Category: Rights
USA to Introduce LGBT Rights Resolution at the UN
United States Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice will announce later today that the United States will introduce an amendment in the General Assembly to prohibit the violent targeting of people based on their sexual orientation.
One Enduring Image of International Human Rights Day
62 years ago today, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration for Human Rights. Since then, December 10th has become known as international human rights day. And it is no coincidence that the Nobel Prize decided to hold its awards ceremony for Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo.
UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom Of Expression: Don’t Prosecute Assange
In an interview with an Australian news outlet, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression outlines a reasonable approach to handling Wikileaks.
Côte d’Ivoire’s “Classic” Strongman
Laurent Gbagbo, the incumbent in Côte d’Ivoire’s recent presidential run-off election, is refusing to accept defeat.
Will There Be Accountability for War Crimes in Sri Lanka?
The Guardian posted an intriguing diplomatic cable from the Wikileaks archive in which the American Ambassador to Sri Lanka says very plainly that Sri Lankan government and military officials are responsible for a massacre of Tamil civilians
What An “Interpol Red Notice” Actually Means
I am probably the only full time blogger to ever have worked at Interpol headquarters, so it behooves me to explain the “Interpol Red Notice,” which is the mechanism through which the Swedish government is requesting the arrest and extradition of Jullian Assange for sex crimes.
Will the Central African Republic Arrest Omar Al Bashir Tomorrow? UPDATE: Trip Cancelled!
Why Belgium might be the deciding factor in whether or not Sudan’s indicted president is able to visit the Central African Republic tomorrow without fear of arrest. UPDATE: French diplomatic pressure forces Bashir’s trip cancelled.
America’s Well Intentioned Spy Activities at the UN (Wikileaks)
One memo on American intelligence gathering activities at the United Nations, revealed by Wikileaks, suggests a strongly progressive agenda for American engagement at the UN.
Will the International Community Prevent “Eye-Watering” Violence in Afghanistan as Troops Depart?
Human rights groups urged NATO member states to take humanitarian and human rights concerns seriously as plans are made for the phased withdrawal of foreign forces beginning early next year.
Talking Burma Elections and Haiti’s Woes On BlogginHeads
I blogginheaded with Mac McClelland, human rights reporter for Mother Jones. Mac has reported from both Burma and Haiti. We discuss the recent elections in Burma and Haiti’s ongoing crises.
-
Iran; Syria; Internet Governance; Libya; and more
UN atomic watchdog chief Yukiya Amano and top aides will travelto Tehran on Sunday for talks with Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, a few days before Iran and world powers meet in Baghdad to discuss the broader nuclear dispute. News of the rare visit came as Western diplomats said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran were making headway towards a framework deal on how to tackle concerns about Iran’s atomic activity.
-
Sudan/South Sudan; State of the World Economy debate; International Day against Homophobia; and more
The U.N. Security Council has called on Sudan and South Sudan to reach an agreement on the status of the disputed, oil-rich Abyei border region and extended the U.N. security force’s mission there by six months. The council passed a resolution Thursday calling the situation a serious security threat and demanding the creation of a jointly administered Abyei police force.
-
The top United Nations refugee official today voiced his alarm at new inflows of refugees into Rwanda and Uganda, fleeing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). More than 8,200 refugees have crossed from DRC into Rwanda since 27 April, according to staff of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). These are in addition to the 55,000 Congolese refugees that Rwanda is already hosting.
-
Syria: U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan is urging Syria’s government to accept U.N. conditions for expanding the distribution of humanitarian aid to roughly 1 million Syrians in need of assistance, the United Nations said today. Meanwhile, three vehicles belonging to … Read more
-
Sustainable Future Symposium; ICT for Development; IAEA/Iran; Global Financial Transaction Tax; and more
Partnerships and development cooperation among countries will play a key role in accelerating sustainable development, the Secretary-General of the UN Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20), Sha Zukang said today, stressing that assistance will need to focus on helping developing countries find longer-term solutions to eradicate poverty and transition into a green economy.The two-day Australia High-Level Symposium, “Shaping a Sustainable Future – Partners in Development Cooperation,” which began today, seeks to facilitate an informal dialogue on development cooperation among high-level policymakers, multilateral and civil society organizations, philanthropic foundations and the private sector.
-
DR Congo; South Sudan; UNHCR and OIC; and more
Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonovic, today voiced concern over the human rights situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has experienced a recent upsurge in violence. Mr. Šimonovic said he was “appalled” by the heightened levels of recent violence triggered by defections in the Congolese armed forces, including former members of certain militia groups, and welcomed joint efforts between the peacekeepers of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), humanitarian actors and the authorities to protect civilians and respond to human rights violations.
-
Asia-Pacific Human Development Report; Syria; Horn of Africa; UNRWA
Countries in the Asia-Pacific region must find ways to continue to grow economically and lift millions out of poverty while also responding to climate change and environmental concerns, according to UN report released today, which stresses that new methods of production are needed to meet this goal.UNDP’s Asia-Pacific Human Development Report 2012 argues that policies and actions in the region will have a global impact as it is home to more than half of the world’s population and half of the planet’s megacities.
-
SG on Rio/Post-2015 Development; Syria; Middle East; Global Fund; and more
Appealing for flexibility in reaching agreement on a final outcome document, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today, emphasized the need for Member States to agree on launching a process to establish Sustainable Development Goals ahead of the Rio+20 conference while also announcing the appointment of three co-chairs to his High-Level Panel on Post-2015 Development Planning. We should agree on launching a process to establish Sustainable Development Goals that build on the Millennium Development Goals … find better ways to measure progress that goes beyond Gross Domestic Product …and advance action to improve people’s lives through decent work, social protection and the empowerment of women and young people,” the UN chief said in his address to the UN General Assembly.
-
Syria; Guinea-Bissau; UNAIDS; Afghanistan; and more
Amid concerns from the international community over the prospects of a “full civil war” in Syria, the Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan, said today that the ongoing levels of violence and human rights abuses in the Middle Eastern country are unacceptable and the UN observer mission is possibly the only remaining chance to stabilize it.
-
Peacebuilding; South Sudan; Indigenous Issues; Rwanda
The United Nations is determined to do everything possible to assist societies torn by war from sliding back into conflict, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told an audience in the United States capital today, adding that while there have been setbacks, peacebuilding remains a crucial element of the world body’s efforts.In a speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D. C., Mr. Ban highlighted the work of the UN’s 16 peacekeeping operations and 15 political missions in the area of peacebuilding – a core mandate of the Organization.
