Scientology & Human Rights, raising up the next generation at the UN

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13 July 2023

Young leaders for Human Rights and Peace at the UN. 2023 (Photo credit: TS)

Global youth activism for human rights receives recognition as Scientology’s Human Rights Office commends Youth for Human Rights Summit.

EINPresswire.com/ BRUSSELS-NEW YORK, BRUSSELS-NEW YORK, BELGIUM-USA, July 13, 2023. / The Human Rights Office of the Church of Scientology International congratulates Youth for Human Rights International on its Summit at the United Nations, which equipped young activists around the world with the tools to achieve their humanitarian goals.

At this 17th Youth Summit held on July 6-8 inside the UN headquarters, in New York, young leaders from all around the world, including Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Oceania, received wisdom and experiences from Nobel Peace Prize laureates and human rights experts. Organized by Youth for Human Rights International, the Summit was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Timor-Leste to the United Nations and co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Ireland, Albania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The theme of this year’s Summit was:

“IMAGINE: EQUALITY. DIGNITY. UNITY – Young people make it a reality”.

Delegates gathered in the hall of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, where international human rights icons guided and encouraged them to persevere in achieving their goal: to make human rights a reality by raising awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta, 1996 Nobel Peace Prize winner, welcomed delegates in a recorded presentation. “The hope represented by the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights never dies – he said – With your actions today you are making the world you will live in a better place. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations paves the way for a better world. Thank you for continuing to carry the torch and forging a path towards the ideals we share ”.

2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a date whose celebrations have started all over. The UDHR document has been the first one to ever define the fundamental rights that all peoples of Earth poses.

“It is appaling that 75 years later our world continues to face preventable humanitarian crises such as human trafficking, hunger as well as abuse of the environmental richness, while over 30 nations are still involved in conflicts, from large-scale wars to terrorist insurgencies. It is clear to me, and to everyone willing to open their eyes and look, that the 30 rights are still treated at some degree as wet paper, rather than tirelessly work to fully implement the for billions of people on the planet” said Ivan Arjona, representative of the Church of Scientology for the European Institutions and the UN.

Those who drafted the document urged governments and civil society already in the very preamble to “work by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive national and international measures to ensure universal and effective recognition and observance”.

It was in December 2011, when the United Nations General Assembly, after being requested specially by civil society and allies in governments, adopted the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. The declaration calls on member states to “implement human rights education and training”. Yet 12 years later, little has changed.

Youth delegates from around the world co-authored a statement which they read out at the Summit, in which the demand for all UN member states to make human rights education compulsory in schools in their countries.

As evidence of the possibility of doing so, the participants of the Summit were briefed by Jorge Luis Fonseca Fonseca, Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica and the Representative of Youth for Human Rights Costa Rica, Braulio Vargas, on how they helped to pass legislation mandating human rights education in all schools in Costa Rica, thus instilling human rights into the fabric of the nation.

Other keynote speakers at the Summit include Timor-Leste’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Karlito Nunes; the Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations, Ambassador Ferit Hoxha; the Immediate Past President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Dr. Ira Helfand, Nobel Peace Prize winner for 1985 and 2017; the Co-Founder and President of Eyes Open International, Harold D’Souza; Movement Forward, Inc. Chief Operating Officer Jared Feuer; retired Associate Justice of the Philippine Court of Appeals and chair of the Independent Commission Against Private Armies, Monina Arevalo Zenarosa; and Northwest Vista College assistant professor Haetham Abdul-Razaq, Ph.D.

More than 400 officials, ambassadors and representatives of United Nations Permanent Missions, NGO representatives, academics and members of civil society, including from Italy, attended the two-day conference, at the end of which dignitaries signed a proclamation and request for human rights education in all schools.

The event was broadcast on the United Nations website and watched by human rights activists, educators and members of Youth for Human Rights chapters in countries around the world.

The final day of the Summit was hosted by the Church of Scientology Harlem Community Center. Delegates attended a workshop where they acquired skills in planning and executing their human rights education initiatives. Each of them has drawn up a human rights action plan that will help them achieve their goals for the coming year.

The Human Rights Office of the Church of Scientology International congratulates Youth for Human Rights International on the scale and impact of this summit. The Church has sponsored and helped organize each of the previous 16 Youth Summits. Defending human rights is an integral part of the Scientology religion. The Creed of the Church of Scientology, written in 1954 by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, begins with:

“We of the Church believe: That all men of whatever race, color or creed are created with equal rights.”

