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Water Rights Defender: Autumn Peltier
Annual Appeal: Success Stories
Annual Appeal presentation
The world is still not on target for 2030
Stand Up / UDHR 70 campaign

"Anyone can use their voice. Believe in yourself."

At 14 years old, water rights activist Autumn Peltier, of the Wikwemikong First Nations community in Ontario, Canada, says helping the environment is something anyone can do at any age. Her activism has earned her a nomination for the 2019 International Children’s Peace Prize.
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Showcasing human rights success in daily lives

Defending cultural rights of indigenous weavers in Guatemala; challenging discrimination against minorities in Moldova; supporting families of missing persons in South Korea and Kosovo*. As the UN Human Rights Annual Appeal kicks off for 2019, witness the difference our everyday work in human rights makes in people’s lives.
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Annual Appeal presentation

The Office is a vital tool for greater prevention, and better protection, around the world.
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1,111 days into the 2030 Agenda, are we succeeding in meeting its great goal of leaving no-one behind?

"We need a greater sense of urgency about achieving the Agenda's promise to the world's people," the High Commissioner says.
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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.
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News

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Guatemala Bachelet warns Guatemala National Reconciliation Law amendment will lead to impunity for grave crimes.

Davos: Human rights critical As global leaders meet in Davos for the World Economic Forum, experts stress importance of human rights to Forum’s central theme of "Globalization 4.0: Shaping a New Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution".

Zimbabwe: repression of protests Concerns about socio-economic crisis in Zimbabwe and the repression of large scale protests in the country

Montenegro: sentencing Jovo Martinović Concerns about the sentencing by the High Court of Podgorica of investigative journalist Jovo Martinović

Myanmar: Expert deplores violence Expert expresses alarm at escalating violence in northern and central Rakhine State and Chin State, and calls on all sides to exercise restraints in use of force and to ensure the protection of civilians.

New guidelines economic reforms Human rights must be an integral component of policymaking to ensure economic reforms help advance societies, rather than hinder people’s lives, an expert says.

Sudan protests Amid credible reports of the use of excessive force by State security forces against protestors across Sudan, Michelle Bachelet warns that a repressive response can only worsen grievances.

DRC killings The UN Human Rights Office is investigating allegations from credible sources that at least 890 people were killed between 16 and 18 December in Mai-Ndombe province in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Guatemala Bachelet warns Guatemala National Reconciliation Law amendment will lead to impunity for grave crimes.

Zimbabwe: repression of protests Concerns about socio-economic crisis in Zimbabwe and the repression of large scale protests in the country

Montenegro: sentencing Jovo Martinović Concerns about the sentencing by the High Court of Podgorica of investigative journalist Jovo Martinović

Bachelet appeals for record funds to support UN Human Rights work Bachelet urges States to step up their support in 2019 in order to fund the work of the Human Rights Office

DRC rights violations Hundreds of extrajudicial killings and cases of torture and sexual violence against civilians have been documented during the last two years in North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Guatemalan Government must guarantee democratic freedoms UN Human Rights Chief urges the Guatemalan Government to guarantee freedom of expression and opinion, and the right to peaceful assembly and association ahead of the demonstrations expected in several Guatemalan cities

Nicaragua repression The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet urges the Government of Nicaragua to stop harassment against civil society and the media.

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New guidelines economic reforms Human rights must be an integral component of policymaking to ensure economic reforms help advance societies, rather than hinder people’s lives, an expert says.

Iran: Prisoners must get treatment Experts call on Iran to urgently provide Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Narges Mohammadi access to appropriate health care, and reiterate calls for their immediate release.

Call to stop Pakistan execution Experts urge authorities in Pakistan to halt the execution of Mr. Khizar Hayat, a man with psychosocial disabilities. His execution is scheduled for 15 January 2019.

India: Extrajudicial police killings Experts express alarm about allegations of at least 59 extrajudicial killings by police in Uttar Pradesh since March 2017. India’s Supreme Court is scheduled to consider several of the cases.

