11/10/2016 DisruptingTransportation:Uber'sGlobalChallengesDiplomaticCourier

Disrupting Transportation: Ubers Global

Challenges
July 7, 2014

Written by Mary Utermohlen, Editorial Intern

Smartphone apps are challenging the way we look at urban Republish

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transportation. One such app, the increasingly popular Uber, connects
passengers with drivers in urban areas, acting as a taxi service for the modern era,
although Uber founders Travis Galanick and Garrett Camp are careful not to call it
that.

Instead, they argue that Uber is a technology company that provides a service to
drivers and riders alike. Drivers that use Uber either own the cars themselves or
operate as a part of a taxi or limousine service and simply use the app for
additional income during breaks in their schedules. Passengers benefit from the
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simplicity involved in the apps use: to order a ride, you simply drop a pin at your
location, and wait for your ride to arrive. The cost of the trip (the gratuity is worked
into the cost of the ride, leaving riders with only one charge) are processed by
credit card through the app itself, so passengers do not need to carry cash. Ubers
standard black car service generally runs about 1.4 to 1.5x the cost of a normal taxi,
but many consumers feel that the added benefits from using Uber are worth the
higher price. For those who cannot afford the high prices, Ubers management has
created UberX, a ride-sharing service; Uber Taxi, a service that connects passengers
exclusively with taxis; and even Uber Moto Taxi, a Parisian service that provides
rides on motorcycles, in order to offer low-cost options and widen their clientele
base.

One of Ubers most impressive features is its ability to grow. In mid-2013, Uber
operated in 36 cities; by mid-2014, Uber either operates in or has definite plans to
operate in 128 cities. Its website proudly touts that it operates within 38 countries.
For a business that only began four years ago, that is quite the impressive figure.
But in each country and each city, the system operates differentlySan Francisco
does not function just as London does, nor does London function just like any other
city, such as Paris, Hong Kong, or Rio de Janeiro. So how is Uber faring in these
differing global markets?

Ubers success is partly determined by the particular way in which each city works.
New York City, for example, with its active party scene and high number of time-
strapped professionals, is home to a large number of people that might want to
make use of Ubers services. However, due to large numbers of taxis and high
volumes of traffic, Uber may struggle here. It may make more sense during rush
hour to hail a cab from the corner or use the Subway rather than wait for a specific
Uber car to reach you through the confusion.

Washington, DC is a slightly different story. With a smaller number of taxis, less of a

tradition of hailing cabs from the street, and the fact that many people that work or
party in DC live beyond the reaches of the Metro, Uber can make a large
difference.

Uber faces different challenges in international cities. In Beijing, Ubers 100th city as
of April 2014, payment for now can only be made with international credit cards or
PayPal. With the payment system as it is, international travelers may benefit more
from Ubers operations in Beijing than Beijingers themselves.

Jakarta is on the list of cities that Uber will expand to in 2014, but Jakarta poses a
new set of potential problems. First, most Jakartans prefer to use public
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transportation rather than spend money for a cab, and those with the necessary
income generally choose the convenience of their own cars. Bad traffic is an
obstacle as well, but more importantly, smartphone penetration is low, and the 3G
network is notoriously inconsistent. Other services operating within Jakarta
generally rely on call centers to make up the difference, but Uber does not yet have
this capability. Along the same lines, only about 10 percent of the population carry
credit cards, further narrowing the numbers of potential Uber users within the city.

Uber faces legal problems and taxi business opposition in each city that it enters. In
Brussels and Berlin, for example, court rulings have essentially barred Uber from
operating. The Department of Motor Vehicles in Virginia issued a cease and desist
order to Uber and one of its rivals, Lyft, ordering them to stop operations until they
comply with the existing regulations for taxi and limousine services. Neither service
plans to stop, arguing that the regulations were created prior to the current ride-
sharing technology, and therefore new rules need to be made that are tailored to
the particular needs of apps like Uber. Ride-sharing services have found success
with this strategy in California and are on the brink of success in Washington, DC,
where new ride-sharing legislation is in debate.

Opposition is more intense in Europe, where taxi companies are better organized
and more heavily regulated. On June 11th, a Europe-wide protest took place, with
taxi drivers in at least six European cities participating. Taxi drivers as far away as
Rio de Janeiro participated as well.

