Fionnuala Ní Aoláin
@NiAolainF
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Regents Professor Uni. of Minnesota; Professor of Law QUB, Belfast; RIA; Former UN SR on HR & CT 2017-23, ICJ Commissioner, KC (Hons) [email protected]
Joined October 2013
#SilkDay (UK). So pleased to be appointed honorary King’s Counsel to HRH Charles III last week by the Lord Chancellor @ Westminster Hall. Reflecting on famous British trials there (Thomas More, Guy Falks) and taking in its beauty. A lovely day.
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“Side with the child over the gun, every single time, no matter whose gun and no matter whose child.”.
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The best way to support a scholar under attack is by reading her extraordinary work. Here Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s unparalleled work on children - cited in multiple #UN reports of mine as Special Rapporteur is a good place to start.
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A great day for the ICJ, international law and the voices of feminist scholars in International Law. Hilary Charlesworth is the new incoming judge of the ICJ with an absolute majority of votes in the UNGA and the UNSC.
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Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian one of the foremost feminist scholars of her generation / Hebrew U Law School & the Global Chair in Law Queen Mary London was arrested yesterday. An assault not only on democratic & academic freedom but an attack feminist & critical scholarship.
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Feminist foreign policies mean very little when mothers and their children are denied both the protection of international humanitarian law and implementation of WPS commitments.
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At my Press Conference in New York yesterday I address the evisceration of civil society across the globe due to the ongoing misuse of counter-terrorism measures. We are not safer or more secure when we target civil society.
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When the Ambassador to Afghanistan pleads w/ the HRC to establish a fact-finding mechanism to investigate HR violations & instead we get a resolution where Taliban is not named & no action taken in the face of such violations, understand why average people feel cynical about HR.
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Some personal and professional news. With profound thanks to the institutions and colleagues that have supported me throughout the years. @qubschooloflaw @UofMNLawSchool.@RIAdawson @Geneva_Academy .@CAJNi .@UN_SPExperts .@just_security
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This is an extraordinary development - can law speak to this moment of grievous international law violations? The detail and substance of the South African filing makes for somber reading.
PRESS RELEASE: #SouthAfrica institutes proceedings against #Israel and asks the #ICJ to indicate provisional measures .
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As the #SecurityCouncil meets this morning, let us not forget exactly whom we are dealing with in #Afghanistan, and the obligations of States under international law to prevent and suppress terrorism.
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Deep concern about designation of leading Palestinian human rights organisations as 'terrorist'. We have seen this HR negating playbook before. I addressed the violations of international law involved in Report A/HRC/40/52. More to follow. @DCIPalestine @alhaq_org @UN_SPExperts.
(1/11) Today, the Israeli Ministry of Defense issued a military order declaring @DCIPalestine and five other Palestinian human rights organizations to be "terrorist organizations." . Here's our full statement from General Director Khaled Quzmar:
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One Irish Special Rapporteur is good but two formidable Irish women is better. A shout out to my friend and colleague @MaryLawlorhrds and all the work she does every day to protect and defend HRDs around the world.
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Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin elected to International Commission of Jurists @irishlegalnews
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“For feminists … those who have advocated for a highly selective WPS agenda fixated on sexual violence & who have declined to speak out or act upon the totality of violence experienced by women in war, time is up, & that double standard is fully exposed”.
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#Afghanistan The fact that the HRC did not create a fact-finding or oversight mechanism is their failure. However, @UN_SPExperts will not be quiet. We know exactly why this mechanism is needed, so too do the people of Afghanistan. Which States will step up to remedy the deficit?.
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We cannot stand idly by & accept the brutal targeting of #humanrights defenders, #women activists, #artists & civil society fleeing #Afghanistan and those protecting their exit @ #KabulAiport. All killed yesterday are #Victimsofterrorism entitled to dignity & accountability.
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From my excellent and ever thoughtful colleague Richard Painter at @UofMNLawSchool. Destroying Federal Documents During a Presidential Transition Is a Federal Crime via @just_security.
