United Nations

UN Official Stresses Need for Global Refugee Compact

December 14, 2017

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi pushed for a new global compact on refugees in response to the 2016 New York Declaration, stressing the need for member states to adopt the UN’s Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework rather than resort to “closed borders” and “restricted access.”
World Bank Aligns Policies with Paris Climate Deal

December 13, 2017

At this week's One Planet Summit in Paris, the World Bank Group announced a comprehensive plan to align its operations with the agenda of the UN's Paris climate deal, including by severely restricting its funding to fossil fuel projects and funneling "climate-smart" finance to projects aimed at combating global warming.
UN Observer: Legal Processes Must End Palestinian "Occupation"

December 08, 2017

In an October speech, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Michael Lynk called for world leaders to help end the "longest-lasting military occupation in the modern world" by pushing for international legal processes end Israel's "illegal" presence in Palestinian territories.
UN Agent: "Fundamentalism" Threatens Women's Rights

December 08, 2017

UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights Karima Bennoune has warned that a "multidirectional global avalanche of misogyny" based in religious "fundamentalism and extremism" are a global threat to women's cultural rights and autonomy.
UN Agent: End of Catalan Autonomy Violates Rights

December 08, 2017

UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order Alfred de Zayas writes that he "deplores" the recent decision of the Spanish Government to end autonomous rule in Catalonia, as it is a violation of international human rights law, and calls for Spanish authorities to authorize a new referendum on Catalan independence.
Officials Sign WHO Pledge on NCDs

December 07, 2017

At a recent conference hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Uruguay, government officials endorsed a "roadmap" pledging to combat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes and heart disease, through such state policies as tobacco and alcohol prevention and the promotion of healthy diets to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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.