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Introduction: Human Rights In The Middle East And North Africa (Mena), Raslan Ibrahim

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The wave of revolutions and popular uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the dawn of 2011 highlights the inescapable relevance and impact of human rights on the region’s politics and security. The Arab regimes’ violations of human rights and lack of respect to the human dignity of their citizens are in fact the seeds of the Jasmine revolution in Tunisia, the rebellion of the Egyptian people against Mubarak regime, as well as the ongoing uprisings across the rest of MENA. The women and men who are protesting in the streets of Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Syria, Yemen, …

Persecution Of Coptic Christians In Modern Egypt, Alla Rubinstein

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The Christian community of Egypt dates back to the seventeenth century and comprises 12 per cent of the population today. As one of the oldest churches of the world, the Coptic Christian Church, first formed in Alexandria, has stood resilient and faithful to its traditions against intolerance, siege and persecutions. Having been present in most institutions of the state among the overwhelmingly Sunni-Muslim population, Copts are not new to the slow process of Islamization that Egypt has been undergoing for the last twenty years. What has been unique to the recent Coptic experience is the forced integration of Shari’a law …

Dying For Love: Homosexuality In The Middle East, Heather Simmons

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Today in the United States, the most frequent references to the Middle East are concerned with the War on Terrorism. However, there is another, hidden battle being waged: the war for human rights on the basis of sexuality. Homosexuality is a crime in many of the Middle Eastern states and is punishable by death in Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran (Ungar 2002). Chronic abuses and horrific incidences such as the 2009 systematic murders of hundreds of “gay” men in Iraq are seldom reported in the international media. Speculation as to why this population is hidden includes the …

On Visibly Dangerous Silliness, Anthony Chase

Human Rights & Human Welfare

“Silly” is what Ramadan calls the Swiss minaret referendum. He urges, in response to its passage, that Swiss Muslims be more rather than less visible. Each point is worth reflection. How and why does silliness transform itself into danger? And how and why is visibility the correct response to such danger—even if it leads in directions Ramadan may not suspect?

Iraq Mine Action Strategy (2010-2012), Gichd

Global CWD Repository

The first draft of a mine action strategy in Iraq was formulated in 2004 in line with the urgent requirement to structure and organize mine action in Iraq in order to support national development priorities in line with the National Development Strategy (NDS).

At the time of the development of this strategy it was not clear what the role of each of the involved Ministries, civil society organizations and the United Nations support program for mine action, which made it incapable of achieving it goals in a manner consistent with that stage.

And thus the current mine action strategy was …

Evaluation Of The Humanitarian Mine Action Activities Of Norwegian People's Aid, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This report presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations of an evaluation of the Norwegian support to Norwegian People's Aid's mine action programmes commissioned by Norad's Evaluation Department and undertaken by COWI A/S. The evaluation provides information on the results of Norwegian People's Aid's humanitarian mine activities, and provides recommendations that can be used in future identification, design, and implementation of humanitarian mine activities.

Portfolio Of Mine Action Projects 2010, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

Since the anti-personnel mine-ban treaty was adopted in September 1997, mine action has helped an ever-increasing number of civilians reclaim their lives and restore their livelihoods. The treaty has helped mobilize the international community’s response to landmines and their impact on people. It is a testament to what can be achieved when we collectively take on a grave humanitarian and development challenge.

The United Nations pledges to assist mine-affected countries in meeting their obligations under the anti-personnel mine-ban treaty and other international norms related to mine action. The United Nations continues to clear areas known or believed to be contaminated …

Study Of The Effects Of Aging On Landmines, Cisr

Global CWD Repository

Most of the mines that currently threaten populations were manufactured more than 50 years ago and many have been in the ground for 30 years or more. Despite the inevitable and obvious deterioration, there has been very little research into the effects of aging on landmines. In 2008, James Madison University (JMU), the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR), and C King Associates Ltd (CKA) began a study designed to understand the aging process and the range of implications for the various components of mine action. The two-and-a-half year study was funded by grants from the US Department of …

The International Center 2010 Annual Report, International-Center

Global CWD Repository

The International Center 2010 Annual Report

Humpty Dumpty Institute 2010 Annual Report, Hdi

Global CWD Repository

Humpty Dumpty Institute 2010 Annual Report

Danish Refugee Council 2010 Annual Report, Drc

Global CWD Repository

In the international area, we help displaced people with identification papers and papers documenting their right of ownership, etc. In this way, DRC advocates the cause of displaced people applying a rights-based approach.

