Belarus: Women paying heavy price for standing up for human rights – UN expert
Belarus denies women many rights and freedoms guaranteed by international human rights law, and is subjecting women activists to enforced disappearances, torture, ill-treatment and even exile, a human rights expert told the UN General Assembly today. “The Government’s efforts to promote some rights of women at policy level are...
Plastic pandemic: Time running out to prevent human rights tragedy – UN expert
Calling plastics a global threat to human rights, a UN expert today called for drastic action – including banning disposable plastic – to keep our planet habitable, and to safeguard the rights of those who already suffer the most from plastic production and pollution. “The only way to respond...
OHCHR Report on Promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans and of people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers (A/HRC/47/53)
47th session of the Human Rights CouncilIntroduction by Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Distinguished President,Excellencies,Colleagues, The murder of George Floyd was a tipping point, which shifted the world’s attention to the human rights violations routinely endured by Africans and people of African descent. In its subsequent...
Bachelet appoints experts for OHCHR examination on Belarus
UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet today announced the appointment of three high-level experts for OHCHR’s examination of the human rights situation in Belarus.* They will assist her in conducting a comprehensive examination of alleged human rights violations committed in Belarus since 1 May 2020, including the possible gender dimension...
As Schools Work to Re-Open Safely, New Tools Can Narrow Digital Inequalities, Transform Education, Deputy Secretary-General Says
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s opening remarks at the consultation of Ministers of Education on the E9 Digital Learning Initiative on the theme “Scaling Up Digital Learning to Accelerate Progress towards SDG 4”, : It is my pleasure to join you for this consultation meeting of Ministers...
COVID-19 pandemic: Humanity needs leadership and solidarity to defeat the coronavirus
The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge we have faced since World War Two. Since its emergence in Asia in 2019, the virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica. We have now reached the tragic milestone of more than two...
While Apartheid ‘Lies Dead, Racism Lives On’, Says United Nations Chief, as General Assembly Observes Day for Eliminating Racial Discrimination
Noting with concern the situation regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) pandemic, the General Assembly adopted a decision today outlining protocols for delivering statements and presenting reports during plenary meetings in the remainder of its seventy-fifth session. Without setting a precedent for future plenary meetings, the Assembly decided that where...