Religious Violence in Myanmar, the Consequences of Government Inaction in Tackling Prejudice and Discrimination – UN Expert

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, today expressed serious concerns over the spread of violence between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Myanmar and urged bold steps by the Government to counteract this frightening trend […]

EU: Press Burma’s President on Rights Reforms

Visiting Leader Should Endorse UN Presence, Grant Full Humanitarian Access

European Union leaders should press Burmese President Thein Sein on adopting key rights reforms during his visit this week to Brussels, Human Rights Watch said today. Thein Sein is set to meet a top-tier roster of leaders on March 5, including Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament; José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission; Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council; Catherine Ashton, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy; and others […]

UN Special Rapporteur Visit to Assess Human Rights Situation

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea Quintana, will undertake an official visit to the country from 11 to 16 February 2013, which will include gathering information on the current situation in Kachin State and Rakhine State. The rights expert visits the country at the invitation of the Government […]

Myanmar: Pillay Concerned About Human Rights Situation in Rakhine State

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday raised serious concerns about ongoing human rights violations in Myanmar’s Rakhine state after the violence between the Buddhist and Muslim communities there, urging a prompt, independent investigation […]

UNDP-OHCHR Toolkit for Collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions

The United Nations Development Programme and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have developed this practical guide for UN staff on how best to support National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) with policy advice, technical assistance, and capacity development support from the pre-establishment phase. It includes information on country planning processes and capacity assessments, identifies challenges and opportunities NHRIs may encounter, and suggests how to deal with situations which threaten to undermine their effectiveness […]

UN expert on migrants raises alarm on threat of massive deportations from Thailand

The UN human rights expert on the human rights of migrants, Jorge A. Bustamante, today raised serious concerns about the nationality verification process in Thailand and warned that its implementation in its current form may lead to forced deportation of a great number of migrants, in breach of fundamental human rights obligations. “A potentially large […]

National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities

This publication introduces the reader to national human rights institutions (NHRIs). Its focus is on NHRIs as both cornerstones of national human rights protection and promotion, and links between States and the international human rights system. It is part of a professional training series that consists of handbooks and manuals intended to raise awareness of international standards […]

Assessing the Effectiveness of National Human Rights Commissions

In 2000, the International Council published Performance & Legitimacy: National human rights institutions. National institutions had multiplied during the 1990s and the report looked at what made them effective and successful.

Five years later, despite unfavourable developments in the international human rights environment, the growth of national institutions is unchecked. The present report revisits the issue of effectiveness and examines how national institutions might improve their performance and impact by using benchmarks and indicators to assess their work […]