Full Coverage: Human rights

20.05.2008 WASHINGTON, May 20 (OneWorld) - Re-electing Sri Lanka to serve a second term on the UN Human Rights Council would represent a severe blow to human rights and the United Nations itself, according to an impressive array of world leaders and human rights watchdog groups.

20.05.2008 More than 300 South Africans recently demonstrated against the xenophobic attacks that began in the country's Gauteng province last week.
From: The Times (Johannesburg)

19.05.2008 Although an official truce was declared in 1996, the rate of violent deaths in Guatemala continues at a pace similar to that of the genocidal 36-year civil war. Many believe this is due to the continuity of "'social cleansing' operations," writes Joy Agner.

19.05.2008 Unless Kenya's draft bill to establish a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission is revised, this future body "could fail to contribute to or even undermine the justice which [the country] so badly needs," says a human rights watchdog.
From: Human Rights Watch

19.05.2008 Mutabar Tojiboyeva has been named this year's recipient of the Martin Ennals Award, an annual commendation given by 13 prominent human rights groups. There is concern that the Uzbek activist could die in prison, where she has been held since protesting the Andijan massacre of 2005.

18.05.2008 African leaders need to raise their voices in condemnation of the shocking decline of democracy and mounting poverty levels in Zimbabwe, and that the outside world must echo that pressure, said a coalition of civil society groups across Africa last week.
From: Global Call to Action Against Poverty

16.05.2008 The approximately 100,000 ethnic Nubians living in Kenya continue to demand official recognition -- notably citizenship -- although they face less political discrimination than in previous years.

16.05.2008 South Asia has been a hotspot of the most stubborn conflicts. While many other societies have managed to resolve their discords, the conflicts in this region remain unresolved because of the inflexibility and dogmatism of the contending parties, says historian and columnist Ramachandra Guha.

15.05.2008 At a recent review meeting of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights held in Geneva after 17 years, India was adjudged a poor performer. A panel of observers found the progress in critical human development areas such as food, health, housing and education as ‘unsatisfactory’.

14.05.2008 This month marks the 60th anniversary of Israel's existence, but the organization Jewish Voice for Peace says it will not celebrate the establishment of a Jewish state until Palestinians are granted their fundamental human rights.

14.05.2008 A South African High Court judge took "a brave step forward" when he recently ruled that the state's public water distribution system denies people their constitutional right to "a dignified life," blogs Rebecca Brown.

14.05.2008 Recent military operations by US and NATO forces have displaced thousands of families in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, forcing them to live without shelter, food and medical assistance. UN agencies and other international aid groups have been asked to provide humanitarian relief to the unfortunate victims.

14.05.2008 A documentary film titled My Daughter the Terrorist chronicles the lives of two female Tamil Tigers, taking a close look at war and its tragic consequences. The film has been acclaimed globally but the Sri Lankan government is upset saying it glorifies the act.

13.05.2008 UN Secretary General has described the adoption of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as 'a new dawn'. Though the Convention does not enlist new rights for the estimated 650 million disabled persons worldwide, it certainly paves the way for abolition of discriminatory laws and better implementation of existing rights.

13.05.2008 Sri Lanka’s dismal human rights record has obstructed the country’s bid for a place in the UN Human Rights Council. In a letter to the UN, more than twenty national and international NGOs have criticised the country’s failure to meet the Council’s membership standards.

12.05.2008 Twenty-two Nobel Prize winners have written a letter to Indian prime minister and president for the release of Dr Binayak Sen, a public health and civil rights activist. There will be protests in several cities of India and the world to mark the first anniversary of his detention on May 14.

10.05.2008 NEW YORK, May 9 (OneWorld) - A human rights watchdog has launched a unique nationwide campaign to pressure the Bush administration to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

08.05.2008 EU-maiden yhteistyö Yhdysvaltain salaisen kidnappaus- ja kidutus -ohjelman kanssa on vahingoittanut unionin pyrkimyksiä edistää ihmisoikeuksia maailmassa.

05.05.2008 Yhdysvaltalaista Chevron-energiayhtiötä syytetään osallisuudesta ihmisoikeusloukkauksiin sotilasjuntan hallitsemassa Burmassa.

05.05.2008 Dalam pemilu mendatang sebaiknya masyarakat tidak memilih capres dan cawapres, serta parpol yang tidak punya agenda penegakkan HAM. Sementara bagi pelaku kejahatan kemanusian, harus diisolasi dari kancah politik maupun sosial pada pemilu 2009 mendatang, sehingga mereka akan sulit berlindung di ranah konstitusi.