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Supporting the human rights of migrants in quarantine camps

The UN Human Rights in Bolivia provided support and assistance to Bolivians in an impromptu quarantine camp along the border with Chile. It was one of its joint activities with other United Nation agencies to help protect migrants.
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Expert: COVID-19 has caused an “education crisis”

“The past failure to build strong and resilient education systems has opened the door to a dramatic impact on the most vulnerable and marginalised,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education.
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Strengthening generations of human rights defenders, even during COVID-19

The pandemic has highlighted human rights as a collective responsibility and the need to put additional energies in building the capacity of students, who have more determination in changing the status quo, says Isha Kanu-Moriba, Human Rights Officer in South Sudan.
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Expert: Give displaced persons with disabilities a chance to participate

With an estimated 5 million internally displaced people in the world having a disability, now is the time to create policies and programs that attend to their specific needs, said Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons.
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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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Lebanon crisis Bachelet urges the Government, political parties and financial sector to work together to ensure the poorest and most vulnerable are protected amid Lebanon’s economic crisis.

Srebrenica genocide As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, accountability and reconciliation need to be addressed with concrete action and renewed urgency, UN Human Rights Chief urges.

Iraq killings Shocking murder in Iraq of security analyst Hisham Al-Hushami highlights the risks faced by people who dare to challenge powerful militias in Iraq and are vocal about pervasive impunity and corruption.

Black women's lives also matter The UN women’s rights committee has called for a new era of human rights and gender justice, stressing that the lives of black women and girls also matter.

COVID-19: ‘Freedom of expression essential’ People have died as many governments have used the COVID-pandemic to repress expression in violation of their human rights obligations, a UN expert tells the Human Rights Council.

DRC: ADF attacks Attacks by the ADF armed group that have left nearly 800 dead over the past 18 months in the DRC may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

China/ Hong Kong security law We are alarmed that arrests are already being made under the law. Definition of the offences are vague and overly broad, which may lead to discriminatry or arbitrary interpretation and enforcement of the law.

Ethiopia protests Killing of singer and activist Hachalu Hundessa sparks protests which worryingly have increasingly taken on an ethnic undertone. The authorities shut down the Internet, making it extremely difficult to verify the number of casualties.

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Lebanon crisis Bachelet urges the Government, political parties and financial sector to work together to ensure the poorest and most vulnerable are protected amid Lebanon’s economic crisis.

DRC: ADF attacks Attacks by the ADF armed group that have left nearly 800 dead over the past 18 months in the DRC may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israel: Annexation plans Bachelet calls on Israel not to proceed with its plans to illegally annex a swathe of occupied Palestinian territory, and warns it would have a disastrous impact on human rights of Palestinians and across the region.

Global Pride 2020 In a video message commemorating Global Pride 2020, the High Commissioner recalled the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LGBTI people. She stated we at a "hinge moment", with an opportunity "for collective reflection and potentially transformative change."

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Freedom of assembly A UN expert tells the Human Rights Council that assembly and association rights empower communities to respond and adapt to changes in a crisis such as COVID-19 and to be better prepared for future emergencies.

Belarus: Protest crackdowns The UN’s human rights expert on Belarus calls for international support for human rights defenders in the country ahead of the 9 August presidential election.

COVID-19: Corruption UN experts say governments must guard against human rights abuses linked to corruption in procurement of goods to fight COVID-19.

Toxic chemical exports Wealthy countries must stop exporting their banned toxic chemicals to poorer nations, says a UN expert, backed by 35 fellow experts of the Human Rights Council.

Remembering Srebrenica Governments must act to prevent the unchallenged and unchecked intolerance, discrimination and violence that can lead to genocide, UN experts say ahead of the Srebrenica 25th anniversary Memorial Day on 11 July.

COVID-19: Brazil A UN housing expert tells the Human Rights Council Brazil must end all evictions during the health crisis, after more than 2,000 families were thrown out of their homes.

Iraq: Internal displacement The Government must redouble efforts to help the 1.4 million people still displaced within the country, a UN rights expert tells the Human Rights Council.

