Transgender Nova Scotians Protected
Source:Chronicle Herald

Discrimination against transgendered people, including by employers, landlords, and service providers, will now be banned under Nova Scotia’s Human Rights Act. The Legislature amended the act to add ‘gender identity’ and ‘gender expression’ to the list of discriminatory factors because it was unclear if ‘sex,’ which was already on the list, covered transgender discrimination complaints.

Contraception a Universal Human Right
Source: Seattle Times

The United Nations Population Fund issued its annual report and declared that access to contraception is a universal human right. The report states that any obstacles in the path of a woman attempting to access contraception, whether legal, cultural, or financial, violate this right.

Rohingya Exodus to Malaysia
Source: The Irrawaddy

Rohingya Muslims in Burma continue to take the dangerous journey to Malaysia in an attempt to escape the violence and persecution they have faced for years. The Rohingya Muslims pay smugglers to take them to Malaysia and often face inhumane conditions during the journey. Some Rohingya are murdered and abandoned at sea.

Indonesia Shia Refugees Face Uncertainty
Source: The Jakarta Post

The Shia Muslim minority in East Java, who were displaced from their land after the majority Sunni Muslims attacked their village, are now beset by more problems. The local government ceased supplying food and water. Shia leaders met with the House of Representatives in Jakarta and asked for help, but they were met with indifference.

FARC Cannot Negotiate Land Restitution
Source: Colombia Reports

The Colombian government and FARC have convened in Havana, Cuba for peace talks. FARC criticized the country’s Victims and Land Restitution Act, which will restore land to hundreds of landowners who were displaced as a result of the nation’s violent conflict. However, the Agriculture Minister of Colombia announced that the Act is non-negotiable.
  

Honduras Criticized for Boy’s Death
Source: Time World

The United States criticized Honduran soldiers for killing a 15-year-old boy who drove through a military checkpoint. The U.S. government vetted and equipped the unit with a truck, which it used to chase the boy. US assistance to Honduras has reduced because of allegations of human rights abuses with impunity.

Violence Against Women Increases
Source: Allafrica.com

South Africa has continued to experience an increase in violence against women. Women who identify as lesbians are targeted for corrective rape, where it is assumed that once raped, the woman will be cured of her homosexuality. The country has been encouraged to safeguard the rights of all its citizens.

Eradicating Polio in Three Years
Source: Vanguard

The Dangote Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged to eradicate polio in Nigeria’s Kano state within the next three years. Dangote’s founder Alhaji Dangote expressed alarm that polio was still prevalent in Kano state while virtually extinct around the world. Both Foundations formed a partnership with the State government to reach that goal.

Abortions Rights March in Ireland
Source:France24

Thousands took to the streets advocating for abortions rights in Ireland following the death of an Indian-born dentist who died after being denied an abortion. Abortion is illegal in Ireland except when required to save a mother’s life. However, there is no legislation in place to safeguard this right.
 

UN Condemns Russia’s Record
Source:The New york Times

The United Nations Committee Against Torture criticized Russia for its poor compliance with the United Nations Convention against Torture. The Committee voiced concern over reports of threats and deaths of human rights advocates, as well as a newly enacted law requiring organizations to identify themselves as “foreign agents” if they receive funding outside of Russia.

Bahrain Not Delivering on Reforms
Source:The New York Times

An Amnesty International report criticized Bahrain’s government for failing to enact reforms promised in the wake of last year’s protests. It also notes that repression has deepened in recent weeks as the government has outlawed protests, divested activists of citizenship, and begun prosecuting clerics for delivering “politicized sermons.”

Fuel Subsidy Cuts Stir Trouble
Source: Haaretz

The Jordanian government’s decision to slash fuel subsidies has sparked renewed calls for an uprising against the country’s monarchy. The cuts have caused the price of cooking and heating fuel to double, spurring nationwide riots that have led to at least 200 arrests, seventy injuries, and one death.

Forum Shines Spotlight on Azerbaijan
Source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide

As world delegates gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan for the UN’s Internet Governance Forum, Azeri human rights activists assembled to advocate before the international media. The activists stress that the government has poor record on freedom of expression on the internet and in public, where it is now an offense to have "unsanctioned public gatherings."

 

India Renews Use of Capital Punishment
Source: Human Rights Watch

India broke its eight-year unofficial moratorium on capital punishment by hanging Ajmal Kasab for his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Human Rights Watch described the policy as a regression for the Indian justice system. Last November, the Supreme Court reanalyzed the standard for capital punishment and moved away from the "rarest of the rare" requirement.