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Fifteen principles to protect workers
Human rights solutions
Judge Erika Aifán
Digital tech and human rights
Stand up for human rights

The human right to safe and healthy working conditions

UN expert on human rights and toxics, Baskut Tuncak, presents 15 groundbreaking principles to help end the exploitation of workers by exposure to toxic substances.
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“The lifeblood which sustains every healthy society”: human rights-based solutions to today’s challenges

As a new global and digital landscape comes into sharper focus, the challenges we face are tightly intertwined, the High Commissioner told students at Harvard's Kennedy School – and they require a coherent approach that is principled, grounded in a very broad consensus, and which has demonstrated its value for decades.
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“The day I stop believing is the day I stop fighting.”

Erika Aifán is a leading figure in the fight against impunity in Guatemala. The judge at Guatemala’s Criminal High Risk Tribunal, believes that making sure that justice is done helps both the government and more importantly, the citizens.
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Cyberspace cannot be an ungoverned zone, or a 'human rights black hole'

High Commissioner Bachelet issues a strong statement on digital risks – and potential solutions
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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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Myanmar: Expert urges targeted sanctions Expert on Myanmar calls for sanctions against military-run companies and commanders responsible for serious violations.

Unrest in Chile Bachelet urges all political and civil society actors in Chile to engage in immediate dialogue and to avoid further polarizing the situation

Ecuador violence Experts express dismay at violent response of Ecuadorian security forces to protests this month against the Government's austerity measures.

Expert on Israel’s “occu-annexation” “Status quo of Israel’s ‘occu-annexation’ is endlessly sustainable without decisive international intervention because of the grossly asymmetrical balance of power on the ground,” says expert.

Rise in stateless people World faces significant and immediate increase in number of stateless minorities around the world, a UN expert warns, raising concerns about humanitarian crisis in India.

Iran minorities Ethnic and religious minorities in Iran face significant challenges to realisation of their rights, particularly against the backdrop of a worsening economic situation, expert says.

Ecuador mission UN Human Rights Office to visit Ecuador to look into allegations of human rights violations.

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights publishes findings on Denmark, Ecuador, Israel, Senegal, Slovakia, and Switzerland, which were reviewed in its latest session.

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Unrest in Chile Bachelet urges all political and civil society actors in Chile to engage in immediate dialogue and to avoid further polarizing the situation

Bahamas deportations We are concerned about the deportation of 112 Haitian migrants from The Bahamas to Haiti, including people from the Abaco Islands, which were badly hit by the destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian.

Turkey’s offensive in Syria UN Human Rights Office disturbed by reports of civilian casualties in Syria.

Afghanistan: Airstrike casualties UN Report finds “US Airstrikes on Alleged Drug-Processing Facilities” caused a large number of civilian casualties.

Egyptian protests Bachelet urges Egyptian authorities to respect the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

DRC: Increase in violence UN Human Rights Office calls on the DRC authorities, as a matter of urgency, to implement a serious security strategy to resolve the crises and protect civilians in Ituri and South Kivu.

Reprisals on the rise UN Secretary-General Report documents alleged reprisals against victims, members of civil society and activists for cooperating with the UN in close to 50 countries.

Iraq Demonstrations UN rights office reminds Iraqi Government any use of force must comply with international standards, and protestors should be allowed to freely exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

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Myanmar: Expert urges targeted sanctions Expert on Myanmar calls for sanctions against military-run companies and commanders responsible for serious violations.

Ecuador violence Experts express dismay at violent response of Ecuadorian security forces to protests this month against the Government's austerity measures.

Rise in stateless people World faces significant and immediate increase in number of stateless minorities around the world, a UN expert warns, raising concerns about humanitarian crisis in India.

Violence against women in Bulgaria Expert urges Bulgaria to comply with its international and regional obligations on violence against women and to reopen the ratification process of the Istanbul Convention.

African descent event The UN Human Rights Office and African Union Commission will on 23 and 24 October hold a regional conference in Dakar as part of the International Decade for People of African Descent.

Rights of people with disabilities Millions are being denied autonomy, face discrimination and are being left behind simply because they have a disability and are elderly, says UN expert.

