Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 14, 2011 News
– Women, especially the poor, bore the brunt
Powerful governments are blocking advances in international justice by standing above the law on human rights, and shielding allies from criticism. They are also only acting only when politically convenient, according to the Amnesty International Report 2010.
Amnesty International called on Governments to ensure accountability for their own actions, fully sign up to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and ensure that crimes under international law can be prosecuted anywhere in the world.
“Repression and injustice are flourishing in the global justice gap, condemning millions of people to abuse, oppression and poverty,” said Claudio Cordone, interim Secretary General of Amnesty International. “Governments must ensure that no one is above the law, and that everyone has access to justice for all human rights violations.
“Until governments stop subordinating justice to political self-interest, freedom from fear and freedom from want will remain elusive for most of humanity.”
The organisation said that states claiming global leadership, including the G20, have a particular responsibility to set an example.
According to the Amnesty International Report, worldwide, the justice gap sustained a destructive web of repression. Research by Amnesty International records torture or other ill-treatment in at least 111 countries, unfair trials in at least 55 countries, restrictions on free speech in at least 96 countries and prisoners of conscience imprisoned in at least 48 countries.
Globally, with millions of people pushed into poverty by the food, energy and financial crises, events showed the urgent need to tackle the abuses that affect poverty.
“Governments should be held accountable for the human rights abuses that drive and deepen poverty. The UN review meeting on the Millennium Development Goals in New York, USA, this September is an opportunity for world leaders to move from promises to legally enforceable commitments,” said Claudio Cordone.
Women, especially the poor, bore the brunt of the failure to deliver on these goals. Pregnancy-related complications claimed the lives of an estimated 500,000 women, according to the most recent UN figures, with maternal mortality often directly caused by gender discrimination, violations of sexual and reproductive rights, and denial of access to health care.
“Governments must promote women’s equality and address discrimination against women if they are going to make progress on the Millennium Development Goals,” said Claudio Cordone.
“The need for effective global justice is a key lesson from the past year. Justice provides fairness and truth to those who suffer violations, deters human rights abuses, and ultimately delivers a more stable and secure world.”
Lack of access to justice also plays a role in another human rights crisis – poverty. 1.4 billion people in the developing world are estimated to be living below the extreme poverty line of US$1.25 a day.
Rights to food, education, health and housing are out of their reach, and they cannot claim them due to the non-existent, corrupt or discriminatory justice systems.
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