Commissioner For Human Rights Research Articles

The Impact of Sexual Violence Victimization on Acculturative Stress and Hazardous Drinking Among North Korean Refugee Women in South Korea.

North Korean refugee women face significant risks of traumatic experiences, including sexual exploitation and violence, both in North Korea and during migration. However, there is limited research on the long-term effects of sexual violence among these women. Using data from 245 North Korean refugee women, collected by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea in 2017, we examined the impact of sexual violence victimization during pre-migration and intermediate stages on acculturative stress and hazardous drinking. Our findings revealed that women who experienced sexual violence during the intermediate stage were more likely to engage in hazardous drinking, though no significant effect was found on acculturative stress. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers aiming to reduce negative psychological outcomes in vulnerable populations.

Protection of the Fulfillment of Rights of Women Victims of Trafficking from a Human Rights Perspective

Human trafficking remains a significant global issue. The UNODC reports 40.3 million annual cases, with 71% involving women. The National Human Rights Commission monitors and addresses these cases. Research, according to Soerjono Soekanto, involves analyzing and constructing methodology. The research aims to enhance understanding of policy implementation in protecting victims' rights through a human rights perspective. In upholding human rights, governments must prioritize protecting victims' rights. Safeguarding individuals, especially women, from crimes like trafficking is essential for human rights protection, highlighting the crucial role of laws in preventing such offenses. The protection of human rights, especially for victims, is crucial for governments to uphold citizens' rights. Human trafficking is driven by economic, educational, and technological factors. Preventive and repressive measures are required to combat trafficking effectively, including law enforcement, intergovernmental cooperation, and addressing root causes. Restitution is a constitutional right for victims, but enforcement challenges remain. Agencies must ensure victims' rights are upheld.

Comparative legal analysis of the Ombudsman institution of Kazakhstan and Turkey for compliance with international documents

The purpose of the article is to comparatively reveal the structure and activity of the ombudsman institute in Kazakhstan and Turkey and evaluate it in terms of international standards. In this context, the compliance of the ombudsman institutions of the two countries with the international documents, which regulate the status of national human rights institutions, was studied. The normative basis of their duties and powers, and international standards, will be examined, and if there are any shortcomings, they will be identified and recommendations will be made on what to do to improve them. In order to protect human rights and freedoms, the importance of the ombudsman institution in the society and its place in the state legal system was analyzed. Additionally, the status of the ombudsman institution, the order of creation and appointment to the position was studied. The requirements and duties of the ombudsmen of the two countries were shown. It was also determined that the norms of the internal legislation of the two states regarding the institution of ombudsman correspond to the principles of Paris and Vienna. In this context, proposals were made to improve internal legislation. To conduct scientific research work, the national laws were studied such as “On the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Kazakhstan” dated November 5, 2022 and the Law “On the Ombudsman Institute” of Turkey dated June 29, 2012. Result of the research work, some inconsistencies were obtained with international standards in the laws governing the activities of the ombudsman institution.

Climate change and forced migration

Abstract Climate change is increasingly recognized as a significant driver of migration patterns worldwide. As the global temperatures rise, extreme weather events become more frequent, leading to disruptions in livelihoods displacement, and migration. Every day, climate change becomes a more urgent economic, social and existential threat to countries and their people. Climate changes are becoming more and more evident every day, a factor that undoubtedly directly or indirectly affects the displacement of populations. This article provides answers to basic questions starting with how, and where climate change triggers migration and displacement, the second question is if we have a definition for the climate migration, or climate refugee, can they have protection from the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the last analysis is the inadequacy of the protection afforded by international law and European Union law and the Albania Legislation to individuals who leave their country of origin for reasons related to environmental issues. The methodology used to answer the questions of this paper includes desk review on existing literature, legal texts, reports from international organizations, legal framework regulating climate migration rights and the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) regarding the “climate refugees”, the case of Teitiota v New Zealand.

Current Status of the Conciliation System of the National Human Rights Commission and the Way to Revitalize it

Current Status of the Conciliation System of the National Human Rights Commission and the Way to Revitalize it

Защита от высылки в практике Комитета по правам человека ООН

This article provides an analysis of the practice of the UN treaty body - the UN Human Rights Committee in cases related to expulsion. The treaty body effectively monitor compliance by States with the principle of "non-refoulement". The article analyzes the legal grounds, opportunities, mechanisms and effectiveness of human rights protection by filing complaints to this Committee. Various violated human rights are considered, for the restoration of which it is possible to apply to the UN treaty body in cases concerning expulsion.

