India is to legalise the mining of mica, a sparkly mineral used in eyeshadows and car paint, in a bid to cut the number of children who labour – and often die – to produce it...Activists lauded the decision to legalise mica mining, but warned that high poverty levels meant the move was unlikely to stop child labour. {referes to L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, Rimmel, Merck, BMW, Vauxhall and Audi]
↧
India to legalise mica mining in bid to tackle endemic child labour
↧
Ahli United Bank Response
Cairo, 30 April 2017
We refer to your e-mail dated 24 April 2017, regarding the blocking by Ahli United Bank (Egypt) SAE (AUBE) of the accounts of Mrs. Azza Soliman, to which we have been requested to respond. We respond as follows … 3 - On 20 November 2016, the Investigation Judge issued a judicial order addressed to AUBE prohibiting Mrs. Soliman from disposing of her Real Estate and Monetary assets in Egypt, based on the investigations held by the Public Prosecution in the lawsuit no. 173 of 2011. The issued order compels AUBE to block the bank accounts of Mrs. Soliman. 4- According to the Egyptian Criminal Procedures Law, the judicial order should be presented to the competent Criminal Court in order to support or refuse such order. Consequently, and after presenting the issued order, the Criminal Court issued its verdict on 14th December 2016 supporting the prohibition order based on the justifications mentioned in the recitals of verdict … AUBE’s blocking of the accounts of Mrs. Soliman was lawful and based on the judicial order issued from the Investigation Judge dated 20 November 2016 and supported by the verdict dated 14th December 2016 issued from the competent Criminal Court, as outlined above … AUBE is obliged to act in accordance with the governing laws and accordingly, AUBE will only be able to allow Mrs. Soliman to access her accounts after the cancelation of the issued order.
↧
↧
Egypt: Court upholds asset freeze motion on human rights defenders
‘Punished for doing their jobs:’ Lawyers defend HR workers in court, 14 December 2016
A Cairo court upholds the asset freeze motion for rights lawyer Azza Soliman and the Lawyers for Justice and Peace company she heads, adjourning its decision on asset freezes for Mozn Hassan and Nazra for Feminist Studies, and Mohamed Zaree and Atef Hafez and the Arab Organization for Criminal Reform … The law of criminal procedures entitles the public prosecution to request the asset freezes of defendants based on its own investigations, or a request from the investigative magistrate in charge of the case... since the NGO foreign funding case was reopened earlier this year, none of the defendants in the case has been interrogated, except human rights lawyer Azza Soliman, nor have their names or charges been officially announced to date … The investigative judge considers bank transfers to be a crime in itself, the [defendants’ lawyer, Taher Abul Nasr] asserts, even though there are no laws criminalizing the transfer of funds to private or company accounts … “My client is one of the most prominent women’s rights defenders. This is neither a crime, nor something to be ashamed of. She is against violence against women in the public space; why should this harm national security or Egypt’s reputation?” [defendants’ lawyer, Ahmed Ragheb] declares.
↧
Forthcoming book: How firms'& govts.' use of tax havens affect human rights
"Forthcoming book: Tax Havens and International Human Rights Law", 8 May 2017
Tax havens cause enormous damage, not least because they block governments from fulfilling their human rights obligations. When rich people and powerful businesses evade paying taxes by using offshore tax havens they deprive states of the revenues they need to deliver on their commitments to provide education, health, justice and security. In this forthcoming book, Isle of Man-based lawyer Paul Beckett takes a human rights-based approach to the uses of tax havens and considers how the governments of tax havens actively connive with the process of breaching human rights. This ground-breaking study is scheduled for publication in December 2017...
↧
Summary of OECD complaint against ING urging ambitious carbon footprint reduction targets
On 8 May 2017, 4 NGOs based in The Netherlands, have sent a formal complaint against ING Bank to the (Dutch) National Contact Point OECD-Guidelines (NCP, https://www.oecdguidelines.nl/ncp). Oxfam Novib, Greenpeace, BankTrack and Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) accuse ING Bank of violating the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (http://www.oecd.org/daf/inv/mne/48004323.pdf) regarding climate change and the environment. According to research of the Fair Finance Guide (FFGI) ING invests 8 times more in fossil industries compared with INGs loans to sustainable energy companies (US$ 24.5 billion in 5 years). ING plans to finance 4 new coal power plants in for example Indonesia and the Dominican Republic. The NGOs argue that ING is violating several articles of the OECD guidelines. For example, the OECD Guidelines ask for ‘measurable objectives’ and ‘targets for improved environmental performance’. The Guidelines also ‘encourage (...) disclosure (...) greenhouse gas emissions (...) to cover direct and indirect, current and future, corporate and product emissions.’ Although ING reports about its own, direct, greenhouse gas emissions, it does not report about its indirect, product emissions. The NGOs hope that the NCP will encourage ING to fully comply with the OECD Guidelines. Procedures at NCPs usually take 6-12 months to get finalized. In their formal complaint, the NGOs request ING to publish its total carbon footprint (including indirect emissions as a result of INGs loans and investments) and publish ambitious, concrete and measurable emission reduction targets for its loans and investments. Both in 2018 at the latest.
