FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— January 27 2017

[NEW YORK] –   Today, Donald Trump followed through on one of his racist and xenophobic campaign promise—ban refugees and immigrants from largely Muslim countries. This ban is accompanied by a drastic reduction in the number of refugees the US will take and a series of other undefined and vague provisions that could be used as a pretext to surveil and profile those who enter the United States.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— January 24 2017

[NEW YORK] –  Yesterday, Donald Trump re-instated the Global Gag Rule, as every Republican president since Ronald Reagan has done since taking office. Unlike his predecessors, Trump far expanded the reach of the Gag Rule.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— January 23 2017

[NEW YORK] –  Today, Mr. Trump reinstated the Global Gag Rule, an executive policy that extends Congressional abortion restrictions on foreign assistance by barring US foreign aid from going to any foreign organization that performs or provides information about abortions as a method of family planning.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— January 22 2017

[NEW YORK] –  Today marks the 44th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe vs. Wade, two days after the inauguration of Donald Trump, and one day after millions of women all over the world marched in support of women’s rights. Any moment now Mr. Trump is expected to reinstate the Global Gag Rule, which bars US foreign aid from going to any foreign organization that performs or provides information about abortions as a method of family planning.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— January 20 2016

[NEW YORK] – Today, as Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45^th President of the United States, it is important to remember that no one—and no country—is above the law. Over the course of his presidential campaign, Mr. Trump has expressed his attitude on a range of issues, from abortion to immigration to torture, that are antithetical to the notion of human rights. Many of his proposed policies, if enacted, would put him or the US in violation of international law.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—December 9, 2016

[NEW YORK] — Today the United Nations marks the second International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of the Crime. On this day, as we reflect on the legacy of genocide, yet again the international community is failing to take action in face of an ongoing genocide. ISIS is committing  genocide, including through acts of rape and sexual slavery, against the Yazidi and other ethnic minorities, and the world must take immediate action to stop these atrocities.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—November 14, 2016

[NEW YORK and GEVENA (OMCT-GJC)] — Tomorrow, the Committee Against Torture (CAT), during its 59^th session, will examine Sri Lanka’s fifth State party report. In October, the Global Justice Center (GJC) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) jointly submitted an alternative report focused on how Sri Lankan law violates the Convention Against Torture by banning abortion in most circumstances, and by authorizing rape in certain instances and child marriage.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—June 27, 2016

[Windhoek, Namibia] –  The African Caribbean Pacific (ACP)- European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) adopted a resolution on rape and sexual violence against women and children in armed conflict that recognized rape as an element crime of genocide when commmitted with the intent to destroy the targeted group.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 14, 2016

[NEW YORK, NY] –  It is now two years since Boko Haram abducted nearly 300 Chibok Christian schoolgirls. The loud global rallying cry, which included Michelle Obama, to “Bring Back Our Girls”, has not stopped Boko Haram from targeting women and girls with heinous crimes including kidnappings, rapes, forced pregnancies, forced conversion, and murder by forced suicide.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 17, 2016

[WASHINGTON, DC]– This morning, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that Daesh is committing genocide against ethnic minorities, including Yazidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims. This is the first genocide the US has recognized since Darfur in 2004.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 21, 2014 

[NEW YORK, NY & GENEVA] - Today marks the 20th anniversary of U.S. ratification of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). Yet to this day, the U.S. repeatedly fails to meet its commitments under the treaty with its abortion restrictions on foreign assistance to girls and women raped in armed conflict.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  - May 8,  2009

[NEW YORK, NY] - The Global Justice Center proudly announces the establishment of the Michael Sandler Fund for Global Justice.  Michael Sandler was the Founding Board Chair of the Global Justice Center and gave $650,000 to support pre-founding pilot projects and the initial start up funding to the Center. In just three years, his investment promoted gender justice and the highest global legal standards for equality.  The fund seeks to honor his lifetime commitment to social justice issues by matching the $650,000 that he gave to the Global Justice Center in the last years of his life.

Check out a report by Janet Benshoof, Founder and President of GJC, in which she discusses the new Burma constituion and the issues it proposes in respect to disenfranchising women from holding top positions in government.

Download here

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -October 24, 2008

[NEW YORK, NY] – On Monday October 27, 2008, the 42nd session of the CEDAW Committee (the enforcement body for the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women) will meet in Geneva to question representatives from Myanmar/Burma on the junta’s compliance with CEDAW, which they ratified July 22, 1997.

Check out a report by Andrea Friedman, Vice-President of GJC, in which she discusses the EU resolution that urges the UK to use its position in the Security Council to refer Burma to the ICC for the injustices committed by the military regime.

Download here

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -May 27, 2008

[NEW YORK, NY] – The United Kingdom should follow the recommendation of the Parliament of the European Union and use thepresidency of the UN Security Council to press for justice and accountability for the people of Burma by referring Senior General Than Shwe and his military regime to the International Criminal Court. The denial of humanitarian aid to the victims of Cyclone Nargis should serve as a wake-up call to the international community to the brutality and indifference of a military regime that for four decades has systematically used torture, gang rape of ethnic women, slavery, murder, mass imprisonment, and child soldiers to consolidate its power.

Check out a report by Andrea Friedman, Vice-President of GJC, in which she discusses the injustices commited by the Military Regime in Burma and the potential threat to global peace and security. 

Download here

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -May 22, 2008

[NEW YORK, NY] – Senior General Than Shwe’s denial of international humanitarian aid to the victims of Cyclone Nargis should come as no surprise to the international community. This negligence and refusal of access is part and parcel of the criminal nature of the regime and reflects their fear that the entire world will see first hand the results of decades of systematic human rights violations, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Today, the Parliament of the European Union made an important statement in the Joint Motion for Resolution on the tragic situation in Burma and recognized that those responsible for the crimes committed in Burma should be brought before the International Criminal Court. We applaud this step forward, however, any referral to the International Criminal Court must include the on-going use of torture, gang rape of ethnic women, forced labour, murder, mass imprisonment, and abduction of children to fill military quotas.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -February 5, 2008

[NEW YORK, NY] – Michael Sandler, Board President of the Global Justice Center, died this past Saturday. He was the founding President of the Board and he will be missed by his family, friends, and colleagues. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -October 17, 2096

[NEW YORK, NY] – Janet Benshoof, Director and Founder of New York-based NGO Global Justice Center, presented the keynote address at the Women’s Bar Association (WBA) Gala on October 17, 2006.  Approximately 1000 members of the legal community attended the event held at the Westin Copley Place Hotel in Boston.