Own all US news!

The President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré, has committed to lifting all financial barriers to emergency obstetric care and access to family planning, as part of a strategy to fight maternal mortality in the country.

President Compaoré expressed this commitment during a meeting with an Amnesty International delegation led by interim Secretary General Claudio Cordone, and following the publication of an Amnesty International report highlighting the barriers women face in Burkina Faso to receiving adequate health care during pregnancy and child birth.

"The lifting of financial barriers for emergency obstetric care, accompanied by improvements in the quality of care and family planning will significantly reduce the number of deaths and complications for women in child birth," said Claudio Cordone. "Every woman has the right to life and the right to health. No woman should die giving birth when her death could have been prevented."

The government of Burkina Faso has made significant efforts towards improving maternal health during the last decade and Amnesty International welcomes the openness and constructive engagement it has experienced from the government while working on this issue. Costs associated with pregnancy and childbirth have been significantly reduced in Burkina Faso but remain an obstacle for many women in the country.

Pregnant women’s lives in Burkina Faso can be endangered by the distance they have to travel to access adequate care, as well as corrupt practices by some medical personnel and lack of effective mechanisms to ensure monitoring and accountability. More than 2,000 women continue to die every year during pregnancy and childbirth.

"Ultimately, in order to fully address maternal death there is a need to tackle the various forms of discrimination against women which prevent them from taking part in decisions on family planning and accessing health care," said Claudio Cordone.

"Amnesty International will continue to work with civil society organizations, medical associations and government officials to address such discrimination and the poverty that fuels it."

The Amnesty International delegation also met Burkina Faso’s First Lady Chantal Compaoré, the President of the National Assembly, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, the Prime Minister, Tertius Zongo, the Minister of Health, Seydou Bouda and the Minister for the Promotion of Human Rights, Salamata Sawadogo.

During these meetings, interim Secretary General Claudio Cordone shared the findings and recommendations of a two-year research project published in the report, Giving Life, Risking Death: Maternal Mortality in Burkina Faso.

The meetings with the authorities followed two weeks of discussions throughout the country with local communities, health professionals and local government officials. Amnesty International was able to take the testimonies of the people who suffer daily from the loss of their mothers, wives, and sisters to the authorities in the country.

"All the families we met told us that giving birth should be a joy, but that all too often it becomes an ordeal that no one should have to suffer," said Claudio Cordone.

During a meeting with international donors, Amnesty International urged them to continue their support for the Burkina Faso government with adequate, long-term and sustainable technical and financial assistance to ensure the availability and accessibility of emergency obstetric care.

Amnesty International also welcomed the adoption by the Burkina Faso National Assembly in December 2009 of a law implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and called for an early abolition of death penalty.

Amnesty International on Friday accused the Mexican government of unfairly imprisoning two indigenous women for the kidnapping of six police officers in 2006 and demanded their immediate release.

The two women, who were sentenced to 21 years in prison, are awaiting the outcome of their retrial. Amnesty International has adopted them as "prisoners of conscience".
 
Alberta Alcántara and Teresa González Cornelio have been held in the Centro de Readaptación de San José El Alto prison since August 2006. In January 2009 they were convicted of kidnapping six agents of the Mexican Federal Investigation Agency (AFI).

The agents claim they were held hostage by the women and other market stall holders during a raid on pirate DVD vendors on Santiago Mexquititlán square in March 2006. The only evidence against them is a photograph published in a newspaper in which Alberta and Teresa are standing next to the AFI agents.

"There is absolutely no credible evidence against Alberta and Teresa," said Rupert Knox, Mexico Researcher at Amnesty International. "We believe they have been framed as a convenient target because of their marginal status in society as poor indigenous women."
 
Alberta and Teresa were originally detained and charged together with market stall holder Jacinta Francisco Marcial, who was released in September 2009. In her case, Mexico’s Federal Attorney General’s Office decided to drop the case during the retrial because of lack of evidence.

However, despite a similar lack of evidence, the same office decided to continue to press charges against Teresa and Alberta and seek their reconviction. The final hearing of the women’s retrial was held on 3 February 2010. The judge now has 30 days to issue a new sentence.

"The case is emblematic of the discrimination and unfair trials that many indigenous people face in Mexico’s criminal justice system," said Rupert Knox. "The Mexican government must release them both immediately and without conditions. Reparations must also be awarded."

Alberta is from Santiago Mexquititlán, Municipio de Amealco de Bonfil, Querétaro. She is 31 years old. Before her detention she worked in a clothes factory and on a small plot of land owned by her family. She also made rag dolls to supplement the family income. She left school aged 13 to start work.

Teresa was born in San Francisco Shaxni, Municipio de Acambay, Mexico state. She is 25 years old. Before her detention she worked on the family land and made rag dolls. She is married to Alberta’s brother Gabriel. She gave birth to Jasmin, now 11 months old, while she was in prison.

On 26 March 2006, six police officers filed a complaint with the Attorney Federal alleging they had been kidnapped by locals during a market raid earlier in the day in Santiago Mexquititlán.
 
Four months later, the Attorney Federal ordered the arrest of three indigenous women whose faces appeared next to the police officers in a photo in a local paper. The women did not have access to an interpreter during judicial proceedings and their state appointed public defender never explained their rights or defence.

During the cross examination, the police officers contradicted each other and their main witness failed to ever appear before the court.

Two weeks after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, its people are confronted with a human rights crisis. Amnesty International has identified some of the country’s biggest human rights challenges and outlined a plan that puts protection of human rights at the core of relief and reconstruction efforts.

Exploitation of children
With families separated and schools destroyed, thousands of children in Haiti have been left without protection. The most vulnerable could become prey to the traffickers.

There is also a risk that children could be caught in irregular adoption processes – a risk increased by the interest of families abroad who would like to adopt Haitian children orphaned by the earthquake. Haitian institutions also have a lack of capacity to determine the status of children and ensure their rights are protected Separated and unaccompanied children might wrongly be considered orphans.

International adoption should be a last resort, used only after domestic alternatives have been exhausted. The Haitian authorities must ensure children are not taken out of the country without the completion of formal legal proceedings for international adoption.

Family tracing should be a priority for the international community, the Haitian authorities and international aid agencies.

Security and law enforcement
The Haitian government’s ability to ensure the rule of law has been severely undermined by the earthquake. Establishing a functional justice system to deal with the most serious crimes should be a top priority.

There is a growing concern that prisoners convicted of violent crimes who escaped from Port-au-Prince’s National Penitentiary are trying to regain control of the most deprived and vulnerable communities.

In response to this threat, community members have organized themselves to prevent gangs from taking over communities. However, this could put community members at risk of spiralling violence. Amnesty International has received reports of lynchings and incidents of mob justice where alleged looters have been killed.

There are also reports of alleged looters being shot by police. Haitian authorities must ensure that firearms are only to be used by police in self-defence and as a last resort. The Haitian authorities must also set up a provisional detention centre, as the country’s main prison has been destroyed and other detention centres are overcrowded.

Rights of the displaced
Hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless by the earthquake and many have fled the devastated areas.

Displaced people must be supported to make voluntary and informed decisions about their future. Any relocation of internally displaced persons from camps or disaster areas must be voluntary, unless the safety and health of those affected requires evacuation. They should not be coerced in any way, including through the suspension of assistance. All displaced persons have the right to return to their former homes unless safety issues prevent it.

Violence against women
In post-disaster situations, women and girls are often particularly at risk from sexual violence, exploitation by traffickers and reduced access to sexual, reproductive and maternal health services. Their disadvantage in accessing aid is well documented.  
Those involved in the relief and reconstruction efforts must ensure that the prevention of all gender-based violence, in particular sexual violence, is integrated into their work.

Accountability of international forces
More than 10,000 US troops, 150 military personnel from the Dominican Republic and 800 Canadian soldiers have been deployed in Haiti to provide security for the distribution of aid.

The terms of deployment and rules of engagement must be clarified from the onset and respected by all international forces The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) personnel must also be governed by strict rules of accountability. In the past, leaving accountability for violations solely to the discretion of troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions has lead to impunity for serious human rights abuses.

Haiti’s foreign debt
In 2009, international financial institutions and other creditors cancelled US$ 1.2 billion of Haiti’s foreign debt. Despite this, Haiti still owes hundreds of millions of dollars to its creditors.

The repayment of this debt now represents an unacceptable burden on Haiti’s population and national economy. Amnesty International has called on all creditors to cancel Haiti’s debt. Insistence on repayment would hinder Haiti’s ability to meet its human rights obligations.

All financial resources available to Haiti in the years to come must be channelled to reconstruction programmes that ensure Haitians’ welfare and access to basic services, and equitable and sustainable development.

Image caption: Men fight over a bag of rice during UN food distribution, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, © AP GraphicsBank

Women are dying needlessly during pregnancy and childbirth because discrimination prevents them from accessing sexual and reproductive health services, leaving them unable to make key decisions on their pregnancies, Amnesty International said in a report released on Wednesday.

Every year in Burkina Faso more than 2,000 women die from complications during pregnancy and childbirth, according to government figures. Amnesty International’s report Giving Life, Risking Death finds that many of these deaths could have been easily prevented if women were given access on time to adequate health care.

"Every woman has the right to life and the right to adequate healthcare, and the government should redouble its efforts to address preventable maternal death," said Claudio Cordone, interim Secretary General of Amnesty International. "Women in Burkina Faso are trapped in a vicious cycle of discrimination which makes giving birth potentially lethal."  

Most women in Burkina Faso are subordinate to the men in their lives with little or no control over key decisions such as when to seek medical care and the timing and spacing of their pregnancies in spite of having equal status under Burkinabe law. Women and girls continue to be subjected to early marriages and female genital mutilation.

