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The Working Group on business and human rights holds its first meeting in Geneva
The Working Group on business and human rights plans strategies for the promotion and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
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Getting down to business

At the first meeting of the Working Group on business and human rights, held in Geneva, UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay describes its mandate as “pivotal to some of the most pressing issues of our time.”
 
The Working Group is charged by the Human Rights Council with promoting and supporting the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, adopted last year. The Principles offer a new authoritative global standard to prevent and address human rights abuses linked to business activities.
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Activists campaigned outside the court during the sentencing hearing © Jordi Matas

Ending impunity for homophobic killings

UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay welcomes the findings of a court in South Africa, which has handed down long sentences to a group of men found guilty of the brutal murder of a teenager who was living openly as a lesbian.
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Egyptians hold their national flags and images of victims of the revolution © EPA/ ANDRE PAIN

Social media in Egypt: a powerful tool for political change

“Social networks gave us an opportunity to engage in conversations and to exchange opinions on what was happening,” says Sondos Asem, a human rights activist from Egypt.
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Human Rights in the news 

Pillay on Syria
UN human rights chief Navi Pillay urges the international community "to cut through the politics and take effective action to protect the Syrian population."
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Judge Garzón case
UN experts on independence of judges and enforced disappearances express over implications of Judge Baltasar Garzón case in Spain.
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Mission to Uruguay
Human right to water and sanitation: fact-finding visit by UN expert Catarina de Albuquerque to assess official efforts (13-17 February).
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Pillay / Senegal elections
UN Human Rights chief Navi Pillay urged the Government, candidates and supporters to renounce violence and expressed concern about possible use of excessive force by authorities in Senegal.
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“Risk of backtracking”
UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, hails reforms, but warns that serious human rights and political challenges remain to be addressed.
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CEDAW - WG Communications / 22nd session
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Human Rights Council / 19th session
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International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions (ICC) / 25th session
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Ad Hoc Committee on the elaboration of complementary standards to ICERD / 4th session
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WG on Arbitrary Detention / 63rd session
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Committee against Torture (CAT) / 48th session
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UPR Working Group / 13th session
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Committee on the Rights of Child (CRC) / 60th session
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Meeting of Special Rapporteurs /Representatives /Independent Experts and Chairpersons of WG of the HRC / 19th session
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Pre-sessional WG – CRC / 61st session
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Human Rights Council / 20th session
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Human Rights Committee / 105th session
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