CCJO René Cassin
Encyclopedia
CCJO RenéCassin is an organisation of Jewish people committed to the promotion of universal human rights
. The group aims to build on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
, one of whose authors, René Cassin
, was the president of the Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations (CCJO). The CCJO is a human rights organisation founded in 1946 that has consultative status at the United Nations and other international organisations.
They have accreditation to the United Nations
through their affiliation with the CCJO (Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations), which itself was founded by René Cassin, the Nobel Prize
Winner and one of the authors of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
CCJO René Cassin recently negotiated the first-ever reference to group / collective rights in a United Nations
instrument (The Basic Principles on Rights to Victims). The principles were adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 2005. The group has offered aid and assistance to other minority groups.
It has campaigned on refugee
rights, genocide
prevention, religious freedom, racial equality
and international restitution issues and has a human rights education programme.
The group has chapters in the UK, France
and Holland.
It is co-chaired by Maya Jaffe and Victoria Prais. In December 2005, it appointed its first full-time director, Clive Gabay. Sarah Kaiser replaced Gabay in November 2006. In October 2010, Kaiser was succeeded by Simone Abel, an attorney with previous experience at Human Rights Watch, New York, and two leading international law firms.
had all participated in a delegation to the former United Nations Commission
on Human Rights (now reformed as the United Nations Human Rights Council
)
organised by the Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations (CCJO).
At the Commission, the group was dismayed by the complete absence of a
Jewish voice speaking out on universal human rights issues. This experience
inspired them to set up RenéCassin to ensure that there would in future be a
Jewish voice speaking out for international human rights.
The group has campaigned at the UN and in other fora on issues including
immigration
, terrorism
and torture
. In 2005, as part of a campaign for
restitution for victims of genocide, RenéCassin representatives negotiated
the first-ever reference to group rights in a United Nations Instrument
(the
Basic Principles on Rights to Victims).
In 2003, RenéCassin began to engage with the Jewish community in the UK to
promote awareness of human rights and encourage activism, by hosting a
series of high-level public events, including panel debates and conferences.
Speakers at these events have included Dame Ruth Deech, Dr Indarjit Singh
and Peter Tatchell
.
RenéCassin was chaired for its first few years by two young lawyers, Alexander Goldberg
and Daniel Kingsley. The group employed its first full-time Director, Clive Gabay in 2005. This
enabled the further expansion and development of the group from a voluntary
to a professional organisation. Sarah Kaiser was employed as Director in
November 2006.
In 2007, RenéCassin launched the Jewish Human Rights Network to bring Jewish
people together to speak out for human rights, with the support of the Chief Rabbi
, the Attorney General
and representatives from across the Jewish
community and human rights community.
, the group hosted its first full-day conference entitled ‘What’s so Jewish about Human Rights?’ and the event has become an annual fixture.
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. The group aims to build on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly . The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled...
, one of whose authors, René Cassin
René Cassin
René Samuel Cassin was a French jurist, law professor and judge. A soldier in World War I, he later went on to form the Union Fédérale, a leftist, pacifist Veterans organisation...
, was the president of the Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations (CCJO). The CCJO is a human rights organisation founded in 1946 that has consultative status at the United Nations and other international organisations.
They have accreditation to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
through their affiliation with the CCJO (Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations), which itself was founded by René Cassin, the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
Winner and one of the authors of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
CCJO René Cassin recently negotiated the first-ever reference to group / collective rights in a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
instrument (The Basic Principles on Rights to Victims). The principles were adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 2005. The group has offered aid and assistance to other minority groups.
It has campaigned on refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
rights, genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
prevention, religious freedom, racial equality
Racial equality
Racial equality means different things in different contexts. It mostly deals with an equal regard to all races.It can refer to a belief in biological equality of all human races....
and international restitution issues and has a human rights education programme.
The group has chapters in the UK, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Holland.
It is co-chaired by Maya Jaffe and Victoria Prais. In December 2005, it appointed its first full-time director, Clive Gabay. Sarah Kaiser replaced Gabay in November 2006. In October 2010, Kaiser was succeeded by Simone Abel, an attorney with previous experience at Human Rights Watch, New York, and two leading international law firms.
Aims
- To work with the international human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
community to advance the human rights of all persons and communities around the world. - To take this agenda forward at the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and other appropriate fora. - To work with other Jewish organisations to increase awareness of human rights and encourage activism within JewishJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
communities on behalf of the dispossessed and oppressed of the world.
History
RenéCassin was established in 2000 by a group of young professionals Theyhad all participated in a delegation to the former United Nations Commission
on Human Rights (now reformed as the United Nations Human Rights Council
United Nations Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System. The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights , and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly...
)
organised by the Consultative Council of Jewish Organisations (CCJO).