The Burkina Faso government, with the help of the donor community, has developed ambitious strategies that have lowered maternal death rates in some parts of the country. However these are undermined by failures in implementation and a lack of accountability that allows medical personnel to get away with abuses, such as illegal demands for payments.

Poverty is a key contributing factor in preventable maternal death, particularly for impoverished women living in rural areas who face both financial and geographical obstacles to accessing healthcare.

In 2006, the Burkinabe government introduced a policy to subsidize 80 per cent of the cost of childbirth and making it completely free for the most impoverished women. However this policy is not well publicised leaving it open to exploitation by corrupt medical staff. Criteria have not been elaborated to establish who qualifies for subsidized care so costs continue to act as a barrier in accessing medical care.

The Amnesty International report says that unequal access to adequate health facilities especially in rural areas; shortages of medical supplies and trained personnel and negative or discriminatory attitudes of health workers are also preventing women from seeking care.

"Maternal death is a tragedy that robs thousands of families of wives, mothers, sisters and daughters each year," said Claudio Cordone. "So long as women are not allowed control over their own bodies, they will continue to die in their thousands."

The authorities have responded to the report which was sent to them in advance by welcoming "the meticulous and important" work done by Amnesty International, while stressing that the cases of misbehaviour by medical personnel were "isolated" and reiterating the authorities’ commitment to address the problem of maternal mortality in the country.
    
Amnesty International has called on the government to expand and improve access to family planning services, to remove financial barriers to maternal healthcare services, to ensure an even distribution of health facilities and trained staff across the country and to set up a well-publicized and accessible accountability mechanism to help combat corruption and mismanagement.

Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranked 177 out of 182 countries in the United Nations Development Programme’s 2009 Human Development Report.

Between January 28 and February 9 a campaign caravan will tour Burkina Faso spreading news of Amnesty International’s campaign to end maternal mortality in the country and providing information to stimulate debate.

Between 10 and 13 February the interim Secretary General of Amnesty International will meet with the country’s top authorities to share the outcome of the caravan and discuss government plans to address maternal mortality.

The campaign to end maternal mortality in Burkina Faso is a part of Amnesty International’s Demand Dignity campaign launched in May 2009.

In September 2009 Amnesty International launched a campaign to end maternal mortality and a campaign caravan in Sierra Leone.

Amnesty International believes poverty is a human rights issue and through the Demand Dignity campaign is calling for an end to the human rights violations that drive and deepen poverty.

The campaign mobilizes people all over the world to demand that governments, corporations and others who have power listen to the voices of those living in poverty and recognise and protect their rights. For more information visit http://demanddignity.amnesty.org/

In Burkina Faso, the health care system suffers from several recurrent problems: inadequate health infrastructure, shortages and interruptions of supplies of drugs and medical equipment, blood shortages, a lack of trained medical personnel and a lack of skilled birth attendants.

Health care facilities are often far from people’s homes, especially in rural areas, and transport is unreliable and expensive. Although the government has increased the number of community health centres in recent years, enormous disparities continue to exist between urban and rural areas.

Accountability is key in any health system. The government has to account for the implementation of its health policies. Patients are also entitled to hold accountable, medical personnel who might be responsible for abuses or misconduct, such as unlawful demands for unofficial payments, and must have access to avenues of redress. However, in Burkina Faso, accountability is rare, both at government and individual levels.

Women in Burkina Faso suffer discrimination in every area of their lives, with unequal access to education, health care and employment. Particularly in rural areas, women have little or no say in key domestic decisions. They are primarily valued as wives and mothers.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/haiti-quake-100.jpg alt= title= /br/US authorities and UN agencies in Haiti must urgently resolve the lack of access to emergency aid for those in desperate need following last week’s earthquake, Amnesty International warned on Friday. br /
br /
According to reports from official sources and relief organizations in Haiti, food, water, sanitation and vital medical supplies have arrived in the country but are still not reaching those in most need in many parts of the capital Port-au-Prince and in outlying areas equally severely affected. br /
br /
There are reports from some areas, for example the town of Gressier, that distribution of essential supplies has still not started. br /
br /
Amnesty International has also urged the US authorities and UN agencies to ensure protection of the most vulnerable in Haiti, especially unaccompanied children, which must be a top priority along with the distribution of food and water. br /
br /
quot;Haitian children are at risk of being seized by people-trafficking networks, of being abused and used as child slaves, as well as suffering pervasive sexual violence. Special measures need to be taken quickly to protect those at risk,quot; said Kerrie Howard, Americas Deputy Director at Amnesty International. br /
br /
Special measures need also to be urgently established to receive thousands of displaced peoples fleeing the crisis to other parts of Haiti in need of water, sanitation, food and shelter. br /
br /
More than 100,000 Haitians are feared dead after a 7.1 earthquake struck on Tuesday 12 January. Thousands of people are still unaccounted for and survivors await relief efforts from international donors to provide them with access to drinkable water, food and medical care.nbsp;nbsp;

div align=justify
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Thematic/Dignity/burkina-faso-maternal-morta.jpg title=Ramatoulaye, 25 years old, with her 4 month old baby daughter, Burkina Faso, June 2009 alt=Ramatoulaye, 25 years old, with her 4 month old baby daughter, Burkina Faso, June 2009 height=304 width=204 class=asset-align-right/Maternal death can be prevented. About a year ago, Amnesty International Burkina Faso started to plan the campaign and was already thinking of having a caravan to tour the country. This caravan will leave Ouagadougou in three days after the Amnesty International report on maternal health is launched during a press conference in the capital. br /
br /
In each location, several activities will be organized by Amnestynbsp; International Burkina Faso together with partner organizations to mobilize women and men around the realization of their right to health. Forum theatre play will be shown, together with a film. In some places, sport events will be organized. In others, the report will be presented to medical students in regional nurse schools. It is also planned to hold meetings with regional authorities to start dialogue with them.br /
br /
While we are planning a long term campaign, we hope with the caravan to raise awareness about our work on maternal mortality, collect signatures and voices asking the government to continue its efforts to reduce maternal mortality and act as a vehicle for debate.br /
br /
From 27 January, follow the caravan on our website http//www.demanddignity.org. We are setting up a geoblog where you will be able to read and hear from us as we will post written and audio posts!br /
/div
div align=justify
nbsp;
/div
div align=justify
emImage: Ramatoulaye with her four-month-old baby daughter, Burkina Faso, June 2009. Copyright: Anna Kari/embr /
/div

div align=justify
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Thematic/Dignity/burkina-faso-idrissa-dicko-.jpg title=Idrissa Dicko who lost his young wife and baby in childbirth, Burkina Faso, june 2009 alt=Idrissa Dicko who lost his young wife and baby in childbirth, Burkina Faso, june 2009 height=304 width=204 class=asset-align-right/The story of Safiatou* is one the 50 cases that Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s researchers investigated in-depth. Safiatou died while trying to reach a health centre after delivering at home.br /
br /
Safiatou, 26, married her cousin Hamidou when she was 14 years old. They lived in a village about 100km south of Ouagadougou, where they farmed livestock. She already had four children when she became pregnant again in 2007.br /
br /
Safiatoursquo;s husband told Amnesty International: ldquo;The day of her delivery, she was in good health and worked all afternoon as usual without any problem. She prepared tocirc; [a local dish made from maize flour] for her children and went to get the hay for the animals. In the evening, when her labour began, she left for her motherrsquo;s home. Her mother came to warn me that she was not well, that we had to take her to the clinic. I do not have a motorcycle, so I had to go and get one. That made us lose time.rdquo; The husband added that he ldquo;did not know that she should have delivered at the clinic. When I came to fetch her at her motherrsquo;s house, she had lost consciousness.rdquo;br /
br /
The husband borrowed a small motorcycle from his neighbour, but it did not have any fuel and the closest gas station was 10km away. They had to first push the motorcycle for 10 kmhellip; Safiatou ended up delivering at home, but there was placenta retention and serious haemorrhaging.br /
br /
Her husband asked a friend to help him take Safiatou to the health center but she died on the motorcycle 4km away from the health centre. br /
br /
Safiatou left five boys, aged 11, nine, seven and four, and the newborn baby. br /
br /
* not real namebr /
br /
If you want to hear more on how Amnesty International will campaign so that women like Safiatou stop dying giving birth, watch this space tomorrow.
/div
div align=justify
nbsp;
/div
div align=justify
emPicture:nbsp; A man holding a picture of his wife who died in childbirth, Burkina Faso. Copyright Anna Kari/embr /
/div

The Romanian authorities must stop the forced eviction of Roma families and immediately relocate those living for years in hazardous conditions next to waste dumps, sewage treatment plants or industrial areas on the outskirts of cities, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.

"Across the country Roma families are being evicted from their homes against their will. When this happens, they don’t just lose their homes. They lose their possessions, their social contacts, their access to work and state services," said Halya Gowan, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director for Amnesty International.

"This pattern of forced evictions, without adequate consultation, adequate notice or adequate alternative housing, perpetuates racial segregation and violates Romania’s international obligations."

In its briefing, Treated like waste: Roma homes destroyed, and health at risk, in Romania, Amnesty International tells the story of one particular mass eviction to highlight the terrible conditions endured by the Roma.

In 2004, more than 100 Roma, including families with young children, were forcibly evicted by municipal authorities from a building in the centre of Miercurea Ciuc – the capital city of Harghita County in central Romania.

Most were resettled by the authorities in metal cabins on the outskirts of the town, behind a sewage treatment plant. Some decided to move to a nearby waste dump, rather than live next to the sewage plant.

