UN rights body extends mandate of Special Rapporteur on Russia

UN rights body extends mandate of Special Rapporteur on Russia

The UN Human Rights Council also “strongly urged” Russian authorities to comply with all the State’s obligations under international human rights law. It also called for upholding fundamental freedoms, including those of thought, opinion and expression, and peaceful assembly, “in particular by removing restrictions on diversity in ideas, criticism and dissent as well as associated…

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UN-African Union cooperation a must, as landscape of conflict shifts

UN-African Union cooperation a must, as landscape of conflict shifts

Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the AU, told ambassadors in New York that the alignment between the two organizations is particularly relevant for current challenges. “The African conflict landscape is evolving, becoming more complex and often intractable,” he said. He referred to the report on cooperation between the UN and AU on…

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World News in Brief: Reducing disaster risk for persons with disabilities, Afghan quake latest, global aid funding off track

World News in Brief: Reducing disaster risk for persons with disabilities, Afghan quake latest, global aid funding off track

Persons with disabilities face a “shocking lack of support” with no progress in the last decade, despite a huge increase in climate disasters worldwide, the new UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) report states, and that lack of progress could be a violation of international law. Persons with disabilities make up 16 per cent…

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DR Congo: UN peacekeepers suspended over serious misconduct charges

DR Congo: UN peacekeepers suspended over serious misconduct charges

“The Mission strongly condemns such behaviour which is not worthy of United Nations personnel,” MONUSCO said in a statement on Wednesday. Although the UN Mission did not give details, international media reported that eight South African “blue helmets” had been detained over allegations of sexual abuse.  Assault and threats The personnel involved were deployed at…

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