CBD Convention on Biological Diversity [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.cbd.int/press-releases/

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2016-06-17
This year’s World Day to Combat Desertification shows the importance of being inclusive as we cooperate to restore and rehabilitate degraded land. It also points to the convergence of international action and landmark agreements recently adopted which recognize the links between the different global challenges of our times.

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2016-06-13
Recent moves by China, Finland and Zambia edge Nagoya Protocol closer to goal of 100 ratifications
Montreal, 13 June 2016 – China, Finland and Zambia are the latest countries to ratify the ground-breaking Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, bringing the total number of ratifications to the treaty to 78.

ECHO [to 18 June 2016]
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en/news

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17/06/2016
EU steps up support to victims of Paraguay’s floods
The EU has released €1 million in humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable victims of Paraguay’s worst floods since 1982.The new funds add to the emergency response disbursed earlier in the year, providing safe drinking water and strengthening…

European Commission launches Sendai Action Plan for disaster risk reduction
16/06/2016
The European Commission is launching today an Action Plan to promote disaster risk reduction and its integration in EU policies.A year ago, under the leadership of EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides, the…

European Commission shines a spotlight on resilience at the European Development Days
16/06/2016
Increasing resilience of disaster-affected populations is a central objective of the European Commission’s humanitarian assistance. With the activities it funds, the Commission helps communities around the world to become better prepared in the…

European Commission launches #SupportRefugees campaign with football stars
15/06/2016
Ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June, the European Commission launches the #SupportRefugees campaign with the support of international football stars Marouane Fellaini and Anja Mittag as goodwill ambassadors.

African Union [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.au.int/en/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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June 17, 2016 | Press Releases
The African Union Moves towards Operationalisation of the Africa Ceneters for Disease Control and Prevention
MOU SIGNED BETWEEN THE AU AND CHINA TRIPARTITE DISCUSSIONS HELD

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 16 June 2016: H.E. Mr Erastus Mwencha, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Mr. Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy International Trade Representative of the Ministry of Commerce of China have signed an MOU between the AUC and the Ministry of Commerce of China on the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Through the MOU, signed on 15 June 2016, China will support the realization of the African Union’s “Agenda 2063”, to inter alia, improve the public health disease control system, integrate medical resources, gradually establish disease prevention, surveillance, detection mechanisms including rapid response to epidemics and pandemics, and build capacity among African Union Member States.

In the meantime, on the same day, a tripartite meeting to discuss the operationalization of the Africa CDC was held between the African Union Commission (AUC), the United States Mission to the African Union (USAU) and the delegation of the mission of the People’s Republic of China. The discussions also aimed to strengthen the tripartite cooperation between the AUC, China & U.S. on the Africa CDC…

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June 17, 2016 | Press Releases
“Conflict and Crisis in Africa: Protecting all Children’s Rights”
Gambella, 16 June, 2016. The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) in collaboration with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and its partners commemorates the 16th Day of the African Child (DAC) on the theme “Conflict and crisis in Africa: Protecting all children’s Rights”. Alongside UN agencies and international organizations, the Day is marked with various activities organized with children, and aims to shed light on the plight of children that are subjected to the consequences of conflicts including armed conflicts, and crises, as they are one of the most vulnerable groups of society…

European Commission [to 18 June 2016]
http://europa.eu/rapid/search-result.htm?query=18&locale=en&page=1
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives]

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Joint Statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
Date: 19/06/2016
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

Managing the Refugee Crisis: Commission reports on progress made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement
Date: 15/06/2016
European Commission – Press release
Brussels, 15 June 2016 The Commission has today adopted its second report on the EU-Turkey Statement showing that while there has been further good progress in its implementation, progress achieved so far remains fragile.
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

Relocation and Resettlement: Increased efforts on resettlement and relocation must be sustained
Date: 15/06/2016
European Commission – Press release
Brussels, 15 June 2016 Today, the Commission adopted its latest progress report on the EU’s emergency relocation and resettlement schemes, assessing actions taken over the past month. © European Union 2016 Today, the Commission adopted its latest progress report on the EU’s emergency relocation and…

