Category: Human Rights

Philémon Yang was speaking at a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters to mark the closure of the International Decade for People of African Descent – a global opportunity to both honour the often-overlooked contributions this population has made to human civilization and highlight racial injustice endured across centuries. Promote inclusion, combat racism In proclaiming the […]

In 2023, the number of asylum-seekers globally hit an alarming milestone. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 8 million people are currently waiting for decisions on their asylum claims. This staggering figure encapsulates the uncertainty, fear, and hope that millions of people face as they navigate a complex and often hostile asylum process. The […]

Nineteen months since conflict erupted between rival militaries the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the transfer of power to civilian rule, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) expressed deep concern that more than three million people have now been forced to flee the country in search of safety. “It’s been over […]

Despite significant strides in school enrollment across Sub-Saharan Africa, a staggering 90% of children in the region cannot read a simple text by the time they reach age 10. This grim statistic paints a troubling picture of the education crisis affecting millions of children across the continent. While access to education has improved in recent […]

The issue of illegal migration is one of the most debated and complex global challenges, with millions of people moving across borders in search of better opportunities, safety, and security. While nations understandably seek to control immigration and secure their borders, one of the primary drivers of illegal migration is the outdated, complicated, and often […]

Thai authorities are continuing to place refugees and asylum seekers at risk of torture by forcibly returning them to China, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and other countries with well-documented records of torturing dissidents. In doing so, Thailand is violating the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which it […]

A second presidential term for Donald Trump, who appointed three of the Supreme Court justices that eliminated the US constitutional right to abortion, poses a serious threat to reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. This is despite opinion polls showing that 63 percent of people in the US think abortion should be legal in all or […]

(Johannesburg) – The Mozambican authorities should immediately end internet restrictions imposed since October 25, 2024, and restore full access to social media platforms, Human Rights Watch said today. Internet restrictions and shutdowns violate multiple rights including access to information, freedom of speech, and peaceful protest, and people’s ability to earn a living through online business. […]

(Istanbul, November 7, 2024) – The Erdoğan government’s decision in recent days to remove from office four democratically elected mayors and dissolve municipal councils is a significant blow to Türkiye’s democratic credentials and violates the rights of over half a million voters, Human Rights Watch said today. The mayors in four constituencies, one in Istanbul and three […]

Countries concerned by incendiary weapons’ severe physical, psychological, socioeconomic, and environmental harm should work to strengthen the international law that governs them. Incendiary weapons cause excruciating burns, respiratory damage, and lifelong suffering. They have been used this year in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Syria and in the past 15 years in Afghanistan, Iraq, […]