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...

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...

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...

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...