From Desperation to Determination: Indonesian Trafficking Survivors Demand Justice
Rokaya needed time to recover after illness forced her to quit as a live-in maid in Malaysia and return home to Indramayu, West Java. However, under pressure from her agent who claimed two million Rupiah for her initial placement, she…
First Person: Japanese town leads the way to a low waste society
UNIC Tokyo/Ichiro Mae Citizens recycling in Osaki, Japan Ms. Fujita moved to Osaki in 2021 to work with the municipality, business sector and local community to help prepare the town for a more sustainable future. Today, Osaki, with a population…
First Person: ‘Courageous’ 12-year-old reports relative after being raped in Madagascar
UN News spoke to Commissioner Aina Randriambelo, who described what efforts her country is making to promote gender equality and a better understanding of what constitutes sexual exploitation and abuse. UN News/Daniel Dickinson Commissioner Aina Randriambelo, Madagascar’s Chief Inspector of…
Indonesia is setting an example in managing forest fires.
In 2019, while conducting a routine patrol, volunteer firefighter Marlizar saw smoke coming from a quarter-hectare of peatland. He sent his colleague to their base in Teluk Maranti village, seven kilometres away, and bravely battled the fire alone. When Marlizar’s…
Holding individuals responsible is crucial in addressing the violation of human rights in North Korea.
During a verbal report to the Human Rights Council – the primary human rights authority under the United Nations – Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al-Nashif stated that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (commonly referred to as North Korea) has…
An expert on UN rights is calling for worldwide initiatives to stop the atrocities committed by the junta in Myanmar.
In February of 2021, there was a coup d’état in Myanmar where the military seized power and detained numerous government officials, political figures, and activists, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The acquisition led to…
The UN human rights chief calls the hurried implementation of Hong Kong’s new security law a backward action.
Volker Türk expressed deep disappointment at the hasty passage of significant legislation through the legislative body, despite valid concerns regarding its adherence to global human rights standards. This occurred in the former British colony, now a Special Administrative Region of…
Repression in Iran persists two years after widespread demonstrations
The International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, a team of experts appointed by the Human Rights Council, addressed the Council in Geneva and stated that Ms. Amini’s death in September 2022 was caused by physical violence and was unlawful. They also…
The economy of Afghanistan has essentially failed, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
During her trip to the country, Kanni Wignaraja, the Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, stated to reporters in New York that 69% of the Afghan population is considered “subsistence insecure,” indicating that they lack basic…
Once more, UN envoy urges for the lifting of limitations placed upon women in Afghanistan.
During a briefing to the ambassadors in the Security Council, Roza Otunbayeva, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), discussed the recent arrests of Afghan women for supposed violations of Islamic dress code. She expressed concern over the impact this…