Erszebet, who lives next to the sewage treatment plant with her husband and nine children, told Amnesty International what life is like in a metal cabin: "It is tight, when the whole family goes to sleep we don’t fit in. We cannot take a bath; we cannot clean ourselves. It is too small. We don’t want the older girls to take a bath in front of their father."

The temporary metal cabins and shacks are close to the sewage treatment plant, falling within the 300-metre protection zone established by Romanian law to separate homes from potential toxic hazards. The failure to protect the right to health is another violation of Romania’s national and international obligations.

Ilana told Amnesty International: "The houses fill up with that smell. At night… the children cover their faces with the pillows. We don’t want to eat when we feel the smell… I used to have another child who died when he was four months old… I don’t want to lose the rest of my children."

"The ordeal of the Roma families has continued for six years," said Halya Gowan. "Now is the
time for the local authorities to provide them with adequate housing close to services and facilities in a safe and healthy location.

"Something needs to happen now. An example must be set – forced evictions must be stopped and the right to housing must be guaranteed. And this can and should be done by the authorities of Miercurea Ciuc."

Amnesty International has called on the government of Romania to reform its housing legislation to incorporate international human rights standards with particular attention to housing.

There are almost 2.2 million Roma in Romania – making up about 10 per cent of the total population. As a result of widespread discrimination, both by public officials and society at large, 75 per cent of Roma live in poverty, as opposed to 24 per cent of Romanians and 20 per cent of ethnic Hungarians, the largest minority in Romania. The levels of physical health and living conditions of the Roma are among the worst in the country.

Although some Roma people live in permanent structures with legal tenancy, many other long-standing Romani dwellings are considered by the government as "temporary" and unofficial, and their inhabitants do not have any proof of tenancy, which increases their vulnerability to eviction.

Forced evictions violate Romania’s international and regional legal standards such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights that require all people to have a minimum degree of security of tenure, guaranteeing them legal protection against forced eviction, harassment and other threats.

Call on the Mayor of Miercurea Ciuc to protect the city’s forcibly evicted Roma families

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Thematic/Dignity/9_IMG_1841_ELANA_DALLAS-l473.jpg alt= title= /br/After Sierra Leone, Amnesty International will launch its report and campaign on maternal health in Burkina Faso. The report and the campaign on maternal health that will be launched in six days are the result of over two years work. br /
br /
Amnesty International went to Burkina Faso four times to conduct research in several cities including the capital, Ouagadougou, as well as Bobo-Dioulasso, Ouahigouya and Kaya. Amnesty International also visited a dozen rural areas throughout the country. Researchers investigated over 50 cases of women who died during pregnancy and childbirth.br /
br /
While the right to health is widely unfulfilled for pregnant women, maternal deaths are also an issue of gender discrimination. The low status of women in Burkina Faso is at the heart of the problem. Most women lack empowerment in nearly all the aspects of their lives, notably when it comes to choosing when and how many children they have. This is especially true in rural areas.br /
br /
Tomorrow, we will bring you a story of one of these women.br /

Amnesty International calls on all candidates standing in Sri Lankarsquo;s Presidential elections on January 26th to end widespread human rights violations and the culture of impunity that continues to plague the country. br /
br /
On Monday, the organization issued a 10-point Human Rights Agenda for all candidates. br /
br /
ldquo;Candidates should commit to restoring respect for basic rights, like life and liberty, ending arbitrary arrests and detention, enforced disappearances and torture, and to restoring respect for freedom of expression, said Yolanda Foster, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s Sri Lanka specialist. ldquo;In the longer run, whatrsquo;s needed is to rebuild Sri Lankarsquo;s institutions so that they can protect efficiently and without discrimination.nbsp; Thatrsquo;s the only way to restore public faith in the justice system.rdquo; br /
nbsp; br /
More than 20 candidates are standing in the elections with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his former Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff, retired General Sarath Fonseka the main contenders. Both have taken credit for the military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May, while at the same time attempting to evade blame for grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law. br /
br /
Thousands of people died in the last phase of the war when government forces fired artillery into areas densely populated with civilians. The LTTE used civilians as human shields, opened fire on and killed civilians who attempted to escape. Survivors were forcibly confined for months to displacement camps guarded by the Sri Lankan military. The government relaxed restrictions on freedom of movement in December, but in the camps or outside, these civilians need assistance and protection. br /
br /
ldquo;As the Sri Lankan people contend with the most recent abuses committed by both sides of the recent conflict, the reality is that they have been haunted by injustice and impunity for yearsrdquo;, said Yolanda Foster. ldquo;Accounting for the conduct of combatants and their superiors during the fighting is crucial, but accounting for the past is only part of the challenge. This election could be an opportunity to improve the human rights of millions of people, but this can only happen if the authorities make a real commitment to respect rights and enact reforms. br /
br /
ldquo;Immediate steps can be taken to improve human rights protection. The government must repeal emergency laws like the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Journalists like J.S Tissanaiyagam have been wrongly imprisoned under these regulations while hundreds of prisoners held without charge or trial are simply forgottenrdquo;. br /
br /
More than 11,000 people are currently held without charge by the army in school buildings and other ad hoc detention camps in northern Sri Lanka. The army suspects they are LTTE members who fled the conflict zone along with civilians; there are hundreds of other suspected LTTE members detained without charge in jails and lock-ups elsewhere in the country.nbsp; nbsp;br /
br /
The authorities must stop using irregular places of detention and must end the dangerous practice of incommunicado detention, which increases the likelihood of torture and enforced disappearances, of which Amnesty International has received reports. br /
br /
ldquo;There is a long history of enforced disappearances and torture is widespread across Sri Lanka, especially in the north and east of the country and in the capital Colombo. Amnesty International calls on candidates to commit to ending these practices and to bring national laws into accordance with international standards,rdquo; said Yolanda Foster.nbsp; nbsp;br /
br /
Amnesty International urged all candidates to commit to ending grave violations against people expressing dissenting views, including human rights activists, lawyers and journalists. br /
br /
ldquo;Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists to work with 15 journalists being killed since 2004, and many others going into hiding and fearing for their lives. Lawyers and human rights activists have been threatened and attacked. People have lost faith in the justice system and there has been a chilling effect on freedom of expression and association in the countryrdquo; said Yolanda Foster. br /
br /
ldquo;People in Sri Lanka are tired of the rule of the gun and long for the rule of law. Sri Lanka needs to make a fresh start and end impunity for violations of human rights and humanitarian law. Itrsquo;s time for the government to turn their promises into real action and act now on human rights abuses, ldquo;said Yolanda Foster. br /
br /
About 100,000 people who fled the northern war zone remain in camps, dependent on the government for shelter and relief.nbsp; Many more are in the early stages of attempted return or resettlement and continue to require protection and humanitarian assistance. Ensuring protection, assistance and respect for the rights of Sri Lankarsquo;s displaced and newly resettled survivors of war remains an urgent priority. br /
br /
Journalists and human rights defenders have been denied access to camps housing displaced persons and have been prevented from monitoring and reporting on conditions faced by survivors and documenting their experiences in the war zone. br /
br /
Displaced people must have the right to freedom of movement, liberty and security of person, the right to health, education and to adequate standards of living.

