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A Europe of courage
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Sabina Moce
“Shine your Light” Manchester
Stand Up / UDHR 70 campaign

"I look to a Europe which has the courage and will to continue building on its achievements"

In Brussels, the High Commissioner calls for policies that resist discrimination and uphold fairness and dignity.
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Digital age: Is our privacy under threat?

States have a responsibility to protect against unlawful interference with the right to privacy. More transparency in how States and the private sector manage personal digital data is key to protecting our human rights.
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“If we don’t take action now, we might lose our future”

“It is important to fight for climate justice because if we don’t take action now, we might lose our existence and might not have a place to live in the future,” said Sabina Moce, a 17-year old human rights defender and climate justice advocate from Fiji.
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Human rights to live in harmony

The UN Human Rights office kicks off in Manchester “a month of activation,” with other events taking place across the world, leading up to the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the iconic Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December.
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Stand up for human rights and celebrate the UDHR 70th anniversary

Join the year-long campaign to celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which turns 70 in 2018. Stand up for human rights and take action for stronger respect, greater freedom and more compassion.
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News

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UDHR: 30 articles on the 30 Articles In a special series, OHCHR is publishing an article a day on the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration leading up to its 70th anniversary on 10 December. Today: Article 11 - Presumption of Innocence and International Crimes

Briefing notes Amid reports of abductions and killings by armed groups in Cameroon, we urge all sides to refrain from acts of violence. Central African Republic’s decision to surrender Alfred Yekatom to the ICC is a major step against impunity.

Business & human rights forum More than 2,000 participants from government, businesses and civil society will assess what companies are doing in practice to respect human rights at a conference in Geneva from 26-28 November.

Enforced disappearances UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) publishes its findings on Japan and Portugal, and issues follow-up observations on Mexico.

UK poverty concerns The UK Government’s policies and drastic cuts to social support are entrenching high levels of poverty and inflicting unnecessary misery in one of the richest countries in the world, expert says.

Experts suspend Hungary visit UN experts suspend official visit to Hungary after they being denied access to “transit zones” at the border with Serbia where migrants and asylum seekers are deprived of their liberty.

Rohingya repatriation Bachelet urges the Government of Bangladesh to halt plans for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, warning that doing so at this point “effectively means throwing them back into the cycle of human rights violations”.

The Netherlands: Showing the way on rights Expert says more could be done to combat poverty, shrinking civic space and to help minorities.

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Yemen suffering Michelle Bachelet urges the Saudi-led Coalition, the Houthi forces and all those supplying arms to parties to the conflict to immediately end the military escalation and remove restrictions on the safe entry of aid into Yemen.

200 Mass graves in Iraq UN report reveals discovery of more than 200 mass graves containing the remains of thousands in areas formerly controlled by ISIL in Iraq. The report highlights ISIL’s terror and violence, and victims’ calls for truth and justice.

Tanzania LGBT people Tanzania has the duty to protect and not further endanger LGBT people, Bachelet says, warning that alarming plans to track and arrest gay people could turn into a witch-hunt and be seen as a licence to attack, bully, harass and intimidate.

Angola expulsions Bachelet calls on Angola to halt the mass deportation of Congolese nationals, amid reports of serious human rights violations on both sides of the Angolan-DRC border and thousands of returnees left in an extremely precarious situation.

Khashoggi murder For such a “shockingly brazen crime”, it is crucial that an independent investigation, with international involvement, free of any appearance of political considerations, is carried out – Bachelet.

Briefing notes Mass expulsions from Angola have put thousands of Congolese at risk in the DRC. We welcome the inaugural session of the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic as a milestone in the fight against impunity.

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Austria: Vienna Declaration UN expert says adoption of declaration is an important step towards more rights protection for older people.

Uruguay visit UN expert Rosa Kornfeld-Matte to assess the human rights situation of older persons in the country.

The Netherlands: Showing the way on rights Expert says more could be done to combat poverty, shrinking civic space and to help minorities.

Canada: a rights approach on health Expert says work remains to be done in preventing risk factors for poor mental health.

Expert lauds Armenia transition Expert praises this year’s peaceful transition of power in Armenia, and urges new leadership to stay the course in pursuing a strengthened democratic system based on human rights, a culture of dialogue and strong independent institutions.

Ecuador The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, will visit Ecuador from 19 to 29 November.

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Council concludes 39th ninth session The Council concluded its 39th regular session.

Council adopts eight resolutions The Council adopted eight texts.

HRC adopts five resolutions The Council adopted five resolutions.

Council adopts 10 resolutions The Council adopted 10 resolutions and one Presidential statement.

Dialogue on the Central African Republic, Georgia The Council held a dialogue on the situation in the Central African Republic, in Georgia, and on technical assistance and capacity building.

