UN Human Rights

After years of delay, the UN body overseeing economic development and social issues voted Wednesday to give nine human rights and minority groups the right to raise concerns and participate in its discussions, overriding objections from Russia, China, India, Arab nations and others. The Economic and Social Council approved a US draft decision giving a green light for the nine groups to get special consultative status with the 54-nation UN body by a vote of 24-17 with 12 abstentions. The United States decided to go to the body's full membership after its 19-member Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, which handles requests for accreditation, deferred action again on the nine groups. The vote accredited Arab-European Center of Human Rights and International Law; Bahrain Center for Human Rights; Coptic Solidarity; Gulf Centre for Human Rights; International Dalit Solidarity Network; and the interregional rights group Man and Law. It also accredited Andrey Rylkov Foundation for

The UN's top human rights body is poised to hold a special session on Iran in the wake of the government's deadly crackdowns on protesters, threats against journalists and other alleged human rights violations in the Islamic republic. The Human Rights Council will hold the session in the week of November 21 "if possible on November 24," following a diplomatic request by Germany and Iceland. Germany sent a letter to the council offices Friday announcing the call for a special session "to address the deteriorating human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, especially with respect to women and children." At least one-third of the council's 47 member states need to support such a request and the move by Germany suggests it has lined up enough backing. The protests in Iran, sparked by the September 16 death of a 22-year-old woman after her detention by the country's morality police, have grown into one of the largest sustained challenges to the nation's theocracy since the

India's voice on the global stage can only gain in authority and credibility from a strong commitment to inclusivity and respect for human rights at home, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday. Addressing students of the IIT Bombay here, Guterres said, As an elected member of the Human Rights Council, India has a responsibility to shape global human rights, and to protect and promote the rights of all individuals, including members of minority communities. The Indian model of plurality is based on a simple but profound understanding: diversity is a richness that makes your country stronger. That understanding is the birth right of every Indian, but it is not a guarantee. It must be nurtured, strengthened and renewed every day, Guterres said. This could be done by practicing the values of Mahatma Gandhi, by securing and upholding the rights and dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable, by taking concrete action for inclusion, recognizing th

Bachelet made comments in her opening address to the latest session of the UN-backed Human Rights Council, saying that her comments to the session will be last which I brief the 47-member-state body

The UN human rights office said on Monday that the death toll of civilians killed in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24 had exceeded 3,000 people

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Tuesday expressed concern over the deepening economic crisis in Sri Lanka and urged the government to defuse tensions peacefully.

The high-level segment will be convened from February 28 to March 2, he added, Xinhua news agency reported

The UN human rights officecalled for an independent investigation into allegations of sexual violence during mass anti-coup protests in Sudan earlier this week, a spokeswoman said.

The Covid pandemic has "fed a frightening rise in inequalities", and laid bare "many of our failures to consolidate the advances made", said UN rights chief marking Human Rights Day

The UN human rights chief warned Tuesday that she had received credible reports of severe abuses in areas under Taliban control in Afghanistan

Bachelet is under growing pressure from Western states to secure unfettered access to Xinjiang

The UN chief has appointed veteran British diplomat Martin Griffiths, a seasoned negotiator with wide global experience, as the new UN humanitarian chief.

Digital rights group Myanmar ICT for Development said it had found over 800 pro-military videos that menaced protesters at a time of increasing bloodshed -alone according to the UN

The UN Human Rights Office says it has "credible information" of at least 18 deaths across Myanmar on Sunday during a crackdown on anti-military protesters

Police fire after lobbing stun grenades, tear gas; rights group condemns action

The minister described the impending resolution as unsubstantiated and a pure political move against Sri Lanka

US Capitol attack showed destructive impact of distortion of facts, incitement to violence by political leaders, UN's top human rights official said while calling Trump to disavow dangerous narratives

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday expressed concern over the restrictions on foreign funding for the NGOs in India and the arrest of activists in the country

Joint release said that across the world, the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic requires extraordinary and unprecedented measures

India's strong statement came after UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Thursday voiced "great concern" over India's amended citizenship law and reports of "police inaction"