Just 1-in-5 countries keeping up with U.N. human rights reporting duties
The treaty body that gets the worst cooperation is the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Human Rights
Human rights are the fundamental rights and freedoms inherent to every person. Their modern legal foundation is the International Bill of Human Rights, which consists of three key documents: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The U.N. and its agencies, along with other international organizations, work to protect and promote these rights globally.
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New U.N. estimate shows the Syrian civil war's deadly toll on civilians
More than half of the deaths were never documented due to the difficulty of collecting reliable data on death tolls in conflict zones, made still harder by the brutality of Syria's war.
U.N. panel on racism and law enforcement ends first U.S. tour
Panel members said they heard countless painful stories from victims and their families but also learned of some promising initiatives against racial discrimination.
Faking content is getting easier. Digging for truth is getting harder.
There's a growing industry and more tools for producing and distributing disinformation. Meanwhile, authorities are getting more aggressive and hostile toward journalists.
Human rights and aid concerns spike as waves of Sudanese flee
Most of Khartoum, Darfur and North Kordofan are too dangerous to operate in, the U.N. refugee agency said.
U.N. vote opposes Taliban constraints against females
A U.N. Security Council resolution calls on Afghanistan's de factor rulers to quickly restore the rights of women and girls.
Wanted on war crimes charges, Russian official appears before U.N.
Diplomats from other nations objected to the Russian-led U.N. Security Council session as an exercise in disinformation.
World marks horrific slave trade history to guard against more abuses
The idea is to preserve and teach an ugly chapter of history that might help ward off humanity’s worst impulses.
Prisoner executions, other abuses found on both sides in Ukraine war
The U.N. cited executions, human shields, torture and other inhumane treatment by Russian and Ukrainian forces.
Pushed to the brink: War, disaster, lost rights challenge kids worldwide
From the killing fields of Ukraine to the earthquakes of Turkey and Syria, children struggle in an often indifferent world.
U.N. raises concerns about human rights records in over 40 nations
A quarter of all humanity lives today in places that are affected by conflict and usually it's the civilians 'who suffer the most.'
Male-only parliaments are no longer as gender parity slowly advances
Six nations have gender parity or a women's majority: Rwanda, Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico, New Zealand and U.A.E.
Lost childhoods: Ukraine's most innocent victims in Putin's war
The global demands for peace grow as humanitarian aid workers emphasize the war's devastating effect on children.
In a world of human rights abuses, some 'extraordinary potential' too
Human Rights Watch points to a "litany of human rights crises" but also a silver lining – some "cracks" emerged in authoritarian regimes.
A rallying cry for human rights at the heart of social media platforms
Alarmed at a sharp increase in the use of the racist “N” word on Twitter, the experts said all the major social media corporations must immediately show greater accountability for online hatred spewed at people of African descent.
U.N. says Myanmar's mass pardons include some 300 political prisoners
Though the release of political prisoners in Myanmar is a relief to those unfairly detained and their families, the U.N. human rights office notes the military junta is still holding thousands of others in detention for opposing military rule.