Still, Uber continues to operate within every city that it has entered. Despite the
diverse set of challenges that Uber faces, the companys popularity with users
continues to grow. Its payment strategy and ability to connect drivers more directly
with users substantially increases drivers incomes and facilitates transportation for
passengers. Like most fundamental changes, the old establishment will fight the
new approachs progress every step of the way. If Ubers popularity amongst users
maintains at its current level or grows, it is likely that their new approach will
prevail.

This article was originally published in the Diplomatic Couriers July/August 2014
print edition.

Photo by David Holt (cc). Anti-Uber protests in London, June 11, 2014.
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Interview with Hina Jilani, First UN Special

Representative for Human Rights Defenders
November 9, 2016

Written by Akshan de Alwis, UN Correspondent

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Hina Jilani served as the first UN Special Representative for Human Rights
Defenders to the UN Secretary General (2000-2008).In 2006, she was appointed
to the UN International Fact-Finding Commission on Darfur, Sudan.In 2009, she
served on theUnited NationsFact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. In2013,
she joined The Elders, a group of world leadersand human rights leaders, brought
together by Nelson Mandela.A preeminent lawyer,Hina Jilani co-founded the first
all women law firm in Pakistan and the National Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan. Hina Jilani has been in the forefront of human rights in Pakistan beginning
from Zia Ul-Haqs dictatorship in the 1970s.

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You served as the rst mandate holder of the UN Secretary Generals Special
Representative for Human Rights Defenders from 2000 to 2008 and shaped
that seminal mandate. Please tell us some of the key aspects of that mandate?

HJ: Respect for human rights necessarily includes recognition of the legitimacy of
the work of defenders. As a response to the deteriorating situation of human rights
defenders, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on human rights defenders
in 1998. On the one hand this was recognition of the dangers that human rights
defenders confront and, on the other, a step taken by the international community
to create norms for the protection of human rights activity. The Declaration makes
it the primary responsibility of the State not only to guarantee the safety of human
rights defenders, but also to ensure that conditions exist in which they can carry out
their activities. The mandate to oversee the implementation of the Declaration was
established by the UN Secretary General in 2000. The mandate required the SRSG
seek, receive examine and respond to information on the situation of human rights
defenders and to establish cooperation and conduct dialogue with Governments
and other interested actors on the promotion and effective implementation of the
Declaration as well as on improving the protection of human rights defenders.

In a world where there is rising violent extremism and heightened crackdown

on human rights defenders, please share some key challengers of human rights
defenders around the world?

HJ: Establishing promoting and sustaining democracy, maintaining international

peace and security and providing or advancing a people oriented agenda for
development cannot be accomplished without the contributions that human rights
defenders make. Defenders bring to the fore information on the realities of
situations to be addressed without which national and international efforts would
be ineffective.

They contribute to poverty alleviation, humanitarian assistance, post-conflict

reconstruction, and to improving individual indicators of development such as
access to health care and adult literacy, among many other activities.

In situations of crises, defenders can monitor an overall situation, rapidly investigate

allegations of possible violations and report their conclusions, providing a measure
of accountability. They also provide the international community with some
independent verification of what is actually happening within an emergency
situation, informing the process of taking decisions on possible actions.
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This was not easily done. Human rights defenders have suffered harm and face
grievous threats to their life, liberty, security, independence and credibility. State
apparatus, oppressive laws and other tools of repression continue to be used
against defenders in attempts to deter them from the valuable work they
contribute to the promotion of human rights.

Human rights defenders all over the world continue to be subjected to

assassinations, disappearances, illegal arrest and detention, torture, harassment
and even exile.

Starting in the 1970s in Pakistan you played a relentless and tireless role in the
resistance movement against military rule and against the Islamization of laws
which violated rights of women and minorities. Can you share some snapshots
of that time and how you built national institutions like the Human Rights
Commission of Pakistan?

HJ: This was one of the darkest periods in Pakistans history. A military coup had
brought an end to the first steps that Pakistan had started taking towards
democratic governance and constitutionalism. The military regime headed by
General Zia-ul-Haq used Islam to legitimize the illegal overthrow of a democratically
elected government and imposed unfair and repressive laws that affected the
status of women in particular. It was for the first time that women rose to protect
their rights and offered strong resistance to the military dictatorship. Several of us
were imprisoned; womens public protests were brutally repressed and gatherings
to protect womens rights were banned. It was in this environment that the platform
for womens voice, Womens Action Forum, was created.