↧
↧
Dutch NGOs file OECD complaint against ING bank over climate change
↧
Jordan: Govt., EU & ILO launch EU-Jordan Compact pilot project to facilitate trade & create jobs for both Syrian refugees & Jordanians
"Pilot project to reduce unemployment launched"
A new pilot project to help reduce unemployment and facilitate the relaxation of the rules of origin agreement was launched on Wednesday in cooperation between the government and international stakeholders. The Ministry of Labour, the EU and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) signed the agreement on Wednesday, under which Jordanians and Syrians alike will be put in contact with employers, raising their chances to find decent work opportunities. Under the one-million-euro project, the ILO will facilitate the implementation of the Jordan-EU agreement on simplified rules of origin, which seeks to help Jordan access the EU market. The relaxed rules will be applied once 200,000 jobs for Syrian refugees are created and when those Syrians are issued work permits, according to the agreement. For Jordanian industries to be able to benefit from the EU simplified rules of origin, each factory needs to have Syrian employees constituting no less than 15 per cent of its manpower. The rate will be increased to 25 per cent in the third year of the agreement. According to organisers, the ILO will extend the core services of one of its programmes — Better Work Jordan — to further manufacturing sectors, to help Jordanian companies abide by the country’s labour law and meet international labour standards. The pilot project also seeks to support the implementation of the EU-Jordan Compact, which includes assisting Jordanian companies to take advantage of trade opportunities provided by the new trade facilitation, leading to job creation for both Jordanian and Syrian refugees...
↧
Jordan: ILO launches e-learning programme on labour rights & responsibilities for Syrian refugees
"e-learning programme on rights in Jordan for Syrian refugees"
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Tuesday launched an e-learning programme for Syrian refugees in Jordan that explains their rights and responsibilities under the country's labour laws. The programme is part of on-going efforts by the ILO to help formalise the work of Syrian refugees in Jordan, the international agency said in a statement. It outlines the benefits of working legally through obtaining work permits, as well as the procedures needed to obtain them...Developed with support of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Corporation, the programme consists of video segments and other training material, covering work permits, workers' rights, sectors open to non-Jordanian workers, social security and occupational safety and health...The programme will initially be used by 500 Syrians in Irbid, Mafraq, Zarqa, Amman, working in the construction sector and the agricultural sector, where a large number of workers are women. It will be expanded to reach more workers in other sectors...