The Church of Scientology and its parishioners support Youth for Human Rights International by making it possible to provide its materials free of charge to educators, human rights organizations, and community and civic leaders who wish to educate others about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Artificial Intelligence Puts 27% of Jobs at Risk

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13 July 2023

Artificial Intelligence Puts 27% of Jobs at Risk

Artificial intelligence (AI) has a very real prospect of eliminating around 27% of existing job positions currently occupied by human employees.

Artificial intelligence is likely to significantly impact over a quarter of currently existing job positions. Image credit: Ümit Yıldırım via Unsplash, free license

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), over a quarter of all jobs within 38 member countries rely on skills that could be easily automated in the upcoming artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

The OECD further stated that workers are concerned about the possibility of losing their jobs to AI. Although there is currently limited evidence of AI significantly impacting jobs, this may be due to the early stages of the revolution.

The 2023 Employment Outlook report from the Paris-based organization revealed that jobs with the highest risk of automation account for an average of 27% of the labor force across OECD countries, with eastern European nations being the most vulnerable. These high-risk jobs were defined as those requiring more than 25 out of 100 skills and abilities that artificial intelligence experts consider easily automatable.

A robotic assembly line in a car factory. Image credit: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

While 27% is the average indicator, in some countries up to nearly 37% jobs can be significantly impacted by artificial intelligence solutions in near future.

A survey conducted by the OECD in the previous year found that three out of five workers expressed fear of losing their jobs to AI within the next decade. The survey involved 5,300 workers from 2,000 firms in manufacturing and finance sectors across seven OECD countries. At the time of this earlier survey, generative AI systems like ChatGPT did not exist on the market yet.

Despite concerns about the impact of AI, two-thirds of workers who are already working with AI reported that automation had made their jobs less dangerous or monotonous.

Manufacturing – illustrative photo. Image credit: ThisisEngineering RAEng via Unsplash, free license

OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann emphasized the significance of policy actions in determining how AI will ultimately affect workers. He stressed the need for governments to assist workers in preparing for these changes and capitalizing on the opportunities presented by AI.

The OECD highlighted that measures such as minimum wages and collective bargaining could alleviate the wage pressures posed by AI, while governments and regulators must safeguard workers’ rights to ensure they are not compromised.

Written by Alius Noreika

Should taxpayers’ money in Belgium go to suspicious anti-cults outfits?

By

Willy Fautre

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12 July 2023

HRWF (12.07.2023) – On June 26, the Federal Observatory on Cults (CIAOSN / IACSSO), officially known as the “Center for Information and Advice on Harmful Cultic Organizations” and created by the law of June 2, 1998 (amended by the law of April 12, 2004), published a number of “Recommendations concerning help for victims of sectarian influence“.

(Version en français I – Version en français II)

Table of Contents

Victims of “cults” or religions?

The Cult Observatory is not in charge of providing psycho-social or legal assistance to victims of cults. It does, however, direct enquirers to the appropriate support services and provides general legal information. The abuses and sufferings described are very diverse in nature, says the Observatory.

According to the Observatory, victims are people who declare that they are suffering or have suffered from cultic manipulation or the consequences of cultic manipulation of someone close to them.

The Observatory points out in the text of its Recommendation that “the notion of victims is in reality broader than that given by legal definitions. Alongside direct victims (former followers, etc.), there are also collateral victims (parents, children, friends, relatives, etc.) and silent victims (former followers who do not denounce the facts but who are suffering, children, etc.)”. It is also careful to take certain oratorical precautions and not to endorse the state of a person claiming to be a victim.

On the judicial front, “legal assistants can only intervene and provide help if a criminal complaint is lodged, which is rarely the case in the cultic context,” states the Observatory. However, the concept of “cult” does not exist by law, and “the cultic context” even less so.

It’s true that in all areas of human relations (family, marital, hierarchical, professional, sports, school, religious…), victims find it difficult to lodge a criminal complaint for a variety of psychological or other reasons.

However, in the religious context, and in particular in the Roman Catholic Church, the number of victims of documented and proven sexual abuse cases which are or were liable to criminal punishment is countless worldwide. At the time these abuses were committed, the real victims remained silent, and thousands refrained from pressing charges. Singling out and stigmatizing so-called “cults” outside the general religious context can only give a truncated view of reality. Cults” do not exist in law.

Who has to pay for the victims? The State, and therefore taxpayers?

All over the world, there are and have been victims of various kinds of religious, spiritual or philosophical groups. The state does not provide any financial support for the psychological care of the said victims.