Implementing the EU-Turkey Statement – Questions and Answers
Date: 15/06/2016
European Commission – Fact Sheet
Brussels, 15 June 2016 Implementing the EU-Turkey Statement – Questions and Answers On 18 March 2016, EU Heads of State or Government and Turkey agreed to end the irregular migration from Turkey to the EU and replace it instead with legal channels of resettlement of…

EU adopts new measures to promote stability and combat the root causes of irregular migration
Date: 13/06/2016
European Commission – Press release
Brussels, 13 June 2016 The European Commission today adopted six new measures costing more than €146 million in the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin. The measures were adopted under the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, set up to address the root causes of…

Description of the six new measures adopted to tackle the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in the Sahel region and Lake Chad Basin
Date: 13/06/2016
European Commission – Fact Sheet
Brussels, 13 June 2016 The European Commission today announced the introduction of 6 new measures in the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin, worth over EUR 146 million in total. Adopted under the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa following the Valletta Summit, these measures will help…

OECD [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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16-June-2016
More ambitious policies needed to address changes facing agriculture
Governments need to implement more ambitious policies to address the global challenges facing agriculture, notably a shift away from direct support to farmers towards greater assistance for innovation systems that will improve productivity and sustainability, according to a new OECD report.

Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2016 finds that support to producers in OECD countries has roughly halved in intensity over the past 30 years, and now amounts to 17% of gross farm receipts. Average support levels in the emerging economies have increased from very low or even negative levels, to approach the average level of OECD countries…

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16-June-2016
Regional inequalities worsening in many countries
16/06/2016 – Income inequality is worsening within many countries, and regional disparities in housing, safety and air quality inside countries are also growing wider in many cases, according to a new OECD report.

OECD Regions at a Glance 2016 finds most countries are closing the gap between regions in education and Internet access, but disparities in GDP per head, disposable income, safety and air pollution are widening in many. The disposable income per capita gap between the richest and poorest parts of OECD countries grew 1.5% a year on average over 2000-13, with the biggest increases in the Slovak Republic, Australia, Czech Republic and Canada.

The report, which examines local-level indicators in over 40 countries, shows many regions are struggling to increase the productivity of firms and people and restore employment. Italy, Spain and Turkey all show a 20 percentage point gap between highest and lowest regional unemployment rates, the same difference as between the national unemployment rates of Greece and Norway…

Organization of American States (OAS) [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_releases.asp

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E-075 – June 15, 2016
Haiti: OAS Secretary General urges Parliamentarians to fully assume their responsibilities
Washington, D.C. The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, takes note with great concern that the Haitian National Assembly has failed to pronounce itself within the delays set forth by the February 5th Agreement on the extension or not of the mandate of the interim President or, as the case may be, on other measures to insure institutional continuity. He consequently urges Parliamentarians, in their capacity of elected representatives of the People, to fully assume their responsibilities by meeting in National Assembly to decide on how to best guarantee institutional stability and the continuation of the elections process.

As evidenced by the just concluded OAS General Assembly, the continuation of elections in Haiti in a stable and calm atmosphere is a priority for our hemispheric organization. “It is long past time for Haitian political stakeholders to prioritize the interests of the Nation in order for the aspirations of the People to finally be heard and for the country to be in a position to tackle the great socio-economic challenges it faces.” the Secretary General emphasized.

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E-075 June 15, 2016
A 17-Year Wait Pays off for Indigenous Peoples
:: Adopts American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
:: 50 Million People in the Americas Self-Define as Indigenous.
:: The declaration is the first instrument in the history of the OAS to promote and protect the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

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E-073 June 14, 2016
OAS and private sector to boost digital connectivity in the Americas
The Organization of American States (OAS), several leading companies in the field of information and communications technologies (ICTs), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and a group of universities from across the region today signed the “2030 ICT Alliance for the Americas” to expand connectivity in the region and to democratize the preparation of young people for participating in the modern economy.

