OHCHR | Home

Passing of Kofi Annan
UN Human Rights Memorial
New High Commissioner
Indigenous migrants in Mexico
Stand Up / UDHR 70 campaign

Kofi Annan: the epitome of human decency and grace

The United Nations Human Rights Office is deeply saddened by the passing of Kofi Annan. He will always be remembered for his leadership as a courageous, dynamic and charismatic Secretary-General.
More information All Stories

"A piece of me died that day"

"No matter how many years go by, there is always that one moment, like a secret drawer where the pain is still intact," said Laura Dolci. Her husband, Jean-Sélim Kanaan, was among the 22 UN staff who were killed during the 2003 UN compound bombing in Baghdad.
More information All Stories

Michelle Bachelet appointed to lead UN Human Rights Office

UN Human Rights staff look forward to welcoming Michelle Bachelet and working under her leadership for the promotion and protection of all human rights, for everyone, everywhere. She will succeed Zeid when his mandate ends on 31 August.
More information All Stories

Migration nightmare for an indigenous woman in Mexico

The UN Human Rights offices in Guatemala and Mexico advocate for the rights of an indigenous migrant who faces prolonged detention in a State prison in Mexico, after she was kidnapped by smugglers near the country’s border with the US.
More information All Stories

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.
More information All Stories

News

Choose the type of news you want

Passing of Kofi Annan The United Nations Human Rights Office is deeply saddened by the passing of Kofi Annan. He will always be remembered for his leadership as a courageous, dynamic and charismatic Secretary-General.

Briefing notes Concern at human rights environment of Cambodia’s election. Zeid condemns Republika Srpska’s decision to revoke endorsement of Srebrenica Commission Report. Libyan Government of National Accord urged to protect Tawerghan internally displaced persons.

Somalia elections UN report urges Somalia to build on gains made in its peace process to ensure future elections are not marred by the human rights violations and abuses committed during the 2016-2017 electoral process.

New High Commissioner Zeid warmly welcomes Michelle Bachelet to succeed him when his mandate ends on 31 August. Bachelet has “all the attributes – courage, perseverance, passion and a deep commitment to human rights – to make her a successful High Commissioner.”

Japan: Fukushima clean-up Japan must act urgently to protect tens of thousands of workers who are reportedly being exploited and exposed to toxic nuclear radiation in efforts to clean up the damaged Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Power Station, say experts.

Leprosy Politicians must stop misusing the word leprosy to convey harmful stereotypes because its widespread use as a metaphor for all that is loathsome contributes to violations of the human rights of persons affected by leprosy, says expert.

Monsanto ruling Experts welcome decision by a California court awarding $289 million compensation to school groundkeeper Johnson after a jury found that the company did not place a warning label on its weedkillers that widespread use could cause terminal cancer.

Bangladesh: Student protests Experts urge Bangladeshi authorities to immediately release photographer Shahidul Alam, who was arrested and allegedly tortured after reporting abuses against student protesters demanding road safety.

See All

Yemen civilian casualties We urge all sides of the Yemen conflict to protect and respect the rights and safety of civilians. Attacks on Saada and Hudaydah resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including many children.

Briefing: Syria, Saudi Arabia We urge the Government of Syria to stop relocating ISIL fighters to areas where civilians are vulnerable to attack, following horrific violence in As-Sweda. We call on the Government of Saudi Arabia to halt arrests of rights activists.

Cameroon violence High Commissioner Zeid deeply alarmed at persistent reports of violations in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon, as well as in the Extreme North.

Briefing: Zimbabwe elections We welcome the widening of the democratic space in Zimbabwe ahead of the 30 July presidential elections, and call on the Government and all in Zimbabwe to ensure human rights are fully respected.

Briefing: Nicaragua, Mali, Kashmir Nicaragua must act to halt loss of life amid ongoing protests; we urge Mali to continue its efforts to halt intercommunal attacks; and we refute misrepresentation in Indian media of our Kashmir report.

