crime prevention

Ending impunity for crimes against journalists: strengthening implementation and the case of women journalists

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UNESCO, the Permanent Mission of Greece, and the New York Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists held a panel discussion to commemorate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. This discussion was about the increasing violence against journalists, focusing on female journalists.

Ms.Theofili discussed how an increase in gender based violence and discrimination makes women leave the field of journalism because of fear. This deprives them of their freedom of speech and deprives society of their views and voice. Ms. Menendez communicated how vital freedom of expression and press is because without informed citizens, corruption will thrive. She said that between 2006-2016, 900 journalists were killed, and 90% of these cases remain unresolved, relating back to impunity.

Mr.La Rue focused on three main points of the UN Plan of Action of Safety of Journalists: prevention, protection in moments of immediate violence, and prosecution including conducting full investigations in all cases. Also, he talked about how SDG 16 is focused on freedom of speech, but full access to information is essential to all goals. Mrs. Basu showed a clip from her documentary and mentioned that journalists are the bridge between society and democracies.

Impunity

Ms. Wickrematunge shared her personal story of being followed and how her husband was killed because of his reporting. After his death, she had a target on her back; even within the news world there was a systematic need to suppress her. She said the panel did a good job of humanizing journalism, dispelling the idea that journalists are asking for it because they put their lives on the line with their choice of career. Ms. Ferrier emphasized how social media saturates the consequences for speaking truth because online perpetrators act boldly without fear of repercussions.

Meeting:  Panel Discussion on —“Ending impunity for crimes against journalists: strengthening implementation and the case of women journalists”

Date/Location: Thursday, November 2, 2017; 13:15-14:45; Conference Room 8, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY

Speakers: Ms. Penelope Manis, Senior Director of Programming, CNN International; Ms. Maria Theofili, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN; Ms.Ana Maria Menendez, Under-Secretary-General for Policy, Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General; Mr.Frank La Rue, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO; Ms. Nupur Basu, Independent journalist and documentary filmmaker from India; Ms. Sonali Samarasinghe Wickrematunge, award winning investigative journalist and editor from Sri Lanka; Ms. Judy Taing, Senior Officer on Gender and Sexuality, ARTICLE 19; Ms. Michelle Ferrier, Associate Professor in E.W Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University; Mr. Christophe Deloire, Director-General of Reporters Without Borders; Ms. Anne Gueguen, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations

Written By: WIT Representative Nicole Matsanov

International Drug Control

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A call for greater cooperation and a more holistic approach to promoting sustainable development was in general consensus at today’s session. The discussion highlighted the ways in which vast implementation and distribution of narcotics worldwide has degraded the biodiversity, population, and safety of nations. Extremist ideologies that have indulged terrorism, crime, and the mass influx of refugees in Syria were considered as parts of today’s humanitarian crisis.

It was discussed that the drug trade has damaged the ecosystems of various nations, including Bolivia and Kenya. Mr. Koki Muli Grignon compared the supply and demand of the drug trade to the destruction of an ecosystem by poaching elephants. The youth, who fall prey into affiliating with larger terrorist organizations, are often recruited while still in school. In response, preventative, youth based anti-drug programs have been established. Healthcare and rehabilitation services for recovering addicts are being established with greater significance. The reintegration and socialization of those who are recuperating has not only been receiving more funding, but also has been promoted through various programs, including group family therapy, courses, and residential hostels.

Mr. Nimrod Barkan discussed a unique, gender-based perspective on drug addiction, which Israel has deemed crucial to recovery. Since the majority of addicts are men, women living with addictions are an antagonized minority. As a result, women are less likely to receive needed treatment. Additionally, Mr. Barkan disclosed how often women experienced other forms of violence. Different treatments were developed to best fit the needs of men and women.

Meeting: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice; International Drug Control

Date/ Location: Thursday, October 6th, 2016; 10:00-13:00; Conference Room 1

Speakers: Ana Silvia Rodríguez Abascal, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba; Mahmoud Saikal, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; Juana Sandoval, Deputy Representative of Nicaragua; Kathrin Nescher, Advisor of Liechtenstein; Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Permanent Representative of Peru; Andrei Dapkiunas, Permanent Representative of Belarus; Mr. Al Muhairi, Delegate of United Arab Emirates; Bouchaib Eloumni, Permanent Mission of Morocco; Carlos Duarte, Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil; Koki Muli Grignon, Deputy Permanent Representative of Kenya; Sacha Sergio Llorentty Soliz, Permanent Representative of Bolivia; Amjad Qassem Agha, Delegate of Syria; Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy Sea; Nimrod Barkan, Delegate of Israel; Mariyam Midhfa Naeem, Deputy Permanent Representative of Maldives; Zhiqiang Li, Delegate of China

Written By: WIT Representative Donna Sunny

 

A “Human Rights For All” Approach to the Post-2015 Development Agenda

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Assembling UN agencies and member states working on criminal justice reform and human rights promotion, the panel on “human rights for all” share their best practices and views on the way forward in propelling reform in post-2015 international development. Ambassador Al-thani opened the panel by restating the intertwined relations between the rule of law and sustainable development, and stated that Qatari commitment to promote criminal justice is exemplified by her hosting of the 13th UN Crime Congress in 2015.images

Likewise, H.R.H. Princess Bajrakitiyabha highlighted that women and children are often victims of ineffective justice system, and brought the audience’s attention to the work Thailand has done in facilitating the Bangkok Dialogue on the Rule of Law and Rules on Women Offenders and Prisoners. The Italian cooperation with Central American states was also mentioned by Ambassador Cardi, who called for more strenuous international cooperation in instituting rule of law and criminal justice reform.

On the issue of international cooperation, Mr. Eliasson suggested the fact that rule of law issue is domestic in nature should not be an excuse of rejecting international cooperation. He believed that now that the community has a consensus on the importance of the rule of law, focus should be put on identifying measurable benchmarks to evaluate the positive social and economic impacts in establishing trusted institutions of justice. Ms. Mohamed pointed out the inseparable link between addressing the underlying issues of poverty and crime prevention, a point which was reiterated by Mr. Shimonovich. He added while disputes remain as to whether access to justice is an enabler of other rights or a right in itself, it is undisputable that it is an element of both the freedom from fear and freedom from want originally enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Meeting Title : High-level event on “The Rule of Law, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in the United Nations Development Agenda Beyond 2015: Engendering a ‘Human Rights for all’ approach”
Speakers: H.E . Mr. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, H .E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning, H.E. Ms. Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN, H.R.H. Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the UN in Vienna, H.E. Mr. Sebastiano Cardi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN, H.E. Mr. Ivan Simonovic, UN Assistant Secretary General, Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and Ms. Simone Monasebian, Director, UN Office on Drugs and Crime, New York Office.
Date: June 9th, 2014
Location: Conference Room 2, United Nations Headquarters
Summary Written By WIT Representative: Harrison Chung