The 2030 ICT Alliance for the Americas initiative is to be implemented by the OAS’s Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL). The agreement is a corollary to the forum “ICTs and the eradication of poverty in the Americas: The role of public-private partnerships,” organized by the OAS and the government of the Dominican Republic in its capacity as Chair of the Permanent Executive Committee of CITEL on the occasion of the OAS General Assembly.

The Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, emphasized that “it is vital that we give our young people the opportunity to compete, that our citizens are able to access high-technology services. At the present time, democratizing access to them is an essential mechanism for expanding more rights for more people.” The project is aligned with the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and it seeks to provide internet access to
1.5 billion people across the world by the year 2020; to ensure that all public schools in the Americas are connected to the internet over the coming 15 years; and to strengthen democratic participation in the Americas through ICTs…

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv3/news/?lan=en
[Selected Press Releases, Announcements]

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15/06/2016
OIC Implements Ramadan Activities in some Member States in Partnership with Humanitarian Organizations
In the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s efforts in the holy month each year, its humanitarian offices carried out at the beginning of Ramadan humanitarian activities in a number of Member States, in partnership with several humanitarian organizations, especially in Palestine, Somalia and Central Africa and (for the Syrian refugees) in Turkey. These activities and projects are aimed at helping the neediest families in an attempt to provide the basic necessities and to alleviate their suffering during the month of Ramadan, in light of the bitter situation experienced by several countries in the Muslim world.

IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.ipu.org/english/news.htm

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13 June 2016
World MPs highlight unique parliamentary role in AIDS fight
IPU’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Paddy Torsney, has stressed to the UN’s High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS the essential role of MPs and national parliaments in combating the disease. Presenting the conclusions of IPU’s parliamentary meeting, she said MPs had emphasized their critical role linking national strategies, communities and individuals. Ms Torsney said the MPs had highlighted the persistence of stigma and legal discrimination some 35 years after the epidemic started, continuing to form an immense barrier to voluntary testing and treatment. MPs had stressed their role in fighting stigma and discrimination at the national policy level as well as in their constituencies, she said…

World Bank [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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Statement from World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on the Murder of UK MP Jo Cox
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2016— World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim issued the following statement today on the murder of UK MP Jo Cox: “I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of the violent death of…
Date: June 17, 2016 Type: Press Release

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Joint Declaration on a Framework for European Commission-World Bank Group Collaboration in Situations Affected by Fragility, Conflict and Violence
The European Commission and the World Bank Group, hereby envisage to define a framework for collaboration in situations affected by fragility, conflict and violence (FCV). We believe that in FCV situations,…
Date: June 14, 2016 Type: Press Release
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

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European Commission and World Bank Group to Accelerate Joint Action to Tackle Fragility, Conflict and Violence
Brussels, June 14, 2016 — The European Commission (EC) and the World Bank Group (WBG) today announced their commitment to strengthen joint action on sustaining peace and increase development impact in…
Date: June 14, 2016 Type: Press Release

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Global Private Infrastructure Investment Remains Steady at $111.6 billion; Turkey Takes the Lead with Two Megadeals
WASHINGTON, June 13, 2016—Global private infrastructure investment in 2015 mostly remained steady at $111.6 billion when compared to the previous year, according to new data from the World Bank Group’s…
Date: June 14, 2016 Type: Press Release

IMF [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.imf.org/external/news/default.aspx
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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June 16, 2016
Press Release: IMF and Partners Launch New Phases of the Managing Natural Resource Wealth and Revenue Mobilization Trust Funds
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its development partners launched new phases of the Managing Natural Resource Wealth (MNRW-TF) and the Revenue Mobilization (RM-TF) trust funds during the annual steering committee meetings held in Washington from June 14–15, 2016. Subject to contributions from development partners, the MNRW-TF and RM-TF are expected to provide about US$30 million and US$60 million, respectively, over six years for technical assistance and training to help low- and lower middle-income countries strengthen tax capacity and mobilize natural resource wealth…

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Growth expected to rebound after a difficult year, but risk of slowdown in remittances is more pronounced
KATHMANDU, June 15, 2016 – Following two massive shocks which have resulted in two years of disappointing growth, economic activity is expected to rebound modestly, growing by 4.7 percent in FY2017, a…
Date: June 15, 2016 Type: Press Release

