FMSI reports for Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Malawi?s UPR
We are pleased to publish FMSI’s reports on Tanzania and Zimbabwe, submitted in March to the United Nations Human Rights Council in the framework of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) (the reports are available on the ‘UN Monitoring Mechanisms’ section of this website). The review of both countries will take place in October 2011, during the 12th session of the UPR working group.
The UPR is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. It is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations. FMSI uses these mechanisms as opportunities to advocate for the rights of children in countries where there is a Marist presence.
The report on Tanzania is a joint submission of FMSI and Franciscans International (FI). The human rights concerns in this submission relate to the following areas: justice system and conditions in prisons, human trafficking, indigenous peoples rights, and the right to education. Each section of the report conveys recommendations to the Tanzanian Government.
The focus of the report on Zimbabwe is the provision of education in the country, and more specifically free and compulsory education, equality of access to primary school, children with disabilities, relevance of the curriculum, girls access to school, the Convention of the Rights of Children in schools, the availability of secondary education, quality teaching and working conditions for teachers, and school infrastructure. The report proposes recommendations in order to improve the right to education for all children of school age in Zimbabwe.
In April 2010 FMSI, together with Franciscans International, Centre for Social Concern, Missionaries of Africa and Pax Romana, presented a joint submission for the UPR of Malawi (the report is available on this website, in the ‘UN Monitoring Mechanisms’ section). On the 16th of March, Br. James Jolley, the Director of Child Rights Advocacy and Training of FMSI, presented a two minute oral statement at the Human Right Council on Malawi’s final phase of the process.
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FMSI – Fondazione Marista per la Solidarietà Internazionale – ONLUS