United Nations – Page 5 – Current Awareness

Why do corporate lawyers need to know about human rights? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted June 17th, 2015 in EC law, human rights, mergers, news, regulations, United Nations by sally

‘Since the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in 2011, human rights due diligence requirements are progressively finding their way into hard law, for instance, in reporting and compliance regulations. Examples of recent regulatory developments include the EU Directive on non-financial reporting, the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, and section 1502 of the US Dodd-Frank Act. Proposals relating to mandatory human rights due diligence have been initiated in the EU, France and Switzerland, and the UN Human Rights Council has now appointed an intergovernmental working group to explore the possibility of a binding treaty on business and human rights.’
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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 17th June 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

The UNCRC in the Supreme Court – the impact of SG v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – Family Law Week

Posted May 28th, 2015 in appeals, children, human rights, news, Supreme Court, treaties, United Nations by sally

‘Deirdre Fotttrell QC of 1 Garden Court Family Law Chambers considers the Supreme Court’s latest deliberations on when and how the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are directly enforceable in English law.’
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Family Law Week, 21st May 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted April 7th, 2015 in budgets, charities, legislation, United Nations by sally

International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015 published

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

UK benefit cap is lawful, supreme court rules – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2015 in benefits, children, domestic violence, families, news, poverty, Supreme Court, treaties, United Nations by sally

‘The supreme court has ruled that the government’s benefit cap, which limits unemployed claimants to £500 a week in total welfare payments, is lawful.’

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The Guardian, 18th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Parliamentary conference to discuss alternatives to UK’s failing drug laws – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2015 in drug abuse, drug offences, drug trafficking, news, parliament, United Nations by sally

‘A high-profile parliamentary conference is to be held next month to discuss alternatives to Britain’s failing drug laws and influence the international debate on drugs.’

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The Guardian, 10th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Yarl’s Wood: UN special rapporteur to censure UK government – The Guardian

Posted January 5th, 2015 in abuse of position of trust, detention, immigration, inquiries, news, sexual offences, standards, United Nations, women by sally

‘The official report of the UN special rapporteur on violence against women, Rashida Manjoo, will censure the UK government for preventing her from inspecting Yarl’s Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire.’

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The Guardian, 3rd January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Statelessness, deprivation of nationality, and EU Citizenship…what is B2 in the Supreme Court really all about? – Free Movement

Posted November 26th, 2014 in citizenship, EC law, news, terrorism, United Nations by sally

‘Many practitioners are concerned about the increasing use of draconian powers to deprive people of their citizenship and the related “evil of statelessness” (which is the subject of the UNCHR’s latest campaign.) Last week, a 7-member Supreme Court panel heard the latest round of arguments on these issues in the case of Secretary of State for the Home Department v B2. The appeal comes in the wake of government proposals to limit the right of British Citizens to return to the UK following suspected terrorist activity abroad. It could have profound implications for the government’s approach to “British jihadis”.’

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Free Movement, 26th November 2014

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Human Rights: Philosophy and History – Gresham College

Posted October 22nd, 2014 in human rights, legal history, magna carta, news, United Nations by sally

‘The philosophical and historical development of what may be regarded as essential human rights will be traced. It is essential to understand this development before criticising – or complaining about – modern Human Rights law.’

Transcript

Gresham College, 15th October 2014

Source: www.gresham.ac.uk

Charles Taylor, Liberian president who ‘ate the hearts of his enemies’, sues the UK government for denying him right to family life – The Independent

Posted June 19th, 2014 in appeals, crimes against humanity, human rights, news, United Nations by sally

‘An African warlord serving 50 years in prison for crimes against humanity is suing Britain for denying him the right to a family life.’

