Kazakhstan plans to follow OSCE recommendations and introduce such a mechanism to improve the protection of trafficking victims.

"Co-operation between relevant government structures and non-governmental organizations is crucial to ensure that trafficking victims receive the protection they need," said Bjorn Halvarsson, Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Almaty. "A National Referral Mechanism would outline how such co-operation should work."

The meeting, organized by the Centre and the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Justice Ministry and the Ombudsman's Office, brought together mid-level specialists from government structures engaged in the fight against human trafficking.

Experts from Moldova briefed the participants on Moldova's National Referral Mechanism for trafficking victims.

Public Document
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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org

For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org

Published by the United Nations, available http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/30DF7CCEFB275297C12571EF00568A73?opendocument

 The focus of this year’s Consultation on “Culture and VAW” responded to the theme of the elected topic of the UNSRVAW’s next annual report to the Human Rights Council (2007).   It also reflected APWLD’s own articulation of ‘culture’ as a critical issue necessary to deepen our understanding and approach to women’s human rights and in addressing violence against women in the Asia Pacific region.

 The Consultation provided an opportunity for women’s groups from the Asia Pacific region to inform the Special Rapporteur of the critical issues relating to Culture and VAW in the region as well as inform the Special Rapporteur’s articulation of the scope of women’s rights based on the local and national experiences of women in Asia Pacific. Specifically it aimed to understand and articulate how despite the fluidity and contestability of cultural norms, oppressive elements of culture (which invariable reflect and reinforce patriarchal power relations) gain dominant representation. The Consultation sought to strategise how a women’s human rights agenda can be advanced in this context, providing effective strategies for both the women’s movement in Asia Pacific and for the UNSRVAW for inclusion in her recommendations for States and other actors.

 The first day of the Consultation aimed to map the inter-linkages between culture and violations of women’s human rights in Asia Pacific.  It began by shaping a more nuanced understanding of culture distinguishing culture from religion and understanding culture as a system of assigned meanings which are dynamic and fluid. The discussions stressed the importance of going beyond identifying bad cultural practices and instead trying to understand culture as a whole. Culture is about structures of power. It has been used a political tool and therefore as a tool for exclusion, and for a process of ‘othering’. One of the main challenges we face is to not start identifying bad and good parts of culture but reframe the way we talk about culture to reflect the roles of women as the movers and shapers of culture. Different ways of reframing and reformulating the discourse on culture should include: not falling into the trap of essentialising culture but rather recognising its fluidity and diversity; not  dichotomizing group rights and individual rights but instead recognizing that individual rights are necessary in establishing rules and ordering  within collectives; recognising women as the agents of culture and challengers of patriarchy rather than victims of culture; further, we need to create a third space for women outside of this dichotomy (binary).

 The discussions also stressed the importance of remembering and addressing the consequences of carrying this out. As we challenge our cultures from within (as women human right defenders) we face serious risks, including the risk of silencing. The responsibility of the movement includes building a solidarity network.

 The second day of the Consultation focused on strategies for addressing harmful cultural paradigms through engaging with international, state and non-state actors as well as through adopting strategies/approaches within own organisations and movements. The discussions built on the understandings/approaches which emerged from the first day particularly for the support for the on-going efforts of women themselves to “negotiate their identities” within their cultures and communities.  Some specific presentations were given of strategies to address culture and violence against women through law, through community engagement and through engaging with community, particularly traditional leaders of communities.  This was followed by a session aimed at articulating strategies/recommendations for the UN Special Rapporteur’s report, for our organisations and for the movement.

 A comprehensive report of the Consultation is currently being prepared and will be available on 1 November 2006.

 The Consultation was organised by Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) in collaboration with National Centre Against Violence Mongolia (NCAV).

For further information please contact Lisa Pusey at lisa@apwld.org

Published at Women's UN Report Network news, http://www.wunrn.com/news/news.htm; report from APWLD, http://www.apwld.org/ngo_consultation_dr_yakin.htm. 

The Convention was first introduced to countries for consideration on 16 May 2005, and since then it has had ten ratifications including 8 member states.

Compiled from Council of Europe's Action Against Trafficking of Human Beings, http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/trafficking/2._convention/_Summary.asp#TopOfPage; Legislationline, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, http://www.legislationline.org/news.php?tid=1&jid=1.

During the meeting, mandate holders stressed the importance of the Special Procedures system and its relationship with the Commission as central to the international human rights system, as well as the importance of its members being non-partisan participants in monitoring human rights.  Mandate holders stressed the importance of cooperation and coordination with the HRC in implementing recommendations submitted to States by Special Procedures mechanisms. 

