US: Florida School Laws Discriminate against Black, LGBTQ People

(Tallahassee) – Florida’s recent educational laws and policies fuel discrimination and fear, said Florida Rising, the Rule of Law Impact Lab at Stanford Law School, and Human Rights Watch in a report released today. Although K-12 education is largely controlled by local and state governments in the United States, the federal government should be doing much more to […]

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‘Nowhere is safe’ for civilians as Sudan war descends further into chaos

The war that erupted last April between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered political instability, a severe humanitarian emergency and widespread human rights violations. Over 15,500 fatalities have been reported in some 1,400 violent incidents targeting civilians and there are now almost 9.5 million forcibly displaced in […]

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Sudan: Unlawful Attacks on Civilians, Infrastructure

(Nairobi) – Sudan’s warring parties’ recent unlawful attacks in North Darfur’s El Fasher have killed hundreds of civilians and forced tens of thousands to flee, as thousands in and around the city face starvation, Human Rights Watch said today. The United Nations secretary-general should act on the UN Security Council’s resolution 2736 and urgently work with the […]

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EU to provide €99 million in humanitarian assistance for Democratic Republic of the Congo

On 16-19 June 2024, Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to see first hand the humanitarian crisis affecting parts of the country due to conflicts and violence. During the visit, which included meetings with the authorities as well as visiting the troubled eastern part of the country, […]

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Systemic gender oppression in Afghanistan may amount to crimes against humanity

The de facto authorities in Afghanistan, the Taliban, swept back into power in August 2021 and swiftly began curtailing women’s rights, including imposing stricter dress codes, banning higher education for girls, excluding women from the job market, and restricting freedom of movement in public spaces.  This repression is bolstered by the Taliban’s use of violence, […]

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Parent, technician, farmer, merchant: What more can a teacher be?

On World Refugee Day, marked annually on 20 June, meet some of the multi-talented teachers and principals of migrant learning centres in Thailand along the border with Myanmar, who, with UN support, are doing all they can to keep up with the influx of children seeking sanctuary. Overcoming challenges beyond the classroom is a daily reality for […]

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UN: Strengthen Rights in ‘Pact for the Future’ Talks

(New York) – United Nations member countries should use the Summit of the Future in September 2024 to commit to concrete steps to strengthen human rights while confronting climate change, growing poverty and inequality, and other global crises, Human Rights Watch said. Human Rights Watch wrote to UN delegations with specific recommendations for the next […]

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International Criminal Court Members Speak Out

Ninety-three member countries of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have declared their “unwavering support” for the court in the face of recent threats.  The June 14 statement by an unprecedented number of ICC members across the globe follows a slew of threats, particularly after ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced on May 20 that he was seeking arrest […]

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On the Sentencing of Women’s Rights Activist Huang Xueqin and Labor Rights Activist Wang Jianbing

The United States condemn the unjust sentencing of independent journalist and women’s rights activist Huang Xueqin (Sophia Huang) as well as labor rights activist Wang Jianbing.  The People’s Republic of China government sentenced Ms. Huang to five years of imprisonment and Mr. Wang to three years and six months of imprisonment after a lengthy pre-trial detention […]

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Special Representative for International Labor Affairs Rodríguez’s Travel to the Dominican Republic

Special Representative for International Labor Affairs (SRILA) Fay Rodríguez and USAID Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub and Inclusive Development Hub Deputy Assistant Administrator Bama Athreya will travel to the Dominican Republic June 16-20 to discuss President Biden’s Memorandum on Advancing Workers’ Rights, Empowerment, and High Labor Standards Globally  and the importance of equality and inclusion in the workplace with government officials, […]

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