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People of African Descent: doing more time for less crime

People of African descent face similar types of rights violations perpetrated by State institutions on both sides of the Atlantic. Their cries for justice can still be heard.
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Migrants face border closures and exclusion, amid rising hostility

Rights defenders joined the UN Human Rights Office in calling on the Human Rights Council to strengthen protections for migrants and support development of a rights-based global compact for migration.
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Zeid calls for justice after more mass graves discovered in DRC

The DRC Government must ensure there is a transparent and independent investigation into alleged human rights violations and abuses by all parties, Zeid says, after 17 further mass graves are found in the Kasais.
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Your views matter: Help the UN Human Rights Office define its strategic direction for 2018-2021

The UN Human Rights Office is defining its strategic direction for the next four years and would appreciate your input. Please take a brief survey to help us make the best strategic choices to stand up for human rights.
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“Stand up for someone’s rights today”: A global call to support human rights

“Stand up for someone’s rights today” is the new global campaign that aims to encourage, amplify and support what people do in their everyday lives to defend human rights. It promotes taking action for greater freedom, stronger respect and more compassion.
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News

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Briefing: Arkansas executions, Cambodia USA: In Arkansas, we are deeply troubled by four executions in eight days, ending 12-year moratorium on the death penalty. We urge Cambodian authorities to release five rights defenders who saw their lengthy pre-trial detention further extended.

Briefing: South Sudan, Maldives South Sudan: outbreak of violence caused significant loss of life and displacement of civilians. We urge prompt investigation into violent killing of a prominent blogger and social media activist in the Maldives.

Appeal to Venezuela The Government must facilitate peaceful protests and investigate the deaths of at least 25 people in recent demonstrations - UN rights experts.

Ethiopia visit UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein will officially visit the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, at the invitation of the Government, from 2 to 4 May 2017.

Russia / Sanctions Sanctions on Russia hurt most vulnerable groups with limited impact on international businesses – UN human rights expert Idriss Jazairy warns.

Housing inequality “Inequality is one of the hallmarks of Chilean society, and this is starkly apparent in the housing situation in the country” – UN Special Rapporteur Leilani Farha.

'Respect international law' “Iran must abide by its obligations under international human rights law and stop executions of two men sentenced to death as children” – UN experts.

Honduras / Abortion law Honduras must allow wider scope for legal abortions in new legislation to advance women’s human rights in the country, say a group of UN experts.

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DRC mass graves UN investigators in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have confirmed the existence of 17 further mass graves in the Kasais, the scene of clashes between soldiers and members of a local militia.

Afghanistan: Torture Conflict-related detainees in Afghanistan continue to face torture and ill-treatment, in many cases to extract confessions, UN report finds, noting the Afghan Government’s commitment to eliminating the practice.

Burundi rape calls Zeid expresses deep alarm after a video surfaces in Burundi apparently showing young men from the Imbonerakure militia repeatedly chanting calls to impregnate or kill opponents.

Right to health Protecting health means standing up for rights

Global challenges The peril of undermining human rights.

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Housing inequality “Inequality is one of the hallmarks of Chilean society, and this is starkly apparent in the housing situation in the country” – UN Special Rapporteur Leilani Farha.

Appeal to Venezuela The Government must facilitate peaceful protests and investigate the deaths of at least 25 people in recent demonstrations - UN rights experts.

Russia / Sanctions Sanctions on Russia hurt most vulnerable groups with limited impact on international businesses – UN human rights expert Idriss Jazairy warns.

Honduras / Abortion law Honduras must allow wider scope for legal abortions in new legislation to advance women’s human rights in the country, say a group of UN experts.

'Respect international law' “Iran must abide by its obligations under international human rights law and stop executions of two men sentenced to death as children” – UN experts.

Mission to Saudi Arabia UN expert Ben Emmerson will assess Saudi Arabia’s initiatives in the area of counter-terrorism and their impact on human rights (30 April-4 May).

Zambia / Right to food The situation of the right to food in Zambia will be investigated by UN Special Rapporteur Hilal Elver, during an official visit from 3 to 12 May.

Tax evasion in Panama UN rights expert Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky will visit Panama from 2 to 10 May to investigate global tax avoidance and evasion schemes.

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HRC UPR WG to hold 27th session in Geneva from 1 to 12 May 2017marking start of 3rd cycle The twenty-seventh session of the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group will be held in Geneva from 1 to 12 May marking the beginning of the third UPR cycle during which all 193 UN member States will undergo successive reviews.

UN Syrian Commission condemns Khan Shikhoun attack The Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic condemns in the strongest terms the attacks on the town of Khan Shikhoun in southern Idlib today which reportedly killed scores of civilians.

President of Chile addresses Council Michelle Bachelet, the President of Chile, addressed a special meeting of the Human Rights Council, saying that Chile.

