Human Rights
874 Articles

Interview with Christof Heyns: Major New UN Comment on Right of Peaceful Assembly
Podcast and transcript of interview with United Nations Human Rights Committee's Heyns. Topics include use of plain clothed law enforcement officers, teargas, and more.

An Exercise in Doublespeak: Pompeo’s Flawed “Unalienable Rights” Commission
The panel's report clearly seeks to provide a foundation for a regressive, harmful approach to human rights and foreign policy.

China’s Forced Sterilization of Uyghur Women Violates Clear International Law
As new evidence emerges of the Chinese government’s forcible sterilization of Uyghur women, communities around the world are sure to recognize elements of a familiar pattern.

Under Cover of COVID at the UN: Why Counterterrorism Is Not the Answer to a Pandemic
Contrary to the UN's "CT Week" idea, the security sector's record makes it ill-fit to address the critical health needs of diverse populations.

UN’s “Counter-Terrorism Week” Misses the Mark in Marginalizing Civil Society
The UN is ignoring the calls of more than 400 CSOs just a month ago for a different approach to effectively counter terrorism. The outcome will be clear.

The Odd Couple at the Center of the U.N.’s Counterterrorism Growth
Outsized funding from Saudi Arabia and Qatar underlies key weaknesses in UN efforts, illustrated in this first virtual "CT Week" at the United Nations.

A Rejoinder to China’s Response to UN Human Rights Experts
Over 50 U.N. experts issued a strong statement about continued repression in China. The government responded. UN Special Rapporteur replies here.

Time to Update the United Kingdom’s List of Terrorist Organizations
The United Kingdom’s counterterrorism legislation is often the subject of public debate and criticism. What has not received enough attention is a structural flaw in the counterterrorism…

How Inter-State Procedures in Human Rights Treaties Can Support the Black Lives Matter Movement
The initiation of inter-State conciliation proceedings alone, under either convention, could send a powerful and symbolic message about the need for reform. The Conventions provide…

A Conversation With U.N. Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed: COVID-19 and Freedom of Belief
Editor’s Note: This piece is part of Just Security’s United Nations Special Rapporteurs on #COVID-19 series, in which mandate holders offer their views on pressing…

National Security at the United Nations This Week (June 5-12)
(Editor’s Note: This is the latest in Just Security’s weekly series keeping readers up to date on developments at the United Nations at the intersection of national security,…

The United States’ Racial Justice Problem Is Also an International Human Rights Law Problem
An essay by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Professor E. Tendayi Achiume.