OHCHR | Home

Research and health
Committee on Enforced Disappearances
Youth and sexual and reproductive health and rights
Myanmar media crackdown
Stand Up for Human Rights

Bachelet calls for equality in the access to vaccines and health services

At the WHO Global Forum, the High Commissioner discussed how research can contribute to a healthier world for vulnerable populations, in the context of COVID-19. She focused on two areas: equality of access to health services, goods and facilities, including vaccines; and the need for disaggregated data to tailor appropriate and specific policies, during the pandemic and beyond
More information All Stories

Experts: Urgent Action can help save lives

“The three days that my enforced disappearance lasted were eternal for me and my family,” Reyna Patricia Ambros Zapatero, a survivor of a kidnapping told the Committee on Enforced Disappearances. “Unfortunately...[around the world] there are thousands of disappeared people who have not been as lucky as me. I admire the constant struggle of their families and friends who search for them every day.”
More information All Stories

Young people need their sexual and reproductive health and rights

Poppy Stanbury, Advocacy Coordinator at CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality, says that young people should be empowered to participate meaningfully in the decision-making processes that affect all aspects of their lives, including their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
More information All Stories

“We won’t give up or stop reporting until we have a real democracy”

“They’re doing everything they can to stop information flowing to the Myanmar people and the rest of the world,” says Thar Lun Zaung Htet, a journalist who has fled his country in fear for his life. On World Press Freedom Day, Thar Lun, and thousands of other journalists around the globe, continue to face grave danger.
More information All Stories

Stand up for human rights

Join us in promoting and defending human rights for everyone, everywhere. Stand up for human rights and take action for stronger respect, greater freedom and more compassion.
More information All Stories

News

Choose the type of news you want

Israel / OPT Bachelet calls for strict respect for international law and appeals to all sides to take steps to de-escalate the increasingly alarming situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Iraq: Kurdistan Region Freedom of expression in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has been increasingly curtailed over the past year. Critics of public authorities have risked not only intimidation, restrictions on their movements and arbitrary arrests, but some were also charged with defamation, while others were prosecuted under national security laws

Myanmar: business & rights Businesses must uphold human rights responsibilities and put pressure on Myanmar military junta to halt grave human rights violations, say experts

LGBT: Respect and compassion UN and regional human rights experts urge Governments, faith-based institutions and religious leaders to respectfully and compassionately embrace the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse (LGBT) community, and to reject policies, laws and practices that discriminate or fuel prejudice.

Occupied Palestinian Territory We are deeply concerned at the escalation of violence in the OPT, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. We condemn all violence and all incitement to violence. Efforts to calm the situation must be redoubled.

Myanmar crackdown More than 100 days on from the coup in Myanmar, there needs to be greater international involvement to prevent the human right situation from deteriorating further as the military authorities continue their brutal crackdown on opponents.

Concerns about attacks to fundamental rights in Algeria We are increasingly concerned about sustained reports of disproportionate force against peaceful protesters and arrests

UK jails: prolonged solitary Expert raises concerns about holding of prisoners in UK for prolonged or indefinite periods in isolation in restrictive control units.

See All

Concerns about attacks to fundamental rights in Algeria We are increasingly concerned about sustained reports of disproportionate force against peaceful protesters and arrests

Brazil killings After possibly the deadliest police operation in a decade, OHCHR calls for a serious discussion in Brazil about policing in favelas, where the already poor and marginalized populations are trapped in a vicious cycle of lethal violence.

Uganda: Sexual offences The decision by the Ugandan Parliament to pass a wide-ranging sexual offences bill that enshrines the criminalisation of consensual same-sex relations, sex work and people living with HIV is deeply troubling.

oPT: Families risk imminent evictions We call on Israel to immediately halt all forced evictions in the oPt, including those seemingly imminent in Sheikh Jarrah, and to cease any activity contributing to a coercive environment leading to forcible transfer, which is prohibited under international law.

See All

Enforced disappearances The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances will hold its 124rd session from 17 to 21 May 2021 to examine more than 320 cases from 25 countries.

UN experts condemn crackdown on peaceful protests in Colombia UN experts call the Colombian Government to conduct investigations into human rights violations during protests.

Myanmar: business & rights Businesses must uphold human rights responsibilities and put pressure on Myanmar military junta to halt grave human rights violations, say experts

Iran: Arash Sadeghi Experts welcome release of Iranian human rights defender Arash Sadeghi, who was released from Raja’i Shahr Prison after 5-1/2 years in detention.

