UN Human Rights Council

The Failure of Mainstream Media to Cover the UN: Who’s to Blame?

• October 3, 2013

As media coverage of the United Nations dwindles and becomes more hyperfocused on geopolitics, the public learns less and less about the UN itself and how it operates. Who is to blame for the decreasing, narrow coverage — the press, a disinterested public or the UN itself? Barbara Crossette spoke on the subject at …

US-UN Relations

One Comment

For Many Latin American Women, Abuse Never Lets Up

Barbara Crossette

• August 19, 2013

Latin American and Caribbean nations have pulled ahead of most other developing regions on numerous measures of economic growth and human progress in recent years. The region has one of the world’s lowest poverty levels; hunger has been reduced to under 5 percent of the regional population; primary school enrollment rivals that of rich …

Health and Population, Human Rights, Latin America, Women

One Comment

Japan’s Take on Peace, Human Rights and the UN

Dulcie Leimbach

• June 14, 2013

Tsuneo Nishida, the Japanese ambassador to the United Nations, spoke recently on his country’s positions on peace and security, disarmament, human rights and UN reform. Japan, which is the world’s third-largest economy and second-biggest contributor (after the United States) to the UN’s general budget, is planning to run for an elected seat on the …

Asia, Human Rights, Peace and Security, Special Report

One Comment

Susan Rice Leaves the UN as Samantha Power Is to Be Nominated

PassBlue

• June 5, 2013

Susan E. Rice, the United States ambassador to the United Nations and a member of President Obama’s Cabinet, will become the country’s national security adviser, replacing Tom Donilon, 58, who has resigned, as expected. Rice’s new position will not require approval from the Senate. Obama will announce that Samantha Power, 42, is to be …

GOINGS-ON

Leave a Comment

WORLDVIEWS

Susan Rice’s Rise Beyond the United Nations

Patrick Rosenow

• April 18, 2013

JENA, Germany — Many rumors abound regarding the future of America’s top envoy at the United Nations, Susan E. Rice. While she is still working as the United States ambassador to the UN, some media reports are predicting that she will become President Obama’s next national security adviser, succeeding Thomas E. Donilon. As to …

Security Council, US-UN Relations, WORLDVIEWS

3 Comments

In Iran, the Point of Torture Is to ‘Break the Human Soul’

Tala Dowlatshahi

• April 8, 2013

Iran has remained prominent on the radar screen of the United Nations Human Rights Council and other international human-rights groups that are concerned with the poor treatment of Iranians who dare to speak out against repression and corrupt laws. Human-rights groups are waiting to see if similar abuses will increase before the presidential election on June 14, 2013. The …

Asia, Human Rights, Women

One Comment

The International Court Judge’s Fight for Justice

Lorraine Boissoneault

• February 21, 2013

The president of the International Criminal Court, Judge Sang-Hyun Song, told a Columbia University audience recently that a major challenge facing the court is what he called a steady lack of political support from the United Nations Security Council and UN member states. “We need a far more consistent and vigilant approach by …

ICC, International Justice, Security Council

3 Comments

Canadian Native Groups Vow to Fight on for Land Rights

Lorraine Boissoneault

• February 7, 2013

The sounds of drums and chanting outside the United Nations in New York battled to be heard over traffic recently. In a continuation of rallies and demonstrations held in front of the UN earlier in January, seven Native American protestors gathered behind a large purple banner to show their solidarity with the Idle No …

General Assembly, Human Rights

One Comment

US Foes of Disability Treaty Reflect Discomfort With UN

Barbara Crossette

• December 13, 2012

In blocking adoption by the United States of a global convention to protect the disabled, the Republican right signaled on Dec. 4 that it intends to stall or kill all international treaties sent to the Senate for ratification by the Obama administration. Even pleas from a frail and crippled Bob Dole, a former senator, …

Human Rights, US-UN Relations

6 Comments

WORLDVIEWS

The Last Throes of the Death Penalty?

Christof Heyns and Juan Mendez

• November 20, 2012

Mores in societies change over the years. While slavery, torture and public executions were once a global phenomenon, and foot binding and deadly duels were deeply entrenched aspects of regional cultures, they are no longer considered acceptable by the international community. In line with what the United States Supreme Court once called “evolving standards …

Human Rights, WORLDVIEWS

One Comment

New Human Rights Council Members, Some Already Sullied

Alice Volkov

• November 13, 2012

Eighteen members were elected by the United Nations General Assembly to the Human Rights Council on Nov. 12. The members, serving three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, join 29 other countries on the council. Of the 18 new members, only the United States was seeking a second term. The other states chosen were Argentina, Brazil, …

Human Rights

4 Comments

BOOKS

Reasons to Love and Criticize the UN

A. Edward Elmendorf

• November 4, 2012

In his new book, “Living With the UN: American Responsibilities and International Order,” Kenneth Anderson forces readers who lean sympathetically toward the United Nations to consider why they support it despite its faults. On the other hand, the acerbic views of Anderson, a law professor at American University, about the UN are deeply colored by …

BOOKS, US-UN Relations

Leave a Comment

Obama to Tell UN That Washington Values Engagement

Barbara Crossette

• September 21, 2012

President Barack Obama, criticized in an intense election campaign for not being tough enough with the rest of the world, is expected to tell fellow leaders next week why his administration thinks that cooperative action, not bluster or the flaunting of power, is a better policy for meeting the crises of this century. The …

General Assembly, US-UN Relations

Leave a Comment

BOOKS

The Human Rights Council Gets More Respect

A. Edward Elmendorf

• September 14, 2012

The visibility of human-rights violations by the Syrian government amid the current turmoil owes much to the United Nations, particularly to its Independent International Commission of Inquiry, led by Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, a Brazilian lawyer, public official and professor. Such commissions are part of a growing number of tools used by the UN to …

BOOKS

As UN Monitoring Mission Dies in Syria, a New Envoy Is Named

Dulcie Leimbach

• August 16, 2012

The United Nations Security Council will not renew the mandate for the monitoring mission it set up in Syria this spring to supervise a peace plan that never materialized. The mandate for the UN Supervision Mission, called Unsmis, expires Aug. 19. The unarmed mission, renewed in July for 30 days, is down to 100 …