United Nations

Experts Criticize UNESCO for Failure to Consult Scholars

December 07, 2017

The Times of Israel reports that scholars affiliated with the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently issued a statement criticizing UNESCO for "failing to draw on expert scholarship and knowledge" in decisions on the religious affiliation of certain sites, including by ignoring the connection of sites in Jerusalem to Judaism.
Observer Critiques UN on Freedom of Information

December 07, 2017

In a report to the UN General Assembly, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression David Kaye criticized the UN and other international organizations for failing to keep pace with national governments in adopting "robust" freedom of information policies, thus preventing citizens across the globe from holding them accountable for their decisions.
UN Agent: All Economic Sanctions Violate Rights

December 07, 2017

In a speech to the UN General Assembly, UN Special Rapporteur Idriss Jazairy warned that the imposition of economic sanctions on any country violates the economic, social, and cultural rights of the people in that country and called for governments to agree to a Declaration on Unilateral Coercive Measures and the Rule of Law containing global principles on the use of sanctions.
UN Agent: IMF Must Focus on Economic Rights

December 07, 2017

In remarks to the UN General Assembly, UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order Alfred de Zayas called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to abandon its "Wild West" policies seeking to limit social spending and encourage privatization in favor of lending policies focused on economic, social, and cultural rights.
Author Describes Impunity of UN Peacekeepers in Haiti

December 07, 2017

Author Edwidge Danticat writes in The New Yorker about the experience of Haitians with the impunity of UN peacekeeping forces that reportedly committed rape and murder in his country, as well as infecting its people with a cholera epidemic caused by contaminated water, under the flag of promoting "a secure and stable environment."
CoE Pushes UN Agenda on Human Rights Education

December 07, 2017

In an October update, the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) highlights a Council of Europe (CoE) report finding the need for more consistent implementation of "democratic citizenship and human rights education" across all European countries.
UN Observer Critiques French Disability Rights Policies

December 07, 2017

UN Special Rapporteur Catalina Devandas has warned France that it must close all "residential institutions" for persons with disabilities and move to "community-based services" to comply with its international human rights obligations requiring "the full inclusion of all people with disabilities in society."
UN Agent: "Torture" Includes Arbitrary Force by Police

December 07, 2017

In a recent report to the UN General Assembly, UN Special Rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer asserted that governments' international human rights obligations against "torture" are triggered by any "unnecessary, excessive or otherwise arbitrary use of force by law enforcement officials," whether inside or outside of prison.
EU Council Celebrates Boost in "Climate Finance"

December 07, 2017

The Council of the EU recently announced that EU contributions to "climate finance" in the form of funding to projects in developing countries aimed at limiting the impacts of climate change in line with the UN's Paris climate deal reached €20.2 billion in the year 2016.
US Withdraws from Development of UN Migration Pact

December 06, 2017

AFP reports that the US Mission to the UN has declared that it will no longer participate in the multilateral process of developing a Global Compact on Migration at the international organization, explaining that "Americans alone" must be in charge of US immigration policy and border control.