Human Lives Human Rights: The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children is scheduled to visit Germany from October 14 to 25, 2024. This visit will focus on critical issues, including the exploitation and sexual abuse of children, as well as the pervasive problem of child trafficking.
In his latest report, the Special Rapporteur highlighted that over 300 million children become victims of online sexual abuse each year. Midwife Fatemeh Singate raised concerns in her presentation to the UN General Assembly, pointing out that although technology has brought numerous benefits in safeguarding children’s rights, its rapid development and increasing complexity pose serious risks, exposing children to potential harm.
On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, a collective of UN human rights experts issued a statement condemning the extensive violence perpetrated by Israel, labeling it as genocidal, and indicative of ethnic cleansing and collective punishment against the Palestinian people. They warned that such actions pose a significant threat to the stability of the international multilateral system.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reported a worsening situation for civilians in Lebanon, Gaza, the occupied territories, and Syria. She highlighted the escalation of Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, resulting in hundreds of fatalities and forcing over a million people to flee their homes.
In an open letter addressed to the 16th Conference of Members of the Convention on Biological Diversity, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for urgent actions to protect biodiversity through a human rights framework. He emphasized that this conference presents a unique opportunity to merge human rights advocacy with global environmental preservation efforts.
Additionally, a coalition of UN experts expressed their dismay regarding the prison sentences imposed on journalists in Kyrgyzstan. They deemed these verdicts unjust and called for their reassessment and modification to align with international human rights standards.
Two UN committees, including the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR), issued statements asserting that the Finnish government violated the rights of indigenous peoples by permitting mineral exploration on their lands without conducting an environmental impact assessment or ensuring a proper participatory process.
Furthermore, UN experts highlighted a recent agreement between Mauritius and Britain concerning the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, describing it as a positive development. However, they cautioned that the final treaty must guarantee the rights of the Chagossians, which includes provisions for their return to their homeland and appropriate compensation.
In a critical report, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Palestine concluded that Israel has systematically targeted and undermined the healthcare system in Gaza, committing war crimes and acts of genocide against the population. The commission also investigated the treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israel and hostages held in Gaza since October 7, 2023, determining that both Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups bear responsibility for acts of torture and sexual violence.
