70 years on, landmark UN human rights document as important as ever
Dec 08, 2018, at 09:13 pm
New York, Dec 8 (IBNS): The Universal Declaration of Human Rights reaches its 70th anniversary on Monday, a chance to highlight the many important breakthroughs brought about by the landmark UN document, and to remind the world that the human rights of millions are still being violated on a daily basis.
UN rights wing ‘appalled’ at mass execution in Iraq
Dec 16, 2017, at 05:32 pm
New York, Dec 16(Just Earth News): Expressing deep shock at a mass execution of 38 men at a prison in the Iraqi city of Nassiriya, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has called on the country to establish an immediate moratorium and carry out an urgent and comprehensive review of its criminal justice system.
Nov 17, 2017, at 09:55 am
New York, Nov 17(Just Earth News): Noting that at least 11,000 terrorist attacks occurred in more than 100 countries last year, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stressed on Thursday that “terrorism is fundamentally the denial and destruction of human rights.”
Libya’s detention of migrants ‘is an outrage to humanity,’ says UN human rights chief Zeid
Nov 15, 2017, at 09:49 am
New York, Nov 15(Just Earth News): The European Union’s (EU) support for Libya’s Coast Guard which has resulted in thousands of migrants being detained in “horrific” conditions inside Libya is “inhuman,” the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday.
UN experts sound alarm on mounting rights concerns in Puerto Rico in wake of Hurricane Maria
Oct 31, 2017, at 09:46 am
New York, Oct 31(Just Earth News): More than a month after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the island remains without an effective emergency response, a group of United Nations human rights experts warned on Monday, as they called on United States and Puerto Rican authorities to remove regulatory and financial barriers to reconstruction and recovery.
Peru must place human rights at heart of development, urges UN rights chief
Oct 26, 2017, at 09:48 am
New York, Oct 26(Just Earth News): While Peru has made great strides over the past decade in reducing poverty, it needs to stand up firmly for human rights to ensure an economy that is sustainable and benefits all, according to the United Nations human rights chief.
Oct 20, 2017, at 05:48 pm
New York, Oct 20(Just Earth News): A senior United Nations human rights official has praised civil society for its role in standing up to the “backlash†against human rights.
Switzerland needs to do more to keep ‘dirty money’ at bay, urges UN expert
Oct 05, 2017, at 01:12 pm
New York, Oct 5 (Just Earth News): Highlighting the problems posed by illicit financial flows globally, including undermining rule of law and human rights, a United Nations human rights expert has called on Switzerland to ensure that so called dirty money – which stems from tax evasion and corruption – does not enter its financial market.
UN rights experts urge Member States to ‘go beyond statements,’ take action to help Rohingya
Sep 27, 2017, at 02:43 pm
New York, Sept 27(Just Earth News): A month on from counter-terror operations following attacks on police outposts in Myanmar’s Rakhine province, seven United Nations rights experts have called on the Government to stop all violence against the minority Muslim Rohingya community as well as on the global community to “go beyond†statements and take action to save them.
Sep 21, 2017, at 09:46 pm
New York, Sept 21(Just Earth News): Reiterating Montenegro’s strong commitment to multilateral cooperation, President Filip Vujanović told the Assembly on Thursday that his country puts good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation in the Balkans at the top of its foreign policy agenda.
Bolivia’s Morales, at UN, says natural resources, basic necessities must be viewed as human rights
Sep 20, 2017, at 05:51 pm
New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): While some pledges made in the United Nations Charter have been met, “others have come to noting,†the President of Bolivia told the General Assembly on Wednesday, that the planet’s precious resources and vulnerable people must be protected from greed and exploitation by political elites.
At General Assembly, Baltic leaders spotlight human rights, UN reform among vital concerns
Sep 20, 2017, at 04:02 pm
New York, Sept 20(Just Earth News): The international community must give the United Nations a voice to raise against human rights abuses and nationalistic rhetoric, or see it become irrelevant, the Lithuanian president said in her address to the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level debate.
World's poor bearing the brunt of global crises, stresses UN rights expert
Sep 15, 2017, at 04:36 am
New York, Sept 14(Just Earth News): Impacts of climate change and the global economic crisis are compounding the threats faced by people living in poverty around the world, a United Nations rights expert warned, calling on the international development community to put human rights at the centre of their work.
UN human rights chief points to ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’ in Myanmar
Sep 12, 2017, at 09:49 am
New York, Sept 12(Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights chief on Monday lashed out at the treatment of the Rohingya in Myanmar which has led to more than 300,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh in the past three weeks, as security forces and local militia reportedly burn villages and shoot civilians.
