Israel’s new legal proposals pose 'serious risks', UN rights chief warns

Israel’s new legal proposals pose ‘serious risks’, UN rights chief warns

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk raised a range of concerns that several sets of proposed legislative changes that Israel’s parliament is considering would pose serious risks to the effectiveness of the judiciary to defend the rule of law, human rights, and judicial independence. Human rights at risk “If passed, these changes risk…

Read More
UN humanitarian delegation visits northwest Syria as earthquake response continues

UN humanitarian delegation visits northwest Syria as earthquake response continues

Seventeen trucks arrived in the region that day via two crossings – Bab Al-Hawa and Bab Al-Salaam – carrying aid provided by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR; the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).  Health sector hard hit  A UN humanitarian delegation was in Idlib governorate and visited a displacement camp…

Read More
1.5 million now homeless in Türkiye after quake disaster, warn UN development experts

1.5 million now homeless in Türkiye after quake disaster, warn UN development experts

“This makes this clearly the largest earthquake disaster in Türkiye’s history and perhaps the largest natural disaster the country has ever faced,” said Louisa Vinton, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Türkiye Resident Representative.  Two further earthquakes measuring 6.4 and 5.8 on the Richter Scale killed six more on the Türkiye-Syria border on Monday, with “another 294…

Read More
Local elections chance to advance peace in Central African Republic: UN envoy

Local elections chance to advance peace in Central African Republic: UN envoy

Special Representative Valentine Rugwabiza reported on recent progress by the Government, including in election preparations and security sector reform.  Political engagement with the leaders of armed groups remains essential and is starting to yield modest results, she added, pointing to the dissolution of four armed groups who were signatories to the February 2019 Peace Agreement. …

Read More
Celebrating the world’s rich ‘linguistic tapestry’, UN officials call for realizing multilingual education on Mother Language Day

Celebrating the world’s rich ‘linguistic tapestry’, UN officials call for realizing multilingual education on Mother Language Day

Commemorating the world’s languages – all 6,700 of them – since 1999, the Day aims at celebrating ways of showcasing the world’s linguistic tapestry, committing to the preservation of the diversity of languages as a common heritage, and working for quality education – in mother tongues – for all, said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the…

Read More
Independent UN experts laud Spain for enacting new feminist laws

Independent UN experts laud Spain for enacting new feminist laws

Describing the new laws as a “fundamental feminist achievement”, they said the move was part of an ambitious agenda for social progress. The legislation guarantees and facilitates access to sexual and reproductive rights in the country.  New menstrual leave, abortion laws  The new overarching measures ensure safe and accessible abortions provided by national health agencies….

Read More
Syria-Türkiye: Three border crossings now operational for earthquake aid delivery

Syria-Türkiye: Three border crossings now operational for earthquake aid delivery

Ten trucks transporting shelter and other items from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) crossed into northern Aleppo through the Al-Ra’ee border crossing earlier that day, said Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, at a press conference in New York.  “This is the first UN convoy through this border crossing since the Government of…

Read More