The Catholic Church has unilaterally and finally decided to purify its ranks, identify and document alleged cases of abuse, deal with complaints in courts or in other contexts, and intervene financially to cover damages caused by members of its clergy. Legal action leading to fines, financial compensation of proven victims by the judiciary or prison sentences may also be necessary.

In our democracies, the legal channels are the safest. The first help to be given to people claiming to be victims is legal: helping them to lodge a complaint and then trust the justice system to establish the facts, confirm or not the status of victims, and include in its judgments adequate financial compensation for any psychological damage.

This is the only credible way to determine whether there has been a violation of the law by a particular religious group, whether there have been victims and whether they should be compensated.

The Cult Observatory is a center for information and advice. It can therefore legitimately issue an opinion and make a recommendation to the competent Belgian authorities. However, it has lost credibility since its opinion concerning alleged sexual abuses of minors committed within the Jehovah’s Witness movement and supposedly hidden by the religious hierarchy was totally disavowed by a Belgian court for lack of evidence in 2022.

An advice from the Cult Observatory caught at fault by the Belgian justice system

In October 2018, the Cult Observatory published a report on alleged sexual abuse of minors committed within the Jehovah’s Witness community and asked the Belgian Federal Parliament to investigate the matter.

The Observatory said it had received various testimonies from people claiming to have been sexually abused, which led to a series of raids on Jehovah’s Witness places of worship and homes.

These accusations of sexual abuse were strongly contested by the religious community. The Jehovah’s Witnesses felt that this was damaging to them and their reputation, and took the case to court.

In June 2022, the Brussels Court of First Instance ruled in favor of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and condemned the Observatory.

The judgment stated that the Observatory “committed a fault in drafting and distributing the report entitled ‘Report on the treatment of sexual abuse of minors within the Jehovah’s Witness organization’.”

The Brussels Court of First Instance also ordered the Belgian State to publish the judgment on the Observatory’s homepage for six months.

The court’s decision was welcomed by Jehovah’s Witnesses, who had denounced a “particularly infamous rumor” targeting their community of some 45,000 members and sympathizers in Belgium.

The Cult Observatory recommends public funding for organizations with little credibility or transparency

The Observatory states that one of its main partners on the French-speaking side, the Service d’Aide aux Victimes d’Emprise et de Comportements Sectaires (SAVECS) of the Planning familial Marconi (Brussels), has “helped and counseled people who declare that they suffer or have suffered from cultic manipulation or the consequences of cultic manipulation of a loved one,” but that it has closed its doors for budgetary reasons.

On the Dutch-speaking side, the Observatory says it works in collaboration with the non-profit organization Studie en Adviesgroep Sekten (SAS-Sekten), but the association’s volunteers are no longer able to handle requests for assistance, which remain unanswered.

The Observatory praises the expertise and professionalism of these two associations.

However, preliminary research on these two organizations raises reservations about their transparency, and consequently about the reliability of the Observatory’s opinion.

The SAVECS website contains no annual activity report, nor does it mention any information concerning the victim support cases handled by them (number of cases, nature, religious or philosophical movements concerned, etc.).

The Centre de Consultations et de Planning Familial Marconi is also silent on the question of help for cult victims. The Centre Marconi carries out the following activities: medical consultations; contraception, pregnancy monitoring, AIDS, STDs; psychological consultations: individuals, couples and families; social consultations; legal consultations; physiotherapy. It also offers “a service to help victims of cultic influence and behavior – SAVECS -: psychological listening and consultation, prevention, discussion groups”. Helping the victims of sects therefore appears to be very peripheral to its mandate.

SAS-Sekten is an organization set up in 1999 in the wake of the Belgian parliamentary report on cults, which has a page on the Flemish Region’s official website informing the region’s inhabitants about the existing social assistance services. Although help for cult victims is listed as the first item of its mandate, there is no activity report on this subject either. Again, a total lack of transparency and a huge gap between what is stated and what is maybe achieved.

SAS-Sekten’s current visible figure is a former Jehovah’s Witness who took the movement to court on charges of discrimination and incitement to hatred. In 2022, he lost the appeal, his charges were being declared unfounded.

Human Rights Without Frontiers considers that public funding of such groups, as recommended by the Cult Observatory, is not credible and that another solution must be found.

France’s bad example, not to be followed

On 6 June 2023, French media reported that the distribution of public funds to dubious associations had led to the resignation of the president of France’s Cult Observatory (MIVILUDES) against the backdrop of the Marianne Fund scandal, of which he was the manager under the authority of his minister, Marlène Schiappa.