'No sign of positive evolution' in Burundi, says head of independent UN rights probe
Aug 22, 2017, at 09:38 am
New York, Aug 22(Just Earth News): Ahead of next month's presentation to the United Nations Human Rights Council, an independent panel on Monday said that the human rights situation in Burundi has not improved.
UN expert urges two Koreas to discuss human rights
Jul 28, 2017, at 04:53 am
New York, July 27(Just Earth News): The proposed resumption of dialogue between the two Koreas is an opportunity to discuss and improve the human rights situation in the North, a United Nations expert has said at the end of his second visit to the South.
UN human rights expert calls unofficial visit to Belarus ‘first step’ towards cooperation
Jul 13, 2017, at 01:26 pm
New York, July 13(Just Earth News): An independent United Nations human rights expert back from an unofficial visit to Belarus on Wednesday said he was hopeful for a dialogue to begin with the country’s Government.
Efforts to impeach Nepalese Chief Justice 'an assault on human rights' – UN rights chief
May 06, 2017, at 01:20 pm
New York, May 6(Just Earth News): Raising alarm over moves to impeach the Chief Justice of Nepal – who has been instrumental in a number of high-profile and politically sensitive decisions – the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, warned on Friday that such actions suggest a concerted attempt by the Government to undermine the independence of the judiciary.
Apr 08, 2017, at 05:18 am
New York, Apr 7(Just Earth News): Marking the twenty-third anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, during which Hutu and others who opposed the genocide were also killed, United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres on Friday said the only way to honour the memory of the victims is to ensure such events never happen again.
Protecting human rights essential in promoting sustainable supply chains – UN experts
Mar 29, 2017, at 01:56 pm
New York, Mar 29 (Just Earth News): The only way to achieve socially sustainable supply chains is if human rights are protected and respected, a group of UN experts said on Tuesday in an open letter addressed to G20 leaders currently meeting in Geneva.
Feb 16, 2017, at 03:01 pm
New York, Feb 13 (Just Earth News): Urging action for greater freedoms, stronger respect and more compassion, the United Nations human rights arm on Wednesday launched a $253 million appeal – its largest to date – to bolster its 2017 work programme to protect and advance the rights of people around the world.
UN rights chief urges executives gathering in Davos to stand up for rights
Jan 14, 2017, at 04:54 am
New York, Jan 13 (Just Earth News): The top United Nations human rights official on Friday called on business leaders gathering at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in the Swiss town of Davos next week to use their considerable influence to stand up for human rights and prevent rights violations in countries where they operate.
Canadian Museum for Human Rights wins international award for inclusion
Dec 10, 2016, at 10:49 pm
Winnipeg - Dec 10 (IBNS) The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) was Friday presented with the prestigious Gold Award from the International Association of Universal Design (IAUD) at a ceremony in Nagoya, Japan.
As 2016 draws to a close, UN rights chief outlines enormity of challenges to human rights
Dec 01, 2016, at 01:13 pm
New York, Dec 1 (Just Earth News): Highlighting the challenges to human rights around the world, the United Nations human rights chief called on the international community to act collectively for the common good and to do “everything possible†to prevent the situation from deteriorating.
Australia’s human rights record tainted by ‘regressive’ migration policies – UN expert
Nov 19, 2016, at 02:00 pm
New York, Nov 19 (Just Earth News): Concluding his first official visit to Australia, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants said the country’s human rights standing has been tarnished by its “regressive†migration policies that fall “way behind†international standards.
UN human rights expert calls upon Afghan Government to urgently address displacement crisis
Oct 21, 2016, at 01:51 pm
New York, Oct 21 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on Thursday urged the Government of Afghanistan and the international community to strengthen efforts and collaboration in order to support the increasing number of people who are leaving their homes due to a deteriorating security situation within the country.
Trade agreements should mainstream human rights – UN expert urges
Sep 14, 2016, at 04:05 am
New York, Sept 13 (Just Earth News): A United Nations independent expert on Tuesday called on States and Parliaments to ensure that all future trade agreements stipulate the primacy of human rights and to align existing treaties with the duty of States to fulfill binding human rights treaties and meet environmental and health goals.
Aug 20, 2016, at 01:31 pm
New York, Aug 20 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights arm on Friday expressed concern about the mounting constraints on the democratic space in Thailand – calling for a prompt return to civilian rule.
Jul 13, 2016, at 05:03 am
New York, July 12 (Just Earth News): The largest group of rights experts in the United Nations system stressed on Tuesday that focus on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development should in no way become “the perfect excuse†for Member States to give less priority to their binding human rights obligations, or to ignore the comprehensive protection that is at the core of international human rights instruments.
Afghanistan: Halt further executions, says Human Rights Watch
May 10, 2016, at 09:18 pm
New York, May 10 (IBNS) Afghanistan’s government should immediately halt further executions and impose a moratorium on the death penalty, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.