The staff at the Karibuni Wa Mama (Welcome, mothers) medical centre help heal many wounds - physical and psychological, and go even further in healing survivors. The centre is managed by the NGO Solidarité feminine pour la paix et le développement intégral (Female Solidarity for Peace and Integral Development) - SOFEPADI. SOFEPADI was founded 20 years ago by 24 women in Bunia, Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo to campaign for peace and to promote women’s empowerment and human rights. 

Together, young people are standing up and fighting for a world free of poverty, racism, sexism, ableism and all forms of violence, inequality, and discrimination. For LGBTIQ+ youth, this is a fight for survival. LGBTIQ+ youth are more likely to experience family rejection, poverty, discrimination, bullying, violence, and exclusion from education. With great courage and resilience, young LGBTIQ+ people lead change and stand up for a future that is safe, respectful, empowering and celebrates the beautiful diversity of humankind. Take a stand with them through the UN Free and Equal campaign.

Young people are leading us towards a fearless world. Together, they are standing up and fighting for a world free of poverty, racism, sexism, ableism and all forms of violence, inequality, and discrimination. For LGBTIQ+ youth, this is a fight for survival as they are more likely to experience rejection and discrimination. With great courage and resilience, young LGBTIQ+ people are leading change and standing up for a future that is safe, respectful, empowering and celebrates the beautiful diversity of humankind. UN Human Rights works to help make this future a reality.

Akaka is the Project Coordinator for Media Movers, which is an arm of narrative change charity On Road Media. The charity brings together young people with migrant backgrounds to work with media and pop culture professionals in the United Kingdom. By emphasising shared values, they aim to influence and inspire better coverage on migration. On Road Media also recently contributed to the toolbox - a seven-step guide to rethink and change narratives on migration - developed by UN Human Rights and partners and launched last year as part of the #StandUp4Migrants campaign.

Tahere Siisiialafia has been “invested in human rights” since she was a child. She has been actively partaking in community activities, as well as conducting empowerment classes for children and junior young people in her community. Today, at age 31, she is president of the Pacific Youth Council, an organisation which works to foster and promote the interests and needs of young people in the Pacific. OHCHR spoke to Tahere about the human rights issues in the region, why young peoples’ voices are so critical, and her vision for a better future for youth.

Every human being deserves the freedom to simply be themselves, without facing violence and discrimination. Join IOM and OHCHR to create a future free from prejudice for migrants with Free and Equal.

Water is the lifeblood of all life on Earth. And yet, over 2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water. Over 4 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation. Water shortages now affect more than 3 billion people. Three quarters of all the natural disasters are water-related, including floods, landslides, and other extreme weather events. A recent OHCHR report describes the global water crisis, focusing on the negative impacts of water pollution, water scarcity and water-related disasters on the enjoyment of several human rights.

Youth should be a time for discoveries, growth and dreams of future adventures. But it’s hard to dream about and strive for a bright future without the safety of a place to call home.

Scientific discoveries and advances must be shared, according to the Declaration in favour of “open science”, science that is unhindered by barriers and frontiers, which was made jointly on 27 October by UNESCO, WHO and OHCHR. The COVID-19 epidemic demonstrates the urgent need to strengthen scientific cooperation and to guarantee the fundamental right of universal access to scientific progress and its applications. The open science movement aims to make science more accessible, more transparent and ultimately more effective.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will meet virtually from 17 August to 4 September 2020. The Committee is a body of 18 independent experts which monitors implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The agenda includes updates on reports received from the parties to the Convention. The Committee will discuss how to strengthen cooperation between United Nations bodies and other stakeholders, including organizations of persons with disabilities, in order to enhance the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.

OHCHR reports on human rights-centred recommendations, by a coalition of 50 cities worldwide, to guide leaders as they use digital technology in response to crises such as COVID 19.

The UN Human Rights Office researches, examines and provides visibility to the violence and discrimination experienced every day by gays, lesbian, bisexual, trans and other gender diverse persons around the wor

The United Nations calls on countries to adopt a more cooperative, global and human rights-based approach to the pandemic, which Secretary-General António Guterres has called “a human crisis”. UN human rights officials stress the importance of protecting the rights of people. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for urgent and detailed action to prevent COVID-19 from creating “even wider inequalities” amid extensive suffering. OHCHR will works to integrate human rights into the UN’s economic and social programs.