Czech Centre for Human Rights and Democracy
The Centre is an independent academic institution monitoring human rights developments both domestically and worldwide, issuing a monthly Bulletin, as well as organizing conferences.
In a world facing unprecedented global migration challenges, non-governmental organizations have played a crucial role in saving lives at sea through search and rescue operations. However, a recent development in Italian legislation, coupled with practices by Italian authorities, have raised concerns about the effectiveness of these humanitarian efforts.
When discussing gender equality and gender-based violence, it is important to address the concept of machismo. Machismo refers to traditional gender roles within a society, often transmitted from one generation to another and seen as “normal”. This article will help us understand the causes of machismo, its influence, and its consequences on society.
In March this year, the international Horizon project, supported by the European Union, was launched with the participation of over ten universities from European and non-European countries.
The Indonesian Parliament has passed a new criminal code. Sex outside of marriage will now be punishable by up to a year in prison. Insulting the president, blasphemy or spreading information on contraception are also considered criminal offenses. The new changes have brought a huge wave of negative criticism not only in Indonesia, but also around the world.
With the rising intensity of environmental difficulties ecocide has achieved more widespread recognition and broader awareness. The UN Human Rights Council’s recognition of the right to a healthy environment as a human right in October 2021 constitutes a breakthrough in environmental law understanding. It is no surprise that the world is currently witnessing renewed efforts to legally protect the environment and prosecute those responsible. One of these efforts is to legally recognize and criminalize ecocide. What is ecocide, how does it impact the world today, and what can be done about it?
The 27th UN Conference on Climate Change, also known as COP27, took place in November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The conferences have been held annually since the first United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. This time, the Czech Republic had the position of a country negotiating on behalf of the entire European Union, as it holds the presidency of the Council of the EU. The conference had high expectations, but not all of them were fulfilled.
In September 2022, Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Lipavský, addressed the UN Security Council as the first Czech in almost thirty years. In his speech, he strongly condemned Russian aggression against a sovereign state, expressed dismay at the crimes committed, mentioned the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and called on the international community to establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression. The establishment of such a tribunal is supported and called for by other international actors. What are the current prospects for its creation? And are there other mechanisms to pursue justice?