Category: Human Rights

“As we go about our business, one woman in three that we encounter has been or will be subjected to violence,” said Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, UN Chef de Cabinet, speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General. Violence & abuse against women are among the world’s most horrific human rights violations, affecting 1 in every 3 women in the world. We… Read More

Here is the grim reality, in numbers: A third of all women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, half of women killed worldwide were killed by their partners or family, and violence perpetrated against women is as common a cause of death and incapacity for those of reproductive age, as cancer, and a greater cause of… Read More

“We are deeply concerned at reports of killings and injuries, and that the authorities may have used excessive force against those participating in the protests”, the experts added, referencing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as setting the standard for the legitimate use of force as being only when “strictly unavoidable”. Since last Friday, demonstrators have reportedly taken… Read More

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