Human Rights

Press Freedom Groups Condemn U.S. Withdrawal from UNESCO

By Tharanga Yakupitiyage
Civil society groups have called on the United States to reverse its decision to withdraw from a UN body, citing concerns for press freedom and journalists’ safety.

Women: Major Drivers & Beneficiaries of Poverty Eradication

By Lakshmi Puri
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration of 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty by the United Nations General Assembly. Under the theme “Answering the Call of October 17 to end poverty: A path toward peaceful and inclusive societies,” this year’s commemoration reminds us of the importance of inequality, dignity, solidarity and equal voice in the fight to end poverty everywhere.

Peace and stability must be restored in the Middle East and North Africa so as to alleviate poverty

By Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim
On the occasion of the 2017 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Chairman of the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue H. E. Dr. Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim observed that the unprecedented rise of violence and insecurity in the Arab region combined, breed poverty and societal decline.

A Thorn in the Side of the Regime

By Erik Larsson
”Too many things happened. The police called me to the station almost every day. My whole working day was spent defending myself. I had no time to write articles. Then came the attempted coup d’etat and my name was on a list kept by the national security service. I was forced to flee the country.”

Driven to Extremes–How Poverty Fuels Extremism, and How to Help Africa’s Youth

By Siddharth Chatterjee
Poverty is a blight, and one that disproportionately affects sub-Saharan Africa. It is a vast and complex issue whose tentacles reach into many areas, including climate change, sustainable development and–crucially–global security. The link between poverty and violent extremism is compelling, and means that if we want to address extremism, we must fight inequality too.

International Day of Rural Women

By Michel Mordasini
On this International Day of Rural Women, the world celebrates women and girls in rural areas and the critical role they play in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.

Dams Hurt Indigenous and Fishing Communities in Brazilian Amazon

By Mario Osava
The dirty water is killing more and more fish and ‘Taricaya’ yellow-spotted river turtles every day. In addition, the river is not following its usual cycle, and the water level rises or declines without warning, regardless of the season, complained three Munduruku indigenous law students in the south of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest.

After 13 Years, UN Peacekeeping Mission Closes Doors in Haiti

By Roshni Majumdar
The UN peacekeeping mission ended its operations in the Caribbean nation of Haiti after 13 years on October 15.The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which aimed to bring stability to a politically chaotic Haiti of 2004, will transfer power to the UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), a much smaller successor mission that is going to assist the government on security issues.

Despite Odds, Women Gain Stature in African Politics

By Kwamboka Oyaro, Africa Renewal*
Once in a while, Africa produces talented women politicians who, despite the odds, overcome the obstacles that impede their success in the political arena.

Can the Kenyan Lion Kick High Enough to Be the South Korean Tiger of Africa?

By Mary Kawar and Siddharth Chatterjee
In 1953 South Korea emerged from the ravages of a debilitating war, yet the total gross domestic product in nominal terms has surged 31,000 fold since 1953.

How to Change the Future of Migration

By Baher Kamal
The world is on the move. More people have been forced to flee their homes than at any time since the Second World War due to increased conflict and political instability, hunger, poverty, and an increase in extreme weather events linked to climate change.

Stepping Forward to Lead on Indigenous Rights

By Rukka Sombolinggi
When nine women farmers from the Kendeng community in Central Java encased their feet in cement blocks last year, many indigenous advocates understood how that felt. Dressed in their traditional clothing, these women protested outside the State Palace in Jakarta to block a proposed cement plant that would pollute the rivers flowing through their villages. Their livelihoods as farmers were under threat, as was their cultural heritage.

Trying to Make Immigration an Option Rather than a Need in Latin America

By Orlando Milesi
The aim is for migration to become just one option among others for the rural population of Latin America, says Brazilian expert Luiz Carlos Beduschi, referring to an issue that causes concern in the region due to its impact on food security.

Humanitarian Needs Spike as Rohingya Arrivals in Cox’s Bazar Top 536,000

By International Organization for Migration
An estimated 536,000 people have fled Myanmar and arrived in Cox’s Bazar, southern Bangladesh, over the past 47 days, according to the IOM-hosted Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) of aid agencies. Numbers spiked again this week when some 15,000 Rohingya crossed into Bangladesh between 9-11 October.

Not True that Hunger Doesn’t Discriminate — It Does

By Baher Kamal
In a world where only 8 individuals – all of them men—possess as much as half of all the planet’s wealth, and it will take women 170 years to be paid as men are*, inequality appears to be a key feature of the current economic model. Now a new study reveals that there is also a widening gap in hunger.

Food Insecurity and Forced Displacement of People: Where do we Draw the Line?

By Idriss Jazairy
The World Food Programme estimates that more than 100 million people worldwide face severe food insecurity. The situation is most severe in countries affected by conflict and violence including Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria, South Sudan and Yemen affecting more than 40 million people. Another 22 million people in Ethiopia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Haiti and Mozambique are affected by the adverse impact of climate change and environmental degradation.

Forcing Displaced Nigerians May Worsen Humanitarian Crisis

By Jan Egeland
Haja grabbed her eight children and fled as Boko Haram set her home ablaze two years ago. Today we sit in her hut in a displacement camp, and she wonders how she is going to keep her children fed. I’ve spoken to many families in Nigeria’s north-eastern Monguno town. Their stories paint a horrifically detailed picture of the brutal violence these communities have endured over the past eight years.

Land Settlement Empowers: Bangladesh Sets an Example

By Shahiduzzaman
History was made for 400 landless families in the remote char lands of Noakhali district. On 4th October, they all received land titles from the government for which they had waited for over two decades. In Bangladesh, as in other countries, the title is a permanent legal ownership document.

Up to 100 Million Girls Vulnerable to Child Marriage

By Tharanga Yakupitiyage
Over 20,000 girls are married before the age of 18 every day around the world as countries continue to lack legal protections, according to a new study.

Rights of Rural Women Have Seen Uneven Progress in Latin America

By Mariela Jara
In a remote village in the Peruvian Andes, Bonificia Huamán managed to overcome adverse weather conditions with a small greenhouse, where she grows vegetables at 3,533 metres above sea level. This has improved her family’s diet, which she is very proud of.

Strengthening Youth Potential and the Prospects for a Better Future

By Bandar Hajjar
Investing in youth by developing their potential through education, job creation and instilling the values that advance the cause of humanity is the most daunting, yet promising challenge facing world leaders.
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