The meeting resulted in a report that describes current activities by mandate holders, feedback and suggestions from NGOs and regional and national human rights institutions on human rights areas in need of current attention, a presentation from the office of the Secretary General on Children in Armed Conflict, and a meeting with the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights outlining the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights Strategic Plan. 

Compiled from: Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Follow-up to the World Conference on Human Rights Effective Functioning of Human Rights Mechanisms (unedited version), Note by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (PDF, 31 pages).

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Torture and ill-treatment by State agents resulting in end of pregnancy/ Police surveillance

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention concerning the following situation in Kyrgyzstan.

Brief description of the situation:

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (KCHR), a member of the SOS-Torture network, about the torture and ill-treatment of Ms. Rukiya Ibragimova while in police custody, in Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan.

According to the information received, Ms. Rukiya Ibragimova, 20 years old and 10 weeks pregnant, was arrested on 20 July 2006 at the Isolation Ward of Temporary Allowance (IVS) of Jalal-Abad. She was reportedly beaten by a policeman, Kubanychbek Torobaev, chief of the Regional Department of Internal Affairs, in order to force her to denounce her husband, Mr. Djamaliddin Abderashitov. He is suspected of involvement with an extremist organisation called “Islamic movements of Uzbekistan”.

Ms. Ibragimova was subsequently taken to the Kyzyl-Jarsk psychiatric hospital, where she was once again severely beaten on the 26 August 2006 by Kubanychbek Torobaev. She was immediately transferred to the gynaecologic department of the Tash-Kumyr city hospital. There, the doctors certified that her foetus was dead. Ms. Rukiya Ibragimova is now at the Kyzyl-Jarsk hospital under police surveillance and suspected of “concealment of criminals”.

It is worth noting that her husband, Mr. Djamaliddin Abderashitov, surrendered to the police immediately after he learned that his wife had been tortured.

OMCT is seriously concerned about these facts and urges the Kyrgyz authorities to "exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons" in accordance with article 4(c) of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Requested action:

Please write to the authorities in Kyrgyzstan urging them to:

i.                     Ensure Ms. Rukiya Ibragimova's physical and psychological integrity, including her access to adequate medical treatment;

ii.                   Order her immediate release in the absence of valid charges, and if such charges exist, ensure that she is given a prompt and fair trial, in which her procedural rights are guaranteed at all times;

iii.                  Carry out a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into the ill-treatment of Ms. Rukiya Ibragimova in order to identify all those responsible and to bring them to justice and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;

iv.                 More generally, ensure women the right to be free from discrimination, including violence, in line with international law and standards;

v.                   Guarantee the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses:

·         Mr. Bakiev Kurmanbek Salievich, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kyrgyzskaya Respublika, 720003 g. Bishkek, Prospekt Chuy, 205, Fax: 996 312 218 627, Email: ghpress2@rhl.bishkek.su

·         Mr. Kulov Felix Sharshenbaevich, Vice Prime Minister, Fax: 996 312 218 627

·         Mr. Marat Sutalinov, Minister of the Interior, Fax: 996 312 663 031, 996 312 288 788

·         Mr. Mamyrov Erkin, Minister of Justice, Fax: 996 312 663 044 / 996 312 65 65 02

·         Mr. Azimbek Beknazarov, General Prosecutor of the Kyrgyz Republic, Fax: 996 312 665 411

·         Colonel Nurlan Temirbaev, Head of the Oblast Department of  Internal Affairs, Jalal-Abad, Fax: +996 3722 503 33

·         Mr. Abdibakit  Halmurzaev, Oblast Prosecutor's office, Jalal-Abad, Fax: + 996 3722 501 19

·         Permanent mission of Kyrgyzstan, Rue Maunoir 26, 1207 Geneva, Switzerland, Email: kyrgyzmission@bluewin.ch, Fax : +41 22 707.92.21

Please also write to the embassies of Kyrgyzstan in your respective country.

Geneva, 12 September 2006.

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

Published in: Torture and Ill-treatment by State Agents Resulting in End of Pregnancy/ Police Surveillance, OMCT, 12 September 2006.

For more information: Aaron Rhodes, IHF Executive Director: +43-676635 66 12

This year’s State of World Population report, A Passage to Hope: Women and International Migration, examines the scope and breadth of female migration, the impact of the funds they send home to support families and communities, and their disproportionate vulnerability to trafficking, exploitation and abuse.  

The report, produced and published every year by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, reveals that although migrant women contribute billions of dollars in cash and services, policymakers continue to disregard both their contributions and their vulnerability—even though female migrants tend to send a much higher proportion of their lower earnings back home than their male counterparts.

