. Internationalhuman rights law (general commitment on human rights; collectivehuman rights, including right of self-determination, right todevelopment; civil and political rights, including freedom ofreligion, freedom of expression, issue of organ transplants;economic, social and cultural rights, including right to food,right to health; human rights of aliens, including freedom ofpress of foreign correspondents, rights of refugees; human rightsof special groups, including rights of ethnic minorities, rightsof indigenous peoples, rights of women, rights of children,rights of immigrants, rights of persons with disabilities, rightsof older persons; implementation of international human rightslaw, including the establishment of UN Human Rights Council,review of mandates and mechanisms of UN Human Rights Council,the implementation of human rights instruments, human rightsdialogue and corporation; human rights situation in foreigncountries, including Myanmar, Middle East; human rights andinternational trade); III. International humanitarian law.     

11 September 2001, Counter-terrorism, and the Human Rights Act

The attacks of 11 September 2001 and the reaction to them has been the gravest challenge to date to the Human Rights Act 1998. The Antiterrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 has expanded the remit of the Terrorism Act 2000 and there has been a new concentration on antiterrorism by government. This article assesses the impact of human rights law on the debate about liberty and security following 11 September. It considers how the provisions of the Human Rights Act have influenced the formulation and interpretation of anti-terrorism laws, and examines the role of the judiciary in adjudicating on disputes between the individual and the state. It ends with some general discussion about the security-driven challenges to human rights that lie ahead.     

中国特色的人权框架与权利保障体系——阅读《国家人权行动计划(2009-2010年)》

《国家人权行动计划(2009-2010年)》充分地保持了人权制度和人权实践上的中国成分和中国方式,完整表述了中国特色的人权框架,并且与世界人权体系和国际人权公约的精神相吻合,体现了中国政府在人权问题上的开放和合作姿态。它具有可靠的政治与宪政权威和政策与法治保障,在日渐倾向于突出人权与法治内在关系的时代背景下,尤其需要强调公共政策之于人权的现实意义;它将人权教育纳入议题,但在日益重视培育人权意识和建设权利文化的同时,尤其不可漠视权利与义务的对应性、人权与责任的逻辑关系。     

Habeas Corpus as <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jus Cogens</Emphasis> in International Law

For hundreds of years procedural rights such as habeas corpus have been regarded as fundamental in the Anglo-American system of jurisprudence. In contemporary international law, fundamental norms are called jus cogens. Jus cogens norms are rights or rules that can not be derogated even by treaty. In the list that is often given, jus cogens norms include norms against aggression, apartheid, slavery, and genocide. All of the members of this list are substantive rights. In this paper I will argue that some procedural rights, crucial for the fair functioning of criminal proceedings, such as habeas corpus, should also have the status of jus cogens norms. I will begin by explaining what it means for a right to have jus cogens status. And I will follow this with a defense of having procedural rights like habeas corpus added to the list of jus cogens norms. I will then rehearse some of the debates about the jus cogens status of procedural rights in the European Commission on Human Rights. At the end of this paper, I will look at the attempts to deal with the abuses at Guantanamo by the American Commission on Human Rights, and by the US and Australian courts, as a way to understand why there needs to be a stronger support for habeas corpus than is today provided by regional courts.     

论《世界人权宣言》的思想基础和权利体系

《世界人权宣言》以自由和平等为其思想基础,构建了世界各国和人民努力实现的共同标准。它所设定的权利体系不仅包括公民权利和政治权利,而且还涉及到经济、社会和文化权利,为国际社会提供了一份详尽的人权保护清单,成为国际人权法的基本法律文书。     

The Hard Sell: Promoting Human Rights

The Human Rights Act 1998 is one of the most important constitutional reforms to have been implemented by the New Labour administration in Britain. In addition to incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law, its main ambition is the creation of a human rights culture. However, while citizens appear to have very little understanding of what the legislation entails, there is a strong tide of negative media publicity which depicts the Human Rights Act as a ‘villains’ charter’. It has been suggested that the government should do more to promote human rights. This paper reflects on how this may be achieved. An important strategy for creating a positive public awareness of human rights involves eradicating myths which have been allowed to flourish in sections of the British press. However, drawing on the work of Roland Barthes, this paper argues that this may be an unattainable goal. Human rights are empty signifiers which invite mythical appropriation. Both proponents and detractors of human rights legislation mobilise this capacity for mythmaking in their rhetoric.     

“Error But Without Malice” in Defamation of Public Officials: The Value of Free Expression in International Human Rights Law

Government officials in various parts of the world use defamation to silence critics, but defamation liability may curtail freedom of expression on topics of public interest and undermine human rights generally. Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees freedom of expression unless a state can show need to protect individual reputation and acts proportionally. In its adjudication of complaints for violations of Article 19, and in its General Comment 34, the United Nations Human Rights Committee has crafted the principle that defamation liability may not be imposed if an erroneous statement about a public official was made in “error but without malice.” Although soft law, General Comment 34 represents the committee's most compelling articulation of the values animating freedom of expression in international human rights law, and chief among the values is the role played by free expression to promote realization of all human rights.     

The Commission for Equality and Human Rights:A New Institution for New and Uncertain Times

The establishment of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights(CEHR) has generated a mixture of praise, controversy and heightenedexpectations. The new Commission has more extensive enforcementpowers than did the previous equality commissions. In addition,the ongoing expansion of anti-discrimination law means thatthe CEHR has new terrain on which to press for change. However,its troubled birth, the pressure of expectation, the ever-increasingcomplexity of enforcing anti-discrimination legislation andthe tensions that lurk within its broad remit present substantialchallenges for the new Commission. It will have to be flexible,creative, strategic and tough-minded where required if it isto win credibility and ensure respect for anti-discriminationand human rights values.