Category: Human Rights

One of them, Mossa Abu Taema, convinced the father of a 16-year-old in one of the most conservative villages in eastern Khan Younis, a border town in the Gaza Strip, to cancel her wedding and allow her to continue her education. An estimated 21 per cent of marriages in Gaza in 2017, involved girls under-18. Ahead of the annual 16… Read More

Children leading calls for a sustainable future: UN chief On Wednesday, in a message to mark World Children’s Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the leadership role that children are taking, when it comes to building a more sustainable world for all. 2019’s international day marks the thirtiethanniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a… Read More

The ceremony was among numerous events this year taking stock of progress achieved under the landmark Convention on the Rights of the Child. “In world capitals and buildings like this, adults talk about children’s rights. But today, young people don’t want to be talked about. We want to do the talking”, declared actress Millie Bobby Brown, star of the hit… Read More

Regretting the United States’ announcement on Monday that it “no longer views settlements as inconsistent with international law”, Nickolay Mladenov told the 15-member Council that “the UN position remains unchanged”. And he called the settlements “a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace”. “Unilateral moves fuel anger and disillusionment and significantly… Read More

“While pardons exist in international law, and can properly address issues of injustice or unfairness”, Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), told reporters at a regular press briefing in Geneva that these cases showed no circumstances to suggest anything other than “simply voiding the otherwise proper process of law in the cases”. “These pardons send a disturbing signal to military forces all… Read More

Citing Iranian media coverage since demonstrations began last Friday sparked by a rise in fuel prices, OHCHR spokesperson Rupert Colville said that the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, had acknowledged some of the fatalities. “We are deeply concerned by reported violations of international norms and standards on the use of force, including the firing of live ammunition, against demonstrators in… Read More

UNICEF reports uneven progress in 30 years of child rights treaty  Although the world has made historic gains over the past three decades in improving children’s lives, urgent action is required if the poorest children are to feel the impact, a new UN report published on Monday warns.  The study by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) calls on countries to recommit to… Read More

From children recruited by extremists to street children, those with disabilities and others who travel with asylum-seekers and migrant families, depriving them of their liberty increases the likelihood that they will be abused or worse, the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty noted.  “Deprivation of liberty is deprivation of childhood,” said lead author Professor Manfred Nowak, UN-appointed independent… Read More

The study by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) calls on countries to recommit to promises made under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted 30 years ago. Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, noted that while increasing numbers of children are living longer, better and healthier lives, the odds continue to be stacked against the poorest and most vulnerable.… Read More

The South American country has plunged into political chaos following the resignation last week of President Evo Morales, with at least 17 people killed in demonstrations since then. Michelle Bachelet, the UN rights chief, said while earlier deaths mostly resulted from clashes between rival protestors, the latest incidents appear to be due to the disproportionate use of force by the… Read More