On October 16, 2020, a secondary school teacher, Samuel Paty, was beheaded by an 18-year-old Muslim extremist for showing his students cartoons of Mohammed published by “Charlie Hebdo.” Following the French government’s initiative, the Marianne Fund had then been launched by Minister Marlène Schiappa (Initial budget of 2.5 million EUR). The aim was to finance associations fighting against Muslim fundamentalism and separatism. Subsequently, Minister Schiappa argued that cults were no less separatist and fundamentalist, and that anti-cult associations should be financed from this fund. Some of them close to MIVILUDES had then been “prioritized” and had “benefitted of privileges”, which was welcome given their financial difficulties. On 31 May 2023, the General Inspection of the Administration (IGA) issued a first report on what is known in France as the scandal of the Marianne Fund.

Complaints have been lodged against several French anti-cult associations.

The Belgian state and taxpayers should not be used to bail out the finances of non-transparent associations.

UN Alerts on Surge in Acts of Religious Hatred

By

Juan Sanchez Gil

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12 July 2023

2023-07-11-HRC53-UD-religious-hatred-SR-FoRB-statement Download

Nazila Ghanea speech on religious hatred. at UN

Surge of Religious hatred / In recent times, the world has witnessed a disturbing increase in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred, particularly the desecration of the Holy Quran in certain European and other countries. During the Fifty-third Session of the Human Rights Council, Nazila Ghanea, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, delivered a powerful speech urging the international community to confront intolerance, discrimination, and violence based on religion or belief.

I will try to delve into the key points raised in Ghanea’s speech, underscoring the significance of non-discrimination, adherence to international human rights frameworks, and the pressing need for fostering tolerance within our societies. (You can watch the full video with the transcript below).

Table of Contents

Promoting Non-Discrimination and Equality:

According to Nazila Ghanea, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, it is imperative to ensure that no individual is subjected to discrimination by any State, institution, group of persons, or individuals based on their religion or belief.

The tireless efforts of the Special Procedures and the Coordination Committee revolve around fostering understanding, coexistence, non-discrimination, and equality for all individuals, guaranteeing their right to enjoy fundamental freedoms and human rights without prejudice or bias.

Manifestations of Religious Hatred and Intolerance:

Ghanea underscores the fact that religious intolerance and hatred manifest in various ways across the globe. As she aptly stated,

“Intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief is experienced in numerous ways, transcending geographical boundaries. It includes distinguishing, excluding, restricting, or showing preference based on religion or belief.”

These acts not only impede the equal enjoyment of human rights but also contribute to the perpetuation of societal divisions and tensions, undermining the very essence of harmonious coexistence, which at times (readers should be aware of that) is instigated by government agencies in Europe for example in Belgium, France, Hungary, Germany and others.

The Escalation of Public Acts of Intolerance:

Public acts of intolerance have witnessed an alarming surge, particularly during times of political tension. Ghanea draws attention to the underlying political motives behind these orchestrated displays of intolerance, stating,

“The political motives and purposes behind these engineered public displays of intolerance reveal their true nature: the instrumentalization of religion and belief to propagate hatred.”

@europeantimesnews
@unitednations SR on FoRB Alerts of Surge in Acts of ReligiousHatred ReligiousHatred Surge of Religious hatred / In recent times, the world has witnessed a disturbing increase in premeditated and public acts of religious hatred, particularly the desecration of the Holy Quran in certain European and other countries. During the Fifty-third Session of the Human Rights Council, Nazila Ghanea, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, delivered a powerful speech urging the international community to confront intolerance, discrimination, and violence based on religion or belief. This article aims to delve into the key points raised in Ghanea’s speech, underscoring the significance of non-discrimination, adherence to international human rights frameworks, and the pressing need for fostering tolerance within our societies. READ ARTICLE ON: https://www.europeantimes.news/2023/07/un-sr-forb-alerts-surge-religious-hatred/
♬ sonido original – The European Times – The European Times

According to Ghanea, it is crucial to unequivocally condemn such acts, regardless of their origin or the individuals responsible, in order to preserve tolerance, civility, and respect for the rights of all.

Reaffirming Commitment to Human Rights Frameworks:

Ghanea emphasizes the vital importance of upholding international human rights frameworks and bolstering commitments to combat intolerance and violence based on religion or belief. She asserts, “The responses of national authorities to these acts, as well as related incidents, should be in line with international human rights law.” Nurturing collaborative networks, facilitating constructive actions, and promoting interfaith dialogue can create an environment that fosters religious tolerance, peace, and respect.

