Dhaka, July 6 (UNB) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has assured the European Union (EU) that Bangladesh will never enact or implement any law that may contravene the concept of human rights. He explained that the government of Bangladesh…
Category: Human rights
Libya tragedy: Why lock up migrants in the first place?
By James Reinl UN, Jul 4 2019 (IPS) – A military strike on a detention centre for migrants in Libya that claimed dozens of lives on Tuesday, Jul. 2 has reignited a debate over the poor treatment of the mainly…
Three-year-old girl latest Philippines ‘drug war’ victim
UN Human Rights Council Should Adopt Resolution to Stop Carnage On Sunday, a 3-year-old girl became the latest casualty of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which has killed thousands over the past three years. Myka Ulpina died after…
Libya: Deadly attack highlights disregard for civilians
EU Containment Policy Helps Keep Migrants in Harm’s Way Tunis –The deaths of at least 44 migrants and asylum seekers in an airstrike on July 3, 2019, on a compound that includes a detention center in Tajoura, near Tripoli, Libya,…
Turning the tide on violence and harassment at work
by Rothna Begum The #MeToo movement raised global awareness about the experience of harassment at work—now we have a potentially far-reaching ILO convention to combat the phenomenon. ‘This is a historic day.’ The words sent a shiver down my spine,…
Has India abandoned Palestine?
By Askiah Adam India has recently voted in support of Israel at the United Nations (UN) for the first time in its post-independence history. At the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on June 6, she voted with Israel to…
Is there a co-relation between human development & SDGs?
By Pedro Conceição UN, Jul 1 2019 (IPS) – “People are the real wealth of nations,” began the first Human Development Report (HDR). That 1990 report marked a turning point in the global development debate. During the second half of…
Indigenous rights approach a remedy to climate change crisis
By Friday Phiri Jun 29, 2019 (IPS) – The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) was held in Bonn, Germany to rally behind a new approach to achieving a future that is more inclusive and sustainable than the present – through the…
Myanmar: Internet shutdown risks lives: HRW
Immediately End Restrictions in Rakhine, Chin States Bangkok – The Myanmar government should immediately lift internet restrictions imposed on nine townships in Rakhine and Chin States, Human Rights Watch said today. The disruption to internet services since June 21, 2019…
A grim border drowning underlines peril facing many migrants
Mexico City, June 16 (AP/UNB) — The man and his 23-month-old daughter lay face down in shallow water along the bank of the Rio Grande, his black shirt hiked up to his chest with the girl tucked inside. Her arm…
UN expert fears for civilians after Burma Internet shutdown
Dhaka, June 24 (UNB) – The Myanmar government’s shutdown of mobile data networks in nine townships could have serious implications for human rights and humanitarian monitoring in the conflict areas of Rakhine and Chin States, a UN expert warned on…
Ending colonial injustice: Chagos Islands back to natives
By Dr Jaspal Kaur Sadhu Singh The correction of this injustice has been achieved through a long drawn fight, somewhat of a David and Goliath contest. The outcome, culminating in a spectacular opinion and vote, has a number of consequences…
‘Born a refugee, I dream of a place called home’
By Mohammed On World Refugee Day, personal reflections of a young Palestinian from the Gaza Strip CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina, USA, Jun 20 2019 (IPS) – I am a refugee, born to a refugee family. I was granted that status…
Put gender violence survivors in front and centre
By Tharanga Yakupitiyage UN, Jun 20 2019 (IPS) – Sexual violence is still all too common and continues to threaten peace and security worldwide. How can we do better? Put survivors at the centre. Marking the International Day for the…
‘Last resort’ partial aid halt to opposition-held Sana’a: UN
The World Food Programme (WFP), the UN’s emergency food relief agency, confirmed on Friday in a statement that it has started a “partial suspension” of aid to areas of Yemen controlled by Houthi opposition forces, including the capital, Sana’a. Spokesperson…
Doctors reveal what Nicaragua tries to hide: HRW
