Attending New Zealand’s third Universal Periodic Review of human rights at the United Nations in Geneva, one recurrent theme of our delegation’s meetings with UN agencies was the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the absence of SDGs in UPR recommendations so far, the natural convergence between the development and human rights agenda means combining the two can make them each doubly powerful. Given this under-utilised relationship, I will argue the need for the SDGs to be at the forefront of recommendations made during the current third cycle of the UPR.
Katharine Woolrych: Three Surprising Recommendations for Improving Human Rights in New Zealand: What We Didn’t Expect at New Zealand’s UPR
At New Zealand’s five-yearly human rights review at the United Nations on Monday, we received more than 200 recommendations from UN member states. Here are three of the more unexpected, plus some insight into what our government had to say on the status of human rights in New Zealand.
Katharine Woolrych: Rainbow Rights at New Zealand's Universal Periodic Review
Worldwide, the rights of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and sexual characteristics are under threat. New Zealand’s third Universal Periodic Review - five-yearly process whereby a state’s compliance with international human rights treaties and norms is assessed at the United Nations - may feature New Zealand’s first ever recommendation on these issues.
Libby Rahman: Human Rights, SDGs & the NZX50
Sadly, four NZX50 companies recognising the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights seems really good when one remembers that only 1 out 50 has a female CEO.
Liam Daly: Science Denialism at a Climate Change Conference?
At a plenary session on Saturday, countries tried to grapple with how to recognise the IPCC report on 1.5 Degrees in writing.
Katharine Woolrych: Human Rights Advocacy in New Zealand and the Potential of UPR Pre-Sessions
In January 2019, New Zealand’s compliance with international human rights treaties and norms will once again come under scrutiny at the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Ahead of this five-yearly review by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, in October the New Zealand Human Rights Commission facilitated the first-ever in-country pre-sessions held in three locations around NZ.
Rebekah Hill: They paved paradise and put up a [Polish mine]
At the seminal COP24, Poland has absolutely nailed their warm welcome of overseas nations to talk about the future of the planet by enacting a protest ban, terrorist alert and turning people away at the border. Also, they’re hosting it in the coal heartland of the EU. Nice.
Victoria Rhodes-Carlin: Rich countries don't want to pay for the damage their economies caused
The inequity of country affluence dictates whose voices are heard and whose are absent. Where the most impacted by climate change are the worlds most vulnerable, the voices of the least impacted dominate the direction of climate solutions.