President of Chile to address Council The Council will convene a special meeting as a matter of courtesy on 29 March 2017 on the occasion of the visit of Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile.

Council concludes 34th regular session The Council concluded its 34th regular session after adopting 41 resolutions and a Presidential Statement on a wide range of issues.

Council adopts six texts and closes its 34th session The Council adopted five resolutions and a President’s Statement, appointed Special Procedure mandate holders, and then closed its thirty-fourth regular session.

Council renews mandates on Syria and on racism The Council adopted 11 resolutions, renewing the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria for one year; and the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, and the Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration for three years each.

Council decides to dispatch fact-finding mission to Myanmar The Council adopted 13 resolutions, in which it also decided to dispatch an independent, international fact-finding mission to establish the facts about alleged recent human rights violations by military and security forces and abuses in Myanmar, in particular in Rakhine State.

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Kenya NGOs The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 1 May, met with representatives of civil society organizations from Kenya to discuss the situation of racial discrimination in this country, which the Committee will review later this week.

General discussion The Committee against Torture on 28 April, engaged in a general discussion on a draft revised General Comment N°1 of 1997 on article 3 of the Convention, which was being considered in the context of article 22 on individual communications.

Report of Armenia The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination concluded on 28 April, its consideration of the combined seventh to eleventh report of Armenia on its implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Report of Argentina The Committee against Torture completed on 27 April, the consideration of the combined fifth and sixth periodic report of Argentina on its implementation of the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Report of the Republic of Moldova The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination concluded on 27 April, its consideration of the combined tenth and eleventh report of the Republic of Moldova on its implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Report of Afghanistan The Committee against Torture completed the review of the second periodic report of Afghanistan on 26 April, on its implementation of the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Report of Findland The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination concluded on 26 April, its consideration of the twenty-third report of Finland on its implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

CERD meeting The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 25 April, held an informal meeting with civil society representatives from Finland, the Republic of Moldova and Armenia, whose reports will be considered this week.

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Our priorities

Enhancing equality and countering discrimination

Combating impunity and strengthening accountability and the rule of law

Integrating human rights in development and in the economic sphere

Widening the democratic space

Strengthening international human rights mechanisms

Early warning and protection of human rights in situations of conflict, violence and insecurity

Resources

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Right to health Protecting health means standing up for rights

Walls are untruths Rights tell us what it means to be human

Global challenges The peril of undermining human rights.

Chile: a Human Rights Advocate Welcoming Pres. Michelle Bachelet to the Human Rights Council

Faith for Rights Exploring links between religious thought and rights

Successes in technical assistance Capacity building for human rights protection

Yemen and Afghanistan Reports on two critical situations

Report on Sri Lanka Measures to rebuild confidence should be accelerated.

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Annual Appeal 2017

The UN Human Rights Appeal 2017

Protecting LBGTi people

Living Free and Equal: Tackling Violence and Discrimination against LGBTi People

Human rights info. for Parliamentarians

Human Rights: Handbook for Parliamentarians (co-published with IPU)

Traditional justice in Africa

Human Rights and Traditional Justice Systems in Africa

National mechanisms for reporting and follow-up

NMRF: A Practical Guide to Effective State Engagement with International Human Rights Mechanisms

Right to development

FAQs on the Right to Development

Treaty bodies

Handbook for Human Rights Treaty Body Members

Migration

Migration, Human Rights and Governance: Handbook for Parliamentarians (co-published with IPU)

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Committee against Torture / 60th Session From: 18-04-2017
To: 12-05-2017
Palais Wilson 1st

Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards (TBC) / 9th Session From: 24-04-2017
To: 05-05-2017
Palais des Nations Rooms XVI, IX

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination / 92nd Session From: 24-04-2017
To: 12-05-2017
Palais Wilson Gr

Universal Periodic Review / 27th Session From: 01-05-2017
To: 12-05-2017
Palais des Nations Rooms XX, XXII, XXIII, XXIV

Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises / 17th Session From: 08-05-2017
To: 12-05-2017
Palais des Nations Room XVI

Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances / 112th Session From: 08-05-2017
To: 17-05-2017
Palais des Nations Room IX

Open-ended intergovernmental Working Group on a United Nations declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas / 4th Session From: 15-05-2017
To: 19-05-2017
Palais des Nations Room XX

Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice / 19th Session From: 15-05-2017
To: 19-05-2017
Palais Wilson 1st

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UN Charter Body Database

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Universal Periodic Review

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National Human Rights Institutions Website

Find information on National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and the International Coordinating Committee for National Human Rights Institutions (ICC).

Universal Human Rights Index

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Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Database

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Anti-discrimination Database

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Human Rights Education and Training Database

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Jurisprudence Database

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Special ProceduresOverview of visits by Special Procedures Upcoming country visits History of country visits since 1998 Countries with standing invitations
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