UK jails: prolonged solitary Expert raises concerns about holding of prisoners in UK for prolonged or indefinite periods in isolation in restrictive control units.

Brazil UN experts say measures to combat COVI should be taken for all indigenous peoples in Brazil regardless of where they are located.

Myanmar arms embargo Expert welcomes calls to impose arms embargo on military junta, and encourages States to take own actions immediately.

See All

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review

Singapore Singapore’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review on 12 May

Secretary-General speech In a powerful speech to the Human Rights Council that focused on racism, women and the pandemic's impact on human rights, Antonio Guterres said "recovery gives us an opportunity to generate momentum for transformation"

Sao Tome and Principe Sao Tome and Principe’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review 22 January 2021

Nauru Nauru’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review 22 January 2021.

Georgia Georgia’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review 21 January 2021

Rwanda Rwanda’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review

Myanmar Myanmar’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review

See All

CRC to review Luxembourg and Tunisia The UN Child Rights Committee will hold its upcoming session from 17 May to 4 June to review Luxembourg and Tunisia.

CED’s findings on Switzerland, Colombia and Mongolia Committee on Enforced Disappearances on Tuesday issued its findings on Switzerland, Colombia and Mongolia.

CERD issues findings on Belgium CERD’s Concluding Observations on Belgium are now available online

UN Committee on Migrant Workers issues findings on Chile CMW has issued its findings on Chile, which it examined during its latest session.

CERD to review Belgium Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will hold its upcoming session from 19 to 30 April, during which it will review Belgium.

UN Disability Rights Committee issues findings on Estonia CRPD has published its findings on Estonia which it examined during its latest session

Human Rights Committee issues findings on Finland and Kenya The UN Human Rights Committee has issued its findings on Finland and Kenya which it examined during the latest online session

CED to review Switzerland, Colombia and Mongolia CED will hold its upcoming session from 12 April to 7 May, including to review country reports of Switzerland, Colombia and Mongolia.

See All

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

Choose the type of resource you want

International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people remain among those who are most often left behind during the COVID-19 pandemic due to exclusion, discrimination and violence.

Bachelet calls for equality in the access to vaccines and health services At the WHO Global Forum, the High Commissioner discussed how research can contribute to a healthier world for vulnerable populations, in the context of COVID-19. She focused on two areas: equality of access to health services, goods and facilities, including vaccines; and the need for disaggregated data to tailor appropriate and specific policies, during the pandemic and beyond.

Responsability to Protect "The best form of protection is prevention," the High Commissioner emphazied in the first Human Rights Council panel on the responsibility to protect. "Protecting people from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, is first and foremost, about making sure that these atrocity crimes do not happen in the first place," she said.

Human Rights and the Security Council The High Commissioner spoke to the Institute of International and European Affairs on the role of the UN Security Council on protecting global human rights. She highlighted three areas: leadership, accountability and prevention. The High Commissioner also stressed the impact of COVID-19 on human rights.

Liberation75 The High Commissioner sent a video to a global gathering of Holocaust survivors, descendants, educators and friends. "Knowing the horror that can arise from hatred and lies, we renew our commitment and determination to combat everywhere the violent forces of discrimination, intolerance and xenophobia,"she said.

Europe Social Summit At a seminar to prepare the European Union Social Summit this week, the High Commissioner issued pointed and detailed recommendations for fulfillment of economic and social rights, in the context of the pandemic and beyond

World Press Freedom Day Attacks on journalists “impoverish public debate and hamper our ability to respond effectively to societal challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic,” High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said in a statement marking World Press Freedom Day.

SDG 16 The need to transform governance has been among the major lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, the High Commissioner told the High Level Political Forum, outlining some of the ways Sustainable Development Goal 16 can guide that work.

See All Speeches

The UN Human Rights Appeal 2021

The UN Human Rights Appeal 2021

Standing up for your rights

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

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

See All Publications

Working Group on the Right to Development / 21st Session From: 17-05-2021
To: 21-05-2021
V

Human Rights Council / 47th Session From: 21-06-2021
To: 15-07-2021
Palais des Nations Room XX

Human Rights Council / 48th Session From: 13-09-2021
To: 01-10-2021
Palais des Nations Room XX

Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review / 39th Session From: 01-11-2021
To: 12-11-2021
Palais des Nations Room XX

See All Events

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.

See All Databases