Israel must end its suffocating blockade of the Gaza Strip, which leaves more than 1.4 million Palestinians cut off from the outside world and struggling with desperate poverty, Amnesty International said one year on from the end of Israelrsquo;s military offensive in Gaza.br /
br /
Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s briefing paper Suffocating: The Gaza Strip under Israeli blockade gathers testimony from people still struggling to rebuild their lives following Operation ldquo;Cast Leadrdquo;, which killed around 1,400 Palestinians and injured thousands more. br /
br /
ldquo;Israel claims that the ongoing blockade of Gaza, in force since June 2007, is a response to the indiscriminate rocket attacks launched from Gaza into southern Israel by Palestinian armed groups. The reality is that the blockade does not target armed groups but rather punishes Gazarsquo;s entire population by restricting the entry of food, medical supplies, educational equipment and building materials,rdquo; said Malcolm Smart, Middle East and North Africa Director, Amnesty International. br /
br /
ldquo;The blockade constitutes collective punishment under international law and must be lifted immediately.rdquo; br /
br /
As the occupying power, Israel has a duty under international law to ensure the welfare of Gazarsquo;s inhabitants, including their rights to health, education, food and adequate housing br /
br /
During Operation ldquo;Cast Leadrdquo;, from 27 December 2008 to 18 January 2009, 13 Israelis were killed, including three civilians in southern Israel, where dozens more were injured in indiscriminate rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups. br /
nbsp; br /
In Gaza, Israeli attacks damaged or destroyed civilian buildings and infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, the water and electricity systems. Thousands of Palestinian homes were destroyed or severely damaged. br /
br /
An estimated 280 of the 641 schools in Gaza were damaged and 18 were destroyed. More than half of Gazarsquo;s population is under the age of 18 and the disruption to their education, due to the damage caused during Operation ldquo;Cast Leadrdquo; and as a result of the continuing Israeli boycott, is having a devastating impact. br /
br /
Hospitals have also been badly affected by the military offensive and the blockade. Trucks of medical aid provided by the World Health Organization have been repeatedly refused entry to Gaza without explanation by Israeli officials. br /
br /
Patients with serious medical conditions that cannot be treated in Gaza continue to be prevented or delayed from leaving Gaza by the Israeli authorities ndash; since the closure of crossings leading into and out of Gaza, patients have been made to apply for permits, but these permits are frequently denied. On 1 November 2009, Samir al-Nadim, a father of three children, died after his exit from Gaza for a heart operation was delayed by 22 days. br /
br /
Amnesty International spoke to a number of families whose homes were destroyed in the Israeli military operation and one year on are still living in temporary accommodation. br /
br /
Mohammed and Halima Mslih and their four young children fled their home in the village of Juhor al-Dik, south of Gaza City, during the conflict one year ago. While they were away their home was demolished by Israeli army bulldozers. br /
br /
ldquo;When we returned everything was broken. People were giving us food because we had nothing,rdquo; said Mohammed Mslih. br /
br /
Six months after the ceasefire the family was still living in a flimsy nylon tent and they have only now been able to construct a simple permanent home. The family fear, however, that continuing Israeli military incursions may destroy the little they have left. br /
br /
Unemployment in Gaza is spiralling as those businesses that remain struggle to survive under the blockade. In December 2009, the UN reported that unemployment in Gaza was over 40 per cent. br /
br /
ldquo;The blockade is strangling virtually every aspect of life for Gazarsquo;s population, more than half of whom are children. The increasing isolation and suffering of the people of Gaza cannot be allowed to continue. The Israeli government must comply with binding legal obligation, as the occupying power, to lift the blockade without further delay,rdquo; said Malcolm Smart.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/haiti-quake-100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International called on the United Nations to put in place measures for the protection of human rights and the most vulnerable among the survivors of Tuesday’s devastating earthquake. br /
br /
Amnesty International saluted the speedy and courageous efforts of UN, relief and development workers in Haiti and around the world assisting with humanitarian efforts to save lives, clear the devastation and restore basic services and the country’s crumbling infrastructure. br /
br /
The organization also asked for particular attention to be provided to ensuring respect for human rights and protection of children and those left orphans as a consequence of the earthquake. Girls in particular are at higher risk of sexual abuse and attack. br /
br /
ldquo;The current situation of lawlessness in Haiti and the increased vulnerability of women and children creates the perfect environment for human rights abuses and crimes such as rape and sexual abuse to take place undetected and go unpunished,rdquo; said Gerardo Ducos, Haiti researcher at Amnesty International. br /
br /
ldquo;Protecting vulnerable groups from sexual violence is as important as providing them with relief.rdquo;nbsp; nbsp;br /
br /
Amnesty International made the call as thousands of Haitians are feared dead after a 7.1 earthquake struck the country on Tuesday. Thousands of people are still unaccounted for and survivors await relief efforts from international donors to provide them with access to drinkable water, food and medical care.nbsp; nbsp;br /
br /
In the wake of the disaster, the law enforcement capacity of the Haitian National Police and the justice system are severely compromised as most of its infrastructure has collapsed and many officials remain unaccounted for.nbsp; nbsp;br /
br /
Amnesty International has previously documented shocking levels of sexual violence against women and girls across the country. br /
br /
ldquo;Before the devastating earthquake, Haiti was unable to effectively protect human rights and in particular, women and girls from sexual violence. Unless action is taken now while relief efforts are ongoing, the situation is only likely to deteriorate,rdquo; said Gerardo Ducos.nbsp; nbsp;br /
br /
Amnesty International conveys its deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the victims and a message of solidarity to the Haitian people.nbsp;nbsp;

The Copenhagen climate summit has ended without the fair, ambitious and legally binding agreement that millions of citizens around the work demanded.br /
br /
More than 120 world leaders who gathered in Copenhagen have been unable to resolve the issues blocking the road towards a just outcome, leaving the worldrsquo;s poorest and most vulnerable people at greater risk of losing their homes, health and livelihoods as a result of climate change.br /
br /
Even so, it is impossible to be without hope. A movement touching millions of people in hundreds of countries around the world has grown, because civil society has cooperated on this issue as never before. br /
br /
More than 250 organisations, including Amnesty International, came together to form an unprecedented alliance under the TckTckTck banner. Three days of global action broke records on climate demonstrations, and this global movement – perhaps the most diverse ever seen – stands united. nbsp;br /
br /
Millions of people around the world look to the future and see hope, justice, and opportunity. They will continue to speak out to get the real deal that the world needs in 2010. The most marginalized and vulnerable people need to be heard by leaders if a climate deal is going to meet their needs. br /
br /
The many challenges presented along the path have been met by a surge of people from all around the globe who have demanded and will continue to demand a real deal.br /
br /
The worldrsquo;s leaders still have a chance to get it right. They must realize that the world expects this and will not accept anything less.br /
br /
Theyrsquo;re not done yet. Neither are we.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/spain-migrants100.jpg alt= title= /br/br /
p
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/spain-migrants510.jpg title= The Spanish coastguard intercepts a traditional fishing boat laden with migrants off the island of Tenerife. alt= The Spanish coastguard intercepts a traditional fishing boat laden with migrants off the island of Tenerife. height=310 width=510 class=asset-align-none/br /
strongPeople across the world leave their homes, families and countries in search of work and education, and to escape poverty, discrimination and conflict. Many risk everything, even their lives, for security and a chance to earn a living. At every step, they are vulnerable to exploitation, fraud and human rights abuses. /strongbr /
br /
To mark International Migrants Day, migrants from around the globe have told Amnesty International how they have been exploited, detained and attacked on their search for a better life.br /
br /
Migrants living in Malaysia, South Korea, Mexico and the US have described how they deal with appalling living and working conditions, unscrupulous employers, abusive immigration detention staff and the ever-present threat of arbitrary arrest and detention by the authorities. Migrants with irregular status* are particularly vulnerable to human rights abuses. br /
br /
All interviews were conducted by Amnesty International researchers between November 2008 and July 2009. All names have been changed.
/p
p
strongMigrant stories/strongbr /
a href=#DevDev/a – quot;we waited for three months without any workquot;br /
a href=#MargaritaMargarita/a – quot;he said if I didnrsquo;t have sex with him he would send me backquot;br /
a href=#CarmenCarmen/a – quot;instead of helping me, they handcuffed mequot;br /
a href=#MarcellaMarcella/a – quot;I lived in a shipping container – one room with a windowquot;
/p
p
br /
strongDev’s story, Malaysia/stronga title=Dev name=Dev/abr /
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/malaysia-feature300.jpg title=Immigration detainees at the Lengging Detention Centre, Malaysia, 23 July 2009. alt=Immigration detainees at the Lengging Detention Centre, Malaysia, 23 July 2009. height=300 width=250 class=asset-align-right/Dev left his family and home in Nepal when he was 19 and made the journey to Malaysia to work as a cleaner. He is one of over three million migrant workers in Malaysia. He told Amnesty International:br /
embr /
ldquo;I left because of fighting in Nepal. The country had lots of problems between the communists and the army. Young men were being taken by communists to join the fighting. They kill you if you refuse. I was very scared so I applied for a visa for Malaysia. br /
br /
I contacted an agent and came to Malaysia on a cleanerrsquo;s visa. I paid the agent 80,000 Nepali rupees (US$ 1000) to bring me here. I had to borrow money and I was supposed to pay back 1000 rupees per month with 320 rupees interest. br /
br /
The agent told me that I would work as a cleaner when I arrived in Malaysia but I never got any work from the agent. When I arrived at the airport in Kuala Lumpur I waited for four hours. The agent finally came and picked me up with other people from Nepal who were coming as cleaners. br /
br /
He took us to a flat where we waited for three months without any work. The agent never gave us any money so we had to go outside and meet Nepali people and explain what had happened and ask for food and money. The agent took my passport and never gave it back.rdquo;/embr /
br /
Dev was later able to find work by himself, in a factory and also working for a construction company. His agent did not renew his visa and refused to return his passport. br /
br /
Dev became an irregular migrant, without legal permission to stay or work in Malaysia. The wages he is paid are very low compared with other workers, but he knows he cannot complain because he does not have a work permit. He does not earn sufficient money to enable him to send funds back to his family in Nepal. br /
br /
Dev would like to return home to Nepal but is now unable to do so as he does not have a passport and is scared of being caught by the authorities. br /
br /
strongMargarita’s story, Mexico/stronga title=Margarita name=Margarita/abr /
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/mexico-feature250.jpg title=Mexico alt=Mexico height=300 width=250 class=asset-align-right/Margarita and her partner Miguel left El Salvador in October 2008 in search of a better life in the United States. In El Salvador, Margarita worked in a clothes factory and made five dollars a day, which was not enough to feed her two young children and send them to school. br /
br /
Like most Central American migrants, the couple planned to make the journey without documents, on the roof of a freight train, which would take them to Mexicorsquo;s border with the United States. br /
br /
On 5 November 2008, Margarita and Miguel were travelling on the top of a freight train in Chiapas State, Mexico, when it stopped unexpectedly and military vans approached the train tracks. nbsp;br /
br /
The couple jumped off the train and ran into the bushes. They were followed by two armed soldiers who shot several times into the air until they caught up with them. Margarita told Amnesty International:br /
br /
emldquo;You donrsquo;t imagine that your dreams can end in a moment on this journey. The soldier pulled me by the hand and told me to walk further into the bushes while pointing his gun at me. br /
br /
He took me far away from the train tracks until we were completely alone. He told me to take my clothes off so that he could see if I was carrying drugs. br /
br /
When I refused, he pulled my trousers down and sexually assaulted me. He asked me how I was going to repay him for the bullet he had to shoot because of me. br /
br /
He told me I had to have sex with him to make it up to him. He said that if I didnrsquo;t have sex with him he would send me back to my country. He said it would be quick and that if I didnrsquo;t make a fuss he would let me go.rdquo;/embr /
br /
The soldier eventually let Margarita go and she was not raped. Others do not escape. Amnesty International has received several reports showing that women migrants are frequently subject to rape, particularly by criminal gangs in Mexico. Those responsible are hardly ever held to account.br /
br /
strongCarmen’s story, USA/stronga title=Carmen name=Carmen/abr /
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/us-feature300.jpg title=usa alt=usa height=300 width=250 class=asset-align-right/Carmen arrived in the United States from Mexico in 1998 and has raised a family there. Two of her three children have US citizenship.br /
br /
In April 2008, she was arrested for failing to appear in court for an alleged misdemeanour. She was taken to jail and interrogated by an immigration officer, who told her she would be deported. br /
br /
Carmen spent 24 days in jail. At her court hearing the judge recommended that she be released. However, immigration authorities continued to hold her as an immigration detainee. br /
br /
After almost three weeks in immigration detention with no indication of when she would be able to return to her family, Carmen tried to kill herself. She recalled:br /
br /
emldquo;I felt I would have a nervous breakdown, being locked up. The kids needed me. I started hearing voices, criminalising me for not being with my children. I thought it was not worth being alive. br /
br /
I had a sock that I used to clean everything. I heard a voice telling me – wrap the sock around my neck and kill myself. My cellmate was reading a book. She was a sweet African-American lady who spoke a little Spanish. I started hanging myself. She said, ‘what are you doing?’ I donrsquo;t know what happened but everything started turning dark.rdquo;/embr /
br /
In response, officers handcuffed Carmen and took her to another cell. Carmen was later released but is still waiting for her case to be resolved. br /
br /
emquot;I was not respected as a human being. Whether I have the right documents or not, Irsquo;m still a human being. I was breaking down but instead of helping me, they handcuffed mehellip; br /
br /
The first morning I woke up after I got out, I didnrsquo;t know where I was. The kids were very happy to have me back. I had a lot of time to think and re-examine my life and spend more time with my family. I used to think birds in a cage were so pretty but no one should be deprived of freedom ndash; no one should be caged.quot;/embr /
strongbr /
Marcella’s story, South Korea/stronga title=Marcella name=Marcella/abr /
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/southkorea-feature300_0.jpg title=Man hurt alt=Man hurt height=300 width=250 class=asset-align-right/Marcella, a 34-year-old woman from the Philippines, arrived in South Korea in April 2006, on the Employment Permit System (EPS). br /
br /
Through the EPS government work scheme, South Korea became one of the first Asian countries to legally recognise the rights of migrant workers and grant them the same status as Korean workers, with equal labour rights, pay and benefits. However, in reality, migrant workers continue to face hardships and abuse.br /
br /
emldquo;When I arrived, I worked at a factory in Osan, Gyeonggi province where we manufactured heating coils for rice cookers.nbsp; I was paid KRW 786,000 (US$815) per month. br /
br /
My boss was not nice; he swore at me and pressured me to work faster. For example, he wanted me to produce 1,000 heating coils per day. It was very hard to do 1,000, as you have to connect the wires and because theyrsquo;re so small, your fingers hurt, especially your thumb and index finger.br /
br /
I lived in a shipping container – one room with a window. Sometimes I would hear knocks on my door in the middle of the night. I would get very scared. It was very cold in the winter. I had to buy a heater myself, but it was still cold.nbsp; In the summer it got very hot even with a fan, which I had to buy with my own money.rdquo;/embr /
br /
Marcella was unfairly dismissed from the factory after asking her boss for a day off at Christmas. br /
br /
a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/call-prime-minister-south-korea-protect-migrant-workersimg src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/AI/action-button-en.gif title=Take Action alt=Take Action height=73 width=114 class=asset-align-right//aUnfortunately, her story is not unique. Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s researcher came across many similar stories of unfair dismissal between March 2008 and July 2009.nbsp; Many migrant workers did not complain against dismissals because of the language barrier, unfamiliarity of their rights and due to the lengthy and complicated processes involved.
/p
p
br /
strongImage captionsbr /
/strongem1. The Spanish coastguard intercepts a traditional fishing boat laden with migrants off the island of Tenerife in the Canaries, 24 October 2007.br /
copy; UNHCR / A. Rodriacute;guezbr /
2. Immigration detainees at the Lenggeng Detention Centre, Malaysia, 23 July 2009.br /
copy; Amnesty Internationalbr /
3. Central American migrants on their way to the US ride a train headed north though Mexico.br /
copy; AP GraphicsBankbr /
4. Migrants prepare to enter the US through a tunnel along Rio Grande border city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.br /
copy; AP GraphicsBankbr /
5.South Korean Immigration officers (top, in blue uniform) arrest a migrant worker (R, red jacket) as two South Korean activists (bottom) try to stop the arrest, in front of the Seoul Immigration Office building on February 17, 2004.br /
copy; Private/emstrongbr /
/strong
/p
p
em*Many migrants start off with legal permission but become irregular migrants; that is, they do not have legal permission to remain or work in the country they are in. This can happen for a number of reasons, for example because employers or agents fail to renew work permits, or they provide fake ones. /em
/p

