The next meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights will take place on Thursday 5 February 2015 from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. in meeting room PHS P4B001. From 9.15 to 11.00 a.m. the meeting will be held in camera.
You can watch our meetings live on line at the link below. Since there are limited possibilities for individuals to attend Subcommittee meetings visitors should register with the Secretariat by email five working days prior to the start of the meeting. Representatives of NGOs as well as other organisations are requested to accede to the EU Transparency Register and follow the procedures therein for access to the European Parliament.
Exchange of views with Bert Theuermann, COHOM Chair - 5 February
An exchange of views will take place with Mr Engelbert Theuermann, COHOM Chair, to discuss EU priorities for the upcoming 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), which will take place in Geneva from 2-27March 2015. In line with past practice, the European Parliament will adopt a resolution in the run-up to the session and the Subcommittee on Human Rights will send a delegation to the HRC session from 18 to 20 March.
DROI Chair Elena Valenciano welcomes the release of children from armed groups in South Sudan and calls for adequate funding to secure their reintegration
The Chair of the EP Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), MEP Elena Valenciano (S&D, Spain) welcomed the release of the first group of 280 children out of approximately 3 000 in total from a South Sudanese armed group.
"I welcome the fact that these boys could finally give up their uniforms and weapons, and will hopefully be able to go to school soon.
In order to fully support UNICEF's efforts to ensure a successful reintegration of these children I trust that the EU will continue to ensure adequate funding, especially in the long-run. I call also on EU Member States to contribute to this programme.
Assisting these children to rebuild their lives - reuniting them with their families, providing psychological support, reintegrating them in their local communities and preventing future recruitment - requires long-term commitment from all donors. Therefore I hope that the UNICEF appeal for additional support of $ 10 million will be met shortly. "
Background
On3 December 2014 the Subcommittee on Human Rights,together with the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), held a hearing on Children associated with armed conflicts, with the participation of Ms Leila Zerrougui, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Children Affected by Armed Conflict and Ms Yoka Brandt,Deputy Executive Director, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Members expressed their full support for the UNICEF -lead campaign "Children, Not Soldiers".
Contact:
Office of MEP Elena VALENCIANO
- elena.valenciano@europarl.europa.eu
Study on indigenous peoples, extractive industries and human rights
In a study, requested by the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights, the human rights impacts of the extractive industries on indigenous peoples worldwide are examined. The study finds that there continues to be significant human rights risks associated with mining, oil and gas extraction, and recommends that the EU should take the initiative to develop a region-wide framework for extractive industries.
DROI Chair Elena Valenciano condemns the imprisonment of anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid (Mauritania)
Following the two-year imprisonment sentence of Mr Biram Dah Abeid, Brahim Biala Ramdhane and Djiby Sow (he was released under judicial control in November 2014) issued on 15 January by a Mauritanian Court, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights in the European Parliament declared "It is outrageous that in the 21st century peaceful protesting against slavery is still charged under anti-terrorism law with imprisonment in Mauritania."
Free Raif Badawi
DROI Members heard a brief update on the case of Raif Badawi, Saudi Arabian blogger who has been given a very harsh long term prison sentence, involving severe corporal punishment by flogging over the course of next 20 weeks. Amnesty International briefed DROI on the latest developments regarding the case, and the EEAS described the EU response so far. The Members strongly denounced the sentence and called for the authorities to refrain from carrying out the flogging punishment and ensure that Mr Badawi is given any medical attention he may require. President Schulz has reacted to the case and DROI Chair has issued a statement.