Conceptualisation and operationalisation of minorities in international law: Past experiences and new avenues

AbstractDespite decades of scholarly effort, there is still no universally accepted definition of the concept of minorities or the criteria for minority membership. Beyond its theoretical importance, the lack of a definition also has practical significance, as it may easily lead to the abuse of minority rights. In this paper, we offer a brief historical overview of the various definitional attempts in international law, including those enshrined in legal documents as well as in the practice of adjudicatory bodies. Starting from the era of the League of Nations and the case-law of the Permanent Court of International Justice, we continue by looking at major developments within the United Nations (with special attention to the practice of the Human Rights Committee) as well as the Council of Europe (and the approach of the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for National Minorities). Our aim is to explore the trajectory from old to recent conceptual endeavours, where the major dividing line is drawn between the relatively narrow notion of minorities (covering only autochthonous or traditional groups) as opposed to a more inclusive view (including also immigrants and, potentially, visitors under the minority protection mechanisms).

On improving the procedure for interaction of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation and public authorities

An analysis of the experience of ombudsmen in foreign countries will identify the most effective methods and approaches in protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as the problems and difficulties faced by these institutions. It is important to note that the functions and powers of an ombudsman may vary significantly from country to country. The work provides an analysis of Russian legislation regulating the constitutional and legal status of The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, and taking into account the experience of normative regulation of the constitutional and legal status of the Ombudsman abroad, the authors put forward proposals for improving the procedure for interaction between The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation and public authorities. The study and analysis of foreign experience will make it possible to develop recommendations for improving the work of The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation and take into account international standards in the field of protection of human rights and freedoms.The work provides an analysis of Russian legislation regulating the constitutional and legal status of The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, and taking into account the experience of normative regulation of the constitutional and legal status of the Ombudsman abroad, the authors put forward proposals for improving the procedure for interaction between The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation and public authorities.We will consider these issues using general scientific methods, such as analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, analogy, comparison, abstraction. In addition, the scientific article used specific historical, systemic-structural, functional, comparative legal, formal legal research methods, predetermined by the characteristics of the object and subject of scientific research, its purpose and objectives.Until now, not enough attention has been paid to analyzing the possibility of giving a mandatory character to the institution of The High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation. This means that its decisions and recommendations must be binding on other government bodies. This, in turn, can significantly increase the efficiency of this institution and improve the situation with the protection of human rights in the Russian Federation.

‘Between the Devil and Deep-Blue Sea’: Comparing the Extraterritorial Application of the ECHR and the ICCPR in the Protection of Migrants at Sea

The concept of jurisdiction is often said to encapsulate the very essence of human rights “qua normative relationship between rights holders and institutions as dutybearers” (Besson, 2012; 860). Twenty-first century human rights jurisprudence has highlighted one of the most contentious issues in relation to jurisdiction: the limits that human rights place on State behaviour outside national territory. In the context of migration, the extraterritorial application of human rights is a particularly critical concern. Loss of life on the high seas, refoulement at sea, and the striking systematic ineptitude of search and rescue operations by European countries have placed the debate on extraterritoriality at the heart of the human rights discourse on migrants and refugees. This Paper will compare and contrast extraterritoriality at the European Court of Human Rights and the Human Rights Committee (HRCttee), in order to put their jurisprudence into perspective and assess the current state of the law. A functional account of jurisdiction will be supported, whereby the State should protect human rights wherever in the world it operates, and whenever it can reasonably do so. Through a comparative analysis, I will argue that the principles of universality and effectiveness render extraterritorial applicability a necessary doctrine in human rights law. By juxtaposing the ECtHR with the HRCttee, I will illustrate the wide acceptance of extraterritoriality in the migration context, highlight the needs for improvement in future jurisprudence, and justify the functional approach to human rights protection that this Paper advocates.