↧
200 investors urge G7 to uphold climate commitments amid concerns that US may pull out of Paris agreement
"200 large investors urge G7 to keep climate change promises", 8 May 2017
Calpers, Amundi and Schroders have teamed up with 200 other large investors to urge governments globally to stand by their commitment to fight climate change, as fears rise that Donald Trump, the US president, will pull out of the Paris agreement. The coalition of large investors that collectively oversee $15tn in assets have sent a letter to the G7 group of influential countries calling on their governments to uphold their promises to tackle climate change.The letter was sent in response to Mr Trump’s claim last month that he will soon decide on the future of the US’s commitment to the landmark 2015 Paris accord, where more than 190 countries agreed to limit temperature rises...Pension funds and asset managers are concerned they could lose money if different governments have inconsistent policies on climate change. In the letter, the investors said that “effective climate policy mechanisms” were vital for investors to make informed investment decisions...[Refers to AMP Group, Aviva Henderson, Global Investors (part of AMP Group), Schroders]
Calpers, Amundi and Schroders have teamed up with 200 other large investors to urge governments globally to stand by their commitment to fight climate change, as fears rise that Donald Trump, the US president, will pull out of the Paris agreement. The coalition of large investors that collectively oversee $15tn in assets have sent a letter to the G7 group of influential countries calling on their governments to uphold their promises to tackle climate change.The letter was sent in response to Mr Trump’s claim last month that he will soon decide on the future of the US’s commitment to the landmark 2015 Paris accord, where more than 190 countries agreed to limit temperature rises...Pension funds and asset managers are concerned they could lose money if different governments have inconsistent policies on climate change. In the letter, the investors said that “effective climate policy mechanisms” were vital for investors to make informed investment decisions...[Refers to AMP Group, Aviva Henderson, Global Investors (part of AMP Group), Schroders]
↧
↧
Brazil: 350.org office broken into before Global Divestment Mobilisation in fossil industry & oil & gas auction
28 de abril de 2017
Recently, the offices of 350.org Brasil were broken into -- just 1 week before actions for the Global Divestment Mobilisation begins. “We will not be intimidated. We will continue fighting against the fossil
fuel industry, and fighting for a renewable future.” Globally we can all show support for the importance work in Latin America. Write your message of solidarity in the comments. Also learn more at https://pt.globaldivestmentmobilisation.org/
↧
Brazil: 350.org office broken into before Global Divestment Mobilisation in fossil industry & oil & gas auction
In April 2017, the offices of 350.org Brasil were broken into, days before actions for the Global Divestment Mobilisation from fossil industry and oil & gas auction.
↧
Brasil: OIT lança campanha para Brasil assinar tratado internacional de combate ao trabalho forçado
“OIT lança campanha para Brasil assinar tratado internacional de combate ao trabalho forçado-Na próxima terça-feira, 9 de maio, trabalhador resgatado da escravidão pedirá a ratificação do Protocolo da OIT sobre trabalho forçado no Senado para marcar o lançamento da campanha 50 For Freedom no Brasil”, 4 de Maio de 2017 A Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT) lançará na próxima terça-feira, 9 de maio, a campanha 50 For Freedom no Senado Federal para pedir que o Brasil ratifique o Protocolo sobre trabalho forçado de 2014. A cerimônia…contará com a presença do Diretor da OIT no Brasil, Peter Poschen, do Especialista Técnico sobre Trabalho Forçado da OIT, Houtan Homayounpour, do Ministro do Tribunal Superior do Trabalho e Membro do Comitê de Peritos da OIT, Lélio Bentes, do Procurador-Geral do Trabalho, Ronaldo Fleury, e do Conselheiro de Curadores do Fundo das Nações Unidas sobre Formas Contemporâneas de Escravidão, Leonardo Sakamoto. O Protocolo da OIT sobre Trabalho Forçado de 2014, já ratificado por 13 países, complementa a…Convenção 29 da OIT, de 1930, para reforçar o combate às novas formas de escravidão moderna, mais complexas e difíceis de erradicar…[H]averá um momento dedicado a dar voz a quem normalmente não é ouvido…[E]…um trabalhador resgatado…participará do evento para entregar à Casa Civil…carta pedindo que o Brasil ratifique o Protocolo. Um painel digital…exibir[á]…postagens publicadas…com as hashtags da campanha 50 For Freedom em apoio à ratificação (#50FF, #50ForFreedom e #AssinaBrasil)…
↧
Brasil: Sede da 350.org Brasil sofre nova tentativa de invasão antes de Mobilização Global pelo Desinvestimento na ind. fóssil & de leilão de petróleo e gás
“Sede da 350.org Brasil sofre novamente com tentativa de invasão”, 28 de abril de 2017
…[T]oda vez que um leilão de petróleo e gás estiver perto de acontecer a sede da 350.org Brasil e da COESUS – Coalizão Não Fracking Brasil pelo Clima, Água e Vida sofrerá tentativa de invasão?…[C]âmeras danificadas, grades de segurança amassadas e cadeados serrados…[A]…polícia...foi acionada e as imagens das câmeras de segurança da vizinhança estão sendo analisadas. “[A]o apontar o dedo para a indústria fóssil, expondo sua responsabilidade na crise climática, estamos mexendo num vespeiro….”,…[disse o fundador da COESUS e coordenador de campanhas da 350.org, Juliano Bueno de Araújo]…Em 2015…após…protesto…durante a 13ª rodada de leilões da ANP (Agência Nacional de Petróleo e Gás)...a sede da organização...também sofreu arrombamento…[A]…polícia…avaliou…que “quem entrou sabia o que estava procurando”…[F]oram levados notebooks, celulares, pen drives e...documentos com informações da campanha Não Fracking Brasil…Desta vez, a tentativa de invasão ocorreu dias antes da Mobilização Global pelo Desinvestimento e da 4ª Rodada de Acumulações Marginais da ANP, que ofertará nove áreas para exploração e produção de óleo e gás. Além do prejuízo financeiro, a recorrência das ofensivas traz também o sentimento de que há uma tentativa de intimidação. “Em outros países, as pessoas que lutam contra a poderosa indústria do hidrocarboneto também sofrem esse tipo de ação violenta. Não seria diferente aqui, pois as empresas petroleiras que querem entrar no Brasil para explorar petróleo e gás são as mesmas”, alertou Juliano… “…Entre 05 e 13 de maio…pediremos a nossos governos, igrejas, universidades e empresas para que retirem seus investimentos de projetos ligados a carvão, petróleo e gás…[para]…a...transição para uma matriz energética 100% renovável”, frisou…[a diretora da 350.org América Latina, Nicole Figueiredo de Oliveira]…Assista aqui ao depoimento de Nicole Figueiredo sobre o triste episódio.