Protecting Freedom of Expression and Combating Hate Speech:

The freedom of religion or belief and the freedom of expression are deeply interconnected, she says in the statement, enabling individuals to voice their opinions against intolerance and hostility. Ghanea rightly points out, “Freedom of expression is crucial in combating negative stereotypes, presenting alternative viewpoints, and nurturing an atmosphere of respect and understanding among diverse communities.” Although international law prohibits the advocacy of hatred that incites discrimination or violence, it is vital to evaluate each situation contextually, ensuring a fair and comprehensive analysis points out the statement given at the Urgent debate during the 53rd Human Rights Council.

The Role of Leaders and Communities:

Ghanea highlights the pivotal role of political, religious, and civil society leaders in countering intolerance and promoting diversity and inclusion. These leaders hold the power to condemn acts of hatred unequivocally and foster understanding among communities. As Ghanea firmly states, “We stand united against those who deliberately exploit tensions or target individuals based on their religion or belief.”

Conclusion:

Confronting the rising tide of acts fueled by religious hatred necessitates united efforts to promote non-discrimination, tolerance, and understanding. Upholding international human rights frameworks, without ignoring those happening in Europe, unequivocally condemning acts of intolerance, fostering dialogue, and safeguarding freedom of expression are vital steps in building inclusive and harmonious societies.

By rejecting those who exploit religious tensions and target individuals based on their beliefs, we can strive towards a world where individuals can freely practice their religion or embrace their chosen beliefs, safe from discrimination and violence. As Nazila Ghanea aptly affirms,

“Our responses to these acts must be firmly grounded in the framework of international human rights law.”
Nazila Ghanea, UN SR on FoRB, 53rd Session UN Human Rights Council

You can read the full statement in this document:

UN rights experts denounce forced evictions of Palestinian families

By

United Nations News

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12 July 2023

UN rights experts denounce forced evictions of Palestinian families

In a news release issued by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), the experts said it was “deeply shocking and heartbreaking” to see an elderly Palestinian couple, Nora Ghaith and Mustafa Sub Laban, evicted from their family home where they lived all their lives and raised their children.

Table of Contents

‘Apartheid machinery at work’

“As we have repeatedly said, forced evictions of Palestinians in east Jerusalem are part of Israel’s apartheid machinery at work, designed to consolidate Jewish ownership of Jerusalem and racially dominate the city’s population,” the experts, including Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, said.

According to the news release, Israeli police evicted Nora Ghaith and Mustafa Sub Laban from their home in the Old City of Jerusalem in the early hours of 11 July.

The Ghaith-Sub Laban family, who had a protected lease on the house since 1953, reportedly faced constant harassment and lawsuits from Israeli authorities and settlers seeking to seize their home under an inherently discriminatory law that applies to Palestinians in east Jerusalem, the release added.

Widespread and systematic

The experts noted that case of the Ghaith Sub-Laban family was representative of a widespread and systematic practice by Israel to forcibly evict and displace Palestinians from east Jerusalem and “de-palestinize” the city. Across east Jerusalem, there are reportedly around 150 Palestinian families at risk of forced eviction and displacement by Israeli authorities and settler organizations.

“Israel’s transfer of its own population into the occupied territory is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime […] Nothing speaks more blatantly of its intention to annex and colonise the occupied territory in violation of international law,” they said.

End violations

“Israel must immediately cease these deliberate acts, which not only deliberately violate Palestinians’ rights to self-determination, non-discrimination, development, adequate housing and property, but also traumatize the affected family and the entire Palestinian community living defenceless under Israeli rule, and violate the fundamental norms and principles of international law,” the experts added.

The Human Rights Council-appointed experts added that it is “the duty of other States to put an end to the unrelenting assaults on the system of international law.”

According to the news release, the experts have repeatedly raised these issues with the Government of Israel without any response to date.

In addition to Ms. Albanese, the rights experts voicing concern included the special rapporteurs on violence against women and girls, contemporary forms of racism, human rights of internally displaced persons, and right to development; the independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons; and members of the working group on discrimination against women and girls.

Independent experts

The Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts, and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council.

The experts are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations and work on a voluntary basis. They serve in their individual capacity; are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

Türk: Accountability needed for ‘shocking’ violations by Russian forces in Ukraine

By

United Nations News

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12 July 2023

Türk: Accountability needed for ‘shocking’ violations by Russian forces in Ukraine

The High Commissioner told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that his office (OHCHR) had documented the arbitrary detention of more than 900 civilians between 24 February 2022 and 23 May this year.

He added that that Russia gave no access to places of detention, “which leads inevitably to undercounting”. The summary executions of 77 civilians in detention were also documented, along with widespread torture and ill-treatment including sexual violence by Russian security personnel.

