Category: Human Rights

On October 21, 2024, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will present the second annual Secretary’s Award for Global Anti-Racism Champions at the U.S. Department of State. This award honors six civil society leaders for their exceptional courage, leadership, and commitment to advancing racial equity, justice, and human rights. Following the ceremony, the awardees will […]

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the landmark United Nations Commission of Inquiry report on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, Republic of Korea (ROK) Minister of Unification Kim Yung-ho, and Ambassador Shigeo Yamada hosted a U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral engagement on DPRK human rights in Washington, […]

Girls in Africa face significant challenges ensuring that they enjoy the highest attainable standard of their sexual and reproductive health. They experience barriers to accessing relevant sexual health education as well as adequate maternal healthcare during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. Following the conclusion of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the […]

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE CORMIER SMITH:  Good morning.  Secretary Blinken, distinguished guests, members of the Diplomatic Corps, esteemed colleagues, friends, and our 2024 Global Anti-Racism Champions:  It is my distinct honor and privilege to warmly welcome you all to the Department of State for our second annual Global Anti-Racism Champions Awards.   Today we gather to honor six […]

The US state of Texas has filed a lawsuit against a Dallas-based doctor, accusing her of violating the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. This case, among the first of its kind, underscores the severity of draconian restrictions on best practice medical care for transgender youth by state officials. Currently, 24 US states have imposed bans on medication […]

Joint donor statement on Humanitarian Access in Sudan by the UK, USAID, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, Canada and the European Commissioner for Crisis Management. On Friday 18 October, the UK, alongside 10 other donors, has issued a joint statement on humanitarian access in Sudan, calling on the warring parties to stop blocking […]

(Manila) – The Marcos administration should initiate sweeping reforms in Philippine law enforcement in response to recent congressional hearings on police corruption and abuse in the “war on drugs,” Human Rights Watch said today.  In recent weeks, witnesses testified before four committees in the House of Representatives about extrajudicial killings committed by the police during anti-drug raids since […]

The alleged attack occurred on 14 to 15 October in the Kala Gan border area of Iran’s Sistan Province near the Iran-Pakistan border.  The organisation Haalvsh, which focuses on Baloch rights in Iran, has claimed that up to 260 civilians may have been killed or wounded. However, these figures remain unconfirmed.  Afghanistan’s de facto authorities […]

(Bangkok) – The Thai government should conduct effective investigations into how a group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar were found dead and injured on Thai soil on October 17, 2024, Human Rights Watch said today. The Thai authorities should urgently provide protection to survivors and prosecute those responsible for abuses. Monks outside a monastery in […]

As government officials gather in Washington DC next week for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Annual Meetings, social security systems around the world are at risk. Faced with a looming debt crisis, governments, often encouraged by international financial institutions, are cutting social spending, leaving millions of people without their right to adequate […]