↧
↧
Brasil: Indígenas protestam contra violência, retrocessos & ameaças a seus direitos e territórios tradicionais promovidos pelo gov. e ruralistas, afirmam lideranças
“O maior Acampamento Terra Livre da história! - Indígenas se mobilizaram em número recorde e dão uma lição de democracia ao governo que trabalha para acabar com os direitos originários”, 28 de abril de 2017
O 14º Acampamento Terra Livre (ATL) terminou...[em 28 de abril]..., em Brasília, depois de quatro dias intensos de atividades e protestos, e números históricos. Mais de quatro mil indígenas, de cerca de 200 povos de todas as regiões do país, estiveram presentes, numa grande demonstração de força do movimento indígena...[M]aior ATL já realizado. “Reafirmamos que não admitiremos as violências, retrocessos e ameaças perpetrados pelo Estado brasileiro e pelas oligarquias econômicas contra nossas vidas e nossos direitos, assim como conclamamos toda a sociedade brasileira e a comunidade internacional a se unir à luta dos povos originários pela defesa dos territórios tradicionais e da mãe natureza, pelo bem estar de todas as formas de vida”, diz o documento final do acampamento... protocolado no Palácio do Planalto, nos ministérios da Educação, Saúde e Justiça. O movimento indígena…recusou-se a participar de uma reunião solicitada pelos ministros da Justiça, Osmar Serraglio, e da Casa Civil, Eliseu Padilha…[,]…políticos ruralistas e…principais articuladores de medidas contra os direitos indígenas…[T]ambém por causa da pressão da mobilização, a Fundação Nacional do Índio…publicou os relatórios de identificação de quatro Terras Indígenas do povo Guarani…[Em 25 de abril]…,…os indígenas foram recebidos com gás lacrimogêneo e balas de borracha na frente do Congresso. No dia seguinte, foram impedidos de entrar no Senado para assistir a uma audiência pública previamente marcada e…intimidados pela polícia...
↧
Brazil: Gamela had severed hands and were shot in an attack coordinated by farmers for land dispute in Maranhão, say leaders
“Horrific: Ranchers attack and mutilate Indians who demanded their land back”4 May, 2017Thirteen Brazilian Indians have been hospitalized after a brutally violent attack by men armed with machetes in the Amazon. One man appears to have had his arms severed...The attack was in retaliation for the Gamela Indians’ campaign to recover a small part of their ancestral territory...invaded and destroyed by ranchers, loggers and land grabbers, forcing the Gamela to live squeezed on a tiny patch of land...in Maranhão...[,]...Brazil. Powerful agribusiness interests – reportedly including the Sarney landowning family – have been in conflict with the tribe for some time. The family includes a former president of Brazil and a former governor of Maranhão state...[R]anchers gathered at a barbecue to get drunk, before surrounding the Gamela camp, firing guns, and then attacking with machetes, causing grievous injuries. Local police are reported to have stood by and allowed the attack to happen.The Gamela have received death threats in response to their attempts to return to their land. In a declaration released by Brazilian NGO CIMI, they said: “...If they kill us, we will just grow again, like seeds… Neither fear nor the ranchers’ bullets can stop us.”...Campaigners fear that the close ties between Brazil’s agribusiness lobby and the Temer government installed after the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff in 2016 could lead to further genocidal violence and racism...
