Child rights

INDIA: Implementation of the National Food Security Bill – will the poor benefit?[i]

Article | India | 03-12-2013

In a previous article I argued that India’s “rights revolution” has so far mostly existed on paper without significant improvements in the conditions of the poor. In this article I examine the prospects of implementing the National Food Security Bill (NFSB), which was written into law the 12th of September 2013. In particular, I will look […]

PAKISTAN: “Death in custody constitutes murder” rules the CJ in cases of disappearances

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry makes laudable efforts to hold the security forces accountable for enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and in pursuing the cases of missing persons It has been reported that the Attorney General informed the Supreme Court that two missing persons have died, allegedly in military custody. According to the daily Express News, which […]

INDIA: Food Security Bill – Making sense of the media debate[i]

The Government of India, led by Congress, claim to be champions of the poor. In the upcoming election they will point out that they have given rights to all the poor; The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) (2005), The Right to Information Act (2005), The Forrest Rights Act (2006), the Right to Education Act […]

NEPAL: Child injured in bomb blast during elections

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding Sameer Khadgi, an 8 year old child, who has suffered injuries in a bomb blast on election day. Sameer has lost fingers on his right hand. He received treatment in the intensive care unit at Bir Hospital, Kathmandu, for his hand and head […]

PAKISTAN: The violence-related casualties in October was reduced to 568 from the 1,048 reported in September

The month of October witnessed a significant decline in violence-related casualties bringing some relief to the terror-ridden people of the country. However, the issues related to security and peace remained the most common topics of attention for the people and media alike.  To tackle terrorism and heinous crimes in the country, the President promulgated the […]

INDIA: Policemen accused of human trafficking conducting his own ‘investigation’

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the involvement of police in human trafficking. And, the same police official (Police Station Sarailakhansi, District Mau, Uttar Pradesh) has been asked to conduct the ‘investigation’. CASE NARRATIVE: A 16 year old girl (name withheld) born on 8 February 1996 was kidnapped and […]

PHILIPPINES: Reblando: No justice under Aquino

THE widow of one of the journalists killed in the brutal 2009 Maguindanao massacre who has fled to Hong Kong believes the victims will not get justice under the Aquino administration. Myrna Reblando, widow of Manila Bulletin correspondent Bong Reblando, said she does not see the Quezon City Regional Trial Court handing down a verdict […]

PAKISTAN: The Long Marchers have completed 700 km and entered Karachi after travelling 27 days on foot

Before reaching Karachi a car tried to ram the walkers on three occasions and the marchers are receiving death threat messages on their cell phones The Long March for the Baloch missing persons has entered its 27th day after completing 690 KMs. It will reach its intended destination at the Karachi Press Club, Karachi, the capital […]

NEPAL: AHRC welcomes 2nd Constituent Assembly Elections

Statement | Nepal | 20-11-2013

Nepal has successfully conducted the second Constituent Assembly elections on 19 November 2013 with estimated 70 percent voter turnout. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) would like to congratulate voters, the Election Commission, national and international observers, security agencies, media, and civil society for their active participation in election management. The exciting participation of Nepali […]

ASIA: Parliamentarians and human rights defenders urge effective measures to curb custodial torture

Statement | Asia | 15-11-2013

The following is a statement by participants of the 2nd Conference of Asian Parliamentarians and Human Rights Defenders, 11-13 November, Hong Kong, organised by the Asian Alliance Against Torture and Ill-Treatment: Parliamentarians and human rights defenders from Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Canada, Hong Kong, and Denmark have attended a meeting to […]

SRI LANKA: A solution to the Fishing Rights conflict between Sri Lanka and India

Anybody can make a claim to the fish in the open sea. But, once caught, it becomes the property of one who caught it. However, the Law of the Sea 1982, provides the proprietary country the exclusive right to its natural resources, including fishery resource within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles […]

PAKISTAN: Child labor — Who are the ultimate losers?

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), “Child labor refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful”. Child labor has been a persistent problem throughout the South Asia, for […]

PAKISTAN: An entire Ahmadi family was targeted in sectarian killings

Mr. Bashir Ahmad Kiyani (70), was murdered as a result of religious hatred in Karachi. He was shot dead while on his way to Friday Prayer Services at the nearby Mosque in Korangi, Karachi. In the last three months both Mr. Kiyani’s son and son-in-law were also killed by Muslim fundamentalists. According to the details […]

INDIA: Fallen through the cracks: Malnourished children in Growing Gujarat

Article | India | 31-10-2013

The fact that every third child of Gujarat is malnourished comes as no revelation. It cannot be for a state whose Chief Minister Narendra Modi, now Prime Ministerial Candidate of the main opposition party in the country, had infamously blamed the growing malnutrition in his state on ‘beauty conscious girls’ trying to maintain slim figures. […]

PAKISTAN: A reflection on peace talks with the Taliban

“It is madness for sheep to talk peace with a wolf,” said British historian and clergyman Thomas Fuller. In other words, we cannot change the nature of wild creatures. We cannot predict when snakes, lions, wolves or any other wild animals will attack, and without protecting ourselves we cannot sit calmly. In the context of […]

PAKISTAN: the country ranks third in the Global Slavery Index

Modern slavery: a matter of poverty, the rule of law and the indifference of the national government Pakistan ranks third in the Global Slavery Index. It is estimated that there are 2,000,000 – 2,200,000 people involved in various forms of modern slavery in Pakistan. Pakistan counts a population of 179,000,000 people and with the increasing […]

PAKISTAN: The Long March against disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan commences

Civil society must join the peaceful long march in solidarity with the relatives of disappeared persons and provide all possible assistance to the marchers The relatives of missing persons from Balochistan started a 730 kilometre peaceful long march for the recovery of disappeared persons. The participants assembled and started their march from the Quetta Press […]

PAKISTAN: World polio day — the fight against the disease should be consistent and vigorous

Every year on October 24, people from all around the world, celebrates World Polio Day. The world certainly deserves celebrations as the deadly disease has been decreased significantly and it is estimated that barring three countries, Polio has globally been eradicated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2012, only three countries, Afghanistan, Nigeria […]

INDONESIA: ‘Genosida yang diabaikan’ – peluncuran laporan tentang rangkaian pelanggaran HAM di Papua tahun 1977 – 1978

UNTUK DITERBITKAN SEGERA (Hong Kong/Wuppertal, Kamis, 24 Oktober 2013) Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) dan Human Rights and Peace for Papua (ICP) meluncurkan sebuah laporan mengenai pelanggaran hak asasi manusia (HAM) yang terjadi di Pegunungan Tengah Papua, Indonesia, selama tahun 1977–1978. Laporan ini membahas pelanggaran-pelanggaran atas Konvensi Pencegahan dan Penghukuman Kejahatan Genosida yang dilakukan pemerintah […]

INDONESIA: ‘The Neglected Genocide’ – a report detailing series of abuses in 1977–1978 in Papua is launched

Indonesian (Hong Kong/Wuppertal, Thursday, 24 October 2013) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Human Rights and Peace for Papua (ICP) are launching a report on the human rights abuses that took place in the central highlands of Papua, Indonesia during the course of 1977-1978. The report discusses violations under the Convention on the Prevention […]