“This report calls on governments and individuals to recognize and value the contributions of migrant women, and promote and respect their human rights,” says Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, UNFPA Executive Director. “There is an urgent need for stronger cooperation between countries to make migration more safe and fair. And there is a dire need for greater action to address the lack of opportunities and human rights violations that lead many women to migrate in the first place.”

The launch of the State of World Population 2006 comes just a week before the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in New York. This meeting, which will take place at the United Nations from 14 to 15 September, is the first of its kind to bring together the world's governments to discuss the many challenges and benefits of migration. The timing could not be more critical, nor the issues explored in A Passage to Hope: Women and International Migration more complex and pressing.

A Passage to Hope shows that although female migration can enhance equality and offer women opportunities simply not available at home, it can also lead to terrible human rights violations—cases of migration gone bad.

The human rights violations of trafficked women are well documented. Restrictive immigration policies that limit opportunities to migrate safely and legally fuel the desperation that drives millions of women and girls to entrust their well-being and, in some cases, their very lives to unscrupulous traffickers who misrepresent themselves as legitimate labour recruiters. Today, human trafficking represents the third largest illicit trade after drugs and gun smuggling. Unlike both however, trafficking victims remain an ongoing source of “revenue” to be exploited over and over again until they are too ill too worn out to continue. Many die as a result of their servitude—either as a direct result of violence or from contracting the many diseases including HIV to which they are susceptible.

“Although awareness and action against trafficking is growing, there is an urgent need to do more to end this terrible crime and the impunity that goes with it,” says Ms. Obaid. “The report calls for greater cooperation between and within countries to bring traffickers to justice and to provide services and human rights protection for trafficking victims.

Today, domestic work remains one of the largest sectors driving international female labour migration. Every year, millions of women migrate from Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and increasingly from Africa, to Europe and North America, the Gulf States and the industrializing nations of Asia. However, labour laws rarely protect domestic workers, nor do they permit them to organize. This leaves millions dependent on employers for their continued legal presence in the host country, in addition to housing, food, and wages. The isolated nature of domestic work, coupled with official neglect and a dearth of appropriate labour protections, can relegate domestic workers to virtual slavery.

Another manifestation of female migration is the massive outflow of nurses from the developing world to industrialized countries. Ageing populations, coupled with a shortage of nurses and doctors in host countries, is fueling demand, while crumbling health systems and poverty in developing nations is driving supply. The yearly exodus of 20,000 highly qualified nurses and doctors from Africa is worsening an already grave situation for a region ravaged by HIV/AIDS, malaria and high numbers of maternal and child deaths. “Now is the time for vision and leadership on behalf of women migrants,” says Ms. Obaid. “Labour, human rights protections and sound immigration policies can ensure that migration for women is a passage to hope as the title of this year’s State of World Population report suggests.”

In addition to the main report, UNFPA is launching Moving Young, a special companion volume that explores the topic of migration through the words of migrant youth. It is a report that brings to life, through first-person accounts, the issues raised in The State of World Population. The youth report is a new initiative that will become, henceforth, a joint annual report. As an organization that also specifically focuses on youth, UNFPA wants to give voice to their dreams, aspirations, challenges and hopes.

Published in: New Report Calls on World Leaders to Protect Human Rights of Female Migrants, UN Population Fund, 6 September 2006.

The Chamber was established in 2005, and is the only professional legal association in Armenia, currently bringing together 476 advocates and 28 public defenders. 

Published in: OSCE Office Supports Launch of Armenian Chamber of Advocates Website, Press Release, OSCE, 15 September 2006.

Compiled from: Introduction to IHF Annual Report On Human Rights Violations, International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, August 6, 2006; Preface to IHF Annual Report On Human Rights Violations, International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, August 6, 2006.

Georgia was due to submit its periodic report to CEDAW this year. As a shadow report to Georgia's report, the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) submitted their own findings. The NGO report felt that some progress had been made in regard to women's rights in Georgia, but that there is still much work to be done to ensure that all women enjoy the same fundamental rights.

The Committee's concluding comments go further, urging Georgia to create a permanent institution that will focus on discrimination against women and promote equality between the sexes. The Committee also urges Georgia to create and implement laws protecting women's rights. Some of the legislation already created has been postponed and some issues have been left out of the laws entirely. The Committee also expresses concerns about human trafficking in Georgia and says that the country should implement a national plan for preventing trafficking in the State.

Compiled from: World Organisation Against Torture Press Release, Combating Violence against Women in Georgia: The UN Committee on Women's Rights Reiterates OMCT and GYLA's Concerns, 8 September 2006.

