Americas

Human rights violations in Nicaragua have been ongoing since 2018 when university students and other civil society activists began protesting a new Social Security Act and calling for the president to step down. The violent crackdown by security forces directed by the Government of President Daniel Ortega resulted in numerous deaths and injuries, and severe restrictions on freedoms of expression, religion, and other rights, under a “weaponised” justice system, according to independent...

3 September 2024 Human Rights The UN human rights office, OHCHR, reiterated deep concerns on Tuesday over the continuing “climate of fear” in Venezuela, after an arrest warrant was issued for the opposition’s presidential candidate in the country’s recent election. “It is a climate of fear in the country at the moment. We are urging the government to ensure that all steps are taken in line with international human rights law with transparency and that steps are taken to resolve this...

This marks just one of many meetings the two young New Yorkers took, as part of the long to-do list that constitutes the Assembly President’s day. The concept of being PGA for a Day is simple: two students from the public school system come to UN Headquarters to shadow President Francis in his role as leader of the General Assembly. They will engage in the meetings he has planned, participate in the same interviews, and even take lunch when he does. The day will be long, but the students...

Reversing the situation will require the international community and donors to increase the funding of UN and non-governmental organization (NGO) relief operations, the UN humanitarian office, OCHA, said in its latest advocacy note. Growing hunger and needs Months of violence have led to a deterioration of Haiti’s humanitarian crisis. Displacement has tripled in the last year in Haiti as gang violence continues to rock the Caribbean-island nation, with nearly 600,000 people on the run...

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission also urged the authorities to thoroughly investigate a spate of grave rights violations that are currently occurring in the South American country. Venezuelans went to the polls on 28 July and President Nicolás Maduro was formally declared the winner the following day, securing a third term in office. Fierce repression, climate of fear The UN Fact-Finding Mission noted that in the weeks since the vote, street protests and criticism on...

The number of people forced to flee their homes has jumped from 362,000 in early March when violence spiked in the capital Port-au-Prince to over 578,000 in June, a 60 per cent increase in just three months. So, what happens in Haiti when people are displaced and how is the UN responding? The first step of any crisis response is assessing the extent of the displacement and responding to the immediate humanitarian needs of the people forced to flee their homes, often at short notice and...

“It was a priority for me to come to Guatemala at a crucial moment in its history, and to support the country in its efforts to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, to fight against corruption and establish a clear and transformative human rights agenda,” Volker Türk said in a statement. Preserving democracy The UN rights chief said that what happened during the 2023 electoral period was of utmost concern to him. President Bernardo Arevalo, who campaigned on tackling corruption and...

A new report by UN Women reveals the dire living conditions and lack of security faced by some 300,000 displaced women and girls amid ongoing political instability, escalating gang violence and the threat of the current hurricane season. In constant danger Women and girls account for more than half of the 580,000 displaced people in Haiti, and the UN Women Rapid Gender Assessment highlights how makeshift camps, which lack basic necessities, are putting them at particular risk of sexual...

Although the crisis has sparked immense needs, a nearly $680 million humanitarian plan launched in February is less than a quarter funded. “It is very clear for many people of Haiti that they are paying the heavy price of the violence, again, that has ravaged the country,” said Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy at UN emergency relief agency OCHA, briefing journalists in New York. Lives upended by violence She was speaking from the Haitian capital alongside Lucia Elmi...

The response plan, unveiled on Tuesday, estimates initial requirements at $9 million and targets support for about 43,000 people in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These estimates may change as detailed assessments are ongoing. The plan aims to provide lifesaving multisectoral assistance, complementing Government-led efforts, while ensuring the protection of women, girls and other vulnerable groups from gender-based violence. It will also support the rapid delivery and...