One year after the US-China semiconductor war began and less than two months after the G7 countries decided to de-risk from China in response to concerns about China’s human rights record, its aggressive trade practices, and its military expansion, Beijing adopted a new foreign relations law on July 1 allowing for the punishment of any group [...]
In the past few years, the Indian Judiciary has maintained a steady trend of supporting queer rights in the country. In 2018, the Supreme Court issued a landmark verdict decriminalizing queer sexual relationships in India. Activists, allies, and parts of civil society celebrated the decision as the beginning of a promising era for the LGBTQ+ [...]
Pakistan’s transgender community finds itself embroiled in an ongoing struggle for inclusion, facing a recent setback with a verdict from the Federal Shariat Court (FSC). Transgender activists in Pakistan have appealed the judgement of the Federal Shariat Court (“FSC”), which adjudicates based on the tenets of Islam, to the Supreme Court (“SC”). As many as [...]
While animal rights organizations like PETA are advocating an unparalleled realm of animal protection by prompting people to convert to veganism and altogether avoiding animals in food, clothing, and drug-testing, India is still stuck in a conservative era where animals are cruelly treated in the name of upholding the “tradition and culture” of a community. [...]
Under the current conditions in Afghanistan, delivering humanitarian aid seems not only a noble endeavor but also an imperative. However, there are challenges for humanitarian actors. Most of the challenges stem from restrictions created by the Taliban, the disastrous situation of the country, the difficulty of reaching out to a large population, and dangers and [...]
The Supreme Court of India (SC) recently delivered a notable judgement in Aureliano Fernandes v. State of Goa & Ors, highlighting “serious lapses” in the effective administration of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013 or the POSH Act. The SC yet again directed the concerned authorities to ensure [...]
A critical presidential election is scheduled to take place on May 14 in Turkey. Nonetheless, there have been heated discussions over the constitutionality of President Erdogan’s candidacy. Erdogan was elected president for the first time in August 2014, following his role as prime minister beginning in 2003. In June 2018, Erdogan was elected as president [...]
The ongoing battle over the proposed construction of a new airport in the Albanian city of Vlora has sparked fierce debate among environmentalists worldwide. As Prime Minister Edi Rama pushes forward with plans for the airport, hundreds of young Albanians have taken to the streets to protest what they see as an impending “environmental disaster.” [...]
Access to justice is a foundational principle of the rule of law and is often phrased as requiring “the right of equal access to justice for all” through governments providing “fair, transparent, effective, non-discriminatory and accountable services.” In Australia, this principle was described in Dietrich v. The Queen as “the equal justice for all principle.” [...]
The act of donating blood is often lauded as a benevolent and altruistic act with the potential to save countless lives. However, members of the LGBTQ+ community are routinely excluded from participation in this philanthropic endeavour. Recently, the Indian government, citing scientific data, defended its decision to forbid LGBTQ+ individuals from donating blood. This issue [...]