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/climate-train-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Ten million people have signed a petition calling for a quot;fair, ambitious and binding climate treatyquot; to be signed by world leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this week.br /
br /
The petition, which was delivered to key figures at the start of the conference on Monday was organized by TckTckTck, campaigning hub for over 50 international organizations.br /
br /
Amnesty International has been campaigning as part of the Tck Tck Tck coalition and helped collect signatures for the petition. A delegation from the organization will be taking part in COP15.br /
br /
At a conference organized by Amnesty International on 30 November to discuss the impact of climate change on human rights, Secretary General Irene Khan issued a joint statement with Mary Robinson ndash; former President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of the Ethical Globalization Initiative.br /
br /
The statement said that if governments fail to act at Copenhagen, quot;basic human rights for the world’s poorest and most marginalised communities will hang in the balance. The rights to food, water, shelter and health all risk being undermined by climate change.quot;br /
br /
Observed and projected changes attributable to climate change include the contraction of snow-covered areas; shrinking of sea ice and melting of polar ice caps; rise of sea levels; increased frequency of hot extremes and heat waves; increase in areas affected by drought; and increased intensity of tropical cyclones. br /
br /
There is link between such environmental impacts and the ability to realize a range of human rights. br /
br /
Acute water shortages and decreased crop yields in the poorer region of the world, to take just two examples, would have grave implications for the rights of millions of people.br /
br /
The petition was handed over to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loslash;kke Rasmussen and COP 15 President and Danish Climate Minster Connie Hedegaard.br /
br /
At the handover, 15 young people from all over the world held up large scale quot;building blocksquot; which spelled out quot;10 million people expect a fair, ambitious and binding dealquot; to show leaders that all the elements required for an effective climate treaty are present.br /
br /
TckTckTck chair Kumi Naidoo said the size of the petition demonstrated the huge groundswell of support for world leaders to deal with the climate crisis.br /
br /
Amnesty International’s Demand Dignity campaign aims to end the human rights violations that drive and deepen global poverty.br /
br /
The campaign is mobilizing people all over the world to demand that governments, corporations and others, who have power, listen to the voices of those living in poverty and recognize and protect their rights.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/sri-lanka-displaced-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Amnesty International is calling on the Sri Lankan government to permanently release civilians who have been illegally detained in camps following the end of the civil war six months ago. br /
br /
ldquo;The authorities must make good on their declared intentions to free some 120,000 people and do so unconditionally,rdquo; said Yolanda Foster, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s expert on Sri Lanka. br /
br /
ldquo;A permanent release from camps must be accompanied by assurances that people are not subjected to further questioning or re-arrest in new locations.rdquo;nbsp; nbsp;br /
br /
ldquo;Itrsquo;s also critical that the government maintain its responsibility to care for displaced people wherever they choose to go.rdquo; br /
br /
The Sri Lankan government said today that families living in camps for the displaced in Vavuniya will be given a choice about whether to remain in camps, to seek alternative accommodations or attempt to return home. br /
br /
However, Amnesty International has received information about restrictions on the way in which families can leave the camps. Media reports have suggested that some people may be asked to return to the camps after only 15 days. br /
nbsp; br /
Another concern is the lack of assistance for those who have been released so far. A church group has reported that people have been bussed from Manik Farm and simply lsquo;dumped, left on the roadrsquo; at Adampan in Mannar. br /
br /
The government is giving conflicting messages about the process of return and it is not yet clear whether freedom of movement will also apply to camps in other parts of the country. br /
br /
As releases and resettlement efforts accelerate, Amnesty International urges Sri Lankan authorities to allow displaced people to make informed and voluntary decisions about return and resettlement. br /
br /
ldquo;The Sri Lankan authorities must alert displaced people to the living conditions in the places they come from so that they can make plans about their future. They should also provide them with clear information about their rights, their legal status and procedures for tracing family members,rdquo; Yolanda Foster said. br /
br /
ldquo;Humanitarian and human rights organizations should be given unimpeded access to displaced people. For those attempting to resettle, such organizations should be permitted to monitor their safety and wellbeing and ensure their needs are being met, including that they are protected against further human rights violations.rdquo; br /
br /
ldquo;Thousands of people have started to leave camps in the north east but the promise to unlock the camps must be followed up by the protection of the rights of the internally displaced people both within and outside the camps.rdquo; br /
br /
strongBackground /strongbr /
After fierce fighting and the deaths of thousands of civilians in May 2009, the Sri Lankan government declared victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). br /
By the end of May 2009 300,000 displaced people who had fled fighting were detained in camps supervised by the military. br /
br /
In response to the unlawful detention of hundreds of thousands of displaced people, Amnesty International launched a global campaign ldquo;Unlock the Campsrdquo;, calling for liberty and freedom of movement for the displaced. Over 40,000 activists have taken action.

