Eye hears that participants on the Quaker United Nations Office summer school in Geneva received a boon to their learning earlier this month when they witnessed the UN's human rights committee in session.

The summer school coincided with the committee taking the UK government to task over its implementation of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.

The UK government delegation was challenged by the committee on issues such as ASBOs (Anti-Social Behaviour Orders), length of pre-charge detention, enfranchisement of prisoners and many other issues.

'I was genuinely ashamed and angry by the responses of the UK delegation but really heartened by the astute grilling they received from the experts', said Sam Walton, one of the British Quaker participants on the summer school.

We hear that the committee's concluding observations are due out shortly. Eye looks forward to seeing some fired-up young Friends engaging with the issues.