Table of Contents

‘Concrete measures’ needed by Russia

“These findings are shocking”, he told delegates. “They call for concrete measures by the Russian Federation to instruct and ensure their Russian personnel comply with international human rights and humanitarian law.”

The UN rights chief also presented a report on human rights violations in Crimea, occupied by Russia since 2014, as well as Russian-occupied areas of the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

In addition to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and torture, the findings included forced population transfers of civilians and “extensive” violations of the freedom of opinion and expression.

Local officials, humanitarian volunteers, priests, teachers, among others – more than a quarter of those held by Russia – were transferred without any information provided to their families. Mr. Türk said there had been several cases documented of civilians being used as “human shields”, attempting to deter attack.

He outlined other abuses such as the forced conscription of around 2,500 men from Crimea, while 112 people were prosecuted for so-called draft evasion, in 2022.

Rights denied

Denial of the rights to due process and fair trial are “a systemic issue” in Crimea, with 16 cases documented where courts convicted Ukrainians following proceedings that disregarded fair trial guarantees.

Accountability for violations and abuses overall, “continues to be conspicuous by its absence”, with no ongoing investigation being carried out by Russia, to his knowledge, said the High Commissioner.

The rights chief said he was also deeply concerned over a recent Russian parliamentary law exempting perpetrators of war crimes and other international offences in occupied Ukraine, of any domestic liability.

‘Immense tragedy’

“The issues outlined in our reports are profoundly harmful to the human rights of Ukrainians and must be addressed with urgency.”

He concluded that the only solution “to this immense tragedy” was for everyone with influence to work towards a just peace in line with the UN Charter and international law.

Hunger afflicts one in ten globally, UN report finds

By

United Nations News

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12 July 2023

Hunger afflicts one in ten globally, UN report finds

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World revealed that between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, with a mid-range of 735 million, representing an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019. It also adds up to a grim warning, potentially jeopardizing the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger.

“Overall, we need an intense and immediate global effort to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We must build resilience against the crises and shocks that drive food insecurity – from conflict to climate,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a video message launching the report.

It shows that hunger rose in Western Asia, Caribbean and across Africa, where one in five people — more than twice the global average — faced hunger. Only Asia and Latin America observed progress in improving food security.

In addition to rising hunger, the capacity of people to access healthy diets also deteriorated across the world. More than 3.1 billion people globally unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021, the report issued jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health

Organization (WHO) and World Food Programme (WFP) said.

Malnutrition among children

According to the report, 148 million children under five were stunted (a condition marked by low height per age), 45 million were wasted (low weight), and 37 million were overweight, often an indicator of poor nutrition.

“Malnutrition is a major threat to children’s survival, growth and development,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.

Children’s malnutrition also displays differently in urban and rural settings, the report added, noting that the prevalence of child stunting was higher in the countryside (35.8 per cent) than in urban areas (22.4 per cent).

Similarly, wasting was higher in rural areas (10.5 per cent) compared to urban areas (7.7 per cent), while being overweight is slightly more prevalent in urban areas (5.4 per cent) compared to rural areas (3.5 per cent).

“The scale of the nutrition crisis demands a stronger response focused on children, including prioritizing access to nutritious and affordable diets and essential nutrition services, protecting children and adolescents from nutrient-poor, ultra-processed foods, and strengthening food and nutrition supply chains including for fortified and therapeutic foods for children,” Ms. Russell said.

States must redouble efforts against intolerance based on religion or belief

By

Volker Türk

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12 July 2023

Beyond words, human beings communicate through symbols. A ring marks our commitment to marry. A coloured light signals us to stop or go. Religious symbols go much deeper. A crescent, a star, a cross, a seated figure: for some, these might mean little, but for millions of people they have deep significance as the repository and incarnation of an immense history, a far-reaching system of values, a foundation of collective community and belonging, and the essence of their identity and core beliefs.

The abuse or destruction of the manifestations of our innermost beliefs can polarise societies and aggravate tensions.

This Urgent Debate is prompted by recent incidents of burning of the Quran, which is the core of faith for well over a billion people. These and other incidents appear to have been manufactured to express contempt and inflame anger; to drive wedges between people; and to provoke, transforming differences of perspective into hatred and, perhaps, violence.

So the first point I want to make here is this: setting aside for a moment the question of what the law states is permissible or not, and irrespective of one’s own religious beliefs or lack of belief, people need to act with respect for others. All others.

setting aside for a moment the question of what the law states is permissible or not, and irrespective of one’s own religious beliefs or lack of belief, people need to act with respect for others. All others
Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (11 July 2023 at UN Human Rights Council in Geneva)

Only in this way can sustained dialogue become possible. Only in this way can we have conduct among human beings that enables us to address, together, the challenges we face.

