Many Speakers Urge Council to Abolish All Country-Specific Mandates, Others Call on Belarus and Cuba to Cooperate with the Experts The Human Rights Council took up the situation of human rights in Belarus and Cuba in a midday meeting today, triggering numerous calls for the Council to abolish…

Speakers Call for an End to Country Specific Mandates, Independent Expert on Situation in Haiti Receives Wide Praise The Human Rights Council took up the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Haiti and Somalia this afternoon, hearing repeated calls for an end to country specific Special…

Hears Address by High Commissioner for Human Rights; Takes up Reports of Experts on Independence of Judges and Lawyers and on Racism The Human Rights Council this morning opened its fifth session, hearing an address by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and taking up the…

Concludes Interactive Dialogue on Independence of Judges and Lawyers and on Racism and Racial Discrimination The Human Rights Council this afternoon discussed the reports of the Special Rapporteurs on the right to food, toxic and dangerous products and wastes, adequate housing and human rights…

Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for and Representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights…

Issues Conclusions on Reports of Slovakia, Maldives, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, Sudan, Guatemala, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Monaco, Norway and Sweden The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its forty-fifth session, issuing its conclusions and recommendations on the situation of children in…

The Human Rights Council will hold its fifth session from 11 to 18 June at the Palais des Nations to debate the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. At the beginning of the session, the Council will hear from a number of its thematic and country-specific Special Rapporteurs…

Dayan Jayatilleka, the new Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented his credentials to Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva. Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Jayatilleka had established his…

Marie Heuzé, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing which also heard from Spokespersons for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization…

President to Draft Complementary Presidential Statement to Draft Decision The Conference on Disarmament today heard a statement from Iran on draft decision CD/2007/1, which aims to start substantive work at the Conference, setting out Iran's position. The President of the Conference also made a…