Report on the 74th session of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly

by URG-NYC Team Blog BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, General Assembly BORRAR, HRC BORRAR, Human rights implementation and impact, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, New York City BORRAR, Universal Rights Group NYC BORRAR

Quick summary During the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the Third Committee, the UNGA Committee tasked with addressing human rights issues and concerns, ran from 1 October 2019 through 21 November 2019, at UN Headquarters in New York. This year’s Third Committee featured presentations by a number of senior UN officials, including Ms. Michelle Bachelet, the High …

Does Bachelet’s mission to Cameroon point towards a more prevention-orientated future for UN Human Rights?

by Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group Blog BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, Prevention, Prevention, accountability and justice BORRAR

In early May the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, undertook an important mission to Cameroon, a country beset by serious human rights challenges especially in the context of unrest and violence in the west and north of the country. That a High Commissioner would undertake an urgent visit to a country facing a situation of serious human …

High Commissioner discusses human rights, justice, and prevention at the Security Council

by Danica Damplo, Universal Rights Group NYC Accountability, Justice, Prevention, Prevention, accountability and justice BORRAR, Uncategorized @nyc BORRAR, Universal Rights Group NYC BORRAR

On March 11th, at UN headquarters in New York City, High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet gave her first address to the Security Council in her capacity as High Commissioner for Human Rights. She spoke at an Arria-Formula meeting, on the topic of “human rights, accountability, and justice: contributions to international peace and security” (watch it here ). The High Commissioner briefed the Security …

Report on the 73rd session of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly

by Danica Damplo, Universal Rights Group NYC HRC BORRAR, Human rights implementation and impact, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, New York City BORRAR, Special Procedures, UN General Assembly/Third Committee, Universal Rights Group NYC BORRAR

Quick summary The Third Committee of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (GA) was held 2 October 2018 through 20 November 2018, at the UN Secretariat in New York. This Third Committee featured presentations by a number of senior UN officials, including H.E. Ms. Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner for Human Rights; Mr. Andrew Gilmour, Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for human …

‘The human rights system is not a Cassandra:’ The High Commissioner addresses the Third Committee

by Danica Damplo, Universal Rights Group NYC Human rights institutions and mechanisms, UN General Assembly/Third Committee, Universal Rights Group NYC BORRAR

On 15 October, the newly appointed High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, addressed the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, and then answered questions, concerns, and complaints from member States. The High Commissioner underlined the importance of human rights for the achievement of sustainable development and peace, and in that regard drew States’ attention to the critical …

Time for High Commissioner to publish annual ‘Global state of human rights’ report?

by Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group Blog BORRAR, HRC BORRAR, Human Rights Council BORRAR, Human rights implementation and impact, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Human rights institutions and mechanisms BORRAR

Much has been written over recent months, including in Foreign Policy  magazine, OpenGlobalRights and URG Insights , about the multifaceted mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the acute challenges involved in asking one person to fulfil all parts of that mandate, some of which appear to exist in mutual-tension. In particular, these articles argued that the expectation that the High Commissioner …

High Commissioner speaks on human rights, resilience and prevention

by Danica Damplo, Universal Rights Group NYC Blog BORRAR, Contemporary and emerging human rights issues BORRAR, Prevention, Prevention, accountability and justice BORRAR

Newly appointed High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, gave a statement at a High-Level Event during the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly, marking the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “A Prevention Tool to Achieve Peace and Sustainable Development.” She said: “Human rights are the interlocking elements that build resilient and confident societies – societies …

La alta comisionada Bachelet traza un nuevo curso

by the URG team Blog INVALID 7, Human Rights Council BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Instituciones, procesos y mecanismos de derechos humanos internacionales BORRAR

La nueva Alta Comisionada de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos, Michelle Bachelet, inició su mandato el 10 de septiembre con un discurso inaugural ante el Consejo de Derechos Humanos (al comienzo de su 39ª sesión). Al igual que en todos los discursos inaugurales de anteriores Altos(as) Comisionados(as), los Estados, las ONG y los medios de comunicación observaron detenidamente …

High Commissioner Bachelet charts a new course

by the URG team Blog BORRAR, HRC BORRAR, Human Rights Council BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Human rights institutions and mechanisms BORRAR

The new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, marked the start of her tenure on 10th September with an inaugural address to the Human Rights Council (at the start of its 39th session). As with all inaugural speeches by new High Commissioners, the statement was closely watched by States, NGOs and the media for clues as to Ms Bachelet’s …

Is Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein really the “prince of Human Rights”?

by Olivier de Frouville, Member UN Human Rights Committee Blog BORRAR, By invitation, By invitation BORRAR

The former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Jordanian prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, ended his mandate on the 31st August and his successor, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, has just taken office. A large number of recent contributions praising Zeid’s term in office have cropped up and many paid tribute to his action at the head of the UN …