Just a quick update in case you missed it.
 | Released on 22.03.2024 |  |
 | UN rights expert urges global action to halt Myanmar junta atrocities The UN independent human rights expert on Myanmar called on the international community on Tuesday to take strong, coordinated action to protect civilians from ongoing atrocities committed by the military junta's forces. In February 2021 the military overthrew the elected Government in Myanmar arresting hundreds of officials, political leaders and activists, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The takeover triggered an intensification of armed conflicts with separatists and opposition forces across the country, including indiscriminate air strikes which have killed numerous civilians. Read more: devdiscourse.com |
 | Child rights advocate recommends free education to reduce poverty A U.S.-based child rights and abuse advocate, Atim Tolbert, has called on the government to provide free basic education. She made the call on Monday during a virtual meeting organised by the Reach Out Africa Charity Initiative (ROACI). Ms Tolbert, who is also a domestic violence expert, said that education is the bedrock of every nation capable of plugging poverty gaps and giving equal opportunities to children across every group and strata. “Education is paramount in closing poverty gaps and a plug for social capital development. Read more: gazettengr.com |
 | Catholic nuns support women’s rights in Central African Republic Women religious in the Central African Republic (CAR) were greeted by the president to mark International Women’s Day on March 14. Sister Amala Francis of the Society of Daughters of Mary Immaculate told Crux that President Faustin-Archange Touadéra “was surprised” to see Catholic nuns from India doing development work in the CAR. “Our founder Father J. E. Arul Raj vision is also to fulfill Jesus’s message to go to the whole world and proclaim the good news,” she said. Read more: cruxnow.com |
 | Reject Saudi Bid to Chair UN Women’s Rights Forum United Nations member countries should abandon an arrangement to elect Saudi Arabia as chair of the UN’s top forum for women’s rights and gender equality. Delegations attending this year’s annual meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) should oppose the candidacy of Saudi Arabia, which has an egregious women’s rights record, and select a country committed to upholding women’s rights. Saudi Arabia is the only candidate to chair the next yearlong CSW session, several diplomats told Human Rights Watch. Read more: hrw.org |
 | Human Rights Day 2024 is an opportunity to remember, reflect and rethink As South Africa celebrates 30 years of democracy, it is crucial to assess the ongoing challenges to the current state of human rights and explore the extent to which they are respected, protected and fulfilled. Human Rights Day is one such day that serves as a moment of reflection and commemoration for those who lost their lives in the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960. The events of 21 March 1960, which started as a peaceful march against the apartheid pass laws, turned into a tragic massacre when the police shot and killed 69 people, including 29 children, and wounded over 180 others. Read more: dailymaverick.co.za |
 | Human rights community declares eight more persons political prisoners As representatives of the Belarusian human rights community, we reiterate our concern that the criminal prosecution for inciting social enmity or discord (Article 130 of the Criminal Code) is selectively and discriminatorily applied by investigators and courts. It appears that this law is only used to protect institutions of power. We find it unjustified to single out government officials, internal affairs officers, and military personnel as a social group enjoying special protection in this context. Read more: spring96.org |
 | Yemen: STC must immediately release arbitrarily detained human rights lawyer amid fears for his health The Southern Transitional Council (STC) de facto authorities must immediately and unconditionally release human rights lawyer Sami Yassin Ka’id Marsh, who has been arbitrarily detained without charge for four months merely for his work seeking accountability and justice for human rights violations in Yemen, Amnesty International said today. The security forces of the STC physically assaulted and arbitrarily detained Sami Yassin on 16 November 2023 as he was leaving work at the Supreme Judicial Council and Judicial Inspection in Khormaksar, Aden governorate. Read more: amnesty.org |