Category: Human Rights

Through her seminal report ‘The impact of war on children’, Graça Machel urged the international community to take concrete action to protect children from the scourge of war and called on the UN and the global community to act to protect children Every year, the @UN verifies more attacks on children in war. This is an outrage. But the existence of this… Read More

Speaking at the opening of an emergency session at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, a little over a week since the Taliban swept to power, Ms. Bachelet reminded Member States of credible reports of violations of international humanitarian law against civilians in areas under their control. These reports, she said, make it especially important that the Human Rights… Read More

The event included keynote speeches, an interactive session led by prominent victims’ advocates and a premiere screening of the film “Surviving Terrorism: The Power of Connections”. It comes as the world prepares to mark 20 years since terrorists attacked New York and Washington, DC – murdering 3,000 people and leaving countless others injured or sick amid the debris – and… Read More

Under a UN-backed global biodiversity framework draft agreement, countries have agreed to protect 30 per cent of the planet and restore at least 20 per cent by 2030.  While acknowledging that the plan is essential to conserving biodiversity, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and environment, David Boyd, warned that it “must not be achieved at the expense of further human rights violations against indigenous peoples and other rural people”.  He said that special… Read More

In her appeal to resist proposals that “roll back protections” against the trans community, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet insisted that wherever they live, their rights should be respected in law and in practice. Speaking on Tuesday at the Copenhagen Human Rights Forum, Ms. Bachelet laid out what it means to be “truly included”, stating that “every country in the world”… Read More

During a night-time raid at the end of July, the Israeli military seized computers, hard drives and other confidential materials from the offices of the NGO, Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCIP) in Al-Bireh, the four independent UN human rights experts said, calling for the immediate return of the documents and office equipment. “The indispensable work of Palestinian, Israeli and international… Read More

“In recent months and years, we have repeatedly voiced our concern over a steady increase in the use of excessive force, police brutality, and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as arbitrary detention, against predominantly peaceful protesters in all regions of the world,” they said in a statement.  “This trend, often extending to journalists covering protests,… Read More

Their recommendation comes in the wake of the Pegasus spyware scandal targeting hundreds of journalists, activists and politicians.  Violating rights, endangering lives  They said until robust regulations on the use of surveillance technology are implemented, and which guarantee human rights, countries should impose a global moratorium on the sale and transfer of these “life threatening” tools.  “We are deeply concerned… Read More

Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, expressed concern over arrests, harassment, criminalization and threats targeting these individuals.  “Arrests and raids on the homes of Palestinian human right defenders form part of a wider crackdown against those defending the human rights of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” she said.  Arrests, forcible transfers  Ms. Lawlor was alarmed… Read More