Asian Development Bank [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.adb.org/news/releases
[We generally limit coverage to regional or Asia-wide initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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13 June 2016
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank appoints General Counsel and Chief Financial Officer
BEIJING – The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (the Bank) today announced the following senior staff appointments:
:: Mr. Gerard Sanders to the position of General Counsel; and
:: Mr. Thierry de Longuemar to the position of Chief Financial Officer…

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development [to 18 June 2016]
https://www.ifad.org/newsroom/press_release/list/tags/y2016

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15 June 2016
Remittances bring economic stability to families and countries, says IFAD president on International Day
Rome – On the International Day of Family Remittances, 16 June, Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), calls for greater recognition of the vital financial contribution migrants make to the economic stability of their families and countries.

“The remittances sent back to relatives provide a lifeline, particularly to tens of millions of families living in fragile or post-conflict societies,” Nwanze said. “Remittances can help rebuild the fabric of societies, spark economic development, and bring the stability necessary for a hopeful future.”

In 2015, some 250 million migrants living outside their countries of origin sent nearly US$450 billion back home in remittances. Over the same period, 60 million people were forcibly displaced due to violent conflict and political upheaval, including 20 million refugees who fled across international borders…

Amref Health Africa [to 18 June 2016]
http://amref.org/news/news/

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16 June 2016
Let’s eliminate conflict to improve the lives of children
The Day of the African Child has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union. This year, 2016, the day will be marked under the theme “Conflict and Crisis in Africa: Protecting all Children’s Rights”.

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Amref launches mobile health information platform in Bungoma County
Published: 13 June 2016 Carolyne Khamala
Amref Health Africa in Kenya has launched M-JALI, a mobile-enabled platform for community health information management, in Kabuchai sub-county in Bungoma County through its Maternal and New-born health Improvement (MANI) programme on Thursday, June 9, 2016.

CARE International [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.care-international.org/news/press-releases

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17th Jun 2016
Europe’s largest car rally drive home a reminder to tackling climate change and the 1.5 degree target
Cars form giant ‘1.5’ to support the goal of the 2015 United Nations Paris Agreement to pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Emissions avoided by each rally car highlights need for market incentives to price carbon and promote more low-emissions electric mobility.

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Niger Faces ‘Humanitarian Catastrophe’ Unless Action Taken Now
14th Jun 2016 Niger
Several recent attacks by Nigerian militants across the border into the area of Bosso in southeastern Niger have forced refugees to flee further into the region of Diffa. The long forced walks towards safety without food and water – especially taxing on women and children – have caused several deaths …

Handicap International [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.handicap-international.us/press_releases

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Posted on June 16, 2016 7:09 AM
Dozens of American banks still investing in cluster munitions
Silver Spring, MD—Handicap International is alarmed by the findings in the latest report by Dutch non-governmental organization, PAX, which calls out 158 financial institutions, 74 of which are in the U.S., for providing $28 billion in loans and financial services to seven cluster munition producers. Among the seven weapons makers are U.S.-based Orbital ATK, and Textron.

This 7th report, “Worldwide Investments in Cluster Munitions: A Shared Responsibility,” studied how institutions worldwide were financing the production of these banned weapons between 2012 and 2016. The report’s Hall of Shame lists the institutions that still invest in companies making cluster munitions. American financial institutions topping the investments list include T Rowe Price, Vanguard, and JP Morgan Chase. The Hall of Shame is also dominated by financial institutions in China (29) and South Korea (26).

Financing the production of these weapons is a serious violation of the spirit of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (Oslo Treaty), which bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions. Twenty of the financial institutions come from States Parties to the Cluster Munition Convention: Germany, Canada, Spain, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Only ten States parties have adopted legislation that prohibits investments in cluster munitions, including Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The U.S. has yet to join the Convention.

