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Kristeena Monteith, youth activist
Arizza Nocum
Minority Rights Consultation
Youth rights defender: Dalí Silvia Angel
Human Rights Day 2019

Kristeena Monteith: “Enough is enough. It’s time for change”

Kristeena Monteith is encouraging Jamaican youth to use their voice for rights by connecting more with their own culture. She runs a youth-led radio show, and is also a UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals.
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“Be compassionate towards those you don’t agree with”

Arizza Nocum chose to defeat violent extremism in her native Philippines by bringing communities together through her interfaith libraries.
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Minority rights need more support and promotion

“The populist nationalist narratives that are being exploited by would-be politicians across the world…is worsening the situation for [minorities],” said UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore. “There is nothing new about it. It has been the basis of cruelty, exclusion and discrimination for centuries. What is remarkable though is that we know so much better now.”
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Indigenous youth fight for the human rights of all generations

For indigenous youth, it is important to talk about their rights, as well as how to improve their living situation, said Dalí Silvia Angel, an indigenous youth rights activist with Red de Jóvenes Indígenas (Indigenous Youth Network) in Mexico. “We like to say, nothing for us without us. If you want the situation to be visible, then we have to be there and your voice has to be heard.”
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Human Rights Day: Youth stand up for human rights

This year we celebrate the leadership role of youth in collective movements as a source of inspiration for a better future. Discover how young people are standing up for human rights and spread the word.
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News

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Iran protests Bachelet alarmed by continuing lack of transparency about casualties and treatment of thousands of detainees, as well as continuing arrests reported to be taking place across the country.

Syria: Civilian casualties We are gravely concerned by the increased use of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) in populated residential neighbourhoods, busy markets and commercial areas in northern Syria.

Australia: Medevac law We are deeply concerned by Australia’s policy U-turn on medical evacuations from offshore detention centres. The new laws deprive individuals of appropriate medical care and puts their lives at risk.

Costa Rica mission Bachelet concludes official mission to Costa Rica and encourages it to continue creating space for dialogue and social participation.

Committee Against Torture UN Committee Against Torture issues findings on Burkina Faso, Cyprus, Latvia, Niger, Portugal and Uzbekistan, which it reviewed in its latest session from 11 November to 6 December.

Iran protests Bachelet alarmed by the continuing lack of transparency about casualties and the treatment of thousands of detainees, as well as continuing arrests reported to be taking place across the country.

Ecuador protests Bachelet urges all actors in Ecuador to engage in dialogue to prevent new conflicts and forge an inclusive, peaceful society.

Iraq casualties We urge Iraqi authorities to take much firmer and more effective action to ensure security forces do not employ excessive use of force, and in particular use of live ammunition.

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Ecuador protest Bachelet urges all actors in Ecuador to engage in dialogue to prevent new conflicts and forge an inclusive, peaceful society with full respect for its multicultural nature.

Iran protests We are deeply concerned by reported violations of international norms and standards on the use of force.

International Conference on the Great Lakes The UN Human Rights Office signs an agreement with the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region

Bachelet to visit Costa Rica Human Rights chief will meet with the Officials of the Government; engage with civil society organizations, including indigenous associations, trade unions and youth movements.

Protests and unrest around the world There are common threads among many of the protests: populations that are fed up and angry, especially with socio-economic conditions, corruption, inequalities.

Bahamas deportations We are concerned about the deportation of 112 Haitian migrants from The Bahamas to Haiti, including people from the Abaco Islands, which were badly hit by the destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian.

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Fiji healthcare UN Special Rapporteur commends Fiji for its healthcare investment and urges it to tackle violence, discrimination and inequalities to ensure the right to health can be delivered for all.

Minorities mission The UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues will visit Kyrgyzstan from 6 to 17 December 2019 to gather first-hand information on the situation of minorities.

Qatar education The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education will visit Qatar from 8 to 16 December to assess the country’s work to implement the right to education.

“Listen to the people” Amid growing protests around the world, it is critically important to boost people’s participation in the Sustainable Development Goals so they can be part of making decisions that affect them, say UN experts.

Qatar visit UN racism expert commends Qatar reforms but urges more action to end persistent discrimination.

Malta murder UN experts make new call for independent probe into murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, saying the resignation of PM Joseph Muscat must mark start of genuine accountability.

