Asia Pacific

UN Photo/Mark Garten

Myanmar: UN human rights office welcomes presidential pardon for political prisoners

31 December 2013
The United Nations human rights office today welcomed the presidential pardon granted in Myanmar to political prisoners convicted of or prosecuted for various offences under seven specific laws, including unlawful association, peaceful assembly, treason and sedition.
ILO/M. Crozet (file photo)

UN labour agency urges Cambodian garment unions, manufacturers to resolve dispute

31 December 2013
Concerned about ongoing protests in Cambodia which have virtually shut down the garment industry, the United Nations labour agency today called for an end to violence and destruction of property, and encouraged the factories to be reopened.
UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras (file photo)

Ban and Security Council strongly condemn terrorist attack at Russian train station

29 December 2013
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council strongly condemned the terrorist attack that occurred at the central train station of the Russian city of Volgograd today causing numerous deaths and injuries.
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Amid Cambodia protests, UN rights expert appeals for calm, urges ‘meaningful talks’

27 December 2013
An independent United Nations human rights expert today urged Cambodian authorities to continue to exercise restraint amid daily demonstrations in the capital of Phnom Penh, while also praising the increasing democratic space allowing people to comfortably express themselves in the streets without fear of retaliation and warning them against resorting to violence.
Violaine Martin

UN human rights office concerned about Thai Navy defamation case against reporters

26 December 2013
The United Nations human rights office today urged the Government of Thailand to drop criminal defamation charges against two journalists who wrote about the alleged involvement of the Thai Navy with human trafficking.
OHCHR

Despite progress, China needs to do more to fight gender discrimination, says UN group

24 December 2013
Despite remarkable strides in improving women’s lives, China is insufficiently implementing relevant laws against discrimination and more needs to be done to ensure their full participation in the economy and politics as well as equality in wages and recruitment, according to a United Nations working group.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider

UN rights body voices concern as Russia orders NGO to register as ‘foreign agent’

23 December 2013
A United Nations human rights body voiced grave concern today after a court in Russia ordered a non-governmental organization (NGO) that had provided the panel with information to register as a “foreign agent.”
ESCAP

‘Historic’ accord at UN forum moves Asia-Pacific countries towards regional economic community

23 December 2013
Thirty-six Asia-Pacific nations unanimously adopted a landmark declaration at a United Nations forum of ministers in Thailand, outlining the road map towards a regional economic community.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Ban urges international community to boost support for Philippines typhoon recovery plan

22 December 2013
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the international community to scale up support for the massive typhoon recovery plan under way in the Philippines, where the Government-led effort that is helping millions of people rebuild their lives must be underpinned by measures to improve the country's preparedness and resilience to natural disasters.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider

In Philippines, Ban pledges solidarity with people of typhoon-hit Tacloban

21 December 2013
Visiting the storm-ravaged Philippine city of Tacloban, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed the resilience of the people and pledged the commitment of the United Nations to keep working with the Government to “build back better and safer” all the communities devastated by super Typhoon Haiyan, which ripped through the archipelago a little over a month ago.