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Human Rights Day 2021

A new Youth Advisory Board champions youth engagement

The launch of the first-ever UN Human Rights Youth Advisory Board at the global level commits to promoting young people’s right to participation in human rights work.
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Attacks against people with albinism are hate crimes - UN albinism expert

The Independent Expert on human rights and albinism, Mukuka-Anne Miti-Drummond, urges States to recognize brutal attacks against people with albinism as hate crimes and harmful practices, and enact laws to protect them.
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Seeds: central to people’s food systems, cultures and human rights

In his latest report, Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the right to food, focuses on how seed systems are central to the realization of the rights to life and food.
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International art contest to highlight minority artists work on statelessness

The Minorities Artists Awards on Statelessness organized by UN Human Rights, UN Refugee Agency and the NGO Freemuse, will provide a global platform for minority artists to highlight their work on statelessness.
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Human Rights Day: All human, all equal

On Human Rights Day this year, we’re calling for a new social contract with equality at its core. By addressing deep-seated discrimination with human rights, we can move towards a fairer and more inclusive world – because we’re all human, and we’re all equal.
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News

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Libya Deepening crackdown on civil society.

Myanmar report Myanmar's military and security forces have shown a flagrant disregard for human life, bombarding populated areas with airstrikes and heavy weapons and deliberately targeting civilians, Bachelet says.

Egypt executions We are deeply concerned about reports that at least seven people were executed in Egypt last week

Ukraine: civilian casualty update From 4 a.m. on 24 February 2022, when the Russian Federation’s armed attack against Ukraine started, to 24:00 midnight on 1 April 2022 (local time), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 3,342 civilian casualties in the country: 1,325 killed and 2,017 injured

Saudi Arabia execution Bachelet condemns Saudi Arabia’s mass execution of 81 people on terrorism-related charges

Belarus examination UN report details scale and patterns of human rights violations committed with impunity in Belarus, where the fundamental human rights of tens of thousands of people have been violated by the Government’s continued crackdown.

Afghanistan: HC Mission The spirit, tenacity and unquenchable desire of Afghans for their human rights to be protected – and for their children to inherit a peaceful law-abiding land – is palpable. Afghans will decide their future and it is for us in the United Nations and for the international community to support all efforts to promote all human rights for all the people of Afghanistan.

Belarus execution The Human Rights Committee condemned Belarus for its execution of Victor Pavlov, whose petition was still being examined by the Committee.

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Libya Deepening crackdown on civil society.

Saudi Arabia execution Bachelet condemns Saudi Arabia’s mass execution of 81 people on terrorism-related charges

Ukraine We reiterate our urgent call for a peaceful end to the hostilities in Ukraine and urge parties to the conflict to ensure civilians in areas affected by active hostilities can safely leave. In Russia, the number of anti-war protesters arbitrarily arrested has now reached 12,700.

Russia arrests Peaceful anti-war demonstrators continue to be arbitrarily arrested in Russia, with reports suggesting some 6,400 people have been arrested since Thursday last week. We call for the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained.

Belarus protests Hundreds of demonstrators were arrested in Belarus on Sunday. We urge the authorities to respect people’s right to freedom of expression and assembly and to immediately release all those detained for peaceful expression of their opinions.

South Sudan report In a new joint report, UN Human Rights and UNMISS detail grave violations and abuses committed against civilians during clashes between warring groups in Tambura County and calls for all implicated to be held to account.

Ukraine / Russia We are gravely concerned about developments on Thursday and overnight in Ukraine, and are receiving increasing reports of civilian casualties. We are also disturbed by arbitrary arrests in Russia of demonstrators protesting against war.

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Cyprus: Enforced Disappearances UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances will visit Cyprus from 5 to 12 April.

Syria: Missing children Experts extremely concerned for at least 100 boys who remain unaccounted for after attack on jail in Syria.

EU: Disabilities visit After official visit, UN expert hails EU commitment to disability rights.

Somalia: UN expert visits UN Independent Expert on situation of human rights in Somalia is visiting the country from 28 March to 2 April.

Kyrgyzstan: Discrimination against women/girls UN expert group on discrimination against women and girls to visit to Kyrgyzstan from 4 to 15 April.

Unilateral Coercive Measures UN experts urge States to consider humanitarian impacts when imposing or implementing sanctions.

Brazil: Freedom of assembly visit UN Special Rapporteur on rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association to visit to Brazil from 28 March to 8 April.

Occupied Palestinian Territory Expert calls on international community to accept and adopt his findings that apartheid is being practiced by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory.

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People of African Descent President of the Human Rights Council appoints members of Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

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Brazil: Torture prevention The UN torture prevention body welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court to invalidate a presidential decree that would have dismantled the country’s torture prevention mechanism.

Disability rights: Findings on Hungary, Jamaica, Mexico, Switzerland and Venezuela Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has issued its findings on Hungary, Jamaica, Mexico, Switzerland and Venezuela.

CMW to review Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde and Paraguay Committee on Migrant Workers will hold its upcoming session to review Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde and Paraguay.

CED to review Greece, Niger and adopt visit report on Mexico UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances will hold its upcoming session to review Greece, Niger and adopt its visit report on Mexico.

Ukraine: Urgent and extra support needed for separated and unaccompanied children Child Rights Committee asked States to provide core and integrated support to traumatised Ukrainian children, especially those who are unaccompanied.

UN torture prevention body to visit Tunisia Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture is visiting Tunisia to assess the country’s implementation of the recommendations it made during its previous visit.

Colombia Colombia: UN expert says killings of Nasa indigenous human rights defenders, including children, must stop immediately.

Afghanistan: UN experts condemn Taliban decision to deny girls secondary education Experts condemn decision by de facto authorities in Afghanistan to postpone resumption of schooling for girls above grade six.

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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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Ukraine Speaking to the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner described the ongoing “living nightmare” of the Ukrainian people more than one month after the Russian armed attack began. She called for an immediate cessation in the hostilities and for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory.

Central African Republic In a wide-ranging statement, the High Commissioner emphasised the need for strong action on accountability.

Democratic Republic of Congo Updating the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Deputy High Commissioner noted no significant improvement across a range of essential issues.

South Sudan Briefing the Human Rights Council on multiple human rights challenges in South Sudan, the Deputy High Commissioner emphasised the need to invest in stronger rule of law institutions and transitional justice.

Arbitrary Detention The High Commissioner hailed the work of the oldest human rights

Racial Discrimination Speaking to a panel discussion at the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner called for “unity to accelerate the pace in the fight against racism and racial discrimination.”

Occupied Palestinian Territory The High Commissioner updated the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories.

Denial of girls’ rights to education deeply damaging for Afghanistan, Bachelet warns Disempowering half of Afghanistan’s population is counterproductive and unjust. Bachelet urges opening of schools for all students without discrimination or further delay.

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The UN Human Rights Appeal 2022

The UN Human Rights Appeal 2022

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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National Human Rights Institutions Website

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Universal Human Rights Index

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