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The Independent, 19th June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Emily MacKenzie: The Lawfulness of Detention by British Forces in Afghanistan – Serdar Mohammed v Ministry of Defence – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted June 3rd, 2014 in Afghanistan, armed forces, detention, human rights, international law, news, time limits, treaties, United Nations by sally

‘On 2nd May, the High Court held that the UK Government must pay Serdar Mohammed (SM) compensation because British troops detained him unlawfully in Afghanistan. The case raised a myriad of international law issues, which are dealt with elegantly in an extensive judgment by Mr Justice Leggatt. This post will attempt to summarise some of the key issues involved.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 2nd June 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Chagos Islands dispute: court to rule on UK sovereignty claim – The Guardian

Posted April 22nd, 2014 in Diego Garcia, international courts, international law, news, United Nations by sally

‘Britain’s sovereignty over the Chagos Islands and America’s lease for the Diego Garcia military base could be thrown into doubt by an international court hearing due to open in Istanbul on Tuesday.’

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The Guardian, 21st April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

IA (Iran) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted January 31st, 2014 in asylum, burden of proof, law reports, refugees, Scotland, treaties, United Nations by sally

IA (Iran) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees intervening) [2014] UKSC 6; [2014] WLR (D) 36

‘National decision-makers had an independent and autonomous responsibility under the Convention and Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) (Cmd 9171) and (1967) (Cmnd 3906) to determine the applications of those who had applied for asylum. An earlier decision of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (“UNHCR”) to grant refugee status was not binding on the national decision-maker, nor did it create any presumption or shift the burden of proof.’

WLR Daily, 29th January 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

I.A. (Appellant) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent) (Scotland) – Supreme Court

Posted January 30th, 2014 in appeals, asylum, law reports, refugees, Scotland, Supreme Court, treaties, United Nations by sally

I.A. (Appellant) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent) (Scotland) [2014] UKSC 6 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 29th January 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Regina (Youssef) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – WLR Daily

Posted October 31st, 2013 in appeals, evidence, judicial review, law reports, ministers' powers and duties, terrorism, torture, United Nations by michael

Regina (Youssef) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [2013] EWCA Civ 1302 ; [2013] WLR (D) 412

“The Foreign Secretary had acted lawfully by applying a test of reasonable grounds for suspecting that the claimant met the criteria for designation on a UN Security Council’s consolidated list of persons to be treated as associated with an Islamic terrorist group . The law did not require the Foreign Secretary to stymie the designation because other states relied on evidence obtained by torture. That any review by the court of the designation decision was by way of the conventional rationality test.”

WLR Daily, 29th October 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

War criminal Charles Taylor to serve 50-year sentence in British prison – The Guardian

Posted October 11th, 2013 in imprisonment, news, sentencing, United Nations, war crimes by sally

“Charles Taylor, the convicted former Liberian president, will serve his 50-year sentence for war crimes in a British prison, the ministry of justice has confirmed.”

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The Guardian, 10th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Shocking’ bedroom tax should be axed, says UN investigator – The Guardian

Posted September 11th, 2013 in government departments, housing, human rights, news, taxation, United Nations by tracey

“Housing expert Raquel Rolnik says policy could constitute a violation of the human right to adequate housing.”

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The Guardian, 11th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Expecting business to respect human rights without incentives or Sanctions – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 5th, 2013 in company law, enforcement, human rights, international trade, news, sanctions, United Nations by sally

“Cross-government coordination on an issue that affects trade, international development, foreign affairs, business activity and human rights is remarkable, especially at such a difficult economic time. So the UK’s Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, which is the government’s long-awaited strategy for implementing the 2011 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, is to be applauded for this achievement. Yet, while the Plan establishes clear expectations that UK companies should respect human rights, there are no effective legal requirements placed on them to do so.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Exclusive: UN ruling puts future of UK wind farms in jeopardy – The Independent

Posted August 29th, 2013 in consultations, energy, environmental protection, health, international law, news, planning, tribunals, United Nations by sally

“Plans for future wind farms in Britain could be in jeopardy after a United Nations legal tribunal ruled that the UK Government acted illegally by denying the public decision-making powers over their approval and the ‘necessary information’ over their benefits or adverse effects.”

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The Independent, 27th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

British fears grow over legal justification for Syria strike – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 28th, 2013 in armed forces, chemical weapons, international law, news, United Nations by sally

“David Cameron is facing demands to set out the legal justification for military action against Syria amid mounting unease over the scale and speed of Britain’s commitment to another conflict in the Middle East.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk