Category: Human Rights

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in Cameroon are all too aware of homophobic rhetoric and violent attacks against them. This has been highlighted once again in the outpouring of vitriol before a scheduled visit by Jean-Marc Berthon, the French ambassador for the Rights of LGBT+ Persons. Berthon was due to visit Cameroon […]

Hate speech reinforces discrimination and stigma and is most often aimed at women, refugees and migrants, and minorities. If left unchecked, it can even harm peace and development, as it lays the ground for conflicts and tensions, wide scale human rights violations.  To turn back the rising tide of hate, the United Nations is marking […]

In his message marking the day, the Secretary-General condemned the use of sexual violence as a tactic of ‘war, torture, and repression’ in the conflicts that affect hundreds of millions of people around the world. “Harrowing reports from across the globe are a terrible reminder that this despicable crime persists despite international commitments to stamp […]

Mr. Kőrösi was speaking at an event to commemorate the 2nd International Day for Countering Hate Speech, which is officially observed on 18 June.  “It would be my wish that we would not have to observe this day. It would be my wish that hate speech were a thing of the past,” he said.  Rising violence  Hate speech is most often […]

In his annual review presented to the Human Rights Council, which opened its 53rd regular session on Monday, Mr. Türk insisted that such cooperation was “vital” in a world plagued by conflict, climate disasters and development setbacks. Rights monitoring ‘in the interest of all Malians’ Human rights “must always be above the fray of politics”, Mr. […]

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed similar concerns on the opening day of the Council’s summer session, adding that the de facto authorities had “dismantled the most fundamental principles of human rights, particularly for women and girls”.  In a joint report presented to the Council by the Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan and […]

A multinational firm announcing an audit of a small factory in a remote location isn’t usually headline news. But it was when Volkswagen’s chief executive, Oliver Blume, stated that the firm intends to pursue an “independent audit” of its plant in Xinjiang, the region of China where authorities have committed crimes against humanity, including forced […]

Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland was reacting on Twitter to the news of a shooting attack reportedly by two Palestinian gunmen, who opened fire at a petrol station on a road outside an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. News reports quoting the Israeli military said both of the […]

The French fossil-fuel giant TotalEnergies’ planned oil pipeline in East Africa has devastated thousands of people’s livelihoods in Uganda and will contribute to the global climate crisis. The project will displace more than 100,000 people, has caused food insecurity and household debt, caused children to leave school, and is likely to have devastating environmental effects. […]

“The overall human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran has markedly deteriorated against the backdrop of continuously worsening socio-economic conditions, aggravated by sanctions and the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Nada Al-Nashif, UN deputy human rights chief, presenting the report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The report focuses on developments […]