See All

Oleg Sentsov Experts call on Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Oleg Sentsov while expressing grave concern for his physical and mental integrity.

Botswana: minority issues The UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues visits Botswana from 13 to 24 August.

Argentina abortion bill Experts express deep regret that the Argentinian Senate rejected a bill which would have legalised abortion during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy

See All

HRC concludes 38th session after adopting 20 resolutions The Council concluded its thirty-eighth regular session after adopting 20 resolutions addressing multiple themes as well as human rights situations.

Council adopts four resolutions, closes its 38th session The Council adopted four resolutions.

Council adopts six resolutions The Human Rights Council adopted six resolutions.

Council adopts 10 texts The Council adopted 10 resolutions.

Technical cooperation and capacity building The Council held a general debate under its agenda item 10 on technical cooperation and capacity building.

Situation in Myanmar The Council held a dialogue with the High Commissioner on the human rights situation of the Rohingya people. It also heard presentations on Burundi and on Georgia.

Human Rights situation in the Central African Republic The Council held an interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic.

Human Rights technical cooperation and SDGs The Council held a panel discussion on human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals with a focus on enhancing human rights technical cooperation and capacity-building.

See All

Lula: Interim measures UN Human Rights Committee requests Brazil to take all necessary measures to ensure Lula can exercise his political rights while in prison, and not prevent him from standing in the 2018 election until his appeals are completed in fair judicial proceedings.

Committee Against Torture findings Findings published on Chile, Mauritania, Russian Federation and Seychelles.

Elimination of Racial Discrimination Committee to review Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Cuba, Japan, Latvia, Mauritius, and Montenegro.

Human Rights Committee Findings published on Bahrain, Algeria, the Gambia, Liberia, Lithuania, and Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Torture prevention United Nations and Council of Europe torture prevention bodies to strengthen cooperation.

Women’s rights UN women’s rights experts issue findings on Australia, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Mexico, New Zealand, State of Palestine, and Turkmenistan

Poland torture prevention The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture will carry out its first visit to Poland between 8 and 19 July.

Human Rights Committee session UN Human Rights Committee to review Bahrain, Algeria, the Gambia, Liberia, Lithuania, and Lao People’s Democratic Republic

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

A day of sorrow and homage The Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad, 15 years ago, killed 22 colleagues from the UN Human Rights Office.

Global Disability Summit Without participation, there will never be progress.

Acute human rights concerns in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Violations in the OPT create a tinderbox, and may ignite severe and unpredictable consequences.

"Mandela was first a jurist" At the Nelson Mandela Moot Court, a celebration of majestic promises and extraordinary examples.

Rights of indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples suffer disproportionately from all types of violations

Anniversary of the International Law Commission The Commission has played a leading role in developing international legal norms.

New Rohingya refugees "No amount of rhetoric can whitewash the facts", the High Commissioner says, urging referral of Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.

Haiti human rights action plan Stronger engagement by the Haitian government is needed to advance towards a workable plan of action on rights.

See All Speeches

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)

See All Publications

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination / 96th Session From: 06-08-2018
To: 30-08-2018
Palais Wilson Gr

Working Group on Arbitrary Detention / 82nd Session From: 20-08-2018
To: 24-08-2018
Palais des Nations Room IX

Human Rights Council – Organizational meeting for 39th session From: 27-08-2018
To: 27-08-2018
Palais des Nations Room XX

Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action / 16th Session From: 27-08-2018
To: 07-09-2018
Palais des Nations Room XXI

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities / 20th Session From: 27-08-2018
To: 21-09-2018
Palais des Nations Room XVII

Committee on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families / 29th Session From: 03-09-2018
To: 12-09-2018
Palais Wilson Gr

Human Rights Council / 39th Session From: 10-09-2018
To: 28-09-2018
Palais des Nations Room XX

Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances / 116th Session From: 10-09-2018
To: 14-09-2018
Palais des Nations Room IX

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

Quick selection

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