Category: Human Rights

In a message commemorating the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Secretary-General António Guterres underlined that everyone must “take a hard look at today’s world and ensure that we heed the lessons of 27 years ago”.  The genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda remains in our collective conscience as among the most horrific… Read More

“We must end the legacy of this racist lie”, Secretary-General António Guterres said at a commemorative meeting of the General Assembly that honoured the memory of the millions of people of African descent who suffered under the brutal system of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.  While recalling the resilience of those who endured the “brutal yoke” of slavery, he… Read More

Ahead of the adoption of the Belarus resolution without a vote by the 47-member Human Rights Council in Geneva, the European Union – the main sponsor of both texts – highlighted reported ongoing violations in the east European State. Speaking on behalf of the EU, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Rui Macieira, echoed UN condemnation of… Read More

The document, adopted at the 86th session of the Committee, emphasizes that the rights of every child must be respected, protected and fulfilled in the digital environment, and that children should have access to age-appropriate and empowering digital content, and information from a wide diversity of trusted sources. Hundreds of children consulted The recommendations of the Committee were published on… Read More

Addressing the Paris-based agency’s Global Forum on Racism, Director-General Audrey Azoulay said racism “is the calling card of populist and xenophobic groups”, while hate speech is becoming increasingly pervasive on social media.  “This poison is insidious, it’s far-reaching; its ever ready to rear its head again, as we’ve seen over the last months. And this poison requires us to make… Read More

Compounding the general scourge of racism unleashed by COVID-19, in the United States last week, an outpouring of fear and anger grew following the shooting to death of six women of Asian descent in and around Atlanta by a lone gunman, which left eight dead overall. Secretary-General @antonioguterres is profoundly concerned about the rise of violence against Asians and people of… Read More

In an appeal on Friday for States to take action, the High Commissioner for Human Rights insisted that “no police officer or any other agent of any State, should ever be above the law”. We need transformative change to dismantle systemic racism and police brutality against Africans and people of African descent. Victims have a right to accountability and redress. #FightRacism pic.twitter.com/l27WbvizTK… Read More

Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told a regular press briefing in New York, that the report reflects how UN teams have work to adapt their practices in every country to continue lifesaving efforts “without disruption”.   Out now!? The new Secretary-General’s Report on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse has been released today. Read about the @UN’s efforts in Prioritizing… Read More

“Today, apartheid lies dead. But, sadly, racism lives on – in all regions and all societies”, Secretary-General António Guterres told a meeting of the General Assembly commemorating Sunday’s international day.    He painted a picture of pervasive discrimination and exclusion suffered by people of African descent, injustices and oppression endured by indigenous peoples, antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred – and the latest abhorrence of… Read More

In a new report, the World Health Organization (WHO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and the UN human rights office (OHCHR), warned that key institutions – health, social and legal systems – are impacted by ageism.  ‘Ageist attitudes’  It is estimated that every second person in the world holds “moderately or highly ageist attitudes”. … Read More