On the seventh commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism on 21 August 2024, join us to honor the powerful voices of victims as they use their experiences and journeys to create meaningful and positive change by raising awareness about the long-lasting impact of terrorism. By amplifying these voices, the International Day seeks to inspire collective action and empower individuals and communities to work towards a future defined by peace, solidarity, and resilience.
Meet musician Austin Zhang who uses the power of music, by harmonizing his saxophone jazz melodies with a recording of his mother’s own story of migration to accentuate the emotions of her story. In this episode of the UN Human Rights podcast, #StandUp4HumanRights, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) focuses on how migration is not one-dimensional and why telling individual stories of migration, which reflects all dimensions of people can help avoid the pitfall of triggering a harmful narrative about migration.
Esther, whose name has been changed for protection, was raped when she was four months pregnant and sleeping in a public square with her six children, having been forced from home. She received counselling from a UNFPA health centre, but her situation is still dire. You can hear her tell her story in this video.
The situation in Haiti is desperate. Gang violence has forced more than half a million people across the country to flee their homes. The capital reverberates with gunshots day and night, and sexual violence is carried out with impunity. Here, in this deeply personal series of portraits, women and girls share their insight into the stark reality of life today in Port-au-Prince, while UNFPA and partners work around the clock to prevent and alleviate suffering.
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, around 27 million Africans were forcefully taken from their homes and shipped across the Atlantic. Only 7.4 million reached their destination, where they faced exploitation and abuse. The impact of the slave trade persists, perpetuating racism and inequality. UNESCO established 23 August as the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition to bring attention to the history of enslavement. On this day, let's pay tribute to the victims and freedom fighters by renewing our commitment to eradicating racism and discrimination.
Recent developments in generative artificial intelligence and the application of artificial intelligence raise serious human rights concerns, including racial discrimination, according to the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. Ashwini K.P. warns that there is an enduring and harmful notion that technology is neutral and objective but in a new report she explores how this assumption allows artificial intelligence to perpetuate racial discrimination. The Rapporteur notes that a clear example of how racial bias is reproduced through technological advances is predictive policing.
In 2023, Yemen saw a significant arrival of women and girls from the Horn of Africa, totalling 21,130, including 3,773 girls. Many of these migrants endured severe forms of sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation, inflicted by ruthless traffickers and smugglers. Rehana was one of those who faced these horrors firsthand. Arriving at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilities in Aden, many migrants, like Rehana, suffer from injuries, severe dehydration, and abuse. Held by smugglers in abysmal conditions, they endure physical and sexual violence. Rehana, like many others, receives mental health and psychological support at the Migrants Response Point, aiding her emotional recovery.
Amid the arid landscapes of Zinder, a migration-prone area in central-eastern Niger, 11-year-old Zara's journey back home sheds light on the battle against child trafficking. Zara was sent to Algeria by her mother to find work but was intercepted during the journey. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than half of the child victims reported the involvement of friends and family in their recruitment into trafficking, especially where extreme poverty is common. The Centre for Victims of Trafficking, managed by the National Agency for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons and Illicit Migration with support from IOM, has become a sanctuary for survivors like Zara.
Win Faidah, a survivor of abuse, now raises awareness and empowers Indonesian women to protect themselves from exploitation and violence as migrant workers.
Roma and Sinti, two of the world's largest marginalized communities, face widespread discrimination and often segregation in many areas of life. They have been persecuted for hundreds of years, and during the Second World War, hundreds of thousands were murdered by the Nazi regime. On 2 August, the United Nations joins the European Union in commemorating the International Holocaust Memorial Day for Sinti and Roma to remember the last 4,300 members of these communities who were murdered by the SS that night at the German Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Video message by Secretary-General António Guterres
The Nelson Mandela Rules, overseen by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, establish essential benchmarks for humane prison management worldwide, promoting safety, security, and dignified treatment of prisoners.
When Gaby, a 27-year-old indigenous Awajún transgender woman, returned to Mamayaque, she confronted the pervasive violence against women and discrimination faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals.
“Human rights … is the strongest tool that we have in our hands to be a voice of those who don't have power and to speak truth to those who have the power and to make sure that they understand that yes, that there are limits to power.”
Volker Türk has the greatest respect for those able to hold onto hope when all appears to be lost. As UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, he has devoted his life and career to helping the world’s most vulnerable people.
“What has always struck me was encounters with people who are extremely resilient … who actually see hope, including in the most atrocious circumstances, and who just keep doing the right thing.”
In this episode, Volker reflects on holding rulebreakers to account, the strength displayed by refugees, and why the best ideas often arrive in the dead of night.
"[...] for me refugees almost become... They epitomize, they represent us in our humanity."
Photo:©UN/Anthony Headley
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was in the spotlight at the fifth annual AI for Good Global Summit. The Summit is the leading action-oriented UN platform to promote AI to advance global development priorities. In his vision statement Human Rights: A Path for Solutions, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk says “As AI use continues to evolve and impact our daily lives, it’s crucial that we ensure its development benefits everyone." UN Human Rights provides guidance on adopting a human rights-based approach to the development and deployment of technologies, including AI, ensuring they uphold the dignity and rights of all individuals.
The protection of hospitals is crucial for the welfare of sexual violence survivors. The International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (19 June) highlights the role of hospitals as sanctuaries of safety and recovery for all, particularly for those who have endured sexual violence. International humanitarian law safeguards health facilities against attacks, underscoring the principles of distinction and proportionality. The international community must safeguard these structures, as they are essential for the support of sexual violence survivors.
Hate speech is a marker of discrimination, abuse, and violence, often targeting groups based on race, ethnicity, or religion. Digital platforms only amplify it. As young people are often most affected by hate speech, especially online, they must be part of the solution. Governments, local authorities, religious, corporate and community leaders must promote tolerance and inclusivity and challenge hate speech. As we mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech (18 June), let’s work to promote human rights education, involve young people in decision-making, and counter intolerance.