Day: May 16, 2017

UNICEF Malaysia applauds passing of Sexual Offences Against Children Bill 2017

Coordinator

Source: New Straits Times

A bill passed in Parliament recently will provide legal framework to deal with “new” offences such as online grooming and child pornography. Pic from Astro Awani.

KUALA LUMPUR: A bill passed in Parliament recently will provide legal framework to deal with “new” offences such as online grooming and child pornography.

In welcoming the passing of the Sexual Offences Against Children Bill 2017, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) believes more internet-connected children in the country are vulnerable to new forms of abuse and threat.

The passing of the bill tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman was described by Unicef as a positive step towards protecting children from sexual crimes.

It also brings Malaysia closer into alignment with existing international legal frameworks such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a human rights treaty under the United Nations. Read more →

Human rights for all — Suhakam

Coordinator

Source: The Malay Mail Online

MAY 16 — The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has been following the developments on the amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (RUU 355) with deep concern.

As an independent statutory body empowered to safeguard human rights and obliged to enlighten the public as primary stakeholders in the promotion and protection of human rights, Suhakam has the following observations to make:

(a) Caning and/or lashing in any setting violates the absolute prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment under international law. Suhakam also emphasises that all forms of torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment are absolutely prohibited by customary international law and international treaties that Malaysia has acceded to, including the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Read more →

Walk the talk on human rights, Amnesty tells govt

Coordinator

Source: FMT News

Human rights organisation launches Brave campaign to push government to put its human rights declaration in the UN into practice. Pic from FMT News.

KUALA LUMPUR: Amnesty International (AI) has launched a campaign to support “oppressed” activists to push for more effective implementation of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

The campaign, known as Brave, is meant to empower, protect and support global human rights defenders in the face of rampant arrests.

AI-Malaysia’s executive director Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu said Brave would push for the government to put the human rights declaration into practice.

“It’s time the government fulfils what they had promised earlier when they declared they acknowledged the role of human rights activists and the need to protect them,” she said at a press conference after the launch of the campaign.

The declaration provides specific protection for human rights defenders in the context of their work, including the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. Read more →

Khairy: Misogyny a hindrance to becoming developed nation

Coordinator

Source: The Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 ― A misogynistic society is a hindrance to becoming a developed nation, youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin has said.

In a Transformation Nasional 2050 (TN50) dialogue session last night, Khairy also spoke about the time social media trolls had mercilessly attacked national gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi for the leotard she wore instead of her twin gold medal wins.

“It was not the gold medal they were talking about. It was her leotard. I mean come on, what the hell did you expect her to wear? We are talking about rhythmic gymnastics here.

“It’s the same kind of attitude that you see on Facebook, on social media. Trying to tell women what to wear, not in a nice way. It’s in a way which says if you’re wearing  this, you’re going to go to hell. Excuse me, who made you God? These are the things we need to confront,” Khairy told the dialogue titled TN50: Wanita Pemacu Negara. Read more →