Human rights situations in Cambodia, Somalia and Sudan The Council held separate dialogues with mandate holders on the human rights situations in Cambodia, Somalia and Sudan.

Situation of human rights in Yemen and Libya The Council held dialogues on the human rights situation in Yemen and on the situation of human rights in Libya.

Human rights situation in Ukraine and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo The Council held a dialogues on the situation of human rights in Ukraine and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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Enforced disappearances UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) publishes its findings on Japan and Portugal, and issues follow-up observations on Mexico.

Women’s rights experts issue findings Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women releases observations on Bahamas, Congo, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mauritius, Nepal, Samoa, Tajikistan, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Spain sets milestone in international human rights law The women’s rights committee welcomes a decision by Spain’s highest court reaffirming that Spanish law must include the rights and freedoms of human rights treaties.

Committee Against Torture to meet Canada, Guatemala, Maldives, Netherlands, Peru, and Viet Nam to be reviewed by panel of independent human rights experts.

Liberia torture prevention The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture completed its second visit to Liberia from 29 October to 2 November.

Committee on Enforced Disappearances to meet Japan and Portugal to be reviewed; Committee to hold follow-up dialogue with Mexico.

Progress on human rights Improvements in the situation of human rights in Montenegro, Greece, Rwanda, Benin and the Republic of Korea, experts say.

Rights record Human Rights Committee’s findings on Belarus, Belize, Bulgaria, Guinea, and Sudan

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Our priorities

Enhancing equality and countering discrimination

Strengthening the rule of law and accountability for human rights violations

Advancing sustainable development through human rights

Enhancing participation and protecting civic space

Increasing implementation of the outcomes of the human rights mechanisms

Preventing violations and strengthening protection of human rights

Resources

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A Europe of courage In Brussels, the High Commissioner calls for policies that resist discrimination and uphold fairness and dignity.

The digital landscape of rights The internet is increasingly becoming an arena for sophisticated forces of propaganda, surveillance and manipulation.

Gender Champions Gender equality is as broad and deep as any human rights challenge humanity has faced

Air pollution and children “Air pollution deepens inequalities, and compounds injustices. It is unacceptable that children be systematically damaged in this way.”

Defending human rights defenders “It is not an act of terrorism to disagree with a Government’s policies…. Criticism is not the same thing as treason”, she declared.

World Investment Forum How can we ensure private sector investment embraces the 2030 Agenda.

Social Protection for All States need to actively promote the right to social security.

Economic investment We need deeper evaluation of what value, exactly, we are investing to create – and for whom.

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Annual appeal 2018

Annual appeal 2018

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

Human rights and government budgets

Realizing Human Rights through Government Budgets

Migration

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

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Committee against Torture / 65th Session From: 12-11-2018
To: 07-12-2018
Palais Wilson Gr

Working Group on Arbitrary Detention / 83rd Session From: 19-11-2018
To: 23-11-2018
Palais des Nations Room XI

Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture / 36th Session From: 19-11-2018
To: 23-11-2018
Palais Wilson 1st

Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law / 2nd Session From: 22-11-2018
To: 23-11-2018
Palais des Nations Room XVII

Forum on Business and Human Rights / 7th Session From: 26-11-2018
To: 28-11-2018
Palais des Nations Room XX

Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery / 23rd Session From: 26-11-2018
To: 30-11-2018
Palais des Nations Room XIX

Working Group on the use of mercenaries / 35th Session From: 26-11-2018
To: 30-11-2018
Palais des Nations Room VIII

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination / 97th Session From: 26-11-2018
To: 14-12-2018
Palais Wilson Gr

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UN Charter Body Database

Search for documents and information pertaining to UN Charter-based human rights bodies, including the Human Rights Council and Special Procedures.

Universal Periodic Review

Access information and documents about states that were part of the periodic review of the human rights. It includes documents submitted by countries themselves, UN agencies and external parties.

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

Access country-specific human rights recommendations and information emanating from international human rights mechanisms in the UN system: the Treaty Bodies, the Special Procedures and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Database

Access translations of the UDHR, a milestone document in the history of human rights, into over 460 different languages and dialects.

Anti-discrimination Database

Search for information, policies and measures taken at the international, regional and national levels to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

Human Rights Education and Training Database

Search worldwide for institutions, programmes and materials that aim to foster human rights education and training.

Jurisprudence Database

Access jurisprudence emanating from the United Nations Treaty Bodies that receive and consider complaints from individuals.

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Treaty BodiesSchedule of country reviews Deadlines for the submission of documentation Information by country - ratification status, reporting cycles and documentation Elections of Treaty Body Members
Special ProceduresOverview of visits by Special Procedures Upcoming country visits History of country visits since 1998 Countries with standing invitations
Universal Periodic ReviewOverview Documentation by country