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Conflict related sexual violence in Ituri, DR Congo
Digital Rights
OHCHR report on North Korea
Mental health and human rights
Stand Up for Human Rights

Sexual violence victims in Ituri’s conflict find a place for healing and justice

Solidarité feminine pour la paix et le développement intégral (SOFEPADI), an NGO founded by women in the north east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, helps women, children and men victims of conflict related sexual violence heal their physical and psychological wounds, and fights impunity for crimes in Ituri.
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Digital rights are key to help cities build back better after COVID-19

In an editorial on digital rights, UN High Commissioner Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet -- along with the heads of UN-Habitat, Eurocities and United Cities and Local Government -- called on cities and local authorities to keep human rights central as they harness the potential of technology to shape their future after the pandemic
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Report: Women detainees face serious human rights violations

“There were beatings. There were people who were out for interrogations and had bruises when they returned. They were crying.” This woman’s account of a pre-trial detention centre in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) was one of over a hundred in a new report highlighting extensive human rights violations in the country’s detentions centres.
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Overuse of biomedical interventions ignores humans emotional complexity, says UN expert

In his last report to the Human Rights Council, Dainius Puras, Special Rapporteur on the right to health, calls for a human rights-based approach to treating mental distress and an end to the dominance of psychotropic medicines and coercive institutionalisation.
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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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Iran NGO Bachelet alarmed by the Iranian Government’s increased pressure on a prominent civil society group working on poverty and social protection, and arrest of its founding member.

Haiti justice Bachelet says former Haitian paramilitary leader Emmanuel "Toto" Constant must be held accountable for the horrendous human rights violations committed during 1990s

Right of peaceful assembly Human Rights Committee published its interpretation on the right of peaceful assembly, defining the scope of assembly that applies to both physical meetings and virtual or online gatherings, and outlining governments’ obligations.

Kyrgyzstan: rights defender dies in prison OHCHR regrets death of human rights defender and journalist Azimjan Askarov in prison in Kyrgyzstan, despite calls for his release, and urges governments to release most vulnerable prisoners, including women, minors, the elderly and those with medical conditions.

Turkey: New social media bill Concerns over authorities’ moves to introduce a new social media law that would give the State powerful tools for asserting even more control over the media landscape. If adopted, the law may undermine freedom of expression and weaken platforms for independent journalism.

DPRK detention Women detained in the DPRK are subjected to multiple and serious human rights violations by State security and police officials – UN Human Rights report.

Zimbabwe arrests We are concerned at the authorities in Zimbabwe may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to clamp down on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Mali protests We urge the authorities to ensure that security forces refrain from resorting to unnecessary or excessive force in policing demonstrations or otherwise interacting with protesters.

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Iran NGO Bachelet alarmed by the Iranian Government’s increased pressure on a prominent civil society group working on poverty and social protection, and arrest of its founding member.

Haiti justice Bachelet says former Haitian paramilitary leader Emmanuel "Toto" Constant must be held accountable for the horrendous human rights violations committed during 1990s

DPRK detention Women detained in the DPRK are subjected to multiple and serious human rights violations by State security and police officials – UN Human Rights report.

Venezuela report New report details scale of labour exploitation and violence in the Arco Minero del Orinoco where criminal groups control many mining operations. Broader justice issues in Venezuela also examined.

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.

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Family unity UN human rights experts call on The Netherlands not to deport Ugandan refugees because it could permanently split up their family.

Digital space During COVID-19 pandemic, open, secure Internet vital to save lives, say UN human rights experts

Kyrgyzstan: death of rights defender ‘a stain’ Death in prison of human rights defender Azimjan Askarov shows cruel disregard for human rights, says human rights expert

Worker exploitation On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, a UN expert urges new measures to help stop the increasing exploitation of vulnerable workers.

Rise in Roma hate crimes Ahead of Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day, a UN expert urges governments to ensure that people belonging to the Roma minority can live as equal members of society, without fear and stigmatisation.

Peaceful assembly A UN expert urges States to protect peaceful assemblies online as well as offline, following a groundbreaking interpretation that the right to peaceful assembly extends to digital activities.

Water and sanitation UN expert says the world needs to speed up efforts to achieve human rights to water and sanitation.

Mali: Peace efforts UN experts say a visit by West African leaders offers hope of restoring peace and a return to democracy.

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Council closes forty-fourth session Human Rights Council concludes its forty-fourth regular session.

Human Rights Council adopts four resolutions Before concluding its forty-fourth session, the Council adopted four resolutions and appointed four Special Procedure mandate holders

Human Rights Council adopts six resolutions The Human Rights Council adopted six resolutions, including the extension of mandates on Belarus and of the Working Group on transnational corporations.

Human Rights Council adopts 13 resolutions The Council extended among others the mandates on Eritrea, education, extrajudicial executions, trafficking in persons, leprosy, and extreme poverty

Council holds dialogue on occupied Palestinian territories The Human Rights Council also concluded its dialogue with Special Rapporteur on racism, and heard an oral update on Georgia

Council adopts UPR outcomes of Spain and Kuwait The Human Rights Council adopted the Universal Periodic Review outcomes of Spain and Kuwait, and held an enhanced interactive dialogue on Sudan

Human Rights Council begins dialogue on racism It also heard the report by the Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations, and concluded its dialogue on Venezuela

Council holds panel discussion on technical cooperation The Council held a panel discussion on technical cooperation towards upholding the rights of prisoners, and started a dialogue on Venezuela

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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.

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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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Sudan Speaking to Human Rights Council, the Deputy High Commissioner said OHCHR is grateful to the Government of Sudan for their support to the establishment of the office in the country. She stated that the Office looked forward to continue working with the Government of Sudan and others partners to advance and protect all human rights for all people in Sudan.

Justice and Human Rights in Venezuela The Deputy High Commissioner presented to the Human Rights Council the report on the independence of the justice system, access to justice and the human rights situation in the Arco Minero del Orinoco region in Venezuela.

COVID-19 and Women's Rights The Human Rights Council discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the human rights of women and girls worldwide. "Women and girls are at higher risk, not due to any inherent vulnerability, but rather due to pre-existing discrimination and inequality," said Peggy Hicks, director of Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division at OHCHR.

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.

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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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Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination / 101st Session From: 04-08-2020
To: 07-08-2020
XVI

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

Working Group on Arbitrary Detention / 88th Session From: 24-08-2020
To: 28-08-2020
XI

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities / 23rd (resumed) Session From: 24-08-2020
To: 04-09-2020
XVI

Human Rights Council – Organizational meeting / 45th Session From: 28-08-2020
To: 28-08-2020

Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent / 26th Session From: 31-08-2020
To: 04-09-2020
PW Gr

Committee on the Rights of Child / 85th Session From: 07-09-2020
To: 25-09-2020
Palais Wilson Gr

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Universal Human Rights Index

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Anti-discrimination Database

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