New candidate enters race for Secretary-General, but where does she stand on human rights?

by Mariana Montoya, Universal Rights Group and the URG team Beyond the Council BORRAR, Beyond the Council BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms

The process to select the next UN Secretary-General continues today (5th October) with a further straw poll amongst member of the Security Council. For this, the sixth poll, a new name will be on the list: Kristalina Georgieva.  Ms Georgieva’s name was officially put forward at the end of September, after Bulgaria withdrew its nomination of Irina Bokova and switched its support …

El papel del próximo(a) Secretario(a) General en la revitalización del pilar olvidado de la ONU

by Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group and the URG team Beyond the Council BORRAR, Beyond the Council BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Secretary-General

Este artículo apareció originalmente en  New World magazine , publicado por la Asociación de las Naciones Unidas en el Reino Unido  (United Nations Association – UK, UNA-UK)  Los derechos humanos – junto a la paz y la seguridad, y al desarrollo, constituyen uno de los tres pilares de las Naciones Unidas. La naturaleza interconectada de éstos tres es clara: sin avances para promover y proteger …

The role of the next Secretary-General in revitalising the UN’s ‘neglected pillar’

by Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group and the URG team Beyond the Council BORRAR, Beyond the Council BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Secretary-General

This article originally appeared in New World magazine , published by the United Nations Association – UK (UNA-UK)  Human rights – alongside peace and security, and development – constitutes one of the three pillars of the United Nations. Their interconnected nature is clear: without steps to promote and protect human rights, the international community will be unable to achieve peace and security, while …

The race to be Secretary-General: gender, regional balance and human rights

by Mariana Montoya, Universal Rights Group and the URG team Beyond the Council BORRAR, Beyond the Council BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms

In January, a new UN Secretary-General will take over from Ban Ki-Moon. As described in URG’s recent policy brief: ‘ Candidates for the post of Secretary-General: where do they stand on human rights?’ the selection process for the new Office-holder has been the most open and transparent since the founding of the UN. Although the formal inter-governmental decision-making process has not changed (for example, the Security Council does not publish the results of …

The World Bank: a human rights-free zone?

by Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights and the URG team Beyond the Council BORRAR, Beyond the Council BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, By invitation, By invitation BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms

This article first appeared on openGlobalRights , and has been reproduced with their kind permission. The existing approach taken by the World Bank to human rights is incoherent, counterproductive and unsustainable. It is based on an out-dated legal analysis and shaped by deep misperceptions of what a human rights policy would require. In its operational policies in particular, the Bank treats human rights more …

Reflections on the new EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy

by Peter Sørensen, Ambassador, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the UN, Geneva and the URG team Beyond the Council BORRAR, Beyond the Council BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Human rights institutions and mechanisms BORRAR

The weeks after a Human Rights Council session are a good time for reflection, a moment to take a step back and refocus. It is now almost one year since I took over as Head of the European Union Delegation to the UN here in Geneva, and much has happened during that time. For me, Geneva represents many things, but …

Is the UN Human Rights Council delivering on its mandate to mainstream human rights?

by Paul Hunt, University of Essex (UK); University of Waikato (New Zealand) and the URG team Beyond the Council BORRAR, Beyond the Council BORRAR, Blog BORRAR, Human Rights Council BORRAR, Human rights institutions and mechanisms, Human rights institutions and mechanisms BORRAR

When UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke for the last time to the Commission on Human Rights he emphasised that “the era of declaration is now giving way, as it should, to an era of implementation.” [1] In the past, human rights implementation was often narrowly understood to mean passing a law and securing a favourable judicial decision. Of course, laws and …