Category: Human Rights

The senior United Nations humanitarian official said he would refuse US government financial contributions that would require recipients to comply with discriminatory US policies that undermine human rights.  “The question is, should we take money under those conditions, knowing that it will save millions of lives, or not?” said Tom Fletcher, head of the UN […]

The European Commission is taking action to coordinate and support national authorities’ responses to the Hantavirus outbreak. At present, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control assesses the risk to the general population in Europe as very low, given that appropriate infection prevention and control measures are being implemented and that hantaviruses are not […]

(Beirut) – Five employees of the Tunisian Council for Refugees will stand trial on May 13, 2026, after appealing criminal sentences for their work assisting asylum seekers and refugees, Human Rights Watch said today. The Tunisian authorities should end the abusive prosecution of the employees, compensate them for their unlawful detention, and stop the widespread […]

The European Union has allocated €20 million in humanitarian aid to support the most vulnerable refugees and host communities in Türkiye in 2026.  Türkiye continues to host around 2,3 million registered refugees, primarily from Syria, as well as from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, remaining one the largest refugee-hosting country in the world.  While many refugees […]

(Sydney) – Australian authorities should ensure that criminal proceedings against three Australian women who were charged on May 7 and 8, 2026, with serious alleged crimes linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) fully respect due process rights, Human Rights Watch said today. The accused are among thirteen Australians—four women and nine children—who returned to Australia […]

This week was supposed to be a step forward for Brazil: Resolution 310—a crucial resolution requiring that prosecutors lead investigations into police killings and that those investigations comply with international standards—was scheduled to take effect.  Instead, the resolution is on ice.  After years of advocacy by Human Rights Watch and other organizations, the National Council of […]

Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, is in Lebanon this Friday and Saturday to welcome the 7th humanitarian flight landing in Beirut.  This Humanitarian Air Bridge will deliver essential health and shelter items – from the EU’s own stock and its partners – to the most vulnerable, reaffirming the European Union’s solidarity […]

(Nairobi) – Rwandan authorities should conduct an effective, independent, and transparent investigation into the death in custody of Aimable Karasira, a Rwandan academic and outspoken government critic, on the day he was set to be released from prison, Human Rights Watch said today. Karasira’s prosecution and imprisonment are emblematic of Rwanda’s crackdown on dissent and […]

Gender stereotypes are such a pervasive part of everyday life that it can be hard to even recognize them—but they do extraordinary damage and are at the root of many forms of inequality and violence. Under the international Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), governments are obligated to eradicate […]

They were all born elsewhere, part of the roughly 300 million people worldwide who have left their countries of origin whether to learn, work, reunite with family or pursue other opportunities.   Migrants contribute to society, including in their homelands, where they send a staggering $1 trillion in remittances each year – eclipsing Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) combined.  ‘An inevitable human reality’  UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock shared this […]