Gender discrimination, sexual violence and poverty are undermining global progress in tackling HIV/Aids, Amnesty International said on World Aids Day. nbsp;br /
br /
Women are at greater risk of HIV infection and HIV has a particularly devastating impact on women and their families. Unless these gender disparities and their underlying causes are adequately addressed, efforts to reduce the spread of HIV and address its consequences will be woefully incomplete.br /
br /
The picture at the end of 2009 is, in some important respects, a positive one. UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on Aids, reports that new HIV infections are down by 17 per cent over the past eight years. Sub-Saharan Africa has seen the most progress in reducing new infection rates.br /
br /
More people have access to antiretroviral treatment, and the number of Aids-related deaths has declined by more than 10 per cent over the past five years.br /
br /
However, laws, practices and proposals in many countries undermine these positive developments. nbsp;br /
br /
Canada and the United States have in recent years prosecuted and secured convictions of dozens of people with HIV under legislation that criminalises HIV transmission. nbsp;br /
br /
Elsewhere in the world, countries have increasingly adopted or considered such measures. nbsp;br /
br /
Human Rights Watch reports that in Africa alone, 14 countries have enacted laws that criminalise HIV transmission mdash; in terms that potentially outlaw all sexual behaviour by those who are HIV positive.br /
br /
A measure now being debated in Uganda would require pregnant women and their partners to be tested, even without their consent. nbsp;br /
br /
Mandatory testing increases the potential for stigma and discrimination. In particular, women who test positive face a greater chance of violence at the hands of their partners.br /
br /
The measure would also criminalise ldquo;attempted transmissionrdquo; of HIV and would provide for other criminal penalties for the failure of an HIV-positive person to ldquo;observe instructions on prevention and treatment,rdquo; among other provisions. nbsp;br /
br /
Laws like these are impractical, unnecessary and counterproductive mdash; especially because they create incentives to avoid getting tested, receiving health information and obtaining necessary care.br /
br /
Even where such legislation is not an issue, stigma and discrimination are an everyday reality for those who live with mdash; or are suspected of having mdash; HIV. nbsp;br /
br /
Gay and bisexual men, people who use drugs, prisoners and sex workers, among others, may face significant hurdles in access to effective HIV prevention programmes.br /
br /
Heterosexual transmission accounts for a larger proportion of new HIV transmission worldwide, and in sub-Saharan Africa the significance of heterosexual transmission has long been well-known. nbsp;br /
br /
Even so, knowledge has not translated into sound policy responses. Not enough has been done to address the human rights abuses and the role of poverty in driving the epidemic among women.br /
br /
As one example, the rate of HIV infection in South Africa for young women between the ages of 15 and 19 is more than twice that for young men of the same age. The prevalence rate for women in their mid to late 20s is more than 32 per cent.br /
br /
South Africarsquo;s alarming level of sexual violence is one contributing factor in these high rates. Two out of five men surveyed for a study on rape prevalence had been physically violent to an intimate partner, and one in four admitted to at least one rape, the South African Medical Research Council found this year.br /
br /
Poverty is another factor. As Amnesty International found in 2008, lack of reliable and affordable transport often hinders or prevents rural women from reaching health facilities that offer the comprehensive HIV and post-sexual assault services they need. nbsp;br /
br /
Rural women also struggle to have access to adequate food every day, essential in order to cope with the side effects of antiretroviral medication. nbsp;br /
br /
Effective HIV prevention is not easy, particularly when policies must tackle complex factors such as poverty and sexual violence to have real impact.br /
br /
Removing discriminatory laws and policies, including legislation that criminalises HIV transmission, is an obvious step for governments to take. nbsp;br /
br /
They must quickly follow up by seeking to understand and correct the ways that policies and practice contribute to gender disparities, including in access to health services and vulnerability to violence.br /

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ECA/switzerland-irene-khan-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/Political leaders meeting in Copenhagen next week must reach a fair, ambitious and binding deal on climate change that does not leave out and further disadvantage the world’s poor, said Mary Robinson and Irene Khan.br /
br /
Mary Robinson ndash; former President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of the Ethical Globalization Initiative ndash; and Irene Khan ndash; Secretary General of Amnesty International ndash; participated in a conference organized by Amnesty International to discuss the impact of climate change on human rights in the run up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15).br /
br /
Mary Robinson and Irene Khan issued the following joint statement: br /
br /
emThe cruel fact about global climate change is that while the problem has largely been caused by emissions from the richest countries, the poorest will pay the price. If governments fail to act in Copenhagen next month, basic human rights for the worlds poorest and most marginalised communities will hang in the balance. The rights to food, water, shelter and heath all risk being undermined by climate change. There is an urgent need for an ambitious, fair and binding agreement at COP15 in Copenhagen. /embr /
br /
Stating that the effects of climate change will be felt most by people experiencing human rights abuses because they are poor or vulnerable, like women and indigenous people, Mary Robinson and Irene Khan cautioned that if governments don’t comply with their human rights obligations when responding to climate change, it could reinforce the links between denial of rights and vulnerability to climate change.br /
br /
Governments are legally bound to address inequality and non-discrimination and they called for adaptation and mitigation policies to prioritize those whose rights are most at risk through patterns of discrimination.br /
br /
Warning that billions of the worldrsquo;s poorest people are adversely affected by climate change and yet are not central to the UN Climate Change Conference, they called for an urgent, people-centered approach to countering climate change and ensuring the future for generations to come. They urged governments to conduct adequate and meaningful consultation with affected people, involving them in decision-making on the adaptation and mitigation strategies that would affect their lives.br /
br /
quot;The time has passed when politicians and the public could imagine climate change as problem for the future,quot; cautioned Mary Robinson.br /
br /
quot;Climate change is a threat to the survival and enjoyment of human rights. If we donrsquo;t deal with climate change no one will have a secure world.quot;br /
br /
quot;The fight against poverty and the fight against climate change are an integral fight for the rights of the marginalized peoples of this world,quot; said Irene Khan.br /
br /
quot;If we don’t address climate change all gains to eradicate poverty risk being wiped out.quot;br /
br /
Both human rights leaders called on the general public to support the Tck Tck Tck campaign.br /
br /
TckTckTck is the campaigning hub for more than 50 international organizations that are part of the Global Campaign for Climate Action.br /
br /
Almost 10 million TckTckTck supporters have called for an ambitious, binding and fair deal at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15).br /
nbsp;br /
Amnesty International’s Demand Dignity campaign aims to end the human rights violations that drive and deepen global poverty.br /
br /
The campaign is mobilizing people all over the world to demand that governments, corporations and others who have power, listen to the voices of those living in poverty and recognize and protect their rights. br /
br /
An Amnesty International delegation will participate in COP15. br /

