Human Rights

Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief

Laos: UN expert warns against marginalizing religious minorities

30 November 2009
Asia Pacific

Religious minorities in Laos remain isolated with little access to higher education, few opportunities for job promotions in the public sector and effective exclusion from decision-making processes, an independent United Nations human rights expert said today.

UN human rights chief hails new pact to protect Africa's displaced

23 October 2009
Africa

The United Nations human rights chief today welcomed a new treaty to protect and assist those uprooted from their homes due to conflict and natural disasters in Africa, which accounts for nearly half of the world's 26 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Raquel Rolnik, Special Rapporteur on adequate housing
UN Photo/Ryan Brown

Forced evictions contravene human rights standards, UN expert tells Cambodia

6 May 2009
Asia Pacific

An independent United Nations human rights expert today expressed her extreme concern about the threatened eviction of nearly 100 families in Phnom Penh, and called on the Cambodian authorities to halt this practice pending a review of current policies.

President Barack Obama

Ban welcomes US decision to close Guantánamo Bay detention centre

23 January 2009
Americas

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the decision by United States President Barack Obama to begin the process of closing the detention facility in Guantánamo Bay.

A fishing boat moored off Thai islands in the Andaman Sea, where Rohingya boat people were reportedly stopped

UN voices ‘strong concern’ for Myanmar boat people held in Thailand

20 January 2009
Asia Pacific

Fearing for the well-being of some 126 boat people in Thai custody, the United Nations refugee agency today requested access to the group of stateless Muslims who fled Myanmar to determine their need for international protection.