Search Results for: equal protection

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated on Tuesday at the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council that the scale of human rights abuses in Haiti is unprecedented in its modern history. Türk expressed deep concerns over the serious rise in kidnappings and sexual violence, mainly against women and young girls, which [...]

This week in Scotland, a hate crime law that ranks among the world’s strictest entered into force. The Hate Crime and Public Order Act 2021 (Hate Crime Act) aims to modernize and consolidate protections while broadening the scope of recognized hate crimes to encompass a wider range of individuals and circumstances. In other words, the [...]

Yonatan Shapira is an ex-captain and pilot in the Israeli Air Force. In 2003, he helped coordinate the circulation of a letter that was signed by 27 Israeli Air Force pilots expressing their refusal to engage in Israeli military actions targeting Palestinians. Additionally, Shapira has endorsed the domestic Israeli movement supporting Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions [...]

The French National Assembly passed a bill on Thursday banning discrimination over the texture, length, color or style of a person’s hair on first reading. The bill will now go to the Senate for further approval. The proposed bill aims to amend the wording of existing anti-discrimination measures adopted in the labor code, penal code and [...]

The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) upheld a rule on Thursday, requiring members of a Yukon First Nation to live in its community if they wish to serve on its council. Cindy Dickson, a Canadian citizen and member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN), challenged a residency requirement imposed by the VGFN Constitution. The [...]

A US federal appeals court panel ruled Wednesday that the date requirement for mail-in ballots for Pennsylvania voters did not violate the Civil Right Act’s Materiality Provision, reversing a lower court’s decision. This ballot debate has remained ongoing since the enactment of Act 77, a voter reform bill in Pennsylvania. Act 77 requires Pennsylvania voters [...]

Saudi Arabia was elected chair of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) by “acclamation” on Wednesday after an unopposed bid for leadership with no dissent, despite outcry from human rights organizations ahead of the vote. Saudi Ambassador to the UN Abdulaziz Alwasil will assume the position. The CSW is dedicated to promoting gender [...]

The Thai House of Representatives approved Wednesday an equal marriage bill, with 400 favouring votes out of 415 members of the house. The bill still requires approval from the Senate and endorsement from the king. If the Senate and the king approve the legislation, Thailand will become the third Asian country/region that recognises same-sex marriage, after [...]

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging an Ohio ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors. The organization filed the suit along with the ACLU of Ohio and Goodwin, a global law firm, on behalf of two families whose children are at risk of losing access to such care. The ACLU [...]

The path toward gender equality is rife with hurdles at every turn, and despite significant progress over the years, setbacks often accompany our victories. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act of 2021 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘SRA’) permits married couples and divorced or widowed women aged 35 to 45 years to utilize surrogacy for having children. [...]