Institute of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights: human rights vector of activity during the armed conflict

The article is devoted to understanding the role of the institution of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in the context of armed conflict, which is accompanied by a gross leveling of the category of «human rights» and devaluation of its existential essence, and as a result, this determines the strengthening of the institutional capacity of the Ombudsman of Ukraine in the context of the national human rights protection mechanism. The object of this scientific research is the functioning of the Ombudsman of Ukraine in the constitutional and legal dimension of human rights protection, and thus the subject of the study is limited to the peculiarities of the implementation of the human rights functions of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights through the prism of the armed conflict. The methodological basis of the study is a system of general scientific and special methods of scientific cognition, the most common of which are dialectical, formal legal (dogmatic), legal comparative method, legal hermeneutics method, as well as modeling, analysis and synthesis methods which were used to formulate certain definitions, proposed scientific approaches, and to develop certain positions based on the review of regulatory and legal material. Based on the results of this study, the author proposes to deviate from the statutory time limits for applying to the Ombudsman by persons who are in the temporarily occupied part of the territory in order to provide appropriate legal protection and guarantee consideration of applications from this category of applicants, and determines the moment when the time limits begin to be calculated, the feasibility of such an approach, and models different time limits. Interpreting the provisions of the Law of Ukraine «On the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights», the author proposes and deepens the understanding of «exceptional circumstances» for extending the time limits for filing an appeal during the armed conflict for no more than two years. The author draws attention to the state of practical implementation of the principle of institutional independence of the Ombudsman under martial law, notes the imperfect regulation of the direct principle in legislation and comes to a consolidated conclusion that it is necessary to regulate certain provisions of legal acts to ensure full establishment of the principle of impartiality and independence of the legal institution, and suggests options for eliminating conflicts of law.

Structural Interdictics for Environmental Rights Violations? South African Human Rights Commission v Msunduzi Local Municipality (8407/2020P) [2021] ZAKZPHC 35 (17 June 2021)*

Structural Interdictics for Environmental Rights Violations? South African Human Rights Commission v Msunduzi Local Municipality (8407/2020P) [2021] ZAKZPHC 35 (17 June 2021)*

Marriage and Strategic Confrontation: A Critical Analysis of Indian Society

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in General Recommendation no. 21 (the 13th session, 1994) on the declaration of equality between women and men for human rights has discouraged polygamous marriage practices ( https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/recommendations/recomm.htm#top ). Further, the United Nations Human Rights Committee’s assertion in 2000 on the General Assembly of the UN contends about the direct connection of marriage with human dignity and acknowledges only state-approved monogamous marriage can tantamount to social development, by fostering equality, justice and cosmic harmony. On the contrary, polygamous marriage treats humans unequally and subordinates women, following such type of marriages breach the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, recommending the blanket ban of the practice of polygamy. It is significant that treating woman as less than man not only subjugates them but hinders the development of the whole society. To secure social harmony, the state can legislate a rule for all its citizens irrespective of their religion. Notwithstanding, independent Indian Constitutional Laws facilitate monogamy practice on the one hand, and on the other hand allow polygamy as an atypical form of marriage in another personal law. Therefore, in this article, first, I examine the notion of marriage in Indian tradition and then compare Indian marriage standards with the Western approach of monogamy, as a society’s right, as a right to moral independence and as an ethical analogue. Following that, I argue whether contemporary Indian society’s legislation on marriage fits into Western standards or triggers a strategic confrontation.

Listening to Survivors in Sexual Harassment Law Reform

In Australia, the #MeToo movement triggered a comprehensive inquiry into workplace sexual harassment lead by the Australian Human Rights Commission. This article explores the dynamic relationship between voice and listening in the Commission's National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces and the resulting Respect@Work Report (2020). Drawing on a range of methodologies including thematic coding, citation analysis and discourse analysis, I explore what it means to victim-survivors to have a voice in the National Inquiry, narratives of law and justice that emerge in victim-survivor submissions and how the Commission responds in its role as institutional listener. These methodologies enable analysis of the politics and practices of listening within a law reform process, revealing hierarchies of attention that influence who is heard and how they are heard by the Commission. The Commission's listening practices, and its capacity to listen to victim-survivors with openness, attentiveness, receptivity and responsiveness, are shown to limit its engagement in transformative change to address workplace sexual harassment.

Universal institutional mechanism for ensuring the right to development

The article describes the institutional mechanism for ensuring the right to development at the international universal level. The functions and mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Working Group on the Right to Development, the High-level Task Force on the Implementation of the Right to Development, the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, etc. are described. It is noted that the right to development is the only human right specifically mentioned in resolution 48/141 of the UN General Assembly, by which it established the position of High Commissioner and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is highlighted the functions of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in ensuring the right to development. It is described the mandate of the Working Group on the Right to Development, which includes: monitoring and analysis of progress made in the promotion and implementation of the right to development at the national and international levels, making recommendations and further analysis of obstacles to its full implementation; review of reports and any other information submitted by States, UN agencies, other relevant international organisations and non-governmental organisations on the relationship between their activities and the right to development, etc. It is noted that the High-level Task Force on the Implementation of the Right to Development was established within the framework of the Working Group on the Right to Development to assist it in fulfilling its mandate. It is stated that the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development contributes to the realisation of the right to development by developing practical guidance to implement the right and to integrate it within development policies and programmes at local, national, regional and international levels. The functions and mandate of the Special Rapporteur are highlighted. It is described the activities of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, which provides the Human Rights Council with thematic expertise on the right to development in searching for, identifying and sharing best practices with Member States and promotes the implementation of the right to development worldwide.

