International Advocacy 2013
Highlights
UN Advocacy
UN Universal Periodic Review
Press Release (29 January 2013) - On the morning of Israel’s second Universal Periodic Review (UPR), scheduled for Tuesday 29 January, 15 Israeli and Palestinian human rights organisations issued a joint NGO statement warning of the far-reaching consequences of Israel’s refusal to fully cooperate with the United Nations (UN).
On 30 September 2013, Adalah submiited a second NGO report to the UPR for Israel's scheduled session on 29 October 2013.
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Press Release (3 June 2013) - On 3 June 2013, Adalah attended the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s (CRC) review of Israel in Geneva, Switzerland. The Committee examined Israel’s State Report submitted in 2010 and its replies to the CRC’s “List of Issues” filed in May 2013 on the implementation of its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child , to which Israel is a party. Adalah Attorney Sawsan Zaher, Adalah’s representative to the session, raised key concerns regarding Israel’s failure to comply with the CRC towards Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Press Release (23 June 2013) - On 20 June 2013, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) issued its Concluding Observations on Israel, following its latest review on 3 June 2013. Israel ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in August 1991, and is thus obligated to uphold its provisions. The Committee raised serious concerns about Israel’s violations of the health and education rights of Palestinian Arab Bedouin children, as well as the substantially lower state budget and resources allocated to children belonging to the Arab minority.
EU Advocacy
On 15 October, Adalah submitted a briefing paper to the EU for the 2013 European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Progress Report of Israel. The paper highlighted key concerns of Adalah that are relevant to the progress made on the EU-Israel Action Plan concerning the human rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel and Palestinian residents living in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). The paper demonstrates that the human rights situation of the Palestinian minority in Israel and the Palestinians in the OPT deteriorated in several areas, both materialy and structurally, in 2013.
In addition, Adalah submitted a joint input with partners Al-Mezan, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, and the Public Committee Aginst Torture in Israel regarding the human rights of prisoners and detainees held in Israel, with particular focus on the issues of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treament.