↧
Brazil: Gamela had severed hands & were shot in attack coordinated by farmers for land dispute in Maranhão, say leaders
Gamela indigenous people had severed hands and were shot in a violent attack coordinated by landowners in Maranhão, claim their leaders as well as organizations such as Conselho Indigenista Missionário-CIMI. The Gamelas have already suffered other violent attacks by farmers in the region in 2015 and 2016. Brazilian and UN officials are being called on.
To read this story in Portuguese, click here.
↧
Commentary: Legal empowerment of local communities is a powerful tool to address climate change
"To stop the relentless march of climate change we must empower those most at risk", 21 Apr 2017
...Climate Change is doing irreparable harm to ecosystems and livelihoods...We should invest...in bottom-up environmentalism, by supporting the people who have the most to lose...I work with teams of paralegals in ten countries, and this is what we have seen: with a bit of...legal empowerment, the people at the receiving end of environmental harm can be a powerful force for environmental stewardship. Their lives depend on it. Their interests are aligned with those of the planet. Indigenous people who live in forests and other wild places exemplify this dynamic...as well [as] farmers neighbouring iron ore mines, fisher people sharing coastline with industrial ports, slum dwellers breathing the worst of a city’s air...
↧
↧
Le fonds souverain norvégien se désengage de Bharat Heavy Electricals suite à la construction d’une centrale à charbon au Bangladesh
« Le fonds souverain norvégien sévit contre des groupes pour des raisons éthiques », 5 mai 2017
Sensible à la protection de l’environnement, le fond norvégien a décidé de se désengager du groupe énergétique indien Bharat Heavy Electricals, car ce dernier est en train de construire au Bangladesh une centrale électrique à charbon dans les Sundarbans…
Ce fonds souverain n’investit pas par exemple dans des sociétés coupables de violation des droits de l'homme, chez les producteurs de tabac ou encore dans les groupes énergétiques dont le charbon représente plus de 30% du chiffre d’affaires.
Plus d'une centaine de groupes, dont Airbus [filiale d'EADS], Boeing ou British American Tobacco sont ainsi privés de ses investissements. [Fait aussi référence à Leonardo, PetroChina (filiale de China National Petroleum Corporation)]
↧
Kenya: Journalist says environment conservation initiative depriving pastoralists of their livelihood to pave way for commercial conservancies
An investigative journalist alleges that the Northern Rangelands Trust, a Kenya-based conservation initiative, has been dispossessing pastoralists of their land and depriving them of livelihood. The Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association has denied the allegations. The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre invited Tullow Oil to respond to claims of financially supporting the trust. Tullow Oil did not respond.
the Northern Rangelands Trust, a Kenya-based conservation initiative, has been acquiring land in the arid north of the country. - See more at: http://newafricanmagazine.com/a-conspiracy-in-the-wild/#sthash.qrgA1HnF....
the Northern Rangelands Trust, a Kenya-based conservation initiative, has been acquiring land in the arid north of the country. - See more at: http://newafricanmagazine.com/a-conspiracy-in-the-wild/#sthash.qrgA1HnF....
the Northern Rangelands Trust, a Kenya-based conservation initiative, has been acquiring land in the arid north of the country. - See more at: http://newafricanmagazine.com/a-conspiracy-in-the-wild/#sthash.qrgA1HnF....
↧
Chinese families demand independent diagnoses after receiving suspected tainted vaccines
Chinese families who say they were affected by tainted vaccines have called on the government to take steps to help them, saying they were unable to obtain compensation for their health problems. Around ten families held a press conference in Beijing with Hong Kong media, despite attempts from authorities to silence them.
According to a 2010 notice issued by the health ministry, only experts recognised by the authorities may diagnose abnormal reactions to vaccines. Medical institutions and individual practitioners must not provide diagnoses. The families said that because of the rule, doctors are unwilling to diagnose whether their illnesses were caused by problematic vaccines, meaning that they are unable to receive help from the government…
The families also called for the government to set up an independent body to evaluate their cases…A major scandal revealed in March of last year caused widespread anger in China and rocked public confidence in the healthcare system. It also brought about a crackdown on vaccine makers, wholesalers and buyers…
The mother Pang Hongwei and her daughter Sun Qi were jailed in January for 19 years and six years respectively. Authorities also dismissed or demoted 357 officials and arrested 202 suspects for their involvement in the scandal…
↧