U.N. issues 'call to action' on human rights
U.N. leaders challenged nations, businesses and citizens to respond to a "call to action" for greater efforts to withstand a rising tide of human rights abuses.
Human Rights
The United Nations says human rights are inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination. International human rights law sets out the obligations of governments to promote and protect human rights.
Enjoy our Free+ stories and our weekly newsletter
Start your free accessAlready have an account? Log in
U.N. reports on war agonies for Syrian kids
Syria's civil war has stolen the childhoods of 5 million boys and girls including many killed or suffering grave abuses of their rights, U.N. experts said.
HRW warns China attacking global rights
Human Rights Watch cautioned that China is using its economic muscle to silence critics at home and increasingly abroad through organizations and treaties.
Decade of rising attacks on kids in conflicts
Conflict-fueled attacks on children that authorities could verify tripled worldwide in the past decade to an average of 45 per day, UNICEF said.
Progress and worry as kids' treaty turns 30
A human rights treaty that is 30 years old helped make children healthier but they still face threats like climate change and online abuse, UNICEF said.
White Helmets ally found dead in Turkey
James Le Mesurier, whose organization founded and supported White Helmets' efforts in Syria, was found dead in Istanbul, prompting a police investigation.
U.N. expert: world 'failing' on hate speech
Governments and businesses including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are doing far too little to prevent violence from online hate speech, a U.N. expert said.
Aid sought for 10 million stateless people
The U.N. refugee agency's chief Filippo Grandi and goodwill ambassador Cate Blanchett appealed to governments to end statelessness for 10 million people.
U.N. mission to probe rights in Venezuela
The U.N. Human Rights Council voted to create a mission to investigate cases of suspected human rights abuses in Venezuela over the past five years.
As temperatures rise, climate gains status as top threat to human rights
The U.N. human rights chief says the climate crisis is a top threat and U.S. detention of migrant children is alarming.
U.N. panel ties Western nations to human rights abuses in Yemen
Human rights experts cited a 'pervasive lack of accountability' in the Saudi-led alliance backed by Western governments.
U.N. calls for peace and justice in Yemen after airstrikes hit compound
First responders struggled to reach the scene where some survivors were believed to still be trapped under the rubble.
New accord to protect defenders of environment and human rights
The aim is to establish better networks of support worldwide for advocates and raise the pressure for perpetrators of violence and intimidation to be held accountable.
U.N. experts conclude U.S. racism is a complicit factor in mass shootings
A U.N. working group called on U.S. leaders to recommit to human rights, including equal protection under the law.
Experts say Myanmar's foreign arms trade fuels human rights abuses
A U.N. fact-finding mission urged the international community to sever ties with Myanmar’s military.
Europe's first legally binding treaty on violence against women turns 5
The treaty, which took effect in 2014, builds on efforts to protect women and girls from violence since the 1990s. Some nations say they oppose it based on sovereignty concerns.