Yet the vandalism of religious sites and the destructions of icons, texts that are sacred to their believers, and religious items, have been used to insult and provoke people for centuries. To me, it is clear that speech and inflammatory acts against Muslims; Islamophobia; anti-Semitism; and actions and speech that target Christians – or minority groups such as Ahmadis, Baháʼís or Yazidis – are manifestations of utter disrespect. They are offensive, irresponsible and wrong.

It is important to recall the immense benefit of diversity for all societies. All people have an equal right to believe, or not to believe: this is fundamental to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that unites us. We need to promote interfaith harmony and mutual respect, in the interest of all communities.

Political and religious leaders have a particularly crucial role to play in speaking out clearly, firmly and immediately against disrespect and intolerance – not only of their own communities, but of any group subjected to attack. They should also make it clear that violence cannot be justified by prior provocation, whether real or perceived.

also make it clear that violence cannot be justified by prior provocation, whether real or perceived
Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (11 July 2023 at UN Human Rights Council in Geneva)

Mr President,

These are complex areas. The limitation of any kind of speech or expression must, as a fundamental principle, remain an exception – particularly since laws limiting speech are often misused by those in power, including to stifle debate on critical issues.

But on the other hand, an act of speech, in the specific circumstances in which it occurs, can constitute incitement to action on the part of others — in some cases, very violent and discriminatory action. In recent years, numerous acts of violence, terror attacks and mass atrocities have targeted people on account of their religious beliefs, including inside their places of worship.

International law is clear on these kinds of incitement. Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states: States parties must, without exception, prohibit “any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence”.

To understand better how this must be applied, in 2011, my Office organised a series of regional workshops that led to the Rabat Plan of Action. This provides a six-step threshold regarding context, speaker, intent, content, and extent and likelihood of harm, to help demarcate free speech from incitement to violence.

Ultimately, the application of Article 20 of the ICCPR is a matter for national law-makers and courts to determine in a particular case. They need to do so in a manner that is consistent with the guardrails that international human rights law provides. Any national restrictions to the overriding right to freedom of opinion and expression must be formulated so that their sole purpose and outcome is to protect individuals – rather than to shield religious doctrine from critical review.

My second point is this: advocacy of hatred that constitutes incitement to violence, discrimination and hostility should be prohibited in every State.

Mr President,

While they may not be deemed to incite violence, other forms of expression can amount to hate speech, if they use pejorative or bigoted language towards a person or group on the basis of their sex, belief, race, migration status, sexual orientation or any other factor inherent to their person or identity, seeking to diminish their dignity and demean their value in the eyes of others.

I’d like to elaborate: dehumanizing women and denying their equality with men; verbally abusing Muslim women and girls who wear a headscarf; sneering at people with disabilities; making false claims that migrants or people of specific ethnicities are more likely to engage in crime; or smearing LGBTIQ+ people: all such hate speech is similar, in that it stems from the baseline notion that some people are less deserving of respect as human beings.

Powered by the tidal forces of social media, and in a context of increasing international and national discord and polarisation, hate speech of every kind is rising, everywhere. It is harmful to individuals, and it damages the social cohesion necessary to the sound functioning of all societies.

My third point, then: hate speech needs to be addressed, in all societies, through dialogue, education, awareness raising, inter-faith and inter-community engagement and other public policy tools. It needs to be actively countered by all responsible authorities, figures of influence, and the private sector.

The UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech is the UN response to address this phenomenon and to support States to counter it.

Effective prevention strategies by national authorities and others can identify and address the underlying causes of hate speech. I encourage States to redouble their efforts to implement the action plan to combat intolerance based on religion or belief that was set out in Human Rights Council resolution 16/18 and via the Istanbul process. As I highlighted in my related report earlier this year, teaching materials, and peer-to-peer learning, should promote respect for pluralism and diversity in the field of religion or belief. Exchanges of lessons learned and promising practices should continue to be promoted, including with the support of our Faith for Rights Framework.

Mr President,

Many societies are struggling with this weaponization of religious differences for political purposes. We must not allow ourselves to be reeled in and become instrumentalised by these merchants of chaos for political gain – these provocateurs who deliberately seekways to divide us.

I am immensely sympathetic to the millions of people who are offended and outraged by acts that target their deepest values and beliefs.

