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Surge in violence against children must be addressed with a rights-based approach

The COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating effect on an entire generation is examined in a new report on increased violence and abuse against children in the last year.
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Guidance establishes children’s rights carry into digital world

The Child Rights Committee published new legal guidance on how governments should protect children’s rights in the digital environment. General Comment 25 on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment says States have a clear responsibility to provide oversight on how children fare in the digital world.
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People of African descent must be part of the climate solution, High Commissioner says

"Generation upon generation of discrimination" shaped today's "immense and disproportionate impacts" of the climate crisis on the rights of people of African descent, the High Commissioner said, in her opening speech to the Working Group of Experts on People of African descent. These roots must be systematically addressed
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Report: Online hate increasing against minorities, says expert

A new report by the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Dr Fernand de Varennes, looks at how to address rising online hate speech against minority groups.
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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.
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News

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Violence in West Darfur We are appalled by the latest resurgence of violence in Sudan that has left at least 87 people dead and more than 191 injured, and forced thousands to flee their homes.

Tribute to Christof Heyns Christof Heyns, who has died aged 62, was an inspiring human rights advocate, whose warmth, optimism and generosity equalled his expertise. He cared for all people – those he worked with and those he worked to support and protect. We will miss him terribly.

China: Uyghurs Experts call for unhindered access to conduct fact-finding missions over alleged detention and forced labour of Muslim Uyghurs and urge global and domestic companies to scrutinize supply chains

Belarus: Police brutality Experts call for an end to excessive use of force, arrests, arbitrary detention and ill-treatment against protesters and the repression of journalists and media personnel.

CAR: Mercenaries Experts are alarmed over reports of grave human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by private military personnel operating with CAR’s armed forces and in some instances, UN peacekeepers

Indonesia: Tourism project concerns A US$3 billion project on Lombok island has reportedly involved aggressive land grabs, forced evictions of Sasak indigenous peoples, and intimidation and threats against human rights defenders.

Myanmar: atrocity crimes Top UN officials condemn Myanmar military’s widespread, lethal and increasingly systematic attacks after bloodiest day since protests began

Expert urges Myanmar summit Expert calls for emergency summit that brings together Myanmar’s neighbours and those countries with great influence in the region.

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Violence in West Darfur We are appalled by the latest resurgence of violence in Sudan that has left at least 87 people dead and more than 191 injured, and forced thousands to flee their homes.

Myanmar: atrocity crimes Top UN officials condemn Myanmar military’s widespread, lethal and increasingly systematic attacks after bloodiest day since protests began

Women’s rights We call on Turkey to reverse its decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on combatting all forms of violence against women, and note that the move highlights the lack of meaningful participation in decision making in the country.

Climate Change UN Human Rights Office publishes a fact sheet to answer a range of questions about human rights and climate change and to promote better policies for people and the planet.

Myanmar: Lethal force The death toll has soared over the past week in Myanmar, where security forces have been using lethal force increasingly aggressively against peaceful protesters.

South Sudan: accountability for top officials needed Bachelet urges South Sudan to hold accountable military and political figures supporting community-based militias

Syria: Truth and justice As Syria marks a decade of violence and conflict, we owe it to the victims to step up the pursuit of truth, justice and reparations. Bachelet says, calling for a particular focus on the plight of missing and disappeared people and their families.

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Mali Charges against journalist and co-defendants still detained after court freed them must be dropped, say UN experts

Roma Day Rise of hate speech disproportionally targets Sinti and Roma in social media, says expert

Iraq: Killing Experts seek independent investigation into the killing of a father who had been seeking justice for his abducted son, a human rights defender.

Expert urges Myanmar summit Expert calls for emergency summit that brings together Myanmar’s neighbours and those countries with great influence in the region.

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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

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

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

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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.

Libya: violated activist's rights Libya violated the human rights of an activist working on women’s rights by failing to investigate and prosecute her unlawful arrest and torture by a militia group affiliated with the government

CEDAW issues findings on Denmark CEDAW has published its findings on Denmark, including the self-governing territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, which it examined during its latest online session.

CRC: Child’s rights in digital environment The Child Rights Committee today published its legal guidance note on how States should protect children’s rights with regard to the digital environment

Argentina: Repealing deportation decree Three UN rights committees have applauded Argentina’s decision to derogate a decree* which allowed expedited expulsion of migrants without due process. The decree had been strongly criticised for violating the right to family unity, the principle of the best interests of the child and the principle of non-refoulement

CESCR issues findings on Finland and Latvia CESCR has published its findings on Finland and Latvia, the two countries it examined during its session held virtually from 15 February to 5 March 2021.

Migrants: Guidance on equitable access to COVID-19 vaccine All migrants should be included in COVID-19 vaccination programmes regardless of their nationality and migration status, experts from the UN, African, European and Inter-American human rights systems urge in a Guidance Note published today.

Disability Rights Committee to review Estonia CRPD will holds its upcoming session from 8 March to 1 April 2021 and will review Estonia

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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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Roma Day Rise of hate speech disproportionally targets Sinti and Roma in social media, says expert

Law students and human rights The High Commissioner spoke to Law school students and how they can contribute to promoting and protecting human rights. "As your careers develop, I encourage you to remain true to the ideals you are now learning, and that the law can be a tool of immense power in the hands of all looking to make our world a fairer, more just one," she said.

Syria “Today, realization of the entire spectrum of human rights remains impossible for many Syrians,” the High Commissioner said in a video message to the Brussels conference on the future of Syria and the region. “We must all take action to support a future for Syria's people in which human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled,” she stressed.

Working Group on Ageing Speaking to the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing, in New York, the High Commissioner said today's human rights law "provides fragmented and inconsistent coverage of the human rights of older persons", and encouraged development of "a dedicated legal instrument (to) effectively contribute to changes in law and practice at the national level"

Global Health In a conference on strenghening the role of the European Union in the context of global health, the High Commissioner spoke about the human rights impacts of COVID-19 and stressed the importance of Universal Health Coverage.

Climate and discrimination People of African descent must be part of the climate solution, High Commissioner says

Climate Human rights are the key to devising climate policies that are equitable, inclusive and effective, the High Commissioner said at the 2021 Geneva Dialogues

Racism “Racism violates everything we stand for and everything we do,” the High Commissioner said at the Global Forum against Racism and Discrimination. She added that the COVID-19 crisis has exposed how pervasive this threat is and how deeply rooted are discrimination-fuelled inequalities in our societies.

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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

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Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review / 38th Session From: 03-05-2021
To: 14-05-2021
Palais des Nations Room XX

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: 09-07-2021
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

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