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February 18, 2011
in News EN

10 February 2011- Margot Wallström was invited by the Human Rights Council to give an update of her visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).The situation: The two main problems concerning the phenomenon of sexual violence were intimidation and impunity.Margot Wallström described the situation in DRC as follows:“Sexual violence is being used as by the combatants as a weapon of war to instil fear among the people.  As the phenomenon became systematic and extensive, non-state perpetrators followed.  Women are gang raped in front of their family with no recourse...

February 15, 2011
in News EN

The 10th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was held from 24 January to 4 February at Palais des Nations, Geneva.The UPR is a new human rights mechanism, established by General Assembly of the United Nations in a resolution passed on March 2006.Through it, the Human Rights Council was enjoined to analyse on a periodic basis the fulfilment by each of the 192 UN Member States of its human rights obligations and commitments. The first cycle of the UPR process lasts 4 years. Each year is divided into three...

February 14, 2011
in News EN

As protests in Egypt intensify following Mubarak’s refusal to immediately descend from power, the UN goes along and expresses its support on Egyptian’s call for true democracy. The situation in the Middle East is becoming increasingly worrying, and the people are waiting for a speedy transition in Egypt. The people are angered by the delaying tactic employed by Mubarak who said that leaving the country now would plunge Egypt into chaos. The illegal detention and intimidation of journalists and protesters plus the shutdown of Facebook and Twitter to prevent people from...

February 14, 2011
in #youth, News EN

The new Head of the United Nations Population Fund, Babatunde Osotimehin, called the Member States’ attention on the largest global youth generation, especially now that it is estimated that world population will exceed 7 billion people.“Today, almost a third of the world’s population is composed by youth, with just below 90 per cent living in developing countries, a proportion that will enormously increase during the next 20 years”, he said. Hence, other important challenge is to face the situation of adolescents and youth living in developing countries.The head of the...

February 4, 2011
in News EN

Last January 25, United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, requested to the Human Rights Council in Geneva to adopt a constructive, fair and objective attitude. Moreover Ban Ki-moon added that solving the problem of human rights is only the first step towards development.Ban Ki-moon congratulated for the effectiveness of the Special Procedures. Thanks to these procedures, the experts, mandate holders, can verify the situations concerning the human rights violation meetings on the ground with politicians and Civil Society representatives.The General Secretary also said that if the Council wants to achieve its...

February 2, 2011
in News EN

The United Nations recently launched a website to serve as a permanent memorial honouring the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.  General Secretary, Ban Ki-moon, stated that “The memorial will acknowledge the crimes and atrocities perpetrated over the course of four centuries, when millions of Africans were violently removed from their homelands, ruthlessly abused and robbed of their dignity. The legacy lives on today in the families and countries that were affected. The memorial will also remind the world of the bravery of those slaves, abolitionists and unsung heroes...

February 2, 2011
in News EN

From 1 to 7 of February, The United Nations will be observing the first World Interfaith Harmony Week.According to the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, “This week is an opportunity to focus global attention on the efforts of religious leaders, interfaith movements and individuals around the world to promote mutual respect and understanding between followers of different faiths and beliefs. These partners play an indispensable role in supporting United Nations efforts for peace”. In proclaiming this observance, the United Nations General Assembly encourages all States to use the first week of...

February 1, 2011
in News EN

30 January 2011 – The United Nations and the Government of Afghanistan today signed an agreement in which the country made a commitment to protect children affected by armed conflict and to prevent the recruitment of minors into the national armed forces. “Today we come together to undertake a big step for a better future for the children of Afghanistan,” Zalmai Rassoul, Afghanistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, who represented the Government at the signing of the agreement in Kabul with Radhika Coomaraswamy, the UN Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict. Also...

February 1, 2011
in News EN

27 January 2011 - On the same day in 1945, the largest and most notorious concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, was set free. The evidence of unbelievable cruelty that conquered the camp shook every modern man’s conscience. Hence, on this day, each year since 2006, the United Nations, in concert with the whole world, celebrates the Holocaust Memorial Day. Exhibitions, thru music, arts and speeches, are being held at various UN offices.  We, at  IIMA Human Rights Office, joined the celebration held at Palais des Nations, Geneva to unite with this generation not...

January 21, 2011
in News EN

Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Mr. Kishore Singh, visited Senegal from 10 to 14 January 2011.  Mr. Singh met with various Government authorities in the education sector, international organizations and NGOs. During his visit, he also went to see the Senegalese schools and daaras (Quranic schools) both in the capital and in the rural areas.Mr. Singh drew special attention to issues such as access to  quality education as specified in the programme “Education for All”; access to quality technical schooling; strategies to face great challenges involving marginalized groups (girls, disadvantaged children, families living...

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