“It is too easy for producers of cluster munitions to access loans and financial services,” explains Marion Libertucci, head of advocacy at Handicap International. “Allowing financial institutions to finance the production of cluster munitions is a violation of the spirit of the Oslo Treaty.”…

Heifer International [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.heifer.org/about-heifer/press/press-releases.html

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June 14, 2016
Hilton Prize Coalition Releases Film Highlighting Role of Development Organizations in Response to Nepal Earthquake
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Heifer International is one of six development organizations featured in the Hilton Prize Coalition documentary, “On Shifting Ground.” The film highlights disaster relief efforts following the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal in April 2015. The earthquake and aftershocks killed more than 8,000 people and injured nearly 21,000.

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June 14, 2016
Heifer International Board of Directors Names Tom Hadfield to Membership
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. In the professional marketplace, Hadfield is CEO of Message.io, a technology start-up headquartered in Austin, Texas. As a citizen of the world, he is keenly aware of complexities that accompany the global issues of hunger and poverty. To create a lasting impact himself, Hadfield has been instrumental in launching several social ventures to help better the lives of individuals in Africa and worldwide.

HelpAge International [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.helpage.org/newsroom/press-room/press-releases/
Posted: 14 June 2016
HelpAge calls for convention to protect rights of older people near end of life
Older people are campaigning for the right to be free from violence and abuse under international law on this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Wednesday 15 June…

…Government responses to elder abuse have been inadequate around the world. In 2014, a WHO, UNODC and UNDP Global Status Report on Violence Prevention reported that of the 133 countries surveyed only 17% reported any survey data on elder abuse and, of these, the majority were in high-income countries[2].

“The obligation of governments to protect older people from abuse is not clearly stated in existing international human rights law. As a result, national laws to protect older people from violence and abuse are inconsistent and patchy, with some older people having little or no legal protection, no access to support services or to justice,” said Sleap.

Despite the violence and abuse faced by many older people around the world, a lack of data exacerbates the problem.
“Elder abuse can be dangerously invisible as it is often a taboo subject and older people are often reluctant to report the abuse they are subjected to,” said Sleap.

“We are calling for better data on violence and abuse to tackle this,” she said.

Age Demands Action campaigners will be calling for their governments to attend the seventh session of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing in December prepared to talk about what they would like to see in a new convention on older people’s rights…
…HelpAge International believes the time has come for an international convention on the rights of older people in order to ensure we live the end of lives and die with dignity.

ICRC [to 18 June 2016]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases and Articles

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18-06-2016 | News release
South Sudan: ICRC airplanes evacuate 17 people wounded in clashes from Raja
Juba (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today evacuated by air 17 people from the town of Raja following violent clashes there that left dozens of casualties. The fighting caused several hundred people to flee their homes i

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Explosive weapons in populated areas – Factsheet
Armed conflicts are increasingly fought in population centres, but often with weapon systems that were originally designed for use in open battlefields.
14-06-2016 | Article

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Speech by ICRC president at Human Rights Council
Speech given by Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
13-06-2016 | Article

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index
Selected Press Releases

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16 Jun 2016
IRC Response: Victory for Refugee Resettlement in Texas
The United States District Court Northern District of Texas in Dallas today upheld the lawfulness of the refugee resettlement program in Texas. In response, Jennifer Sime, Senior Vice President of US Programs with the International Rescue Committee released the following statement:

“Today’s decision upholds and affirms America’s proud history in providing refuge for the world’s most vulnerable. Refugees are fleeing violence and persecution and want nothing more than to live a safe and peaceful life.
The court is unequivocal in validating the lawfulness of the refugee resettlement program and reaffirms Texas’ legacy in welcoming refugees.

The integrity and legacy of the refugee resettlement program will continue to be one of this country’s greatest strengths. We will continue to provide the services and support needed to make sure refugees, both in Texas and nationwide, have the support they need to rebuild their lives.”

IRCT [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.irct.org/

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News
Kenyan High Court allows forced anal examinations to detect homosexuality despite clear evidence that it constitutes torture and ill-treatment
17 June 2016

News
IFEG expert issues criticism of national investigation in the Al-Abdali Cell case
13 June 2016