I decided to observe International Women’s Day (today, March 8) by highlighting several Australian women, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who had key roles in bringing about a constitutional referendum held in Australia on May 27, 1967, and in campaigning for the “yes” vote. The referendum contained questions related to two provisions in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against …
Today, January 26, is Australia Day, a national public holiday in Australia that commemorates the arrival of the “First Fleet” of convict ships that resulted in the establishment of the first British penal colony on the continent. It is considered Australia’s national day. On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip raised the British flag at Sydney Cove, a …
On this day fifty years ago, December 19, 1967, it was announced that the then-Prime Minister of Australia, Harold Holt, was officially presumed dead. Mr. Holt, who had been Prime Minister for 22 months, from January 1966, had disappeared two days earlier while swimming in the ocean at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, in the state of …
Fuchsia is a summer intern working on a project with the Global Legal Research Directorate and the Digital Resources Division. Describe your background. I was born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida. My dad worked overseas for most of my life and a lot of my family is overseas. As a child I also …
To secure the basic needs of children, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on November 20, 1989, the 30th anniversary of its Declaration of the Rights of the Child. The Convention went into force on September 2, 1990 when enough nations ratified it. Currently, 196 nations have ratified the …
Last week I blogged about Israeli legislative and judicial efforts to assist Jewish women who cannot divorce their husbands (עגונות, agunot, literally “chained”; עגונה, agunah in singular). In accordance with Jewish law, which applies to matters of marriage and divorce of Jewish residents and citizens of Israel, a valid divorce requires the consensual delivery by the husband and receipt …
What impact do prolonged periods of stress and fear have on a soldier’s behavior? Do the horrors of war and terrorist acts justify conduct that would otherwise be unlawful? While such circumstances do not seem to amount to justification for violating the law, it is notable that “exceptional stressors” and constant threats faced by soldiers were recently considered …