The keynote speaker  was Shanthi Dariam, the CEDAW committee member from Malaysia.  She spoke on how to use CEDAW to achieve equality for women.

The report includes papers from the conference written by the speakers as well as meeting notes from conferences in Belfast and Dublin at which Dariam spoke.

Compiled from: WHRA-Ireland, available at  http://www.whra-ireland.org/index.html; "Taking CEDAW Seriously" Conference Report, Women's Human Rights Alliance, Press Release, 30 August 2006.

The first study found the group to be most at risk of trafficking was institutionalized children and their care takers.  Though they are at an increased risk for being trafficked, they are uninformed on the problem of trafficking in general.  Also, the study found that those thinking of leaving Armenia to work in another country do not know the procedures for legal migration; their main source of information is people who have already left the country, which may not be that reliable.

The second study surveyed some people suspected to be victims of trafficking.  They found that the greatest country for labor trafficking was Russia and that men are the majority of victims.  For women, the greatest trafficking countries were the United Arab Emirates and Turkey where they were subject to commercial exploitation.

These studies show that more needs to be done to raise awareness of trafficking and to inform Armenians on the procedures involved in legal migration.  These studies were done in response to the Armenian National Plan of Action on Combating Trafficking, which calls for more research on the phenomenon of trafficking.

Compiled from: OSCE Office in Yerevan Presents Results of Human Trafficking Studies, Press Release, OSCE, 8 September 2006. http://www.osce.org/item/20417.html.

Legal training will be taking place 13-19 November 2006 in Belgrade regarding gender based violence.  The Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence will be hosting the training, with three experts to facilitate it.  The cost is three hundred Euros plus transportation and hotel costs (approximately fifty-five to sixty-five euros per day); meals are included in the cost.  There is some financial aid available.  If interested, please contact Mirjana Tejic at tejicm@eunet.yu or + 381 63 7041 979.  The application deadline is 15 September 2006; please include a motivation letter with personal details and a CV.

Click here to view the agenda.

Compiled from: Serbian Center for Prevention of Domestic Violence, UN-INSTRAW Wiki, last visited 15 September 2006.

The theme for this year's campaign was announced in August. This year the focus is on activists who have helped make the campaign into what it is today. Many of these activists and human rights defenders have been the victims of violence and intimidation due to their role in defending women's rights. This theme brings home the main goal behind the 16 days campaign: stopping violence against women is an important part of advancing human rights.

Compiled from:

Center for Women's Global Leadership, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/home.html, 8 September 2006

Center for Women's Global Leadership, What's New, "16 Days Theme Announcement", http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/globalcenter/whatsnew.html 8 September 2006.

The project was created to help prevent trafficking and prostitution in 14 European countries. One aspect of the Project is helping to support women's non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the targeted countries as they deal with trafficking and other women's issues.

The anti-trafficking posters include messages like "Every seventh man buys helpless women and children for sexual use," and "A woman is not a product."

To view the posters from the different countries involved, please click here.

Compiled from: European Women's Lobby, www.womenlobby.org, September 8, 2006.

The report stressed the human rights violations against all women, but also focused on specific violence against the population of Romani women.  Some serious claims in the report are the following:

• Forced sterilization of Romani women: practiced beginning in the Communist era, and most recently in 2001 (for documented cases)
• Domestic violence: insufficient training of professionals, therapeutic programs for victims and perpetrators, victim services in various regions, comprehensive services, investigation, and protection from “stalking”
• Legal protection from discrimination: no comprehensive anti-discrimination law, very few cases reviewed by Czech authorities and even fewer with positive results
• Government policy: push for equality has been almost completely at the NGO level.  there is little public awareness and representatives are unhelpful in promoting gender equality.  More serious problems occur with the Romani women.
• Low participation of women: both in government/public life and the study of science and technology.  There is no law helping women increase their representation in the governmental bodies and education is still segregated, giving Romani children less of an opportunity.
• Child support: a bill requiring payment of child support has been rejected, making the situation of single mothers more difficult.  The Czech Republic also has the highest rates of small children placed in state care.

This report illustrates that there is much progress to be made in the Czech Republic regarding its treatment of women.  In response to this report, ERRC states that CEDAW has strongly advised the Czech government to implement reforms in the area of sterilization, including better and ongoing training of professionals, compensation to victims, and legislation regarding consent.  They also ask for the implementation of discrimination laws.

The full Shadow Report is available for download here.

Published in: United Nations: Hungary Coercively Sterilised Romani Woman, European Roma Rights Center, Press Release, 31 August 2006.