Bhutan A delegation from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will visit Bhutan from 14 to 25 January.

North Korea: At a critical juncture Expert on North Korea says 2019 represents “a critical test, not only for peace and denuclearisation but for human rights”.

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Working Group to Review the Human Rights Records in 14 States Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review Working Group to hold thirty-second session in Geneva from 21 January to 1 February 2019

Council concludes 39th ninth session The Council concluded its 39th regular session.

Council adopts eight resolutions The Council adopted eight texts.

HRC adopts five resolutions The Council adopted five resolutions.

Council adopts 10 resolutions The Council adopted 10 resolutions and one Presidential statement.

Dialogue on the Central African Republic, Georgia The Council held a dialogue on the situation in the Central African Republic, in Georgia, and on technical assistance and capacity building.

Human rights situations in Cambodia, Somalia and Sudan The Council held separate dialogues with mandate holders on the human rights situations in Cambodia, Somalia and Sudan.

Situation of human rights in Yemen and Libya The Council held dialogues on the human rights situation in Yemen and on the situation of human rights in Libya.

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Child Rights Committee meeting Committee to review children’s rights in Bahrain, Belgium, Czechia, Guinea, Italy, Japan, and Syria

International Migrants Day statement States must ensure all migrants enjoy all human rights, UN experts say on International Migrants Day.

Racial Discrimination Committee publishes findings Human rights experts issue concluding observations on Albania, Honduras, Iraq, Norway, Qatar, and the Republic of Korea.

Human rights experts condemn Belarus executions It is unconscionable to carry out capital punishment in defiance of the Human Rights Committee’s request for a stay, experts say

Committee Against Torture publishes findings UN experts issue concluding observations on Canada, Guatemala, Maldives, Netherlands, Peru, and Viet Nam

Torture prevention body announces planned country visits Experts will in 2019 visit Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Costa Rica, Ghana, Senegal, Swizerland and the United Kingdom.

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to meet Experts to review Albania, Honduras, Iraq, Norway, Qatar, and Republic of Korea

Universal Children’s Day Experts call for Governments around the world to be united in ensuring priority attention to the realization of the rights of the child

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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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The world is still not on target for 2030 "We need a greater sense of urgency about achieving the Agenda's promise to the world's people," the High Commissioner says.

Annual Appeal presentation The Office is a vital tool for greater prevention, and better protection, around the world.

Rights of the child The 30th anniversary of the Convention must bring more urgency to the work of implementing children’s rights.

Update on Ukraine As the 5th winter of conflict closes in, large numbers of people are suffering.

Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of UDHR High Commissioner speaks to the UN General Assembly calling States to work towards peace and justice for all.

20th anniversary of the declaration on human rights defenders High Commissioner speaks at the high-level meeting of the General Assembly in New York.

Award ceremony for the human rights prize High Commissioner honours the recipients of the 2018 United Nations Prize in the field of Human Rights in New York.

Climate-related human rights violations International law requires States to act

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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)

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Committee on the Rights of Child / 80th Session From: 14-01-2019
To: 01-02-2019
Palais Wilson

Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review / 32nd Session From: 21-01-2019
To: 01-02-2019
Palais des Nations Room XX

Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice / 24th Session From: 28-01-2019
To: 01-02-2019
New York

Working Group on Situations / 23rd Session From: 28-01-2019
To: 01-02-2019
Palais Wilson

Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises / 22nd Session From: 04-02-2019
To: 08-02-2019
Palais Wilson 1st

Committee on the Rights of Child - Pre-sessional Working Group / 82nd Session From: 04-02-2019
To: 08-02-2019
Palais Wilson Grand Floor

Human Rights Council – Organizational meeting for 40th session From: 11-02-2019
To: 11-02-2019

Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances / 117th Session From: 11-02-2019
To: 15-02-2019
Sarajevo

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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

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Jurisprudence Database

Access jurisprudence emanating from the United Nations Treaty Bodies that receive and consider complaints from individuals.

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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