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/aus-hlm-100.jpg alt= title= /br/Slamming decades of failure by Australian governments to address the dire living conditions, disempowerment and discrimination faced by many of the countryrsquo;s Indigenous peoples, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s Secretary General Irene Khan warned that the government of Prime Minister Rudd must not squander its unique opportunity to right these historic wrongs.br /
nbsp;br /
In the latest in a long line of indignities, some 45,000 Aboriginal people are today still subject to state-sponsored racially discriminatory measures, including blanket quarantining of social security payments as a result of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER). nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;The blunt force of the Interventionrsquo;s heavy handed lsquo;one size fits allrsquo; approach cannot deliver the desired results. The Government will not secure the long term protection of women and children unless there is an integrated human rights solution that empower peoples and engages them to take responsibility for the solutions,rdquo; Irene Khan said. br /
nbsp;br /
Welcoming the commitment she had received from Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin that the Government would introduce legislation to reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act in the Northern Territory, Irene Khan called on the Government to ensure that it does so in line with Australiarsquo;s international obligations not to discriminate against Indigenous peoples.br /
nbsp;br /
While noting that grave levels of violence against women and children is the stated rationale for the NTER, Irene Khan emphasized that respect for women and childrenrsquo;s human rights would not be secured without respect for all human rights for all. nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;Indigenous people in remote Aboriginal communities deserve the same respect, safety and protection as does any Australian ndash; but this will not be achieved in a sustained manner under the Emergency Response which is stigmatizing and disempowering an already marginalized people and which is in violation of Australiarsquo;s international obligations,rdquo; said Irene Khan.br /
nbsp;br /
As part of her visit to Australia, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s Secretary General visited the Utopia region in central Australia, an impoverished grouping of homeland communities 350 kilometres northeast of Alice Springs. nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;For a country which by human development standards is the third most developed in the world and one which has emerged from the global financial crisis comparatively unscathed, such a level of poverty, is inexcusable, unexpected and unacceptable,rdquo; said Irene Khan. br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;In the heart of this first world I found scenes more reminiscent of the third world.nbsp; That Indigenous peoples experience human rights violations on a continent of such privilege is not merely disheartening, it is morally outrageous.nbsp; The moral imperative to eradicate such poverty is no less an imperative on government than to eliminate torture.rdquo; nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
Irene Khan called for a new approach, grounded in a genuine respect for traditional culture and with human rights principles at its core, to tackle the complex problem of the entrenched poverty and discrimination faced by Indigenous peoples in Australia.br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;There is a real risk of an enormous opportunity for change being squandered. The governmentrsquo;s apology to the Stolen Generations and other Indigenous Australians along with its support for the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a welcome shift from the past.nbsp; This Government is making a serious financial and political investment but to achieve the returns it wants, it must replace its blunt and blanket policy approaches.rdquo;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;The pathway out of poverty for Indigenous people must have the hallmarks of respect for human rights: voice must matter, equality cannot be compromised, security must be delivered on a human scale and active engagement for long term solutions must be made local, personal and perennial.quot;br /
nbsp;br /
Amnesty International called on the whole of the government, not just individual Ministries, to develop an integrated approach ndash; an approach that places all human rights ndash; not merely some human rights – at the centre and which allows all human rights to be respected and exercised by Indigenous Australians. nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;To fulfil its enormous potential on the regional and global stage, the Rudd Government must make lsquo;bringing human rights homersquo; its central goal,rdquo; concluded Irene Khan.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/ASA/aus-hlm-100.jpg alt= title= /br/Slamming decades of failure by Australian governments to address the dire living conditions, disempowerment and discrimination faced by many of the countryrsquo;s Indigenous peoples, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s Secretary General Irene Khan warned that the government of Prime Minister Rudd must not squander its unique opportunity to right these historic wrongs.br /
nbsp;br /
In the latest in a long line of indignities, some 45,000 Aboriginal people are today still subject to state-sponsored racially discriminatory measures, including blanket quarantining of social security payments as a result of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER). nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;The blunt force of the Interventionrsquo;s heavy handed lsquo;one size fits allrsquo; approach cannot deliver the desired results. The Government will not secure the long term protection of women and children unless there is an integrated human rights solution that empower peoples and engages them to take responsibility for the solutions,rdquo; Irene Khan said. br /
nbsp;br /
Welcoming the commitment she had received from Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin that the Government would introduce legislation to reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act in the Northern Territory, Irene Khan called on the Government to ensure that it does so in line with Australiarsquo;s international obligations not to discriminate against Indigenous peoples.br /
nbsp;br /
While noting that grave levels of violence against women and children is the stated rationale for the NTER, Irene Khan emphasized that respect for women and childrenrsquo;s human rights would not be secured without respect for all human rights for all. nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;Indigenous people in remote Aboriginal communities deserve the same respect, safety and protection as does any Australian ndash; but this will not be achieved in a sustained manner under the Emergency Response which is stigmatizing and disempowering an already marginalized people and which is in violation of Australiarsquo;s international obligations,rdquo; said Irene Khan.br /
nbsp;br /
As part of her visit to Australia, Amnesty Internationalrsquo;s Secretary General visited the Utopia region in central Australia, an impoverished grouping of homeland communities 350 kilometres northeast of Alice Springs. nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;For a country which by human development standards is the third most developed in the world and one which has emerged from the global financial crisis comparatively unscathed, such a level of poverty, is inexcusable, unexpected and unacceptable,rdquo; said Irene Khan. br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;In the heart of this first world I found scenes more reminiscent of the third world.nbsp; That Indigenous peoples experience human rights violations on a continent of such privilege is not merely disheartening, it is morally outrageous.nbsp; The moral imperative to eradicate such poverty is no less an imperative on government than to eliminate torture.rdquo; nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
Irene Khan called for a new approach, grounded in a genuine respect for traditional culture and with human rights principles at its core, to tackle the complex problem of the entrenched poverty and discrimination faced by Indigenous peoples in Australia.br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;There is a real risk of an enormous opportunity for change being squandered. The governmentrsquo;s apology to the Stolen Generations and other Indigenous Australians along with its support for the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a welcome shift from the past.nbsp; This Government is making a serious financial and political investment but to achieve the returns it wants, it must replace its blunt and blanket policy approaches.rdquo;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;The pathway out of poverty for Indigenous people must have the hallmarks of respect for human rights: voice must matter, equality cannot be compromised, security must be delivered on a human scale and active engagement for long term solutions must be made local, personal and perennial.quot;br /
nbsp;br /
Amnesty International called on the whole of the government, not just individual Ministries, to develop an integrated approach ndash; an approach that places all human rights ndash; not merely some human rights – at the centre and which allows all human rights to be respected and exercised by Indigenous Australians. nbsp;br /
nbsp;br /
ldquo;To fulfil its enormous potential on the regional and global stage, the Rudd Government must make lsquo;bringing human rights homersquo; its central goal,rdquo; concluded Irene Khan.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/AMR/haiti-schoolgirl-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/p
Authorities in Haiti must enact legislation to protect children working as domestic help in conditions that amount to slavery, said Amnesty International ahead of Universal Childrenrsquo;s Day. br /
br /
Amnesty International launched a campaign on Wednesday to press the government in Haiti to enact measures to protect child domestic workers from abuse, ill-treatment and exploitation. br /
br /
Many Haitian families, too poor to support their children, are forced to send them to work as domestic help. The children — most of them girls — end up working long hours cleaning, cooking, fetching water for the whole household and looking after other children in the family. br /
br /
ldquo;Most child domestic workers in Haiti live as virtual slaves,rdquo; said Gerardo Ducos, Haiti researcher at Amnesty International. ldquo;They work in inhuman conditions, suffering violence and abuse by their hosts, only for a plate of food.rdquo; br /
br /
UNICEF estimated that there were as many as 100,000 girl domestic workers in Haiti in 2007. br /
br /
Trapped in a situation of total dependence, many girls are compelled to put up with violence and sexual abuse. Some flee the employer or host family and live on the streets where they may have no option but to sell their bodies for sex in order to survive. br /
br /
15-year-old Reacute;gina told Amnesty International that when she was 10, she was sent to work as a domestic servant, but she ran away because the beatings became unbearable. She spent the next four years at Foyer Maurice Sixto, a shelter for children who have been domestic workers. During that time she was able to go to school. When she turned 14, Reacute;gina went back home, were she suffered further abuse. br /
br /
ldquo;Girls in Haiti are trapped in a spiral of poverty and violence,rdquo; said Gerardo Ducos. rdquo;The eradication of this modern form of slavery is the only way to protect the rights of thousands of children.quot; br /
br /
Haitian laws do not provide a protective framework for children. br /
br /
In 2003, the Law for the prohibition and elimination of all kind of abuses, violence and inhuman treatment of children came into force. This law removed a chapter of the Labor Code that regulated the work of children in domestic service but failed to ban the practice of children in domestic service. br /
br /
The Code had prohibited the ldquo;employmentrdquo; of children under 12 as domestic workers and had provided guarantees that those aged over 15 would receive a salary for their work. The Code required foster families, among other things, to request authorization from the Institute of Social Welfare and Research if they wished to employ a child as domestic worker. br /
br /
ldquo;Ahead of Universal Childrenrsquo;s Day, Haiti should step up its commitment to the protection of girl domestic workers and take concrete steps to improve their situation,rdquo; said Gerardo Ducos. br /
/p
div align=left
img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/AI/action-button-en.gif title=Take Action alt=Take Action height=73 width=114 class=asset-align-right/ustrong/strong/u
/div
div align=left
ua href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/protect-girls-domestic-labour-haiti-181109strongAppeal for action/strong/abr /
/u
/div
Protect girls in domestic labour in Haitibr /
p
nbsp;
/p
p
nbsp;
/p

p
strongWhy is it that more than two thirds of the worldrsquo;s poor are women, although women are only half of the worldrsquo;s population?/strongbr /
br /
strongDiscrimination/strong is a key driver of poverty and women often face discrimination on multiple grounds ndash; they may be denied their rights because they are women and because they belong to a marginalized group. br /
br /
Women living in poverty also face discrimination simply because they are poor. This discrimination can mean that women are excluded from access to justice, protection or services. br /
br /
In some countries discrimination is built into the laws, while in many other countries it persists despite equality laws. br /
br /
Women are often responsible for providing for their families, though are often paid less than men for the same work, do work in the informal sector with no job security and have less access to resources such as land, credit and inheritance rights. br /
br /
Many women living in poverty donrsquo;t have access to healthcare because they canrsquo;t afford to pay for it or reach health services. Women in South Africa, particularly black women, are disproportionately affected by poverty and the HIV pandemic. br /
br /
Transport costs are high in relation to peoplersquo;s income and women living in poor rural communities often find it difficult to reach hospitals and maintain their treatment. Many women donrsquo;t have adequate food, which is essential for coping with the side effectives of anti-retroviral medication. br /
br /
Womenrsquo;s low social status compounds the problem as when therersquo;s not enough food to go around, they are likely to be the last to eat. br /
br /
The discrimination women face is linked to violence against women. It shapes the forms of violence that a woman experiences. It also makes some women more likely to be targeted for certain forms of violence because they have less social status than other women and because perpetrators know such women are less likely to report abuse or seek assistance. br /
br /
strongCaught in cycles of poverty and violence/strongbr /
Violence, for women, is both a cause and a consequence of poverty – violence keeps women poor, and poor women are most exposed to violence. Women who suffer from violence lose income and their capacity to earn a wage is impaired. br /
br /
Being poor may make women make difficult choices which puts them or keeps them at risk from violence. A woman who is economically dependent on her abusive partner may see no way to support herself and her children if she leaves. br /
br /
A girl who becomes pregnant as a result of a rape may find herself excluded from school, with fewer prospects of finding safe work and an independent future.br /
br /
Poverty is widespread in Haiti and many parents in rural areas make the choice to send their children to cities in the hope that their life chances will be improved. More than 100,000 girls between 6 and 17 in Haiti are in domestic service. br /
br /
Children in domestic service work long hours doing domestic chores, looking after other children in the family and selling goods in markets and are provided lodging. Far from their relatives and friends, and trapped in a situation of total dependence on their employers, many girls are exposed to physical abuse and sexual violence. With virtually no one concerned for their welfare and few prospects of finding safer work, these girls live a lonely, isolated and vulnerable existence. br /
br /
strongWomenrsquo;s lives, menrsquo;s decisions/strongbr /
Poverty can restrict womenrsquo;s opportunities to make choices about their own lives. This can be exacerbated by custom, culture and religion which often combine to deny women access to decision-making processes and even crucial choices over their lives and bodies, such as whether to become mothers. In the Philippines, government policies limit womenrsquo;s control over whether and when to become pregnant as policies prioritise lsquo;naturalrsquo; family planning methods such as periodic abstinence or withdrawal. br /
br /
Lack of access to free contraception hits poor women hard as they struggle to find the money to buy the contraception they need, especially at a time of economic crisis when the costs of goods and commodities are rising. Up to three quarters of sexually active adolescents do not use any contraception. br /
br /
Childbirth is a high risk activity in the Philippines, where ten women die every day from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. High rates of maternal death are compounded by a total ban on abortion meaning that if women do find that they have a mistimed or unwanted pregnancy, they are left with few safe options. At least 400,000 Filipino women resort to clandestine abortions every year and estimate suggest that around 800 women die each year from complications from unsafe abortions. br /
br /
strongGirls miss out on education/strongbr /
Violence and poverty often combine to trap women in difficult situations though education can provide an escape route. Getting an education can open up the possibility of economic independence, increasing womenrsquo;s choices of how to live their lives. Education is a human right, yet more than 55 millions girls worldwide do not attend school as violence and discrimination impede girlsrsquo; access to education. br /
br /
In Tajikistan, many families cannot afford the basic essentials needed for their childrenrsquo;s schooling ndash; text books, clothes and transport. So rather than sending girls to school, they prioritize the education of boys, who are likely to earn more in later life. Many girls do not complete their education but instead care for family members, work in the fields or at the market, or get married at an early age. A lack of education not only reduces womenrsquo;s chances of economic independence, but also the possibility of them learning about their rights. br /
br /
strongWomen speak out /strongbr /
When women know they have rights, they will claim them despite all the obstacles they face. There are inspiring examples to be found throughout the world. Whether acting as human rights defenders or simply as members of their families and communities, women drive social progress and human rights advancement for all. In some countries, women are active participants in the political process and have made significant strides towards political and economic equality. br /
br /
strongProgress on paper/strongbr /
Sustained progress by womenrsquo;s rights activists over the past decade has brought significant advances in the international communityrsquo;s commitment to the advancement of womenrsquo;s rights. At the international level there are legally binding agreements to protect and promote womenrsquo;s rights while equality between men and women is a key principle reflected in all human rights standards. At national level there are laws in many countries to protect womenrsquo;s rights, though these laws do little to improve the lives of women if they are not enforced. br /
br /
There are no legitimate excuses to explain why governments have failed to fully implement and make effective the national and international laws passed over the last few decades to end violence against women and end discrimination and despite the leaps forward, many womenrsquo;s lives have hardly improved. Women continue to be the most affected by poverty, violence, environmental degradation and disease. One thing is certain: equality and rights can only be achieved when women actively participate in political processes and when their voices are heard. br /
br /
strongThe way forward/strongbr /
States and international institutions must work harder to protect womenrsquo;s rights, but everyone one of us has a role in creating the political will for change. We can challenge our governments to improve womenrsquo;s rights at home, and all around the world, though international cooperation. br /
br /
In September 2009, all government agreed to the creation of a strong new United Nations agency for women. This agency will have greater capacity to help the UN and governments to ensure women and girls around the world enjoy their rights in practice. This new agency urgently needs sustained political commitment and funding to succeed.
/p
p
nbsp;
/p
p
a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/gearTake action to support the creation of a strong new womenrsquo;s agency at the UN/a and to stop violence against women in a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/south-africa-address-barriers-treatment-women-HIVSouth Africa/a and a href=http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/protect-girls-domestic-labour-haiti-181109Haiti/a
br /
/p