Advocacy can be complicated and may affect our programme activities. We live in a globalised world, and therefore, what we say in Denmark will be heard far and wide. A couple of years ago, DRC was critical of the forced return of Tamil asylum seekers at a time when the war was at its highest, which was why we were concerned about the fate of the Tamil …

Evaluation Of The United Nations Mine Action Programme In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Anne Capelle, Chris Lang

Global CWD Repository

The team found that mid to long term planning was insufficient to meet the changing context of the country. There team felt that there was a clear lack of congruence between mine action strategies and the countrywide priorities and strategic direction. The team believes that there is currently too much emphasis placed on creating a functional national mine action structure to the detriment to mid to long term planning for actual clearance activities in the country. The team also found that limited consideration has been placed on ensuring a long term solution to dealing with any residual mine and UXO …

The Materialization Of Human Trafficking In The Middle East And Impediments To Its Eradication, Mindy Mann

Human Rights & Human Welfare

As a continental hub that connects Asia, Africa, and Europe, the Middle East offers a strategic location for the trafficking of persons from poor to richer states. Extreme poverty, coupled with the corporate and royal wealth of the Gulf States, creates a regional dichotomy in which Middle Eastern states serve as ‘source,’ ‘transit,’ and ‘destination’ countries for human trafficking. Discrepancies in defining human trafficking within the region, as well as the controversial and illicit nature of the practice, cause research to be sparse and with very few first-hand sources. Nevertheless, this paper examines available literature on the subject and addresses …

The Loss Of Egypt’S Children, Cindy Ragab

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Under the fierce rays of the desert sun, in the heat of the summer, young children are forced to remove pests from cotton crops for eleven hours per day, search for recyclable goods among animals and the pungent stench of city dumps, and are sold to elderly male tourists through temporary marriages by their parents. This is the hideous reality for millions of child laborers in Egypt. Child labor is a manifestation of the pains of extreme poverty on the world’s most vulnerable population. Childhood is lost. Children are forced to take on responsibilities that in normal circumstances push adults …

Political Repression And Islam In Iran, Amy Kirk

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Signs with the slogan, ‘I am Neda’, flooded the streets of Tehran in the violent aftermath of the 2009 presidential elections and assassination of Neda Agha-Soltan. The internationally publicized video of Neda’s death became an iconic rallying point for the reformist opposition in Iran. Stringent clampdowns since the 1979 revolution have signified a sociopolitical change that has endured for three decades. President Khatami’s reform efforts of the late 1990s were stifled by Ahmadinejad’s election of 2005. Since Ahmadinejad’s appointment there has been little official tolerance for political and fundamental Islamic dissent, leading to serious human rights violations against the reformist …

January Roundtable: Introduction

Human Rights & Human Welfare

An annotation of:

“My compatriots' vote to ban minarets is fuelled by fear” by Tariq Ramadan. The Guardian. November 29, 2009.

Of Minarets, Headscarves, And Cartoons, Kurt Mills

Human Rights & Human Welfare

It is difficult not to agree with Tariq Ramadan. The fear of and discrimination against Muslims in Western societies since 9/11 is clear and worrying. The anti-Muslim populism he cites is real, although it may also be part of a broader anti-immigrant populism. The posters he describes are extremely disturbing, and reminiscent of World War II propaganda. They are an artifact of fear of the misunderstood “other.”

Minarets Vote Compromises Human Rights For Everyone, Anna Talbot

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Minarets, like church steeples, are a physical manifestation of religion. There is little doubt, then, that their recent banning in Switzerland following a referendum constitutes a breach of the right to freedom of religion, with respect to the right to manifest ones religion. This right is protected under a number of instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 18), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) (Article 18), and the European Convention on Human Rights (Article 9). Under these instruments, the right to manifest ones religion can only be limited if such a limitation is necessary …

Ddasaccident661, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

At 11:30 hrs on 15th Dec 2009, [the Victim] the Team Leader of the EOD -01 was working as a deminer and trying to identify the actual mined area. While he was excavating on a signal by a pick, he hit the mine and it caused to the accident. As [the Victim] was not well prepared and fully dressed with PPE, he has got severe injures to face, eyes and forehead.

