Category: Human Rights

The document published on Wednesday, based on visits to 12 detention centres by UN staff at the beginning of 2021, notes that in some instances up to 60 people were crammed into spaces measuring just 20 square meters, leaving them unable to even lie down on the floor to sleep. 24-hour darkness Moreover, some cells being used have no windows, leaving… Read More

“Gender equality is essentially about power, and power in a world that is still largely male dominated, with a culture that is still largely patriarchal”, Secretary-General António Guterres said at the Generation Equality Forum, launching a “five-year action journey”, based on the UN Global Acceleration Plan for Gender Equality.  Noting that “power is very rarely given. You have to take it”, he stressed as one of his five priorities, the importance… Read More

Among the new measures proposed in the High Commissioner’s report on racial justice and equality, authorities are urged to reassess whether officers should continue to be the first responders to individuals with mental health problems.  In these and other police actions, the report found that law enforcement officers were rarely held accountable for human rights violations and crimes against people of African descent.  This was owing in part to “deficient… Read More

By exploiting social grievances and gender stereotypes, “the fight against terrorism has itself caused damage”, inspiring lone actors and co-opting other groups, Secretary-General António Guterres told the Second High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism.  Recounting “especially alarming” advances of Al-Qaida and ISIL terrorist fighters in Africa, he upheld the importance of supporting the continent as “a global priority”.   ‘Dire’ situation  The top UN Official expressed deep concern over foreign terrorist fighters and underscored the need to hold them… Read More

That’s the warning from UN refugee agency, UNHCR, which on Tuesday published a report showing that the “great majority” of national immunization plans in 157 countries lacked “clarity” on anticipated coverage for people who have no legal proof of their identity,  “regardless of whether their age, health status or role in society would otherwise place them in a priority group”. Although it… Read More

Citing a rise in “extreme poverty, inequalities and injustice” in the last 18 months, Ms. Bachelet also warned that democratic and civic space has been eroded. These were all problems that could be addressed if countries embraced the UN Secretary-General’s call for a New Social Contract, Ms. Bachelet said, on the opening day of the Human Rights Council’s 47th session in Geneva. To recover from the… Read More

According to the UN Refugee Agency flagship Global Trends Report published on Friday, the restrictive COVID-19 pandemic did not slow forced displacement around the world, and instead could have left thousands of refugees and asylum seekers stranded and vulnerable. The new ‘one percent’ Despite COVID-related movement restrictions and pleas from the international community for a concerted global ceasefire, displacement continued… Read More

Already a “cruel tactic of war, torture, terror and repression”, Secretary-General António Guterres pointed to the turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that “has made it even more difficult to hold perpetrators of sexual violence to account”. “Even as we respond to the pandemic, we must investigate every case, and maintain essential services for every survivor”, he said. Tackle the… Read More

The 10th anniversary of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights represents a milestone, they added, and an opportunity for countries and corporations to gear up for a new decade of action.  Framework for demanding accountability  The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights has issued a stocktaking report on progress made since the Guiding Principles were endorsed unanimously by the UN… Read More

“Distressing reports from care homes in different parts of the world showed neglect, isolation and lack of adequate services, including healthcare, social and legal services”, said Claudia Mahler, independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights of older persons, in her message for the day, marked annually on 15 June.  “Violence, abuse and neglect of older persons have been… Read More