Structured Legal Framework Must Protect Indigenous Intellectual Wealth

World | Indigenous Rights | Intellectual Property

Unlike tangible artefacts that can be physically transported back to their place of origin, intellectual property theft is a deeply insidious crime, often veiled under legal loopholes, creative expression, media wordplay, globalisation, and the pervasive influence of multinational corporations, writes Gajanan Khergamker.

The recent return of stolen artefacts worth millions from the United States to India marks a commendable step towards repatriating tangible heritage. However, it is but a fragment of a much larger issue that looms globally—one that involves the theft, exploitation, and misappropriation of intellectual property from indigenous peoples and cultures.

Conflict-related Sexual Violence

World | Conflict and Excess
The effects of sexual violence echo across generations, through trauma, stigma, poverty, poor health and unwanted pregnancy. The children whose existence emanates from that violence have been labelled “bad blood” or “children of the enemy”, and alienated from their mother’s social group. Their vulnerability may leave them susceptible to recruitment, radicalization and trafficking. In South Sudan, sexual violence has become so prevalent that members of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan have described women and girls as “collectively traumatized”.

Bridging Gaps in African Democracies

Africa | Democratic Processes
In 2019, general elections will be held in many African countries, offering them an opportunity to deepen, consolidate, and institutionalize democracy and strengthen their governance systems. Nevertheless, as the 2018 presidential elections in several African countries have shown, without a governing process supported by true separation of powers, effective checks and balances, an independent judiciary, a free press, and a robust and politically active civil society, the 2019 elections will most likely have limited impact on freedom and equality across the continent.

Making Sense of Migration

World | Migration
International migration is a complex phenomenon that touches on a multiplicity of economic, social and security aspects affecting our daily lives in an increasingly interconnected world. Migration is a term that encompasses a wide variety of movements and situations that involve people of all walks of life and backgrounds. More than ever before, migration touches all states and people in an era of deepening globalization. Migration is intertwined with geopolitics, trade and cultural exchange, and provides opportunities for states, businesses and communities to benefit enormously.

Making Refugee Girls' Education Priority

World | Refugees
Access to education is a fundamental human right. It is essential to the acquisition of knowledge and to “the full development of the human personality”, as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states. More than that, education makes us more resilient and independent individuals. Yet for millions of women and girls among the world’s ever-growing refugee population, education remains an aspiration, not a reality.

A Progressive Juvenile Justice Reform Model

North America | Juvenile Justice
California has evolved from having one of the most draconian, costly juvenile justice systems to becoming a model of reform. There is still progress to be made, but the last few years of legislative gains are encouraging.  Under a progressive state legislature and the leadership of Gov. Jerry Brown, California has ushered in a staggering number of new laws to correct a flawed, punitive and dysfunctional youth justice system.

Technology Transforming Trade

World | Trade and Diplomacy
Trade has always been shaped by technology but the rapid development of digital technologies in recent times has the potential to transform international trade profoundly in the years to come. The World Trade Report 2018 examines how digital technologies – and in particular the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, 3D printing and Blockchain – affect trade costs, the nature of what is traded and the composition of trade. It estimates how global trade may be affected by these technologies over the next 15 years.

The Clitoral Hood

India | FGM
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) amongst Bohras in India has gained systematic public attention since 2012. The issue first rose to prominence because of two international legal cases on FGM/C against practicing Bohras in Australia and the US. We have since seen the rise of a strong survivor-led movement calling for an end to the practice of Khafd amongst Bohras. This anti-FGM/C movement seeks to end the practice through legal reform in India and by raising community awareness about the impact of the harmful traditional practice.

Inclusive Tourism Destinations: Model and Success Stories

World | Inclusive Tourism
The Global Report on Inclusive Tourism Destinations: Model and Success Stories presents a model for inclusive tourism which refers to the capacity of tourism to integrate disadvantaged groups so that they can participate in, and benefit from, tourism activity. The report showcases how tourism can function as a vehicle for sustainable development and the reduction of poverty and inequality in the context of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report highlights the need to foster discussion on and examine new approaches to inclusive tourism in order to drive long-term sustainability in the sector.

Future of the Paris Agreement

World | Climate Change
When the nations of the world adopted the Paris Agreement in December 2015,  they took a giant step toward establishing an operational regime to spur climate action after some 20 years of failed attempts to do just that. This paper focuses on both the paradigm shift in diplomacy that made the success in Paris possible, and the considerable challenges facing the Agreement this year, as Parties struggle to complete the implementing measures needed to get the Paris regime up and running.

Denial, Willed In Life, Is Not Suicide

India | Law
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the right of a person to make a Living Will, while hearing a petition by a registered society ‘Common Cause’, has underlined the inevitable. The petition concerned the right of a person to decide on the chain of events that would determine the future course of treatment should that person become incapable of making such a decision.

Female Genital Mutilation Fact-Sheet

World | Gender
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths. In many settings, health care providers perform FGM due to the erroneous belief that the procedure is safer when medicalized. WHO strongly urges health professionals not to perform such procedures.

Countries lacking National Plans on Security

World | Cybersecurity
Only about half of all countries have a cybersecurity strategy or are in the process of developing one, the United Nations telecommunications agency today reported, urging more countries to consider national policies to protect against cybercrime. “Cybersecurity is an ecosystem where laws, organizations, skills, cooperation and technical implementation need to be in harmony to be most effective,” stated the report, adding that cybersecurity is “becoming more and more relevant in the minds of countries’ decision makers.”

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

World | LGBT

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council - Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Recalling that the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action affirms that all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated, that the international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis, and that while the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, it is the duty of States, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems, to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Human Rights of Victims of Terrorism

World | Terrorism
States have different approaches to countering and preventing the spread of terrorism, however, underpinning all actions is the need to uphold the right to life of their people. Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights explicitly articulates States’ obligations to protect the right of life of individuals under its territory, and it is this obligation that must remain central to the actions of Member States when responding and preventing acts of terrorism.