Sergio Vieira de Mello, the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, today pledged to turn the issue of human rights into a source of unity and to convince governments of the importance of protecting civil liberties.
Addressing the first-ever session of the United Nations Social Forum in Geneva today, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, called for urgent action to address hunger and starvation across the world.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan has nominated the United Nations administrator who helped oversee East Timor's transition to independence to be the UN's next top human rights official, a spokesman for the world body said today in New York.