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All eyes are on the @UN_HRC this week. Emergency session on Afghanistan. Bold, decisive action on human rights is needed to protect those most vulnerable in Afghanistan. @UN_SPExperts have given a roadmap on what is needed. Will the Council listen?.
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Deeply saddened by the loss of my friend, colleague, co-author & mensch who made so many things possible since I joined the @UofMNLawSchool. David Weissbrodt was a human rights giant. A steely, passionate, humble & determined optimist who made all our lives better. We miss him.
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If you emerge from a global pandemic in a world that is dominated by dictatorial authoritarian regime types and democracies that are fundamentally compromised, then we haven't just lost the battle against a virus, we have actually lost a bigger and more profound battle.
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A grim outcome. A 15 year old girl, groomed online & brought to Syria as a minor. Pregnant with three children before the age of 18, & lost all three in the tortuous conditions of NE Syria. Shamima Begum loses final UK court bid over citizenship - BBC News
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Always a pleasure for the mandate to be welcomed by the H.E. Amb. Byrne Nason @irishmissionun whose leadership on human rights continues to drive so many important dialogues. #UNGA76 🇺🇳🇮🇪
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My Priorities As UN Special Rapporteur on Counter Terrorism: The Problem of Permanent Emergencies via @just_security.
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🚨The Launch of the Global Study to #DefendCivicSpace is today! 🚨. To read the report & learn more about the human impact of the misuse of #CT & #PCVE measures against #CivilSociety & #Civic Space visit:. 📽️: @UNWebT.
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The best part of this SRCT & HR role has been working with my incredible team of lawyers and human rights advocates. A snapshot of the amazing SRCT & HR team.
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Child Rights Committee statement on children in Gaza | OHCHR
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The @UN_HRC will hold a special session on the profoundly distributing situation in #Afghanistan tomorrow. Eyes are on Geneva. The zero draft of the Resolution is profoundly disappointing.
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The core point of my GA Report this year. OHCHR | Counter-terrorism measures increasingly diverging from human rights standards, UN expert warns
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I welcome the completion of my technical visit to the #US and U.S. Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, affirming the rights of victims of terrorism & the rights of victims of counter-terrorism. Find out more here:
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"The time for decisive action is now": Former U.N. Experts Open Letter on Rafah
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Ireland's bid for the Security Council is successful. The voice of a small island nation familiar with conflict, long and proud history of peacekeeping and a deep commitment to multilateralism. Lá maith don domhain. @dfatirl. #IrelandUNSC.
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"The time for decisive action is now": Former U.N. Experts Open Letter on Rafah
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The Human Rights Council is not living up to its obligation to act in the face of massive human rights violations, a humanitarian catastrophe, the need for protection, and the requirement to prevent impunity for serious violations of international law. #Candobetter.
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#SC the time is now, if WPS agenda means anything it means protecting women's rights in #Afghanistan now and not giving annual anniversary speeches that mean nothing for #WPS 1325. Let us be clear, the Taliban are a listed terrorist organization. They will destroy women's rights.
@NiAolainF The United Nations Security Council special session on the situation in #Afghanistan . Starts at 10:00am ET. Live broadcast on UN Web TV:
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There is no inevitability to war crimes & crimes against humanity in #Afghanistan. SPB Experts said unequivocally today action is necessary . OHCHR | Afghanistan: UN experts urge swift global action to protect human rights and prevent ‘civilian slaughter’
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The UNSC rightly addressed the prevention of terrorism in #Afghanistan (Aug. 27). What needs to be said in the same breath is that protecting #humanrights, enabling people to live dignified lives is the best proven way to prevent the conditions that produce terrorism.
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UN special rapporteur urges end to indefinite detention of children at Syria refugee camps
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A meaningful, relevant and operable statement is needed from the @UN_HRC this week of Afghanistan. Anything less is a green light on impunity for serious violations of IL which may include war crimes and crimes against humanity. @UN_SPExperts @MaryLawlorhrds @NilsMelzer.
