Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash The situation for women in Ireland is increasingly grim. Every day, we hear of violence against women: assault, rape, and even murder. Women are unsafe in their own homes, harassed in nightclubs, and assaulted on our streets. If a woman cannot be safe at home, she can be…
Law and Justice
End the EU’s Patchwork of Animal Welfare Laws
Photo by Sam Carter on Unsplash A new report reveals that animal welfare issues are treated very differently by each of the EU’s 27 Member States. The authors, Eurogroup for Animals, say it shows that the EU must update and modernise the animal welfare legislation as soon as possible. This, it says, it needed to…
Human Rights Group Welcomes Gabriel Popoviciu’s Final Court Win in Romania
The Brussels-based NGO Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) has welcomed a 15 January 2025 decision by the High Court of Cassation and Justice in Bucharest to uphold a July 2024 decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal to fully exonerate Gabriel Popoviciu. Romania’s High Court of Justice and Cassation hearing was the final step in…
Building a Rights Based Society
Photo by Angsagan Kenzhebek on Unsplash The pursuit of human rights and democracy is a continuous journey – one that requires commitment, courage and tangible action in today’s unpredictable world. Despite all the challenges, for the past several years, Kazakhstan has demonstrated its strong commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law, writes…
Seeking Justice for Investors
Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash If Ukraine had more foreign and multinational investors, would the state have been stronger, and would there have been a higher chance that Russia would not dare to attack Ukraine? This rhetorical question is often heard from foreign investors looking to change how they are treated by the state…
Gabriel Popoviciu Absolved by Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice in final ruling
Romanian businessman Gabriel ‘Puiu’ Popoviciu’s lengthy legal battle has reached a final conclusion with a robust and final decision in his favour. On 15 January 2025, Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice, Romania’s equivalent of a Supreme Court, upheld an earlier decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal in July 2024 to completely acquit…
EU Citizens Locked Out of Rights in UK
Some EU citizens in the UK are being locked out of exercising their rights, a conference was told. The Civil Society EUSS Alliance, which comprises over 200 organisations working with communities across the UK, raised their concerns at a meeting in the UK Parliament. The event heard that many applicants face hurdles in trying to…
Kazakhstan Strengthening Human Rights
Photo by Joel Heard on Unsplash As the Vice Minister of Justice of Kazakhstan, I am proud to reaffirm our nation’s commitment to advancing human rights and adhering to international standards, writes Botagoz Zhakselekova. One of the key mechanisms through which we pursue these goals is the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – a process under…
Action To Combat Domestic Violence
Photo by Altin Ferreira on Unsplash European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has called for more action to combat the bullied victims of domestic violence who, she says, are often left “traumatised” by their ordeal. She was speaking in parliament to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. To honour victims, the…
Response to Russian Use of Chemical Weapons
On November 18, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) published a report confirming the use of chemical weapons by Russia during military operations against Ukraine. These actions constitute a severe violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), undermine the foundations of international law, and pose new threats to global security. Experts from…