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Stand Up for Human Rights

Bachelet updates Human Rights Council on recent human rights issues in more than 50 countries

Focusing on the urgent need to expand people's participation in decisions-making, the High Commissioner deplored that “in every region of the world, people are being left behind – or pushed even further behind – as the coronavirus pandemic gathers pace". "This makes us all weaker," she observed, calling for Council members to "speak out against measures that silence civil society”
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Responding to the needs of women, ‘first responders’ to Egypt’s COVID-19 crisis

Entisar Elsaeed, Founder and Director of the Cairo Foundation for Development and Law, has seen the increasing burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on women in Egypt. She decided to focus the work of her Foundation on the country’s most vulnerable during the crisis.
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On Sri Lanka, Bachelet urges Human Rights Council to step up efforts for accountability and redress

In light of the failure to advance domestic justice for human rights violations in Sri Lanka, the High Commissioner called on the Human Rights Council to consider new ways to support accountability at the international level, including for collection and preservation of evidence
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Secretary-General Guterres calls for a global reset, "to recover better, guided by human rights"

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"
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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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USA: policing & racism reforms Experts call on US Government to adopt wide ranging reforms to put an end to police violence, and to vigorously address systemic racism and racial discrimination.

Myanmar protests UN experts, urging a return to democracy, say Myanmar’s military must allow people to protest peacefully and express their discontent with the coup.

Malaysia deportation Experts are appalled by Malaysia’s decision to deport to Myanmar of over 1,000 detained migrants despite a court order to suspend their return.

Iran: Ukraine airliner attack Iran committed multiple human rights violations in shooting down Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 and in the aftermath of the deadly attack, experts say.

Afghanistan report UN report reveals the appalling level of harm inflicted on civilians and traces the disturbing spike in violence against human rights defenders, journalists, and media workers killed even after the peace talks began September last year.

Philippines Senator detention Experts call for immediate release of Philippines Senator Leila De Lima who has been held in pre-trial detention since 2017

Yemen fighting We remind all parties of their obligations to protect civilians amid escalating fighting in Yemen, as Houthi forces try to seize control of Marib Governorate from Government forces.

Haiti: Judicial independence We are concerned by the latest attacks on judicial independence in Haiti, all the more so given the current political and institutional instability gripping the country.

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Colombia investigation We welcome the progress in the investigation in Colombia of the so-called “false positives” cases where people were falsely presented as having been killed in clashes with the security forces.

Russia We urge the authorities in Russia to immediately release all those detained for exercising the freedom of peaceful assembly and expression over weeks of protests across the country

Torture persists in Afghanistan at alarming levels Almost a third of people detained for security or terrorism-related offences in Afghanistan have been subjected to torture or other forms of ill-treatment.

South Sudan We welcome the decision by the Government to move forward with the establishment of transitional justice institutions, including the Hybrid Court and the Commission on Truth, Reconciliation and Healing and urge swift implementation.

DRC: Attacks against civilians We are appalled by a significant increase in the number of attacks against the civilian population in DRC by the armed group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), as well as violations by security and defence forces.

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Myanmar protests UN experts, urging a return to democracy, say Myanmar’s military must allow people to protest peacefully and express their discontent with the coup.

USA: policing & racism reforms Experts call on US Government to adopt wide ranging reforms to put an end to police violence, and to vigorously address systemic racism and racial discrimination.

Malaysia deportation Experts are appalled by Malaysia’s decision to deport to Myanmar of over 1,000 detained migrants despite a court order to suspend their return.

Philippines Senator detention Experts call for immediate release of Philippines Senator Leila De Lima who has been held in pre-trial detention since 2017

United States: Guantanamo Ongoing violations of human rights being committed against remaining detainees must be addressed in the review of how to close Guantanamo Bay detention centre, say experts.

Iran: Ukraine airliner attack Iran committed multiple human rights violations in shooting down Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 and in the aftermath of the deadly attack, experts say.

Brazil: Impunity The killing of a prominent land rights defender found shot dead in his home must be duly investigated to bring those responsible to justice, says UN expert.

Pakistan: Death penalty Experts welcome decision by Supreme Court of Pakistan to ban execution of defendants with mental health conditions.

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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

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Human Rights Committee to review Finland and Kenya Human Rights Committee will holds its session from 1 to 26 March to review Finland and Kenya

CEDAW to review Denmark online CEDAW will review Denmark, including the self-governing territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, from 22 February to 24 February

CESCR to review Finland and Latvia The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will hold its upcoming session from 15 February to 5 March 2021 and will review reports of Finland and Latvia.

Italy failed to rescue 200 migrants Italy failed to protect the right to life of more than 200 migrants who were on board a vessel that sank in the Mediterranean Sea in 2013, the Human Rights Committee has found.

DRC violated right to life The UN Human Rights Committee has found the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) violated the right to life of Pascal Kabungulu who was killed in an extrajudicial execution, in front of his family.

Netherlands: Child’s right to nationality In a ground-breaking decision, the Human Rights Committee has found that the Netherlands violated a child’s rights by registering “nationality unknown” in his civil records.

Enforced Disappearances: 1,000 urgent actions Committee on Enforced Disappearances has just registered the 1,000th urgent action request, marking a significant milestone for the mechanism.

Global webinar on peaceful assembly UN Human Rights and the University of Pretoria will jointly hold a global webinar on 16 December to raise awareness on two new international instruments relating to the right of peaceful assembly.

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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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Oral update and country reports The High Commissioner presented to the Council her reports on the human rights situations in Colombia, Cyprus, Guatemala, Honduras and on the impact of COVID-19 on human rights. She also updated the Council on Eritrea and on her Office’s technical cooperation with Venezuela.

Belarus The High Commissioner reported "numerous and widespread" violations in the country, outlining "the systematic denial of fundamental freedoms"; mass arbitrary arrests; allegations of torture; and the harassment of "opposition members, journalists, human rights defenders and citizens in general".

Nicaragua The High Commissioner introduced her report to the Council on the human rights situation in Nicaragua

Sri Lanka Given the failure to advance justice for past human rights violations in Sri Lanka, the High Commissioner urged the Human Rights Council to consider new ways to support accountability at the international level – including the collection and preservation of evidence

Occupied Palestinian Territory The High Commissioner introduced her report to the Council on ensuring accountability for violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Multilateralism Drawing lessons from the COVID pandemic, with an eye to gender equality and climate justice, the High Commissioner emphasised the need for principled, multilateral approaches

Environment Recognition of the human right to a healthy environment will empower people to demand that right be fulfilled, the High Commissioner said.

Death penalty The High Commissioner told the Human Rights Council that there is “no evidence” that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than any other punishment. “Evidence should speak louder than assumptions,” she said, adding that “true deterrence is the rule of law.”

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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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Human Rights Council / 46th Session From: 22-02-2021
To: 23-03-2021
Palais des Nations Room XX

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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