However, repression of freedoms was not limited to the rights of women and
democracy rights activists were undergoing the same restraints. The constitution
was abrogated and with it all the guarantees for upholding human rights and
fundamental freedoms stood extinct. There was a need for forging alliances and
organizing action. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the first human rights
NGO in Pakistan was founded at this time.

Can you speak of Blasphemy laws that target minority Muslim populations in
Pakistan? How did you face death threats and attacks on your family because
of your struggles against Blasphemy laws and other human rights atrocities in
an environment of impunity?

What are called blasphemy laws in Pakistan are provisions introduced in the
Pakistan Penal Code by Zias regime, ostensibly to enforce respect for Islamic
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personalities and the Holy Quran. In reality this was a ploy to instill fear in the
population. One particular provision disregards fundamental principles of criminal
justice and makes mens rea irrelevant to a finding of guilt. It also prescribes a
mandatory death sentence upon conviction. The law is not only flawed in legal
aspects it has been used for malicious prosecution and has targeted religious
minorities not just non-Muslims, but also different minority sects of Muslims in
Pakistan. Special laws were promulgated to restrict the freedom of religion of the
Ahmediya community in Pakistan, that still remains a persecuted and threatened
community in Pakistan.

Any one raising their voice against this law is exposed to extreme violence at the
hands of organized religious terrorists, who operate with impunity in Pakistan. The
State has been both unwilling and unable to perform its duty to protect in cases
where people are either threatened or have actually been harmed by these groups.
Lawyers defending those who are accused of blasphemy, judges who have
acquitted the accused persons and public figures who have pointed out the flaws in
the law or the political and malicious use of the law have been killed. There is an
apparent policy of silencing criticism through fear. There are, therefore, only a few
voices that continue to be raised and these are people who remain extremely
vulnerable to harm.

You are part of the Elders, a group comprised of some of the most preeminent
leaders and human rights defenders of the world. This group is a powerful and
unied voice to speak up against all types human rights violations, and speak
truth to power. Can you speak of some of the major issues that concern the
Elders at his time?

HJ: The Elders are an independent group of global leaders working together for
peace and human rights. They represent an independent voice, not bound by the
interests of any nation, government or institution. We are committed to promoting
the shared interests of humanity, and believe in all human rights for all.
Contemporary threats to security go far beyond wars between states. Today peace
can no longer be associated only with the absence of war. Communities are
besieged by violence in the name of religion, ethnicity and rejection of diverse
identities. Internal armed conflict, terrorist campaigns, insurgencies, food crises,
long-term political or economic instability and natural disasters have placed human
security of vast populations at risk. The Elders, therefore, engage with all relevant
actors to promote peace and progress that can ensure the enjoyment of civil and
political as well as economic, social and cultural lives for every one. The major areas
of concern for the Elders are the current refugee crisis that has resulted from raging

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conflicts in the Middle East and also other parts of the world and the imminent
threat of crisis emerging from climate change. The Elders are also promoting
initiatives for Universal Health Care and social protections for and advancement of
women and girls. The Elders are also engaging in efforts to promote democracy
and have supported the transition of countries like Myanmar from military rule to
democracy.

What is your advice to the new Secretary General of the United Nations?

HJ: The work of the United Nations for promoting peace and improving security of
people living in different parts of the world can not be completed without due
attention to the respect for human rights, the UN must ensure better coordination
of its political and human rights policies and strategies. I would also strongly
recommend that the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council
seriously consider making reference to the protection of human rights defenders
and to the importance and legitimacy of their work in all their resolutions relating to
the maintenance of peace and security. None such resolution so far mentions this
very critical aspect of the protection and promotion of human rights.

As Indian troops launch strikes on Pakistan-based terrorists in the contested

territory of Kashmir, how can the human rights community step in to prevent
themajor escalation of a deepening crisis between the nuclear-armed rivals?

South Asians are very perturbed by the heightened tensions between India and
Pakistan and fear that the posturing on both sides could lead to dire consequences
for people in these two countries. Civil society in India and Pakistan have strongly
criticized Pakistans failure to act with transparency with regard to its counter-
terrorism efforts and at the same time have expressed serious concern about the
Government of Indias policies of repression against the Kashmiris living under its
control. Pakistan and India must resume dialogue before the situation deteriorates
to an extent that peace and security of the whole region is threatened.

Photo by The Elders.

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