Mali Security situation has reached critical threshold, warns UN human rights expert after visit to Mali.

Mexico ‘dirty war’ UN experts regret impunity for crimes of “dirty war”.

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Human Rights Council forty-second regular session Human Rights Council to hold its forty-second regular session from 9 to 27 september 2019 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

2019 report of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi The UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi raises red flags at the serious human rights violations committed in the pre-electoral climate

Myanmar experts call for justice for sexual assault victims Report finds Rohingya victims of brutal sexual violence remain without justice, as military continues its use in Kachin and Shan states.

Myanmar Experts expose military business ties, call for sanctions Report maps degree to which Myanmar’s military has used its own businesses, foreign companies and arms deals to support brutal operations against ethnic groups constituting serious crimes under international law.

HRC 41st session The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold its forty-first regular session from 24 June to 12 July 2019 in Geneva.

Council closes fortieth session The Council concluded its fortieth regular session.

Council closes fortieth session The Council adopted five resolutions in which it extended two mandates.

Human Rights Council extends mandates The Council adopted 12 resolutions in which it, among other actions, decided to extend mandates.

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Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will meet in Geneva from 25 November to 13 December 2019 to review Cambodia, Colombia, Ireland, Israel, and Uzbekistan.

Protection of children A number of States declare on Wednesday their commitment to improve protection of children’s rights, during the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Child Rights Convention.

Women’s Rights Committee UN women’s rights experts issue findings on Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Seychelles, which were examined during the session from 21 October to 8 November.

Committee Against Torture UN Committee Against Torture will meet in Geneva from 11 November to 6 December to review Burkina Faso, Cyprus, Latvia, Niger, Portugal, and Uzbekistan.

Spain: forced eviction case Spain violated a family’s right to housing by failing to weigh their vulnerability in an eviction, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights determined in a decision published on 30 October.

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights publishes findings on Denmark, Ecuador, Israel, Senegal, Slovakia, and Switzerland, which were reviewed in its latest session.

Women’s Rights Committee UN women’s rights experts will meet in Geneva from 21 October to 8 November to review Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, and Seychelles

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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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Fair environment At the European Union, the Deputy High Commissioner said "We must defend our access to the commons -- the global commons of forests, oceans, air, and the commons, too, of our interdependent human dignity, defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights".

Sustainable Development The SDGs are imbued with human rights, and human rights measures have the power to accelerate their realisation, the Deputy High Commissioner said at a dedicated intersessional meeting of the Human Rights Council.

Climate change Climate change threatens people's livelihoods, communities, health, development – even their lives, and nowhere is this clearer than in small island States and other members of the Climate Vulnerable Forum.

Forum on Minorities The High Commissioner’s statement to the 12th session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues focused on education, language and the human rights of members of minority communities around the world

Slavery & SDGs Slavery is not just an abomination of the past. People are enslaved, today, in every region of the world – perhaps even every country in the world

Business and slavery There’s a new realisation that financial institutions may also be involved in slavery and trafficking – and can help end these crimes, which currently victimise “one in every 185 people alive”.

Business and rights We need stronger frameworks for accountability and governance, to ensure business activities don't involve exploitation of workers and users of their products; land grabs and other abuses of the rights of local communities; increased inequalities and damage to our right to a healthy environment.

Social protection The question is not so much whether countries can afford to advance universal social protection measures – it’s whether they can afford not to.

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Standing up for your rights

A collection of 16 stories highlighting the impact of our work around the world

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

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Committee against Torture / 68th Session From: 11-11-2019
To: 06-12-2019
Palais Wilson 1st

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination / 100th Session From: 25-11-2019
To: 13-12-2019
Palais Wilson Gr

Human Rights Council – Organizational session for the 14th cycle From: 06-12-2019
To: 06-12-2019
Palais des Nations Room XX

Board of Trustees of the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples / 33rd Session From: 09-12-2019
To: 13-12-2019
Palais des Nations Room XXII

Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent / 25th Session From: 09-12-2019
To: 13-12-2019
Palais Wilson 1st

Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action / 17th Session From: 16-12-2019
To: 20-12-2019
Palais des Nations Room XXI

Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review / 35th Session From: 20-01-2020
To: 31-01-2020
Palais des Nations Room XX

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