Human Rights Day, 10 December 2012

Human Rights Day, 10 December

Human Rights Day presents an opportunity, every year, to celebrate human rights, highlight a specific issue, and advocate for the full enjoyment of all human rights by everyone everywhere.

This year, the spotlight is on the rights of all people — women, youth, minorities, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, the poor and marginalized — to make their voices heard in public life and be included in political decision-making.

These human rights — the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, to peaceful assembly and association, and to take part in government (articles 19, 20 and 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) have been at the centre of the historic changes in the Arab world over the past two years, in which millions have taken to the streets to demand change. In other parts of the world, the “99%” made their voices heard through the global Occupy movement protesting economic, political and social inequality.

Indian Status in Canada

A good post on Indian Status in Canada: Got Status? Indian Status in Canada Sort of Explained

Google supports Endangered Languages

Google has established an Endangered Languages project at http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/

About this project

The Endangered Languages Project, is an online resource to record, access, and share samples of and research on endangered languages, as well as to share advice and best practices for those working to document or strengthen languages under threat.

Update: Research Guide on Indigenous Peoples International Law

Christopher Dykes of the University of Houston Law Library has updated his Research Guide on Indigenous Peoples International Law on the GlobaLex site at New York University's web site.

9 August 2012: International Day of the World's Indigenous People

The focus of this year’s International Day is "Indigenous Media, Empowering Indigenous Voices".

The theme aims to highlight the importance of indigenous media in challenging stereotypes, forging indigenous peoples' identities, communicating with the outside world, and influencing the social and political agenda.

A special event at UN Headquarters in New York on 9 August will feature speakers and videos of indigenous media organizations, with a live webcast. On Twitter, use #UNIndigenousDay for regular updates and for sending questions to panel members in the days leading up to and during the event.
Download the press release and programme

International Women's Day 2012 was 8 March

UNESCO sponsored activities for International Women's Day:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/themes/gender-equality/features/international-womens-day-2012/

It also issued The World Atlas of Gender Equality in Education which details women's educational activities throughout the world.  While not specifically addressing indigenous or ethnic minorities it does give regional and country education statistics of interest.

This page links to major events held: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/womens-day/

500th Anniversary Conference on Universality in Human Rights

On December 2-4, 2011 the Universal Human Rights Conference, 500 Year Anniversary of Antonio de Montesinos, was held in Washington, D. C. The conference website  contains the  plan of the conference and will contain publications of the conference.

The conference included Sunday, December 4, 2011, the conventionally identified date in 1511 when Antonio de Montesinos delivered a sermon in Santo Domingo calling for reform of Spanish policy toward the indigenous. That sermon launched a Spanish debate about the human rights of the Indians, which in turn contributed to later advocacy of the principle that human rights apply to all people, regardless of nationality. The new Spanish film Tambien La Lluvia (Even the Rain) has as its core purpose considering the legacy of Montesinos.

UN World Human Rights Day and the Genocide Convention

December 10th was World Human Rights Day. The UN has a web page on the celebration.https://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/2011/index.shtml It marks the 63rd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: https://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/


December 9th was the 60th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: https://www.un.org/millennium/law/iv-1.htm. See also the discussion at the bottom of this page: https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=40682&Cr=human+rights+day&Cr1=

Waitangi Tribunal releases WAI 262: Ko Aotearoa Tēnei: A Report into Claims Concerning New Zealand Law and Policy Affecting Māori Culture and Identity

After 20 years the Waitangi Tribunal has released a comprehensive report that covers Maori Culture and Identity within New Zealand law and the Waitangi Treaty. The press release is located here: http://www.waitangi-tribunal.govt.nz/news/media/wai262.asp



The Report can be downloaded from this link:

Ko Aotearoa Tēnei: A Report into Claims Concerning New Zealand Law and Policy Affecting Māori Culture and Identity

United Nations Day

Today the United Nations celebrates the coming into force of the treaty establishing the United Nations in 1945. A number of programs are scheduled at UN Headquarters as detailed on this 2011 United Nations Day page.