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Human Rights Council forty-second regular session Human Rights Council to hold its forty-second regular session from 9 to 27 september 2019 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

2019 report of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi The UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi raises red flags at the serious human rights violations committed in the pre-electoral climate

Myanmar experts call for justice for sexual assault victims Report finds Rohingya victims of brutal sexual violence remain without justice, as military continues its use in Kachin and Shan states.

Myanmar Experts expose military business ties, call for sanctions Report maps degree to which Myanmar’s military has used its own businesses, foreign companies and arms deals to support brutal operations against ethnic groups constituting serious crimes under international law.

HRC 41st session The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold its forty-first regular session from 24 June to 12 July 2019 in Geneva.

Council closes fortieth session The Council concluded its fortieth regular session.

Council closes fortieth session The Council adopted five resolutions in which it extended two mandates.

Human Rights Council extends mandates The Council adopted 12 resolutions in which it, among other actions, decided to extend mandates.

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Women’s Rights Committee UN women’s rights experts will meet in Geneva from 21 October to 8 November to review Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, and Seychelles

Cabo Verde: End of visit UN torture prevention committee ends its first visit to Cabo Verde and encourages the Government to strengthen the recently established National Preventive Mechanism

Committee on Enforced Disappearances UN Committee publishes its findings on Bolivia and Slovakia, which were examined during its latest session from 30 September to 11 October

International Day of the Girl States must better protect and empower girls, UN human rights experts say in joint statement by the UN Women’s Rights Committee and the UN Child Rights Committee for the International Day of the Girl.

Human Rights Committee UN human rights experts meet in Geneva to review Belgium, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Czech Republic, Mexico and Senegal

Belgium: Resolution of visa case The UN Child Rights Committee welcomes Belgium’s resolution of visa case and rectification of process for children taken in under kafalah system

Right of the Child UN Committee on Rights of the Child publishes its findings on the countries it examined during its latest session.

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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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African Descent regional meeting In Senegal, the High Commissioner called on young people of African descent to “raise awareness, learn and share their history, stand up for their rights and write their own stories”.

Human Rights Council The Council can play a pivotal role in tackling global human rights issues like inequality, mass migration, climate change and the digital revolution, the High Commissioner notes at a retreat in Senegal.

Human rights solutions As a new global and digital landscape comes into sharper focus, the challenges we face are tightly intertwined, the High Commissioner told students at Harvard's Kennedy School – and they require a coherent approach that is principled, grounded in a very broad consensus, and which has demonstrated its value for decades.

Human rights in the digital age The international human rights framework provides a concrete, legal foundation on which States and firms can build their responses in the digital age, says UN Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet.

Child death inequalities Broad disparities in child mortality can be solved with comprehensive, human rights based policies, High Commissioner Bachelet writes in Nature magazine

Rights in a Changing World In Australia, the High Commissioner weighs today's turbulence with that of past eras – and advocates global engagement and the implementation of human rights

Bachelet in Australia Returning to the country that first took her in as a 23-year-old fleeing the Pinochet regime, the High Commissioner wonders what kind of reception she would get as a refugee in Australia today.

Boosting prevention To prevent human rights violations and conflict, we need to ensure that the entire UN system speaks and acts as one -- throughout the Peace and Security Pillar, the Development Pillar, and including Secretariat bodies, every specialized agency and all the UN Country Teams.

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Standing up for your rights

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

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

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Human Rights Committee / 127th Session From: 14-10-2019
To: 08-11-2019
Palais Wilson Gr

Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action / 17th Session From: 21-10-2019
To: 01-11-2019
Palais des Nations Room XXI

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Pre-sessional Working Group / 65th Session From: 21-10-2019
To: 25-10-2019
Palais Wilson 1st

Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice / 26th Session From: 21-10-2019
To: 25-10-2019
Palais des Nations Room XXV

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women / 74th Session From: 21-10-2019
To: 08-11-2019
Palais des Nations Room XVII

Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights / 49th Session From: 28-10-2019
To: 30-10-2019
Palais des Nations Room XXIII

Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review / 34th Session From: 04-11-2019
To: 15-11-2019
Palais des Nations Room XX

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women - Pre-sessional Working Group / 76th Session From: 11-11-2019
To: 15-11-2019
Palais des Nations Room XVII

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UN Charter Body Database

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National Human Rights Institutions Website

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Universal Human Rights Index

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Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Database

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Anti-discrimination Database

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Human Rights Education and Training Database

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Jurisprudence Database

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