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Mandate for Special Rapporteur on Water and Sanitation Adopted by UN HR Council March 25th, 2011
Winnemem Wintu Chief and Spiritual Leader Caleen Sisk-Franco discusses her village's sewer system with the U.N. Independent Expert Catarina de Albuquerque.
The UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution this morning extending the mandate on the human right to safe water and sanitation for another three years, and changing the powers of the Independent Expert to that of a special rapporteur.
This is good news. The mandate will continue with Catarina de Albuquerque in the position of Special Rapporteur. In this position, she will have enhanced powers: in addition to assisting governments to define the scope and content of the rights, she can engage with governments about complaints from affected individuals, communities, and civil society organizations on issues related to and possible violations of the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Furthermore, the resolution explicitly states the full list of criteria for the human rights to water and sanitation. These are listed below:
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Earth Hour – March 26th – Join the Movement! March 25th, 2011
Join millions around the world and turn off your lights at 8:30 on Saturday night. Together, we can make a difference.
San Antonio Recycling Growth Story Presented to UN March 11th, 2011
U.S. based recycling company, Greenstar Recycling has been discussing the role it played in helping San Antonio, Texas create a pathway to zero waste at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
San Antonio is home to the Oblate School of Theology and Oblates there have been active in promoting environmental awareness. Patti Radle, former San Antonio City Council member and current Oblate JPIC Committee member has carried this thinking into the Mayor’s office where she has encouraged a shift away from the use of bottled water. Together we can all make a difference!
Check out the blog on Sustainable Living in San Antonio…
Abolition of the Death Penalty becomes law in Illinois March 11th, 2011
On March 9, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation repealing the death penalty that state. The Oblate JPIC office commends the faith leaders and community groups – including many in the Oblate network – who worked hard to build a coalition to end the death penalty in Illinois. Since November of last year, the Oblate JPIC office has been providing advocacy resources and actions alerts to Oblate communities in Illinois to support their efforts to abolish the death penalty.
Learn more: Read the statement from the Catholic Bishops of Illinois.
Delta Airlines Signs Tourism Code of Conduct March 11th, 2011
First Major Airline to Combat Global Child Trafficking
Delta Air Lines has become the first major airline in the world to enter the fight against the commercial sexual exploitation of children by signing the tourism Code of Conduct (The Code). The Code specifically focuses on the protection of children from sexual exploitation in the travel and tourism industries. While The Code has been signed by almost 1,000 travel industry members worldwide, Delta is the first U.S. air carrier and the third U.S. organization to sign.
ECPAT (a nonprofit organization that advocates for policies to protect sexually exploited children) has put forward the Code of Conduct as a joint venture with the tourism private sector to stop the trafficking of children.
Sister Valerie Heinonen of Mercy Investment Services (and long-time ICCR member) was instrumental in the creation of this new partnership with Delta Air Lines. ICCR members have been pressing companies in corporate dialogs to take action against child and sex trafficking for several years.
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