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You know you have had a good day/week/semester when your human rights students 1)Bring you flowers 2) Get you a book you have wanted to read for a plane ride and 3) Say thank you in a lovely way .@UofMNLawSchool@UofMHRC
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It has been a while since I made an international law playlist for my students. A mixture of things that invoke my class this Spring. Enjoy!
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Adding my congratulations to the appointment of my friend & colleague Professor Ben Saul as incoming SR CT & HR. He brings compassion, rigour & deep commitment to human rights to this role. A couple of hard weeks of work to finish out this mandate and I look forward to Nov 2.
#HRC54 | The @UN Human Rights Council has appointed Mr. Ben Saul of Australia as the new Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.
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A warm thank you to @PakistanUN_NY and H.E. Amb. Akram @PakistanPR_UN for the warm welcome and discussion on human rights and rule of law in countering terrorism.
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When I think about gendering CT work,I start with the SRCT & HR team & the work as an all female group of lawyers & human rights advocates, situated in the masculinity of this field, working on issues where the voices of women are muted, absent or ignored. Doing gender every day.
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The International Court of Justice Should Have More Women Judges
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An extraordinary report from #AmnestyInternational on Syria: Mass death, torture & other violations against people detained in aftermath of Islamic State defeat – confirms & extends what SRCT & HR found during 2023 technical visit. Urgent action needed.
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📢Launching 21 June @ The first Global Study on the Impact of #CT Measures on #CivilSociety & #CivicSpace by #UNSRCT!. If registered for the UN High Level #CT week, RSVP for the launch event (in-person only): 📽️: @UNWebTV
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Turning the Page: A Biden Presidency and the Role for Us via @just_security -- The Just Security Editorial team are an extraordinary group and have done extraordinary service in the past 4 years. We will stay diligent and vigilant in the years ahead.
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The Special Rapporteur on HR and CT team wraps up another busy year. Thanks to all of you who have worked with us and supported the work on ensuring the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.
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My Report to @UNHumanRights HR Council addresses serious abuse of CT, CVE & PVE laws and practice by States when countering terrorism. Stifling NGO's & CSO is neither human rights complaint nor effective counter-terrorism policy. Time for global oversight of global CT practice.
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A non-official picture of desert beauty to remind us of the tenacity of things even in the harshest of conditions, a little like advancing human rights in the world today.
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Govs rushing to legislate #emergencypowers in #COVID crisis should: include meaningful sunset clauses; fulsome non-discrimination clauses; meaningful oversight of exceptional powers; where possible legislative authorisation & ensure that the powers given are narrowly tailored.
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In case you missed it, this is the best conversation out there on the #ICJ decision, and has three of my favorite people talking @yuvalshany1 @oonahathaway @AdHaque110 ——ICJ Provisional Measures in South Africa v. Israel
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OHCHR | Gaza-Israel escalation: End violence now, then work to end occupation, say UN experts
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UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights very glad to visit Mali and @UN_MINUSMA this week. Human Rights training, good conversations and lots of exchange about peacekeeping, stabilization, human rights and counter-terrorism.
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Human Rights Salon at the @UMNews. A quiet space (my back yard) where human rights faculty meet to talk about rights, gender, international issues, research and give solidarity & friendship to those of us working on human rights issues.
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“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”. Loose translation of commentary on portion of the Pirke Avot (cf)commentary on Micah6:8.
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We should not be marking 20 years for detention facility in which men have been arbitrarily detained, tortured and have had no meaningful remedy. Time to close this detention facility, its very existence stands as signal for impunity and lack of accountability.
A group of independent #humanrights experts appointed by the @UN🇺🇳 Human Rights Council has condemned the continued operation of the #Guantánamo Bay detention facility as a site of “unparalleled notoriety”. Via @UN_News_Centre.
