Tag: human rights

Three aid workers were among those killed. “The reports from Jonglei State are appalling”, Michelle Bachelet said of fighting that broke out between 16 and 17 May, forcing thousands to flee their homes. ‘Recurring pattern’ “This recurring pattern of violence, which continues to claim lives in South Sudan, has to stop,” she said.  “I urge the Government to ensure measures… Read More

“I am receiving more reports every day from all corners of the globe about how indigenous communities are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and it deeply worries me to see it is not always about health issues”, said José Francisco Cali Tzay. In a statement Monday, the Special Rapporteur – a Maya Kaqchikel from Guatemala who took up his post on 1 May –… Read More

By the end of last year, violence in the region forced some 720,000 people to flee their homes, almost half of whom currently remain displaced within their own country, according the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). And with COVID-related lockdowns in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, community leaders and some internally displaced people (IDPs) are reporting… Read More

Michelle Bachelet — a former doctor, health minister and Head of State — acknowledged the challenge facing governments as they grapple with the medical crisis, while also trying to save their economies from collapsing. When drawing up plans to lift #lockdowns, States should consult affected communities, as well as those on the #COVID19 front-lines. Participation builds trust and better compliance… Read More

We join @UNHumanRights, @UNODC and @WHO in calling on governments to minimize the occurrence of #COVID19 in prisons and to guarantee that adequate preventive measures are in place and all human rights are respected. — UNAIDS (@UNAIDS) May 13, 2020 “We emphasize the need to minimize the occurrence of the disease in these settings and to guarantee that adequate preventive… Read More

Citing figures from the Israeli Prison Service, the officials – Jamie McGoldrick, Humanitarian Coordinator in the occupied Palestinian territory; Genevieve Boutin, UNICEF Special Representative in State of Palestine; and James Heenan, Head of the UN Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territory – said that 194 Palestinian children were detained as of the end of March. That’s more than… Read More

Calling the deteriorating situation “a ticking time-bomb that must not be ignored”, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet lamented: “We are receiving more reports every day of targeted killings and bombings from one end of the country to the other, with many such attacks taking place in populated areas”. Taking stock Last month, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) took… Read More

Valentin Inzko said that, 25 years after the Dayton peace accords which ended the brutal conflict across former Yugoslavia, the international community must not lose sight of what is at stake and to work together to preserve the time and investment it has put into the former Yugoslav republic, scene of Europe’s bloodiest warfare since World War II. Presenting his… Read More

“Of particular concern to my Office are the high numbers of civilian casualties, largely reported to be resulting from airstrikes and shelling operations”, said Fatou Bensouda. The stalled offensive on Tripoli is being carried out by the so-called Libyan National Army, an eastern-based militia headed by General Khalifa Haftar, with the backing of some foreign powers. As Ms. Bensouda’s team… Read More