군인의 죽음과 관련된 몇 가지 법적 과제

The death of a soldier signifies a profound sacrifice and dedication to the national community, and as such, it should be properly honored. It also reflects the values upheld by the nation. This article addresses various legal issues related to the death of soldiers, including distinctions between combat-related deaths, duty-related deaths, and other categories under the Military Personnel Act, as well as decisions regarding national merit and compensation under the National Merit Act and the Veterans' Compensation Act. Recently, the revision of the Military Court Act transferred the authority to investigate military deaths from the military to the National Police Agency, which is a positive development. However, considering that approximately 60-80% of recent military deaths are suicides, these cases often lack criminal allegations and are quickly concluded, potentially leading to inadequate investigations of significant unit-related factors. This highlights a limitation of the current system. The article also discusses issues such as the categorization of duty-related deaths, conflicts or inconsistencies between the National Merit Act and the Veterans' Compensation Act Enforcement Decree, among others. It is essential to establish a state agency independent of the military to investigate not only the deaths of soldiers but also the related unit-level factors. This is crucial to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents. The Military Human Rights Protection Officer, who also serves as a standing commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission, could fulfill this role. Additionally, this agency should have the authority to review decisions regarding death classifications if objections are raised by the bereaved families. Currently, the Central Military Merit Review Committee, which operates under the Ministry of National Defense, is responsible for re-investigating the causes of death. This could be seen as a conflict of interest, as it involves self-judgment. To address this, it may be beneficial for a newly established Military Human Rights Supervisory Body to assume the final responsibility for re-investigations and death classification judgments. In summary, this new body should be responsible for 1) the protection of and policy development regarding military human rights, 2) the investigation of military death cases based on complaints from bereaved families or ex officio, and 3) the re-investigation and review of death classifications upon objections from the bereaved.

The Rome Statute Impact: Challenge of Upholding Human Rights in Indonesia’s Human Rights Court

This article examines the effect of enforcing gross human rights violations and the implications of Indonesia as a state that did not ratify the Rome Statute. This study is done by studying the legal basis of human rights courts in Indonesia. A doctrinal approach is used. The main legal materials used are the Human Right Court Law (2000) and human rights court decisions. The research findings indicate that the process of enforcing gross human rights violations requires integration between National Human Rights Commission as an investigator and the Attorney General's Office as an investigator. The substance of enforcing gross human rights violations is a formality because Indonesia, as a sovereign state, has the right to determine the model of enforcing gross human rights. However, in fact, there are still many gross human rights violations that cannot be resolved due to differences in perceptions of sufficient preliminary evidence. For this reason, reformulation of the Human Right Court Law (2000) is needed.

Implementasi Peraturan Hukum dan Upaya Represif yang Dilakukan Untuk Menangani Kasus Pelanggaran HAM di Indonesia

This study explores the positive legal perspective that exists in Indonesia on human rights violations. (HAM). As a state of law, Indonesia has a responsibility to deal with various issues related to the public interest, including human rights violations. The findings can be concluded that the legal protection of human rights in Indonesia is naturally contained in the values of the Pancasila before the formation of the specific legal substance regarding human rights. With the method of normative jurisprudence research, this article is titled Implementation of the Law Regulations and Repressive Efforts to Deal with the Cases of Human Rights Violations in Indonesia by the process of collection of literary material through scrutiny, analysis, and systematic compilation of findings. The aim of this study is to examine in depth how the law is applied to cases of human rights violations in Indonesia as well as what the government is doing as a repressive effort to resolve human rights cases in Indonesia. The findings can be summarised by the fact that every country continues to strive to enforce human rights through different systems and actions, including Indonesia. In Indonesia, human rights issues are dealt with through various methods, including consultation, negotiation, media, and consultation. Governments should focus on dealing with the needs and conditions of the people, not just legal issues. Human rights issues in various regions are dealt with through various strategies, such as national and international mechanisms, the Commission on Human Rights, non-judicial machinery, and the Indonesian Human Rights Commission.

ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM OF KAZAKHSTAN: THE ROLE OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND A CALL FOR LEGISLATIVE REFORMS

Background: Human rights violations within the criminal justice system represent a pervasive problem. International human rights agreements and national laws clearly assert the absolute protection of human rights. However, despite these strong legal principles, human rights violations frequently occur within the criminal justice system. This article examines the problem of human rights violations in the criminal justice system of Kazakhstan and the role of the prosecutor's office in protecting human rights. Methods: This study utilised documentary analysis and secondary data analysis methodologies to conduct a detailed examination of legal acts, international agreements, and policy documents It specifically reviewed documents including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Constitutional Law “On the Prosecutor's Office”, the Concept of Legal Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan up to 2030, and human rights reports from international bodies such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House. The study also analysed reports from the Ministry of Justice and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Results and conclusions: By analysing international human rights treaties, national legislation, and reports from leading human rights organisations, the study exposes significant discrepancies between legal mandates and actual practices. Despite Kazakhstan's formal commitment to international human rights standards, it reveals systemic issues, including instances of human rights abuses in criminal justice. The study highlights the critical role of the prosecutor's office in human rights protection while also pointing out the challenges in effectively fulfilling these responsibilities. The findings stress the importance of legislative reforms for enhancing the protection of human rights in criminal justice. The study is particularly relevant for policymakers, human rights advocates, and scholars interested in the intersection of law enforcement and human rights protections, offering insights that could guide future improvements in criminal justice practices.

Overview of some aspects of protection of the right to information

The right to information in the broadest sense is a component of the constitutional and legal status of a person in the country, and the existence of an effective mechanism for realizing this right, including its protection, demonstrates the state of reality of the proclaimed principles of the rule of law. The article is an attempt to provide a broad overview of the possibilities of protecting the rights of individuals and legal entities to information in Ukraine. The authors tried not to limit themselves to analyzing the mechanisms of a specific branch of law, but made an attempt to outline possible violations of the right to information and analyze the legal means of stopping such violations and preventing negative manifestations in the future. The article analyzes both jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional ways of protecting the right to information, which have their own specific features of manifestation and application within different branches of law. The author considers the ways of protecting the right to information through the mechanisms of civil, administrative and economic branches of law, and makes a certain systematization of the types of violations of the right to information depending on the subject of violation (private or public), on the consequences, on the nature and manifestation of violations. The authors analyzes the positions of national courts and the European Court of Human Rights regarding the existence of legislative restrictions on judges in choosing the ways to protect the applicants’ right to information. The authors also compare the approaches of the European and Ukrainian legislators to the interpretation of the concept of “non-jurisdictional remedies” on the example of legal acts regulating the procedure for exercising information rights, and provide examples of relevant preventive measures (technical and organizational). The authors analyzes the capabilities of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights in the mechanism of protection of the right to information and provides examples of the use of his/her powers in response to appeals on violation of the right to information. Gaps in information legislation are identified and ways to eliminate them are suggested.

World Heritage and human rights

This paper describes the protracted nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage (WH) List of the Keang Krachan Forest Complex, Thailand and the issues it exposed. The complex was inscribed in 2021, seven years after it was first nominated, despite ongoing conflict with indigenous Karen hunter-gatherer communities. The nomination was referred back to the state party by the WH Committee in 2015, 2016 and 2019 for reasons related to inconclusive and out-of-date ecological information, and human rights issues associated with the forced resettlement of Karen hill tribe people living within its proposed boundaries. In 2020 the nomination was resubmitted during the 4th mandate of the Thai state party on the WH Committee, and the property was inscribed contrary to a formal recommendation to defer the nomination, and despite repeated communications from the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to the WH Centre, the Thai government and the WH Committee seeking resolution of community and human rights issues prior to inscription. Decisions that run contrary to the advice of the WH Committee’s three advisory bodies have become an abiding and troubling aspect of the Committee’s decision-making, reflecting a trend in the politicisation of Committee sessions that has increased over more than 20 years, to a point where it now threatens the integrity of the World Heritage system. This paper examines how the state party pursued its WH ambitions and the impacts this had on particular indigenous Karen communities during national designation and nomination to the WH List. It demonstrates the issues that arise due to legacy nature conservation approaches to the management of extensive natural protected areas.