Human Rights Day - 2019 HC Bachelet HRD 2019 ENG -subs ENG from United Nations Human Rights on Vimeo.

GENEVA (9 December 2019) – This has been a year of tremendous activism – notably by young people. It is particularly fitting that this year we mark Human Rights Day during the crucial UN conference in Madrid to uphold climate justice. We owe a debt of gratitude to all those millions of children, teenagers and young adults who have been standing up and speaking out more and more loudly about the crisis facing our planet.

GENEVA (7 August 2019) – In a statement to mark International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, UN human rights experts* are calling for a decade of action to protect and promote the use of indigenous languages, many of which are endangered:

“Indigenous languages are necessary for the enjoyment of human rights, as well as being a part of the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of indigenous peoples.

The world drug problem is one of the most challenging issues we face. It has wide-ranging impacts on the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities, as well as on the security and sustainable development of nations.

Therefore, preventing and addressing drug challenges in all their complexity is essential to delivering on a fundamental global pledge, enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals: to leave no one behind.

[New York, 18 June] The Secretary-General today launched a United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech at an informal briefing to Member States. The purpose of the Strategy is to deepen understanding on the part of all United Nations entities about the insidious impact of hate speech and how they can more effectively address it in their work. It calls for stronger support to Member States as well as stronger engagement with private companies, civil society and media.

From individual species through entire ecosystems, biological diversity is vital for human health and well-being. The quality of the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe all depend on keeping the natural world in good health. We need healthy ecosystems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to address climate change: they can provide 37 per cent of the mitigation needed to limit global temperature rise.

Freedom of the media is essential. Journalism enriches our understanding of political and economic issues and helps keep governance at every level transparent and accountable.

Unfortunately, attacks, threats, harassment and undue restrictions have become everyday events to journalists and media workers all over the world. Female reporters often suffer a disproportionate burden of verbal and physical assault. The situation is worsened by the fact that most attacks against journalists are not investigated nor prosecuted. Less than one in ten cases leads to a conviction.