On September 3, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty released to the public a report, “Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading: Criminalization of Homelessness in the U.S. under the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights,” (http://nlchp.org/content/pubs/Cruel1.pdf) addressing concerns raised by the U.N. Human Rights Committee in its review of the U.S.
The report, co-authored with the Yale Law School Allard K. Lowenstein Human Rights Clinic, and endorsed by 23 other international, national, and local organizations, responds to a written question to the U.S. from the Human Rights Committee in March, as it prepares for its regular review of the U.S. for compliance with its human rights obligations, to take place on October 17-18 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The report clarifies that criminalization of homelessness, or penalizing homeless persons for basic life activities, such as sleeping, sitting, eating, or even going to the bathroom in public when they have no private alternatives, or targeting homeless persons for enforcement of other laws like jaywalking or littering, violates numerous rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a treaty ratified by the U.S. in 1992. It also discusses violations of the right to vote, to family , and nondiscrimination.
Speakers include:
Eric Tars, National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
Hope Metcalf, Yale Law School Allard K. Lowenstein Human Rights Clinic
Amy Sawyer & Liz Osborn, US Interagency Council on Homelessness
Come and learn about the rights involved, as well as the process of review by the U.N. Human Rights Committee and how you can make human rights real in your community!
Title: Cruel, Inhuman & Degrading: Homelessness in the U.S. Under the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights
Date: Monday, October 7, 2014
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Click here to register. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
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