Some (mostly) human rights links and thoughts

Black Lives Matter! Be Anti-Racist, Anti-Sexist, and Actively Inclusive in ALL Areas.
The Climate Crisis is real, urgent and existential!

The Pandemic is Real, and Vaccinations save lives. Stay safe - wash your hands, practice social distancing and wear a face mask in public, and follow informed medical advice - and be considerate towards those at risk or in situations of vulnerability (including economic) while the COVID-19 pandemic is a problem.

Some mostly human rights (including significant, relevant links in other fields - such as geopolitics, democracy, or authoritarianism) links: 

• on the climate crisis (noting the UNFCCC) and environment (noting multiple  international agreements): 
• some of the actions being taken to repair the world;   a social media platform has banned “ads that contradict science on climate change”;   Indonesia has banned palm oil exports;   the growing - and ignored - risks of extinction of species in the current mass extinction event;   “the EU’s pledge to cut emissions to net zero by 2050 will require large amounts of metals and minerals to roll out electric vehicles and wind turbines - but a supply gap looms”;   the devastating effect of leaded fuels;   “humanity is suffering from a “broken perception of risk”, spurring us into activities and behaviours that cause climate change and a surging number of disasters around the globe”;   South Africans have successfully stood up against an oil project;   Australian business has been indifferent to an attempt to create a beat up about carbon tax;   the problem of noise pollution;   addressing land degradation;   “we cannot afford greenwashing”;   “dear politicians, young climate activists are not abuse victims, we are children who read news”;   a heatwave in South Asia;  
   
• on the COVID-19 pandemic (noting WHO advice, Article 12 of the ICESCR, and public emergency provisions of the ICCPR and the ICESCR) and other health matters: 
• the benefits of wearing a mask even when the self-centred, selfish and uncaring IPOCs around you aren’t;   some people in China are using code words to protest against the extreme lockdowns;   growing indifference to others’ deaths;  
   
  
• on Rashist  Putin and his cronies’ illegal (it is contrary to Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter  and international law [and the 1928 Pact of Paris which was successfully used in post-WW2 trials], and possibly includes conduct contrary to the "laws" of war and international humanitarian law (IHL)) invasion of Ukraine: 
• as Russia continues to rattle its nuclear sabre, China cautions Russia against going nuclear, a timeline of commentary on this aspect is published;   as it warned it would do, Russia has stopped  some gas supplies (this was predictable, and shows the short-sightedness of not going to renewables as much as anything else);   lack of international coordination on responses and actions could see Putin (sort of) win;   a reminder that freezing assets is not seizing assets;  
  
• mutinies and other acts of disloyalty (including a Russian unit murdering their commanding officer after a bloody loss) in Russia's militaries - and others;   Russian separatists are conscripting anyone of military age;   notable figures going to Ukraine are going into a war zone, so explosions nearby are par for the course, IMO - as are deaths,m including of a journalist;   debunking of a video claimed to show partisans in Russia;  concerns about a sham referendum in a Russian occupied city;   Russia is increasing its speed of attacks in south and eastern Ukraine (I'm not surprised by the gains in the east, but hadn't expected Russia's gains in the south);  
  
• the medical needs of refugees;   the continuing impact on global food availability / prices;   more on the racist differences in responses to refugees;   there are risks of trafficking and/or exploitation of refugees in Poland - partly as a result of well-meaning by ignorant people;  
  experiences of those in Ukraine here, here, here;
  on human rights abuses, see here (on mass starvation), here, here, evidence confirms women were raped by Russian soldiers before being murdered;
   
• on international affairs (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• “the 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus ... a resolution requiring the five permanent members of the Security Council to justify their use of the veto”;   a rejection of claims Australia's intelligence agencies didn't know in advance of the China-Solomon Islands agreement;   Indonesia is adopting the divide-and-rule approach in West Papua;  
  
• as Russia's disinformation campaigns in Africa are mapped, Cameroon has signed up to receiving Russia’s notorious human-rights-abusing mercenaries - and China is “helping” with debt restructuring . . . ;  
  
• noting particularly Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter, the 1928 Pact of Paris used in post-WW2 trials, the "laws" of war and IHL and Article 20 of the ICCPR:   “world military expenditure passes [US] $2 trillion for first time”;   Shakespeare’s anti-war writing;   the problem of landmines in Libya;   the increasing complexity of peacekeeping;   achieving peace in Yemen requires talks with misogynistic bigots;  
   
  
•  on corruption (noting international  agreements and monitoring) and misgovernance: 
• a descendant of one of the most corrupt leaders in recent decades may be elected to political office . . . ;   a criticism of Australia's intelligence agencies;   a charity’s CEO has been stood down after endorsing a political candidate in a way that appeared to involve the charity (which I consider appropriate - the charity hadn't made any decision on the matter);   the Prime Minister's office is refusing to release correspondence between the PM and conspiracy extremists despite being ordered to do so;   gravely concerning revelations about a progressive party's internal culture in my home state;   in the same way that crime can be an outcome of poor economic conditions, an argument that addressing piracy requires requires addressing economic problems in the areas pirates come from;  
   
