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Pictured is a refugee family of nine making the most of the limited space in their prefabricated hut in Baqa'a Camp near Amman [circa 1970]. As a result of contributions from governments, voluntary organizations and individuals, prefabricated huts offering better protection against the elements than the canvas tents they'd replaced were set up in the emergency camps in East Jordan.
was by the General Assembly on 8 December 1949 () to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees, following the 1948 war. UNRWA has contributed to the welfare and human development of four generations of Palestine refugees, defined as 鈥減ersons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 war鈥. The encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance, including in times of armed conflict.
When the 缅北禁地agency began operations in 1950, it was responding to the needs of about 750,000 Palestine refugees. Today, some 5.9 million Palestine refugees in the occupied Palestinian territory, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria are eligible for UNRWA services.
documents the critical work the agency has been doing in the region for the last 74 years.
Eva Jim茅nez Bracamontes, a Mexican illustrator and street artist, created a big mural called 鈥淎ll rights, all people鈥 at the 鈥楥entral de Abastos鈥 market in Mexico City. The mural aimed to bring attention to human rights issues in Mexico, such as enforced disappearances, the right to food, education, culture, migrants, discrimination, and racism. The project, run as part of the , received support from 缅北禁地Human Rights in Mexico and other key stakeholders to promote human rights through art.
Journalists reporting from crisis- and conflict zones face severe threats in carrying out their critical work. Between 2006 and 2024, around the world, with close to nine out of ten cases of these killings remaining judicially unresolved. The safety of the reporters in these contexts is a crucial issue. The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (2 November) aims to promote a broader discussion on their security, including the prevention, protection and prosecution concerns of journalists facing such challenges.
and the 缅北禁地system advocate for the universal abolition of the death penalty for three main reasons: it is profoundly difficult to reconcile with human rights, especially the right to life; however robust a judicial system may be, it is prone to bias and error; and there鈥檚 little to no evidence that the death penalty is a significant deterrent to crime in general. The US continues to face issues of due process, racial bias, and reliability of testimonies in capital punishment cases, raising concerns about wrongful convictions and the risk of executing innocent people. According to civil society, around 200 death row prisoners have been exonerated in the US since 1973 because of wrongful convictions, some of them posthumously.
As we celebrate , it鈥檚 crucial to acknowledge that despite food being a fundamental human right, millions still face hunger due to conflicts, inequalities, and economic downturns, underscoring the urgent need for access to diverse, nutritious foods for all.
urged reforms to end the exploitation of incarcerated individuals, stating their right to decent work and the need for better conditions, protections, and rehabilitation opportunities within prison systems globally.
The Roma minority in Moldova has long faced discrimination in various aspects of life. A program led by is helping vulnerable Roma families integrate into society through trained Roma community mediators. For example, Raisa Demeniuk, a Roma community mediator, helped a marginalized family obtain identity documents, enroll their children in school, and access healthcare and social protection benefits, improving their livelihoods and social inclusion.
The organization of collectives to search for disappeared persons in Mexico has grown exponentially in the last 15 years. Official records indicate that there are currently 115,000 people whose whereabouts are unknown. The highest concentration of disappearances occurred from 2006 to date, coinciding with the beginning of the 'war on drugs.' According to , the main challenges include widespread impunity, deficient institutional capacities to search for people, limited institutional coordination and collaboration, insecurity, and risks faced by human rights defenders. The is working to advance the fight against the disappearance of persons by providing technical advice, aiding civil society organizations, and increasing visibility and awareness of the problem.
The will hold its (9 September-11 October) at the United Nations in Geneva.鈥疧n its opening day, the session will be addressed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker T眉rk, with reflections on pressing human rights issues from around the world. During the session, the Council will hold around 30 interactions with special rapporteurs, expert mechanisms and investigative probes, and with Mr. T眉rk on Nicaragua, Myanmar, Ukraine, Honduras, and Haiti. The 47-member Council will also hold discussions on Afghanistan, Sudan, racial justice and equality in law enforcement, the nuclear legacy in the Marshall Islands, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among other topics.
The community of Guapinol in northern Honduras, with a population of 3,000, depends on agriculture, livestock, and remittances from the United States. Surrounded by African palm plantations, the Guapinol River is slowly returning to being a source of shade and clean water, as it always had been until 2018 when people realized that the water became heavily polluted. Juana Z煤niga, an environmentalist, and her partner Jos茅 Cedillo have fought for the human right to a healthy environment. Their advocacy led to the passing of an important law, Executive Decree 18-2024, which safeguards protected areas in Honduras and prohibits mining in these areas.
On the seventh commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism on 21 August 2024, join us to honor the powerful voices of victims as they use their experiences and journeys to create meaningful and positive change by raising awareness about the long-lasting impact of terrorism. By amplifying these voices, the International Day seeks to inspire collective action and empower individuals and communities to work towards a future defined by peace, solidarity, and resilience.
Meet musician Austin Zhang who uses the power of music, by harmonizing his saxophone jazz melodies with a recording of his mother鈥檚 own story of migration to accentuate the emotions of her story. In this episode of the 缅北禁地Human Rights podcast, #s, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights () focuses on how migration is not one-dimensional and why telling individual stories of migration, which reflects all dimensions of people can help avoid the pitfall of triggering a harmful narrative about migration.
Esther, whose name has been changed for protection, was raped when she was four months pregnant and sleeping in a public square with her six children, having been forced from home. She received counselling from a UNFPA health centre, but her situation is still dire. You can hear her .
The situation in Haiti is desperate. Gang violence has forced more than half a million people across the country to flee their homes. The capital reverberates with gunshots day and night, and sexual violence is carried out with impunity. Here, in , women and girls share their insight into the stark reality of life today in Port-au-Prince, while and partners work around the clock to prevent and alleviate suffering.
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, around 27 million Africans were forcefully taken from their homes and shipped across the Atlantic. Only 7.4 million reached their destination, where they faced exploitation and abuse. The impact of the slave trade persists, perpetuating racism and inequality. established 23 August as the to bring attention to the history of enslavement. , let's pay tribute to the victims and freedom fighters by renewing our commitment to eradicating racism and discrimination.