Ddasaccident765, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The deminer was instructed by his Section Leader to move the UXO and place the item concerned in the demolition pit, which was located 21 metres away from the deminer’s working area / lane. On the way to the demolition pit the deminer accidentally dropped the UXO and according to the Section Leader, the deminer dropped the UXO directly on to stone that was in the ground and subsequently the UXO detonated. Timings for the accident were recorded as follows:

Recommendations For National Action Plans On Victim Assistance, Hi

Global CWD Repository

Handicap International has drawn up these recommendations to support stakeholders involved in creating and updating National Action Plans on Victim Assistance throughout the period 2010-2014 in accordance with the Cartagena Action Plan and other international humanitarian and human rights standards. These stakeholders include countries affected by mines/explosive remnants of war (ERW), survivors, disabled persons’ organizations (DPO) and other civil society representatives, international organizations and countries committed to international cooperation.

9th Meeting Of The States Parties To The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (2008), Apmbc

Global CWD Repository

The 9MSP was a formal meeting of the 156 States which have accepted the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction. It was held in accordance with Article 11 of the Convention and pursuant to the decisions of the 2004 First Review Conference and the 2007 Eighth Meeting of the States Parties (8MSP).

The 9MSP was particularly significant in the life of the Convention. It was the first meeting in which States Parties’ requests for extensions of Article 5 deadlines were considered. It was also the last opportunity …

Ddasaccident668, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 17 Nov 2009 at 09:15 hrs when [Name removed] the land owner was trying to cultivating his land, he has discovered an AT (M-19) mine. Luckily the mine has not exploded. Later on the mine handed over to ISAF for destruction.

Ddasaccident596, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The clearance operation on mentioned task was started by [Demining group] DT-12 on 1st of November 09. On 10th of November 09 at 07:40, while the second break period started, the team leader of the team asked a deminer for his scraper and then walked down to a clearance lane without informing any other team members of his intention. On 07:42 Team leader initiated a POMZ mine causing him to receive the injuries that led to his death. He ignored his job description and the [Demining group] SOPs. He may have been thinking that this POMZ is of no danger, …

Ddasaccident620, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 5th Nov 2009 at 08:45 am deminer [Victim No.1] was working in his clearance lane: he was removing excavated soil from the target spot that suddenly his excavation tool touched a mine and caused it to go off. As a result of the accident, the deminer got severe injuries to his face, eyes and left hand (lost his one eye).

A Guide To The International Mine Action Standards 2010, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

IMAS are standards issued by the United Nations to guide the planning, implementation and management of mine action programmes. They are a framework for the development of national mine action standards. This handbook contains all IMAS in brief, explains the purpose of the IMAS and the requirements of the different standards in a clear way, serving as a quick reference for mine action practitioners to understand core IMAS issues.

Linking Mine Action And Development | States Affected By Mines/Erw, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Mine action programmes often are not linked early and strongly enough with key development actors. Despite the availability of extensive research documenting the need for greater coordination between mine action and development organisations, concrete guidance for practitioners and policy-makers on how to link mine action with development has been lacking. In response, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Development has published guidelines on how to ensure mine action promotes development in mine-affected countries. More specifically, the guidelines seek to:

• Increase awareness that landmines and other remnants of conflict block development in many affected countries

• Strengthen coordination between mine action and …

Ddasaccident601, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 1st Nov 2009, at 02:45 pm during the rest time, [the Victim] a deminer of mentioned team found an unknown item and tried to touch it. According to the investigation report, the item was a rifle Grenade of 40mm which was exploded as a result of irresponsible action of the victim deminer. As it was the break time of the team and the deminer was without visor and PPE, therefore, he lost his right hand, left eye and sustained jaw and leg fracture.

Ddasaccident708, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

The 39-year-old [the Victim], a MACC member from Mozambique, died after an anti-tank mine exploded at approximately 8am yesterday in a minefield near Yeri, some 10 kilometres south-east of Nicosia.

Ddasaccident646, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 11 Oct 2009 at 12:15 am while [the Victim] deminer was excavating a detected signal in his clearance lane, his bayonet hit top of an anti-personnel mine and caused it to go off. According to the investigation report, it seems that the deminer started the excavation drill directly from the centre of the detected signal by his bayonet and caused the mine to be exploded. The deminer had the PPE and visor but as the visor was not properly used so he got some superficial injuries on his face, eyes.