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Panel on accountability for women in humanitarian settings The Council held first panel of its annual full-day discussion on women’s rights, focussing on accountability for women and girls in humanitarian settings

Council holds dialogue on freedom of opinion and expression The Human Rights Council also concludes its discussion on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises

Council holds dialogue on human rights in Belarus The Council also concludes its dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association

Council holds dialogue on international solidarity The Council also began its dialogue on transnational corporations, and concluded its debate on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Council holds dialogue on extrajudicial and summary executions It also discussed peaceful assembly and association, and concluded its dialogue internally displaced persons

Council holds panel on emerging digital technologies The Council also began its dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on human rights of internally displaced persons

Council holds dialogue on extreme poverty The Human Rights Council also concluded its dialogue with the Working Group on Discrimination against women and girls

War-torn Idlib region faces global pandemic UN Syria Commission of Inquiry reports on rampant human rights violations and war crimes as Idlib faces the pandemic

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Black women's lives also matter The UN women’s rights committee has called for a new era of human rights and gender justice, stressing that the lives of black women and girls also matter.

SPT: Strengthening national preventive mechanisms UN torture prevention body has called for the role of domestic monitoring bodies, officially known as National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs), to be strengthened in critical situations.

Mali: Female genital mutilation Mali’s failure to criminalise female genital mutilation (FGM), allowing the inhuman practice to continue with impunity, resulted in the violation of women’s fundamental rights, the UN women’s rights committee has found.

US obligations to end racial discrimination The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has called on the United States to uphold its international obligations under the Convention.

COVID and treaties Speaking to the Chairs of Treaty Bodies before the launch of the General Assembly's Treaty Body review, the High Commissioner lauded their vital and insightful work

Treaty Body review Speaking at the launch of the General Assembly's Treaty Body review, the High Commissioner lauded the valuable work of the Committees, providing victims an essential space for justice and remedy, and offering Member States in-depth guidance and recommendations

Right to education in Spain The UN child rights committee has welcomed Spain’s prompt decision to allow a 12-year old Moroccan girl to go to school in Melilla, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, setting a positive example for over 80 other similar unresolved instances.

Italy discriminates against female firefighters Italy violated the right of a woman to become a permanent firefighter by imposing an unnecessary and unreasonable height requirement, Human Rights Committee has found.

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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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Accountability for women and girls in humanitarian settings The Deputy High Commissioner spoke to the Human Rights Council about women’s and girls’ rights in the context of humanitarian settings. "Let us use the opportunity of today’s discussion to reaffirm our commitment to their rights, to our common future based on those rights and to the sustainable development outcomes that we have together pledged to achieve," she said.

Human rights to water and sanitation The Deputy High Comissioner spoke at the launch by UN Water of the Sustainable Development Goal 6 Global Acceleration Framework (SDG 6 focuses on clean water and sanitation). She noted the event took place in the tenth anniversary of the General Assembly's formal recognition of the human rights to water and sanitation.

Climate change and the rights of people with disabilities At the Human Rights Council, the Deputy High Commissioner spoke at a panel discussion on the impact of climate change in the human rights of people with disabilities.

Digital technologies and human rights The Deputy High-Commissioner spoke to the Human Rights Council about both the opportunities and challenges that new and emerging digital technologies present to human rights.

Human Rights and Peace Operations “Human rights are central to the Council’s mandate to maintain international peace and security”, the High Commissioner told the Security Council during an open debate on peace operation and human rights.

Human Rights in Crimea, Nicaragua and Venezuela The High Commissioner presented to the Human Rights Council introduction to reports on the situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine and in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. She also presented an oral update on the human rights situation in Nicaragua.

Children and the environment At the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner emphasised that the Office "will continue to work for a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment – one in which all children everywhere, both now and in the future, will be able to thrive and grow"

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The UN Human Rights Appeal 2020

The UN Human Rights Appeal 2020

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 Committee / 129th Session From: 29-06-2020
To: 24-07-2020
PW Gr and PW 1st

Human Rights Council / 44th Session From: 30-06-2020
To: 17-07-2020
Palais des Nations Room XX

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women - Pre-sessional Working Group / 78th Session From: 13-07-2020
To: 17-07-2020
Ariana 2

Working Group on the use of mercenaries / 40th Session From: 13-07-2020
To: 17-07-2020
New York

Committee against Torture / 69th Session From: 13-07-2020
To: 24-07-2020
PW 1st floor

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination / 101st Session From: 05-08-2020
To: 27-08-2020
PW Ground Floor

Working Group on Communications / 27th Session From: 10-08-2020
To: 14-08-2020
PW 1st floor

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities / 24th Session From: 17-08-2020
To: 11-09-2020
Ariana 2

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Anti-discrimination Database

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