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OHCHR | ‘Disgraceful’ Guantánamo Bay detention facility must be closed now, say UN experts
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A salute to the artists. What an extraordinary privilege to see the work of six Guantanamo artists exhibited in the United States and hear from three artists at this symposium. #art #hope #acknowledgement #Accountability and #Reparations. The art belongs to the artists.
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The world has learnt some very hard lessons about the misuse of counter-terrorism, (violent) extremism legislation & powers in the past two decades. Let us not repeat the same mistakes by rushing to legislate exceptionality for #COVID19. @UN_SPExperts @hrw @ICNLAlliance.
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I look forward to #US technical visit including Guantanamo detention facility, former detainees & meeting w/ victims of terrorism in the 3 months ahead. Meeting detainees, gov. representatives, military & civilian personnel, military commissions personnel & defence lawyers @UN.
UN Special Rapporteur on counterterrorism @NiAolainF will conduct a technical visit to the #US, including the #Guantanamo detention center from 6-14 February. 👉
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An important joint statement is issued today by the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights. Children in Northeast Syria must be urgently repatriated: UN experts
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I was a law student @ QUB when Pat Finucane was murdered in 1989. Pat’s murder as a lawyer, defending the rule of law shaped all human rights lawyers of my generation in NI. A long journey for justice & law for his family & the NI HR community.
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The scale of emergency law proposals across the globe suggest that the opportunities to expand executive, police and military powers are being taken up w/ insufficient regard to the rule of law & human rights. Imagine what these powers look like repurposed applied after #COVID19.
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Glad to join this group of eminent lawyers to reflect on international.law and Gaza Particularly glad to finally write an article with Prof Karen Engle on the forum shopping, gender and soft v. hard law.
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Important decision by the Human Rights Committee on Torture affirming it is never allowed and terrorism is not an acceptable justification for torture @UN_SPExperts @UN_CTED @UN_OCT @UNHumanRights.
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So pleased to have been admitted to the Royal Irish Academy @RIAdawson on Friday. @UofMNLawSchool @qubschooloflaw @UN_SPExperts @just_security.
Here are our 2019 new Members on the steps of the Royal Irish Academy. Congratulations to you all #AdmittanceDay .@tcddublin @nuigalway @ucddublin @ESRIDublin @BBCnireland @ul @QUBelfast @MaynoothUni @UCC @RTERadio1 @ucl @UnivOxford @UMNews
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The bottom lines hold: Security Council must act, humanitarian access must be defended, the vulnerable must be protected, the HRC must meet. OHCHR | Afghanistan: UN experts urge swift global action to protect human rights and prevent ‘civilian slaughter’
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My reflections on the Supreme Court decision in the Begum case @UN_SPExperts @just_security @UofMNLawSchool @qubschooloflaw
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"Across the world, we see a sustained practice of abusing counterterrorism language and laws to target, silence, and harm civil society and human rights defenders." .Abusive “Counterterrorism” Crackdowns Choke Independent Civil Society in the Middle East
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Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin appointed as honorary KC | Irish Legal News
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The Special Rapporteur Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights has a new report addressing citizenship stripping in North-East Syria and the range of human rights concerns it involves. Read it here:
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Outrage is necessary to act upon the de facto culling, separation, & warehousing of adolescent boys from their mothers. This is an abhorrent practice inconsistent with the dignity of the child. Gendering the Boy Child in the Context of Counterterrorism:
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How do we pivot away from the securtization of peace, including by counter-terrorism?. ✅ Invest politically and financially in people-centered and prevention approaches!. While this report identifies deep tensions, it also offers concrete ways forward!. Report: A/77/345
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If any case speaks to the blatant misuse of CT law—it is this. A world renowned writer charged w/ terrorism for expressing views on misuse of CT. Enough of it. Author Arundhati Roy set to be tried under anti-terror law for Kashmir comments - India Today
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📢 Introducing. a short-film on addressing the impact of #CounterTerrorism measures on #CivilSociety. "When you target #CivilSociety, you target the best of us.". 📽️ More to come as #SRCT kicks off the process of a Global Study! . #CivilSocietySpeaks.