My overriding goal today is to acknowledge the profound enrichment of all of us that is brought about by our diversity, understandings of human existence, and our thoughts and beliefs. Our societies – all our societies, whatever their religious and cultural backgrounds – must strive to become magnets forrespect, dialogue and cooperation among different peoples, as has been achieved by multiple civilisations in the past.

To promote international peace and security; a rich, safe and respectful social fabric; as well as economies and societies that can benefit fully from the contributions of all their members, we must commit to advancing greater tolerance; greater respect; and greater recognition of the importance and value of our differences.

In the media. Online. In businesses. In schools. In government. In the police. And both outside and within places of worship. The best way to push back against hate speech is with more dialogue, more conversations, more building of common understanding and more acts that manifest our conviction that we are all equal.

That all of us have rights, including the right to hold different beliefs, to adopt different ways of living, and to have and share different opinions.

I trust this Council will be able to discuss these complex issues in the spirit of unity, constructive engagement, mutual respect and deep reflection that they deserve.

Thank you

Industrial emissions directive, MEP Dennis Radtke said it is time for a new start in industrial policy

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11 July 2023

Industrial emissions directive, MEP Dennis Radtke said it is time for a new start in industrial policy

Strasbourg/Düsseldorf, 11 July 2023. The European Parliament has tightened the rules on industrial emissions, in a move that is expected to significantly reduce pollution and improve air quality for citizens.

The new rules, which were adopted on Tuesday, extend the scope of the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) to cover mines and large battery factories for the first time. They also include stricter requirements for livestock farms, and introduce new measures to increase transparency and public participation.

Table of Contents

Time for a new start

In a press release sent by CDU MEP Dennis Radtke said:

“Effective environmental protection and a strong European industry. Both are possible at the same time. I am pleased that our amendment has been adopted and I thank all colleagues who have launched this initiative together with me. For now, we have been able to stop the worst proposals of EU Vice-President Frans Timmermans. In the fight for hundreds of thousands of well-paid jobs in industry, this was an important step. As the EPP, we are the last representatives of the interests of industrial workers”, with these words the North Rhine-Westphalian CDU MEP Dennis Radtke reacted to today’s vote in the EU Parliament on the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).

The social policy spokesman of the EPP group was in charge of drafting the now successful amendment, which will helps industry to redirect investments into ecological transformation without having to spend vast sums on existing installations that will be shut down in the near future anyway. In addition to Radtke, Czech Liberal MEP Ondřej Knotek, FDP MEP Andreas Glück and two EPP MEP colleagues Jens Gieseke and Peter Liese had also participated in the initiative. The IED has been controlling and reducing pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and methane from industrial plants for many years. The Commission had proposed a further tightening of the rules in April 2022. In addition to the inopportune timing of the proposal in a crisis with inflation, high-energy prices and uncertain supply chains, there was particular criticism that the proposed changes would have led to a prolongation and further bureaucratisation of planning procedures.

“All in all, pragmatic compromises were found that defuse the Commission proposal in all crucial places. Our amendment is of course a very central building block in this,” said CDU politician Radtke. “The USA has launched a gigantic industrial programme with the Inflation Reduction Act. Last year, 131 billion flowed out of German industry. Instead of reacting appropriately to this, some people here think that industry is a guinea pig on which the ideas of environmental NGOs can simply be tested in practice. It is irresponsible how we treat hundreds of thousands of well-paid jobs.”

The IED is a key piece of legislation that sets out rules on preventing and controlling pollution from industrial installations. The new rules are expected to have a significant impact on the environment, reducing air pollution by up to 30% and water pollution by up to 20%. They are also expected to lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

The new rules were welcomed by environmental groups, who said that they would help to protect public health and the environment. However, some businesses have expressed concerns that the rules will be too burdensome and could lead to job losses.

The next step is for the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to negotiate a final version of the legislation. Once this is agreed, the new rules will be implemented in all EU member states.

Key points of the new rules:

The IED is extended to cover mines and large battery factories for the first time.
Stricter requirements are introduced for livestock farms.

New measures are introduced to increase transparency and public participation.
The rules are expected to significantly reduce pollution and improve air quality for citizens.

Benefits of the new rules:

Reduced air pollution, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Improved air quality for citizens.
Increased transparency and public participation.

Challenges of the new rules:

Potential for job losses in some businesses.
Increased compliance costs for businesses.

Overall, the new industrial emissions directive is a positive step towards reducing pollution and improving air quality for citizens. It is important to monitor the impact of the rules on businesses and ensure that they are not too burdensome.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media concludes official visit to Turkmenistan

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11 July 2023