Amnesty International has condemned the forced eviction of a community of about 400 Roma people in the Italian capital, Rome.br /
br /
According to local NGOs and media, around 150 police officers evicted the families from the Via Centocelle camp, in the east of the city, on Wednesday morning.br /
br /
All the community’s shelters were destroyed and around 20 Roma men were arrested. It is not known what charges they face.br /
br /
The municipality offered short-term shelter to some of the Roma women and small children, in the city’s dormitories for homeless people.br /
br /
TThe majority of those made homeless, numbering some 100 families, have occupied an abandoned privately owned factory nearby. According to the latest media report, these families are facing today another forced eviction.br /
br /
If evicted, they face living in harsh conditions at another makeshift camp, or may even be forced to live out in the open.br /
br /
The community includes around 140 children, 40 of whom attend schools nearby. The eviction threatens to interrupt their schooling and seriously disrupt their education.br /
br /
Local NGOs say that the community was not notified or consulted about the eviction. Under domestic law, the authorities should notify each individual, or publish an order or notice.br /
br /
As the order was not formalized in this way, the community could not challenge it through the courts, and stop or postpone the eviction.br /
br /
Most people living in the Via Centocelle camp have previously experienced at least one forced eviction. These involved the destruction of shelters, clothes, mattresses, medicines and documents.br /
br /
All these evictions are believed to have been carried out without the procedural safeguards required under regional and international human rights standards.br /
br /
Amnesty International has urged the Rome authorities to ensure that all the families who were forcibly evicted are provided with adequate alternative accommodation as a matter of urgency, and compensation for all possessions they lost when they were forcibly evicted.br /
br /
The organization also reminded the authorities that forced evictions, carried out without legal and other protections, are prohibited under international law as a gross violation of a range of human rights; in particular, the right to adequate housing.br /
br /
For at least the last 10 years, numerous forced evictions of Roma communities have been carried out in Italy.

img src=http://www.amnesty.org/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/imagecache/previewsize/sites/impact.amnesty.org/files/PUBLIC/Regions/MENA/egypt-landslide-100×100.jpg alt= title= /br/The Egyptian authorities must take immediate and inclusive steps to protect Cairo’s poorest inhabitants living in quot;unsafe areasquot; where they are at risk from rockslides and other dangers, Amnesty International said in a new report released on Tuesday. br /
br /
quot;Thousands of Egypt’s poor are trapped by poverty and neglect that could ultimately end in their deaths,quot; said Malcolm Smart, director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa programme. br /
br /
quot;The government must urgently address the risks faced by those living in areas designated as ‘unsafe’ and find solutions by consulting with those directly affected.quot;nbsp; br /
br /
Amnesty International’s report, emstrongBuried Alive; Trapped by Poverty and Neglect in Cairo’s Informal Settlements/strong/em, castigates the Egyptian authorities for failing to take effective steps to protect the residents of Al-Duwayqa, an informal settlement in Manshiyet Nasser in east Cairo, from the fatal rockslide that hit on 6 September 2008.nbsp; br /
br /
The report calls on the Egyptian authorities to alleviate the threats to lives in the 26 quot;unsafe areasquot; in Greater Cairo, and to protect the residents’ rights to health and adequate housing. Even though the risk of a rockslide was well known, the government did not evacuate the impoverished residents before the 2008 disaster.br /
br /
The authorities say 107 people were killed and 58 injured in the Al-Duwayqa rockslide, but survivors say the toll of casualties was higher and report that many family members are still missing. An official investigation into the rockslide disaster has yet to produce any findings. br /
br /
quot;Denied an effective voice and largely ignored by those in power, many residents of Al-Duwayqa, and other ‘unsafe areas’ continue to live in fear on precarious hillsides or under high voltage power lines because they have nowhere else to go,quot; said Malcolm Smartbr /
br /
Amnesty International called on the Egyptian authorities to investigate thoroughly the reasons why the Al-Duwayqa tragedy was not averted and to take the necessary steps to ensure that there can be no repetition. br /
br /
quot;The government must develop a comprehensive programme of action to address the risks faced by those living in ‘unsafe areas’ and to uphold their rights to life, health and adequate housing,quot; said Malcolm Smart. quot;In doing so, they must seek the active participation of the affected communities, and they must be prepared to provide temporary housing promptly to people needing to be evacuated because of immediate risks, as well as permanent housing.quot;br /
br /
After the rockslide, the Egyptian authorities moved quickly to identify other danger areas nearby. They demolished more than one thousand threatened homes and, within a month, rehoused more than 1,750 families – though without giving them legal tenure and leaving them liable to future eviction. br /
br /
Other families were left homeless and the allocation of housing discriminated against women who were divorced or living apart from their husbands. br /
br /
Some families were forcibly evicted from Al-Duwayqa and others from Establ Antar, an informal settlement in south Cairo. These evictions were mostly carried out in breach of procedural protections required under international human rights law, often with little warning and backed up by the presence of security forces. br /
br /
Families from Establ Antar were relocated to a remote area in 6 October City, west of Giza, far from their places of work and were given no legal security of tenure. br /
br /
quot;Slum dwellers describe a life characterized by deprivation, neglect, insecurity and the constant threat of forcible eviction,quot; said Malcolm Smart. quot;The state must guarantee their right to adequate housing and put an end to forced evictions.quot;br /
br /
Twenty-six areas in Greater Cairo have been identified as quot;unsafequot; by a government master plan to develop the city by 2050, but there appears to have been little or no consultation with the communities that will be affected. Residents of quot;unsafe areasquot; face a double threat: lack of safety and possible forced eviction. br /
br /
quot;The tragedy in Al-Duwayqa was a disaster waiting to happen. And that was well known,quot; said Malcolm Smart. quot;More could – more should – have been done to avert it and to prevent the loss of life.quot;br /
br /
quot;The Egyptian authorities owe it to both the victims and those who survived that awful morning, just as they owe it to others at risk, to ensure that there is no repetition and that the tragedy of Al-Duwayqa is not played out again in any of Cairo’s other ‘unsafe areas’. Egypt’s poor should not have to live any longer with the threat of being buried alive.quot;br /
br /
Over a billion people throughout the world live in slums, and this number is increasing. As part of its Demand Dignity campaign, launched in May this year, Amnesty International is calling for governments globally to provide adequate housing for its residents.br /
nbsp;br /
Amnesty International’s Demand Dignity campaign aims to end the human rights violations that drive and deepen global poverty. The campaign is mobilizing people all over the world to demand that governments, corporations and others who have power, listen to the voices of those living in poverty and recognise and protect their rights.