• on democracy (noting Article 25 of the ICCPR and monitoring  projects): 
• why a conservative US Senator stood up for minorities against a conservative elected representative’s hate rants;   POTUS45 has been found in contempt for refusing to obey a court order to release documents;   an opinion that Hungary's current government had twisted the system in its favour before the recent elections;   the EU has an action plan on human rights and democracy;   “Robert Golob and his liberal green party’s shock win over three-time Slovenian Prime Minister ... in Sunday’s parliamentary election signals a vote against increasing authoritarianism”;   the need for East Timor's government to listen;   a commentary on democracy in Nicaragua;  
   
• a criticism of the two major political parties in Australia over economic management;   a reposted criticism of mainstream media over gullibly being duped over “stopping the boats” claims;   a rebuttal of claims by neoliberals about Medicare;   “ 'dole bludger' narrative has always been destructive and that's why some people like using it”;   the demands of being a politicians;   a call to avoid online voting - which I agree with;   a political party is being investigated over its allegations of fraud;   “climate change, the environment and the cost of living” topped the list of electoral concerns/issues of one major paper’s readers;  
  noting the Yogyakarta Principles, on the attacks on transwomen in sport (which are actually attacks on all TGD people), see this defence, this support, this response which a media outlet refused to publish, this myth-busting, this on medical aspects, this summary of the science - and this summary,  this, legal action over unauthorised use of images etc by neochristian transphobes, this, this objection to a sportswoman’s image being used without her permission by transphobes, ... and, on the other hand - assuming this is true (NSW police have not received a complaint, and Federal police are refusing to comment), this unacceptable and stupid behaviour DOES NOT HELP!;  
  
  
• suppression of dissent in Hong Kong,   Turkey,   Mali (although “mirror sites” are helping),  NSW,   Afghanistan;  
  
• on human rights (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC): 
• human “rights experts call for action to address rising violence in Israel and occupied Palestinian territory” - see also here, here;   the ICC will ignore Venezuela’s attempt to obstruct its investigation;   the home aged care crisis is continuing;   renewed calls to release an aid worker Israel has been holding for years without trial or evidence of wrongdoing;   “the Australian government has missed a deadline to decide on compensation for victims of alleged war crimes in Afghanistan”;   a reminder not to lose focus on Syria;   “the Pakistan government should amend provisions of the criminal law that treat murder and other serious offences as private disputes”;   “European Union: rules for batteries should cover bauxite, copper, iron”;   “Anti-Semitism continues to rise across the world”;  
  
  
• as the AU seeks better funding for its mission to Somalia, violence in Darfur, Sudan (again!!!),   Mali and Burkina Faso,   South Sudan,   Pakistan,   Syria,   Ethiopia;
  
  
• noting the Genocide  Convention:  concerns about a possibly developing genocide of Muslims in India;  
  
  
• noting the conventions and the Global Compact on refugees:  “Tigrayan Ethiopian blue helmets in Sudan apply for asylum”;  
  
  
• noting the Yogyakarta Principles:   a breakthrough court decision moves South Korea towards decency;   the RSL of a town in a shire with an LGBTIQphobic mayor has stood up against the mayor and for inclusion;   homophobia in my home state;  
  
  
• noting ICERD and DRIP:   my home state’s “Indigenous truth-telling commission has opened public hearings”;   racist comments on social media are stifling expression;   a shield using in Indigenous martial arts (stick fighting) has been returned to country;   soldiers thinking blackface and wearing a KKK outfit are funny ... are these the sort of clueless morons we want representing Australia overseas - even in warzones?;  
  
  
• noting CEDAW:   “Brittany Higgins complains that AFP unlawfully disclosed evidence in her sexual assault case to defence team”;   Qld police appear to have backed away from a promise to reform how they handle police accused of domestic violence;   “silent treatment: how the justice system shuts out sexual assault victims, even after convictions”;   
  
  
• noting the CRPD:   the experiences of a person with a disability;  
  
  
• noting Article 19 of the ICCPR:   concerns over possible hate speech given the sale of a social media platform - but this would still apply;   “nearly 200 NSW police officers investigated for alleged social media breaches since 2019”;   “the Belarusian Association of Journalists ... was named . . . as the winner of this year‘s UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize”;  
  
  
• noting Article 6 (1) of the ICCPR,   Article 11 of the ICESCR,   Article 5 (e) (iii) (see here and here) of the ICERD,   Article 14 (2) (h) of the CEDAW,   Article 27 (3) of the CRC,   Article 28 of the CRPD,   and   Article 20 of the DRIP:    the problem of unaffordable housing - and an opinion that “this is partly because many politicians are landlords and have a vested interest in supporting demand for rental properties in the private market”;  
   
• on natural and other disasters (noting Article 1(3) of the UN Charter): 
• another fatal explosion at another illegal oil refinery in Nigeria;   a vaccination campaign is underway to deal with an Ebola outbreak in the DRC;   drought in Ethiopia;  
   
• a ride sharing company has been fined for misleading customers over cancellations - and a phone company has been fined for overcharging; 
• have just found a website showing global maps on specific topics/aspects;
  
• “breed is not a good predictor of an individual dog’s behaviour” - stereotypes are WRONG.
  

(Should you elect to write to your elected representatives or others on these matters, it may be useful to familiarise yourself with the links shown in blue - or to at least refer to them. Don't forget to check whether your nation has ratified the treaty concerned.)