Category Archives: Law and Justice

The IBA Profile – Azizah al-Hibri

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Here is my latest article published in IBA Global Insight:

The founder and chair of KARAMAH – Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights was appointed to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom in June 2011. Here she shares her views on women’s rights in the Middle East, the developments and implications of the Arab Spring and Western perceptions of the Muslim world since 9/11.

In March this year, over the course of some of the most turbulent days in recent Egyptian history, US-based charitable and education organisation KARAMAH – Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights – conducted three workshops in Cairo. While many other organisations would have shied away from tackling contentious issues on Egyptian soil during this period, KARAMAH took the opportunity to bring together hundreds of scholars and intellectual leaders to discuss Islam, the rule of law and women’s rights in the country’s capital.

Published on 06-10-11. Read on here

Eurozone crisis: reform fatigue a key trend says EBRD chief counsel

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Here is my latest piece published in the IBA Global Insight newsfeed:

Following in the footsteps of its Eurozone neighbours Spain, Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus, fears of deteriorating growth this week saw Italy become the latest country to fall victim to Standard & Poor’s credit downgrading.

As this most recent downgrading demonstrates, the challenges facing the European financial markets are numerous and increasingly complex.

During a plenary session at Session 480, ‘The Rule of Law in a Globalized World’, at the Salzburg Global Seminar, Carlos Primo Braga, Special Representative and Director for Europe External Affairs at the World Bank, and Michel Nussbaumer, chief counsel of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), spoke about the short-term and long-term prospects and challenges to growth in Europe.

Published on 23-09-11. Read on here

Siemens GC Peter Solmssen on governance, corruption and democracy

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Here is my latest piece published in the IBA Global Insight newsfeed:

Since 2006, the exposure of a series of bribery, corruption and price-fixing scandals at Siemens has led to numerous court hearings and multi-million dollar fines. Peter Solmssen, then executive vice-president and general counsel of GE Healthcare, was brought in to ‘clean up’ the company and firmly bring the issue of compliance to the table.

Solmssen’s experience and knowledge of how compliance systems work made him an ideal choice for the rather daunting task of general counsel and member of the managing board of Siemens AG.

Solmssen spoke about his experiences in a plenary session on governance, corruption and democracy at Session 480, ‘The Rule of Law in a Globalized World’, at the Salzburg Global Seminar, in August 2011.

Published on 15-09-11. Read on here

Mining Conflicts are a Great Challenge Facing Humala’s Government

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My latest blog for Huffington Post UK:

Last month UK-based company Monterrico Metals agreed to an out-of-court settlement to 33 Peruvian farmers over claims of abuse during protests in Rio Blanco in northern Peru in 2005. As incoming President Ollanta Humala lines up his cabinet, there are still many questions hanging over the exploitation of Amazon territory and the treatment of indigenous communities.

As with many other Latin American countries, Peru is no stranger to protests over mineral exploitation or other energy-related projects. Yet as a country which has some of the most sought after mineral resources in the world, the recent case with Monterrico has exposed the ugly side of foreign investment in Peru. In August 2005, 33 farmers were taking part in a protest over human rights when they were detained and tortured at a copper mine owned by Monterrico in Rio Blanco. Five protesters were shot and two female protesters were sexually abused in the attack. Although the exact amount of compensation has not been disclosed, the settlement marks a significant milestone in accountability and corporate social responsibility for mining companies in the country. Richard Meeran, a partner at UK firm Leigh Day & Company that represented the farmers, said “This constitutes a salutary lesson for multinationals operating in developing countries.”

Published on 08-08-11. Read on here

The Struggle for Africa – The fight to establish law and justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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Here is my latest article published in IBA Global Insight:

While the Democratic Republic of Congo is among the world’s most resource-rich countries, it has also been crippled by war and corruption. IBA Global Insight assesses the ongoing fight to establish law and justice in the heart of Africa.

In June last year, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) celebrated 50 years of independence from Belgium. Despite the festivities, the country had little to celebrate. The DRC has been characterised by brutality for over a decade and an estimated 5.4 million people have died from the effects of the country’s two recent wars. Although the 2006 election – the country’s first free elections for four decades – suggested progress, the country has seen the rape of more than 200,000 women and children over the past 12 years. The eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, which share a border with Rwanda, have been two of the areas most affected by violence, displacement and insecurity due to continuous clashes between rebel groups, pro-government militia and the armed forces.

Published on 03-08-11. Read on here

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