Amy Braunschweiger When colleagues told him the Nicaraguan government had ordered the country’s public hospitals to turn away injured protesters, Dr Josmar Ulises Briones Montalván was shocked. “The duty of a doctor is to save lives,” he said. Briones is…
Prioritize Rohingya rights, safety: ASEAN lawmakers
Dhaka, June 19 (UNB) – ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and Progressive Voice on Wednesday said the government of Myanmar must ensure that the human rights of the Rohingya community…
Independently investigate Morsy’s death: HRW
Beirut – Egyptian authorities should be investigated for the mistreatment of former President Mohamed Morsy, who died on June 17, 2019, after years of insufficient access to medical care, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday. The United Nations Human Rights Council,…
Egypt’s ousted president Morsi dies in court during trial
Cairo, Jun 18 (AP/UNB) — Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Islamist leader Mohammed Morsi who was ousted by the military in 2013 after a year in office, collapsed in court while on trial Monday and died, state TV and his…
An uncertain future for Palestinian refugees
By Charlotte Munns UN, Jun 12 2019 (IPS) – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been forced to justify its existence at the United Nations ahead of a pledging conference…
Formal education for Rohingyas in multi-year planning urged
Dhaka, June 14 (UNB)— Speakers at a roundtable suggested engaging Rohingyas in multi-year planning, providing formal education and more support as their repatriation continues to be delayed. They also urged involving Rohingyas with meaningful and productive activities. National Daily Samakal…
Shops in Hong Kong close doors to ‘find breath of freedom’
Hong Kong, Jun 13 (AP/UNB) — By the entrance of his restaurant, Kelvin Chung hung a piece of paper announcing the restaurant’s intention to strike on Wednesday. “Hoping to find a breath of freedom,” the sign said, adding that the…
Bangladesh slips 9 notches down in Global Peace Index
Dhaka, June 12 (UNB) – Bangladesh has moved nine steps down in the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2019, produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace. This is the thirteenth edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI), which ranks 163…
EU Special Representative for HR Eamon Gilmore visits BD
Dhaka, EUDEL Press Office: EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore visited Bangladesh on 10-11 June 2019. This visit, the first ever of a EUSR for Human Rights to Bangladesh, reflects the EU’s commitment to engaging with the…
Botswana decriminalises gay sex in landmark case
By Cara Anna | AP Johennesburg — Botswana became the latest country to decriminalize gay sex on Tuesday, a landmark case for Africa, as the High Court rejected laws punishing it with up to seven years in prison. Jubilant activists in the…
A call for concrete changes to achieve more gender equal world
By Princess Sarah Zeid Amman, May 29 2019 (IPS) – On the eve of the Women Deliver conference in Vancouver June 3-6, Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan interviewed Dr. Olfat Mahmoud, a Palestinian refugee and women’s rights advocate. Princess Sarah…
How European telcos are monitoring people’s online activity
by Katherine Barnett The security and privacy of personal data are being jeopardised as Deep Packet Inspection is deployed by internet service providers. Europe has not escaped the global move towards ‘surveillance capitalism’. Numerous pieces of legislation are under consideration…
Keeping armies out of schools – An interview
Philippa H Stewart Senior Media Officer Bede Sheppard Deputy Director, Children’s Rights Division During times of war around the world, students, teachers, and schools have frequently come under attack from armies and armed groups. Schools are deliberately targeted to stop…
Cyberlaws in Southeast Asia spell bad news for HR, democracy
By Josef Benedict Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Apr 9 2019 (IPS) – Around the globe, cyberspace has become the new battleground in the fight for the heart and soul of democracy. And Southeast Asia is fast becoming one of the global…
Robert L. Bernstein 96, publisher, champion of dissent, dies
By Robert D. McFadden May 27, 2019 Robert L. Bernstein, who built Random House into an international publishing giant and championed political dissent, freedom of expression and relief for oppressed peoples as the founder of Human Rights Watch, died on…