The Human Rights Council convenes for it’s 56th session between 17 June and 12 July 2024. You can find all our statements delivered during this session below as they become available. Our past advocacy interventions are available here.
Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur the human rights of migrants (26 June)
In recent years, the United Kingdom has passed several pieces of legislation to deter migrants who may have a legitimate claim of asylum. These include the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and the Safety of Rwanda Act 2024, sections of which violate the UK’s human rights obligations according to rulings by UK courts. The latter also appears to be direct attack on the rule of law, as it attempts to directly flout a decision by the Supreme Court. Franciscans International reiterated that the UK should respect international law, uphold the human rights of migrants and asylum seekers, and end its policies, practices, and statements that demonize and re-traumatize them.
Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of internally displaced persons (21 June)
Although lack of access to West Papua has made it difficult to verify the exact number, an estimated 76,919 people are internally displaced due to the ongoing conflict. Franciscans International has received reports about the ransacking of civilian infrastructure by the military and the death of displaced persons (IDPs) in camps due to poor living conditions. Indigenous Papuan women and children are particularly impacted by the lack of basic services. While authorities claim that it is safe for IDPs to return to their homes, the returnees live under constant surveillance and intimidation by the military. In a joint statement, we called on the Indonesian authorities to guarantee the right to a safe return, grant unimpeded access for humanitarian organizations, and allow independent observers to monitor and report on the human rights situation.
Written submissions
Human Rights Situation in Uganda: Need for Greater and Coordinated Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons
Despite adopting a national action plan to fight human trafficking, the practice continues to be widespread in Uganda where men and women alike are routinely recruited as foreign laborers by fraudulent agencies. Once abroad, they are at risk of financial and sexual exploitation. Adequate services and financial support for victims are lacking once they return to Uganda, with the government relying on civil society organizations to provide this care. While acknowledging the efforts made to address this problem, we called on the government to increase funding and training to monitor and prosecute fraudulent agencies and to strengthen its legislative framework to include a gender and age perspective.
Human Rights in the Philippines (24 June)
The human rights situation in the Philippines remains highly concerning: the current government persecutes human rights defenders with impunity and failed to provide accountability for past violations, including for the more than 27.000 extra-judicial killings during the so-called ‘war on drugs’. The UN Joint Programme, meant to strengthen investigations into these violations, will end in 2024 without achieving its goals. Looking ahead, we urged an independent assessment of this program to evaluate what progress has been achieved. We also reiterated our call on the Government of the Philippines to comply with its human rights obligation and fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court as it investigates possible crimes against humanity committed during the ‘war on drugs’.
Human Rights Obligations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Migration and Asylum Seekers (21 June)
In just the last three years, several pieces of legislation have come into force in an openly declared attempt to deter migrants and asylum seekers from coming to the United Kingdom. Several courts have ruled that elements in these bills violate both international and domestic laws. Highlighting these instances, Franciscans International called on the UK government to turn away from the policies identified by its own courts as being incompatible with international law and norms, and its human rights obligations.
Human Rights Situation in Sri Lanka: The Need to Ensure Accountability for the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks (21 June)
Since the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks that claimed the lives of more than 260 people, survivors and victims’ families are still searching for the truth. In a joint statement, we called for the proper criminal investigation into the involvement of Nilantha Jayawardena, former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director and allegations of being directly responsible for serious dereliction of duty that led to the bombings. We also urged for international assistance to uncover all perpetrators behind the attacks, to ensure adequate and speedy compensation to survivors and victims’ families, and to implement the recommendations from the Presidential Commission of Inquiry.
Human Rights Situation of Internally Displaced Persons in West Papua, Indonesia (13 June)
As of April 2024, over 76,900 people have been displaced by ongoing violence in West Papua. Reports indicate that these internally displaced persons (IDPs) face a lack of access to healthcare and education and that many experience harassment by members of the security forces. Those who can return home continue to live under a heavy security presence with limited access to basic services. In a joint statement, Franciscans International called on the Indonesian government to uphold the human rights of IDPs, allow access to humanitarian organizations, and invite the Special Rapporteur on IDPs to conduct a country visit to monitor the situation and make recommendations.
Thumbnail: UN Photo / Jean Marc Ferré