Seven human rights experts dealing with the freedom of peaceful assembly and association; discrimination against women in law and practice; and the particular situation of people of African descent began work this week on the mandates handed to them by the Human Rights Council. Freedom of peaceful assembly and association In September 2010, the Human Rights Council created a new post of Special Rapporteur to emphasize the importance of the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association towards the full enjoyment of all human rights. The Council recognized that these rights are essential components of democracy and called upon States to respect and fully protect the rights of all individuals to assemble peacefully and associate freely, including in the context of elections, and including persons espousing minority or dissenting views or beliefs, human rights defenders, trade unionists and others, including migrants, seeking to exercise or to promote these rights. Among other tasks, the Special Rapporteur is called on to gather all relevant information, including national practices and experiences relating to the promotion and protection of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, to study trends, developments and challenges in relation to the exercise of these rights, and to make... Continue reading →