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My new Report to the United Nations General Assembly addresses the effect of thematic UNSCRs on protecting human rights and addresses the role of Security Council as super-legislator @just_security @UN @UNHumanRights.
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"Thirty men remain in custody . in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Sixteen of those detainees have finally been cleared for release; . no longer subject to criminal charges or considered a potential danger to the [US] and yet they still remain behind bars".
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The track record on states of emergency demonstrates two things 1 Governments consistently overreach to use powers not strictly necessary by the exigency faced 2)That the powers remain indefinitely & are used for other purposes with severe human rights consequences. @UN_SPExperts.
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It is time to end this 'ugly' chapter and close the detention site at Guantanamo Bay Cuba.
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These were the words of @ShaharzadAkbar at the June side-event concerning the protection of human rights in Afghanistan with @AfghanistanInCH & @NorwayUN. The urgency she described then is ever more urgent now. @UNSRCulture @UN_SPExperts @MaryLawlorhrds @Irenekhan @NilsMelzer
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Thinking of Niall Murphy extraordinary lawyer and defender of human rights @KRWLaw batting to survive Covid-19 in Belfast. Beidh laethanta níos fearr romhainn uilig. Ag smaoithneamh ort agus do chlann inniú.
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SRCT & HR team was back #UN NY for the first time in 18 months for #GA76 last week.I work w/ this extra-ordinary group of women every day, gendering #CT in all we do & sometimes just by our presence. @meerazom @megleighmanion @ACharbord & Alyssa Yamamoto. Joined by @annepoiret
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This is mandatory reading for those following the situation in Al Hol & Roj camps in NE Syria. A much needed assessment of the medical situation in the camps, the complexity of the lives that brought people there, & lives of infinite arbitrary detention.
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"It is inconceivable for any country, including Canada, to leave its vulnerable children in these camps for a day longer than they should be," said Fionnuala Ní Aoláin in an interview airing Saturday on CBC's The House.
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The Repeal of the the 8th Amendment is announced. A vote for tolerance, compassion, and for women's bodily autonomy. So proud to be an Irish woman today . and deeply grateful to all those who persisted to get us here.
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Remarkable, powerful and poignant remarks for our co-sponsors @ShaharzadAkbar of the @AfghanistanIHRC.
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In this interview I address how strategies to prevent extremism often function to violate the most fundamental of rights and are simply not effective.
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An utterly avoidable tragedy for the 700 young boys held in a prison they should not be in. The nomenclature used by States of "rehabilitation" for maintaining arbitrary detention and holding children in inhumane conditions deserves deep skepticism.
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Another reminder about the secondary epidemic we are facing, the lockdown on human rights and fundamental freedoms not aimed at health but focused on cementing the grip of authoritarianism
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Thanks to @QUBelfast for being the University that nurtured and sustained my human rights passions and commitments as a young lawyer and now as Professor @qubschooloflaw.
Congratulations to Prof Fionnuala Ní Aoláin @NiAolainF @qubschooloflaw @QUBelfast, who is the first jurist from Northern Ireland to be elected to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) @ICJ_org!. ➡️ Read more: #LoveQUBstaff
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Taken me a long time ( too long? ) as a feminist scholar & policy maker to realise that only when we include men & boys in gender conversations will things change. Gendering the Boy Child in the Context of CT: The Situation of Boys in Northeast Syria
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Acknowledging International Women's Day from the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights. Gendering counter-terrorism every day.
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This Wednesday I present the annual report of the SRCT & HR mandate to the General Assembly focused on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building in counter-terrorism. There is a lot to say.
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"Women’s equality is not advanced by appointing as CIA director someone who holds moral and legal responsibility under international law for serious human rights violations," write @NiAolainF and @jaynehuckerby
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