human rights

High Commissionner Navi Pillay at press conference on the launch of social media campaign on human rights

Inspired by global events, UN launches social media campaign to celebrate rights

1 December 2011
The United Nations has launched a social media campaign to encourage people to get involved in the global human rights movement, inspired by the role played by tools such as Facebook and Twitter in the awakening that transformed parts of the Arab world this year.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay

Civil society must play bigger role in human rights in South-East Asia – UN official

28 November 2011
The next two years will be crucial for promoting human rights across South-East Asia, but the lack of involvement by civil society in regional rights issues remains a “major concern,” the United Nations human rights chief warned today.
Credit: OHCHR
OHCHR

UN human rights body invites businesses to collaborate in creating its agenda

4 November 2011
A new United Nations expert body that promotes respect for human rights among businesses is inviting governments, companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to submit ideas and proposals to help establish its work programme next year.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay

UN completes first review of human rights records of all Member States

13 October 2011
The Human Rights Council completed its first review of the records of every Member State on Thursday, with Haiti being the last country to be considered in the process, which examined records of each State for the past four years.
Michael O'Flaherty, Member of Human Rights Committee and principal drafter of the General Comment

UN human rights body criticizes restrictions on free expression

28 July 2011
The United Nations Human Rights Committee has issued a commentary on freedom of expression that says anti-blasphemy laws and restrictions on criticism of governments are incompatible with existing norms and that free expression is essential for the protection of human rights, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported today.
Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
UN Photo

Independent UN expert launches guide on rights of human rights defenders

27 July 2011
In an effort to strengthen protection for human rights defenders across the world, a United Nations independent expert today launched guidelines outlining their rights as enshrined in the UN declaration on the rights of those who defend the human rights of others.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay

UN speaks out against pending execution of Mexican national in United States

1 July 2011
The top United Nations human rights official has appealed to a state governor in the United States to commute the death sentence of a Mexican national scheduled to be executed for murder next week, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported today.
Human Rights Council, Geneva

UN Human Rights Council endorses principles to ensure businesses respect human rights

16 June 2011
The United Nations Human Rights Council today endorsed a new set of global guiding principles for business designed to ensure that companies do not violate human rights in the course of the their transactions and that they provide redress when infringements occur.
John Ruggie

UN expert presents global standards for human rights in business world

31 May 2011
A United Nations human rights expert today unveiled a series of global benchmarks aimed at helping businesses and governments to act ethically and protect human rights.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses correspondents on the current developments in Northern Africa and the Middle East

UN officials underline the right to truth for victims of gross human rights abuses

24 March 2011
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today underscored the right of the victims of gross human rights abuses and their families to know the truth about the circumstances surrounding the violations, the reasons they were perpetrated and the identity of the people responsible.