Human rights

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, observed 2 December:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for Human Rights Day, observed on 10 December:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of This Crime, observed on 9 December:

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the humanitarian pause, agreed upon by Israel and Hamas, has been largely maintained on 27 November for the fourth consecutive day. This has enabled humanitarian actors to enhance the delivery of assistance into and across Gaza.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed on 3 December:

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

In Sudan, the UN refugee agency reports that 4.5 million people have been internally displaced, while 1.2 million others have fled to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan, as well as Ethiopia and the Central African Republic. That is almost 6 million people who have been forced to move since the start of fighting in April.

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today began its general debate on Israeli practices which impact the human rights of Palestinians and other Arabs in occupied territories and concluded its consideration of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), with speakers expressing alarm at the fast-rising death toll in Gaza and an upsurge in violence between settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today that international food commodity prices declined moderately in October. However, persistent conflicts are aggravating food insecurity, and moderating food prices are being countered by weak currencies in many low-income countries.

During a time of staggering displacement, conflict and violence, the growing workload of the Human Rights Council reflects the importance and relevance of its work, its President said, as the General Assembly today took up the intergovernmental body’s annual report.