There is a crisis in the United Nations human-rights system. Secretary-General António Guterres can lead the way out of it. Indeed, the world continues to look to the UN secretary-general to stand up for the principles of the organisation. One of the highest responsibilities of the incumbent is to help steer a course toward realising UN goals in the areas …
It is time for the United Nations to recognise the human right to a healthy environment
Earlier this month, on World Environment Day, the Executive Director of UN Environment, Erik Solheim, and I jointly stated that the historic moment has arrived for the United Nations to recognise the human right to a healthy environment at the global level. The fundamental UN human rights treaties do not include this right because the modern environmental movement began in the late 1960s, …
La salida de EE.UU. del Consejo de Derechos Humanos: ¿Qué ha pasado realmente y qué viene a continuación?
El 19 de junio, la Embajadora de Estados Unidos para la ONU, Nikki Haley, acompañada por el Secretario de Estado, Mike Pompeo, anunció que Estados Unidos renunciaría a su condición de miembro del Consejo de Derechos Humanos de la ONU . Las noticias sacudieron al Consejo y, en general, a la ONU; muchas delegaciones, especialmente occidentales, quedaron conmocionadas por las noticias y sus implicaciones para el sistema internacional de derechos humanos. Sin embargo, ¿deberían éstas, o cualquiera, realmente …
US departure from the Human Rights Council: what really happened and what will happen next?
On 19th June, the US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, flanked by the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, announced that the US would resign its membership of the UN Human Rights Council. The news rocked the Council and the wider UN, with many delegations, especially Western delegations, visibly shaken by the news and its implications for the international human rights system. Yet should they – or anyone else – really be …
Why is the media unfair to the United Nations? And what the Organization is doing to make newsrooms friendlier
Constructive media coverage is essential for the UN. It helps the organisation both to raise awareness of neglected crises around the world and to increase visibility for its role in addressing them. In fact, a strong online, press, and TV presence can help mobilise the human, political, and economic resources needed to solve or prevent these situations. The media also …
Anticorrupción y derechos humanos
El 1 de mayo de este año, los diputados de los principales partidos políticos del Reino Unido acordaron en el Parlamento del Reino Unido apoyar la enmienda ‘Magnitsky’ al proyecto de ley de sanciones y prevención del lavado de dinero. La enmienda fue adoptada sin votación y fue descrita por el Secretario de Relaciones Exteriores, Boris Johnson, como “un momento …
Anti-corruption and human rights
On 1 May this year, MPs from across the major UK political parties, agreed in the UK Parliament to support a ‘Magnitsky’ amendment to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill. The amendment was adopted without a vote and was described by the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, as “an important moment” that would “allow the UK to act against those responsible …
New policy paper demonstrates the impact of corruption on internationally protected human rights
5 June, 2018 Corruption has major negative implications, both direct and indirect, for the enjoyment of human rights and the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals’ ‘leaving no one behind’ Findings from new policy paper presented in Geneva on 22 May provides policymakers and other stakeholders with an empirical basis to tackle corruption from a human rights perspective Corruption is …
Nuevo informe de políticas públicas demuestra el impacto de la corrupción en los derechos humanos
5 de junio de 2018 La corrupción tiene importantes implicaciones negativas, tanto directas como indirectas, en el disfrute de los derechos humanos y la realización de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible “sin dejar a nadie atrás”. Las conclusiones del nuevo informe de políticas públicas presentado en Ginebra el pasado 22 de mayo proporcionan a los responsables de formular políticas y otras partes interesadas una …
It’s time we all recognise the human right to a healthy environment
Note: This article is based on a Joint Statement by UN Environment and the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment ahead of World Environment Day. Speaking ahead of World Environment Day on 5 June, the head of UN Environment, Mr Erik Solheim, and the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, Mr John Knox, issued a …








