Issue 39 November 2007 - Introduction from the Editor
In this Issue we aim to cover contemporary developments at home and abroad and explore the links.
We are grateful to Morag Alexander who writes in her new capacity as Commissioner and Chair of the Scotland Committee of the newly established GB Equalities and Human Rights Commission. Morag explores some aspects of the relationship between the GB Commission and the pending Scottish Commission for Human Rights which is expected to begin to be operational early next year.
Scott Blair provides a case digest, including the awaited important Somerville decision, as well as offers some interesting context as regards some of the issues relating to the question of Amer Anwar and contempt of court proceedings.
This is the Issue which will also of course take us into the year of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of December 10, 1948.
This is timely in a number of respects.
Globally and within the UN system it provides an opportunity to reflect upon what has been achieved and, more importantly, the need of its renewal and application to today's challenges.
Part of the ongoing reforms of the UN human rights system is the creation of the Human Rights Council which in turn is initiating a new reporting and accountability mechanism for states' implementation of their international human rights treaty obligations.
This is called the Universal Periodic Review-when a state is asked to regularly report at the same time on all of its obligations under all of the treaties it has ratified. It replaces a system where a state reported periodically and at different times to the individual treaty bodies.
Accordingly, it should provide a more coherent picture of the state of human rights in a particular country, and the Concluding Observations (recommendations to the state on better implementation) of the UN committee hearing the report will better inform public debate and the ongoing work of the human rights community within that state.
Of significance is that the United Kingdom will be one of the first states to so report next April in Geneva.
Whilst both of the new Commissions within the UK may not yet be in a position, on this occasion, to as effectively participate as in the future in this reporting and hearing process, the Concluding Observations will certainly serve them both well in their ongoing work of the promotion and protection of human rights.
The 60th Anniversary also provides a timely opportunity for both Commissions- as well as a host of other legal and public bodies-to stimulate public awareness of the breadth and value of human rights to all aspects of life.
It has been a source of disappointment that so much of public and political discourse over the past few years has presented human rights in a negative and distorted light as serving only the so-called least deserving in society.
The website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at www.ohchr.org provides a monthly newsletter promoting the 60th Anniversary and is well worth a visit for ideas as to what each of us can do to play a part.
You will enjoy a poem written by Ashby McGowan, a Glasgow school technician, which appears on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at
www.ohchr.org /english /about/ docs/newsletter_60th_n3 _en.pdf