Category: Human Rights

At the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council, the mandate of the UN expert mechanism on racism in law enforcement comes up for renewal. Civil society groups and affected communities have united in calling for its mandate to be strengthened and renewed. A UN Human Rights Council resolution in 2021 created the UN Expert […]

Seventy eminent scholars, experts, and researchers from 30 countries have called for a new international treaty to recognize children’s rights to free early childhood education and free secondary education. According to the experts, well-established scientific evidence shows “unequivocally” that education is foundational to children’s healthy development and lifelong prospects, but international law has not kept pace […]

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s June 5 visit to Albania’s Shëngjin port underscores the folly of Italy’s scheme to send migrants and asylum seekers, intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea, to Albania. Amid spiraling costs, delays, and serious concerns about people’s rights, the plan is revealing itself to be an example of how not to manage migration. The […]

A high-level conference on ‘Crisis Management in the EU and Beyond’, organised today by the European Commission with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, explores how to better prepare for crises and manage them, and discusses issues such as knowledge sharing to help better deal with future risks.  The event brings together 100 high-profile speakers […]

Jeremy Laurence described how on 4 June, a group of 63 men and women were publicly subjected to mass flogging at a sports ground in the city of Sar-e-pul for a range of alleged crimes including “running away from home” and “moral crimes”. Close to 50 men and 15 women were reportedly lashed between 15 […]

HRP Awards 2024 Summer Fellows  HRP is pleased to award its 2024 summer fellowships to Elizabeth (Liz) Poulos JD’25 (left in photo above) and Zoe Olbrys JD’26 (right).  Summer fellowships for human rights internships are a central part of the Harvard Law School human rights experience and provide rich professional, personal, and intellectual opportunities. Many […]

(Washington, DC, June 5, 2024) – An executive order United States President Joe Biden issued on June 4, 2023, that would effectively block access to asylum for people entering the US-Mexico border under certain conditions risks exposing thousands of people to harm, Human Rights Watch said today. The order is unlawful under international human rights […]

(Beirut) – Israel’s widespread use of white phosphorus in south Lebanon is putting civilians at grave risk and contributing to civilian displacement, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch verified the use of white phosphorus munitions by Israeli forces in at least 17 municipalities across south Lebanon since October 2023, including 5 municipalities where airburst munitions […]

(Geneva) – A forced labor complaint against the Saudi Arabian government filed by a global trade union is a significant warning to Saudi authorities and businesses and investors in the country about the predictable and preventable migrant labor abuses associated with the government’s Vision 2030 plan that relies on millions of migrant workers, Human Rights Watch said […]

(Taipei) – Taiwan’s new government should demonstrate its commitment to human rights by strengthening protections for marginalized communities, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to President Lai Ching-te. President Lai, who was inaugurated on May 20, 2024, should focus on safeguarding the rights of refugees, migrant workers, and LGBT people. “As Taiwan’s new leader, President Lai […]