Human Rights Hub
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom established a Human Rights Hub in Geneva. As a hub for the Foundation's human rights work, it strengthens respect for and compliance with human rights and promotes the rules-based international legal order. The hub will connect human rights defenders and civil society organizations with each other and with UN organizations in Geneva.
News
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Unpacking the Global Digital Compact
The United Nations Member States vision will be on display at the Summit of the Future 2024 in New York from September 21 to 25. The main outcome of the Summit will be the adoption of the ‘Pact of the Future’. While the pact is mainly a reaffirmation to multilateralism, it also contains another document that is supposed to be adopted at the Summit: The Global Digital Compact, hereafter GDC. In the spirit of recommitting to multilateralism, the GDC aims to increase global digital cooperation. This article will unpack the raison d’être of the Compact and analyse how human rights are implied, before critically assessing the GDC from a human rights perspective.
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Human Rights Hub Opening Event with the German Minister of Justice
On July 10th, 2024, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation celebrated the inauguration of its Human Rights Hub in Geneva. At the heart of the Palais des Nations, the historic home of the United Nations in Geneva, the opening event brought together ambassadors, friends and partners of FNF to promote the rule of law as a core strategy to strengthen the agenda for freedom.
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Nicaragua vs. Germany: a political red herring
The hearing in Nicaragua's lawsuit against Germany begins today at the International Court of Justice. The accusation: Germany is aiding and abetting genocide by supporting Israel. However, the timing and background to this step raise questions. A look behind the scenes reveals a bleak picture of the human rights situation in Nicaragua and the questionable motives behind this legal move.
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Watching the Watchdogs
In 2024, the European Union enters a new era in the fight to protect journalists and press freedom from illegal spyware abuse. After months of debate and tense final negotiations, EU institutions reached a historic agreement on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) in December 2023. Among multiple new rules, the provisional deal includes strengthened safeguards for journalists and their sources from coercive surveillance, including spyware like Pegasus.
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Time for a UN Special Rapporteur in Defense of Democracy
At the start of the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) is the first German political foundation to join the call for the appointment of a UN Special Rapporteur on Democracy.
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South Africa vs. Israel
The International Court of Justice has issued an order in the proceedings between South Africa and Israel. The case is about the application of the Genocide Convention in the Gaza Strip. Although Israel does not have to stop its military operation, the ICJ demands provisional measures to prevent civilian casualties. The decision touches on sensitive issues of genocidal intent while ignoring aspects of international law. The proceedings, initiated by South Africa, also reflect domestic political motivations and warrant global attention.
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Maria Ressa: "2024 will tell if democracy survives"
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted 75 years ago, and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To mark these two milestones, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) and Reporters Without Borders Germany (RSF) hosted a high-profile conference in Berlin on December 7. At the event called "Journalists Defending Human Rights", journalists from Mexico, Russia and Afghanistan reported on their own experience, and Philippine journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa spoke about technology as a threat to democracy.
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Resilience against Injustice
Lawyers as Heroes of Freedom: Their courage defies authoritarian regimes. In the new publication 'Resisting Injustice - Lawyers as Human Rights Defenders,' discover how they defend human rights and become targets of persecution. A glimpse into their challenging role in the battle for the rule-of-law.
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„Raif Badawi just moved from a small prison to a larger one”
As part of the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, in cooperation with the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, once again hosted the Raif Badawi Talk. With the talk, the Foundation not only commemorates the fate of the blogger Raif Badawi, but also wants to remind of the difficult situation for journalists worldwide. Under this year’s motto "Women.Press.Freedom." not only Ensaf Haidar, Raif Badawi's wife, but two strong female voices had their say on the panel - Nevsin Mengü (Turkish journalist), and Wazhma Tokhi (Afghan publicist and activist).
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Maria Ressa: "What I want is Action"
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Maria Ressa has been working on promoting freedom of press in the Philippines during her whole career. She returned to the Philippines in 1986 after her education abroad and started her work as a journalist after the People Power Revolution, eventually holding leadership positions in several local and international news organizations. In 2012, she established Rappler, a digital-only news site, dedicated to promoting truth and democracy in journalism. She became the target of lawfare and political harassment by the Duterte government.
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Nobel Peace Prize for Iranian Women’s Rights Activist
The prize goes to Narges Mohammadi, a women's rights activist who belongs to the circle around former Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadin. However, it should be seen as representative of the numerous women's rights activists in Iran.
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Abusive Trials: Safeguarding Journalists and Human Rights Defenders against SLAPP Cases
Autocratic and illiberal regimes use political and legal persecution to silence journalists or human rights activists. Such legal proceedings are called "Strategic Litigation against Publication Participation" or SLAPP for short. A draft EU directive aims to prevent such abusive lawsuits that arbitrarily violate the fundamental rights of the accused.
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The Tragic Denial of Girls and Women‘s Right to Education in Afghanistan
Two years since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, the country's democratic progress has regressed significantly, particularly for women. This paper examines the erosion of women's rights and access to education under the Taliban's rule. It explores potential avenues within international law, diplomatic efforts, and targeted aid to address the situation and reintegrate women's rights as an integral aspect of international policy considerations.
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Rome Statute: 25 Years Later
The foundation stone for the International Criminal Court was laid with the adoption of the Rome Statute 25 years ago. It ended thousands of years of impunity for the most serious crimes and paved to way towards a global culture of justice. However, despite its success, the anniversary celebrations are restrained: the International Criminal Court cannot yet develop its full potential as it depends on the political will of states.