At the Commission, the group was dismayed by the complete absence of a
Jewish voice speaking out on universal human rights issues. This experience
inspired them to set up RenéCassin to ensure that there would in future be a
Jewish voice speaking out for international human rights.
The group has campaigned at the UN and in other fora on issues including
immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
, terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
. In 2005, as part of a campaign for
restitution for victims of genocide, RenéCassin representatives negotiated
the first-ever reference to group rights in a United Nations Instrument
International human rights instruments
International human rights instruments are treaties and other international documents relevant to international human rights law and the protection of human rights in general...
(the
Basic Principles on Rights to Victims).
In 2003, RenéCassin began to engage with the Jewish community in the UK to
promote awareness of human rights and encourage activism, by hosting a
series of high-level public events, including panel debates and conferences.
Speakers at these events have included Dame Ruth Deech, Dr Indarjit Singh
Indarjit Singh
Indarjit Singh, Baron Singh of Wimbledon CBE , sometimes transliterated Inderjit Singh, is a British journalist and broadcaster, a prominent British Asian active in Sikh and interfaith activities, and a member of the House of Lords...
and Peter Tatchell
Peter Tatchell
Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British political campaigner best known for his work with LGBT social movements...
.
RenéCassin was chaired for its first few years by two young lawyers, Alexander Goldberg
Alexander Goldberg
Alexander Goldberg, b. Guildford in 1974 is a barrister, chaplain and human rights activist. He founded and chaired the CCJO René Cassin human rights group and is the Chief Executive of the London Jewish Forum and the Chaplain to the University of Surrey....
and Daniel Kingsley. The group employed its first full-time Director, Clive Gabay in 2005. This
enabled the further expansion and development of the group from a voluntary
to a professional organisation. Sarah Kaiser was employed as Director in
November 2006.
In 2007, RenéCassin launched the Jewish Human Rights Network to bring Jewish
people together to speak out for human rights, with the support of the Chief Rabbi
Jonathan Sachs
Jonathan Sachs was the programmer who co-founded Lotus Development Corporation with Mitch Kapor in 1982 and created the first version of the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet program...
, the Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
and representatives from across the Jewish
community and human rights community.
Issues and Campaigns
- Genocide and Crimes against Humanity: Darfur RenéCassin’s major international campaign in recent years has been to bring a peaceful resolution to the crisis in DarfurDarfur conflictThe Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...
. More specifically, they have called for United Nations peace-keepingPeacekeepingPeacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
forces to be sent to the area, a no-fly zone to be enforced over Darfur and support from the international community to pursue convictions for the perpetrations of the crimes against humanity at the International Criminal CourtInternational Criminal CourtThe International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
. In keeping with this, RenéCassin has repeatedly highlighted the situation in Darfur via interventions delivered to the United Nations Human Rights CouncilUnited Nations Human Rights CouncilThe United Nations Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations System. The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights , and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly...
. - Destitute Asylum Seekers A call for an end to the dispersal of asylum seekers to deprived areas around the country and the denial of both the right to work and benefits to asylum seekers who may not be able to return to their home country.
- Religious and Racial Discrimination RenéCassin supported the London Jewish ForumLondon Jewish ForumThe London Jewish Forum is dedicated to the promotion of Jewish life in London. The Forum provides a platform for engagement between London Jewry and the Greater London Authority, Mayor's Office, London Boroughs and MPs / MEPs. It works to promote the full and active engagement of the Jewish...
’s ‘Racism isn’t Kosher’ campaign in July 2007. RenéCassin prepared promotional materials on the Jewish commitment to anti-racism work for distribution at the Rise against Racism festival.
Education
RenéCassin has been committed to providing transformative human rights education since 2003, seeing it as key in fostering an appreciation of human rights within society. Developing a wide range of assemblies and workshops suitable for secondary school pupils, they have made a large investment in the education of school children. In 2008, on the Global Day for DarfurDay for Darfur
Day for Darfur is an international advocacy campaign that works to bring together activists in cities across the globe in calling for action on the crisis in Darfur, western Sudan....
, the group hosted its first full-day conference entitled ‘What’s so Jewish about Human Rights?’ and the event has become an annual fixture.
Jewish Human Rights Network
In May 2008 RenéCassin launched the Jewish Human Rights Network in an attempt to bring together the main Jewish human rights groups to strengthen the Jewish voice in the international community. Membership of the Network is open to any organisation or individual that signs up to the Declaration on Human Rights and Judaism. The Declaration has been signed by several notable figures within the Jewish community and wider human rights world including the President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Attorney General, Francesca Klug OBE and the Chief RabbiJonathan Sachs
Jonathan Sachs was the programmer who co-founded Lotus Development Corporation with Mitch Kapor in 1982 and created the first version of the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet program...