Newsletter

1. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 

The OHCHR is the principal human rights entity of the United Nations. Its functions include promoting and protecting all human rights, helping to empower people, and developing a human rights perspective in all United Nations programs. The current United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is Mr. Volker Türk.

News from the OHCHR:

A) OHCHR Publishes A Preliminary Country Report on the Human Rights Violations Amid Bangladesh’s Political Transition to Democracy

– On August 16, 2024, the OHCHR released a preliminary country report analyzing recent protests and unrest in Bangladesh.

Source: Wikimedia Commons. Bangladesh quota reform movement 2024. Date: July 6, 2024.
Link to the image: here. Link of the license: here.

The protests began in mid-June 2024, when students opposed the reinstallation of the quota reserving 30% of civil service posts for descendants of war veterans—a policy abolished in 2018 following major protests. The peaceful demonstrations escalated when security forces responded with severe violence, reportedly leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. This crisis prompted the resignation of Bangladesh’s government on August 5, 2024, replaced by a civilian Interim Government in hopes of a democratic transition through future elections. Since then, thousands of detainees, including political prisoners, have been released, and this shift is seen as a historic opportunity to restore democratic order and strengthen human rights protections.

The OHCHR’s report outlines several human rights concerns, including the excessive and disproportionate use of force, with security forces deploying firearms, pellet shotguns, sound grenades, and other weapons, while some protesters were seen using sticks and bricks. According to media and protest organizations, 600 people were killed between July 16 and August 11. However, the actual number may be higher due to government-imposed internet blackouts and restrictions on hospital reporting. Additionally, the OHCHR highlights allegations of torture and due process violations, as well as phone searches at checkpoints to erase evidence of police violence. The report also points to restrictions on freedom of expression, particularly the internet shutdown, and on freedom of movement, which forced many to flee the country.

In response, the OHCHR urged the Interim Government to take appropriate measures toward restoring democratic order through an inclusive, human rights-oriented process. The country report can be found here and the press release here.

B) OHCHR Country Report Calls for End to Forced Labor in North Korea

– On July 16, 2024, the OHCHR published a country report on forced labor practices in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Source: Flickr. North Korea, Pyongyang. Link of the image: here. Link of the license: here.

The OHCHR recalled that International law upholds the right to freely chosen work, and forced labor is unequivocally prohibited. Indicators of forced labor include withheld identity documents, physical or sexual abuse, intimidation, restricted movement, and more. The OHCHR underscored that forced labor constitutes a form of servitude and often includes elements of slavery, considered a crime against humanity under international law.

The report outlines various forms of forced labor in North Korea, including prison labor, which is integral to the economy and conducted in labor camps, prisons, and political detention centers. Additionally, state-allocated employment dictates where citizens work and live after completing school or military service. DPRK citizens are barred from traveling abroad freely or receiving independent wages; even overseas workers remain under strict state control, marking this labor as forced due to its exploitative nature. Other forms of forced labor include mandatory military conscription, “Shock Brigade” deployments, and enforced participation in Women’s Union programs.

The OHCHR calls on North Korea to abolish forced labor and servitude, urging a shift toward a labor system based on workers’ free choice. Recommendations also include revising laws that discriminate against women and implementing reforms to democratize the workplace. The country report can be found here and the press release here.

2. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

The CERD is the United Nations body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

News from the CERD:

A) CERD Urges India to End Discrimination and Forced Deportation of Rohingya

– On July 2, 2024, the CERD issued a statement calling on India to halt racial discrimination, forced deportation, and arbitrary detention of Rohingya people.

Source: Flickr. UK Department for International Development (DFID).
Date: November 26, 2017. Link of the image: here. Link of the license: here.

The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority primarily from Myanmar, have faced intensified persecution and violence since 2017, especially in Rakhine State, where approximately 600,000 live under apartheid-like conditions, with 140,000 confined to internment camps. Many have sought refuge in neighboring countries, only to encounter continued violence, persecution, and marginalization.

The CERD expressed concern that India has been arbitrarily detaining Rohingya individuals and conducting forced deportations to Myanmar, where they face severe human rights risks. The CERD noted persistent racial discrimination, including inflammatory public statements and a lack of response from the Indian government despite the CERD’s previous urgent action letter in 2018, which highlighted concerns over deportations and hate speech targeting Rohingya.

The CERD reported numerous cases of forced returns to Myanmar between 2018 and 2022, in violation of the principle of non-refoulement, and harassment of human rights defenders, lawyers, and activists supporting Rohingya rights in India. The CERD urged India to adhere to its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, implement legislative protections against racial discrimination for non-citizens regardless of migration status, and cease forced deportations of Rohingya refugees. The statement can be found here and the press release here.

3. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

The CEDAW is the United Nations body of independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

News from the CEDAW:

A) CEDAW Report Condemns Poland’s Criminalization of Abortion for Violating Women’s Rights

– On August 26, 2024, the CEDAW concluded that Poland violated women’s rights by criminalizing access to assisted abortions, a policy that brought severe consequences for women, including preventable deaths.

Source: iStock by Getty Images. Credit: Irontrybex. Link of the image: here. Link of the license: here.

The CEDAW’s report highlights that Polish law allows abortion only in two cases: when the pregnancy endangers the woman’s life or health (permitted throughout pregnancy) and when the pregnancy results from a crime (allowed only within the first 12 weeks). All other cases, including assisting or performing an abortion, are criminalized, with penalties of up to three years in prison.

The CEDAW identified significant issues with the law’s implementation, such as the lack of clear medical guidelines, leaving doctors to make arbitrary decisions, sometimes resulting in neglect of life-threatening health risks. Without a standardized protocol, women face serious health consequences, including deaths that could have been prevented. The CEDAW also found that many women suffer mental health harm, such as suicidal ideation, when denied abortions for unwanted pregnancies. In cases of rape or incest, victims must file a criminal complaint and await a prosecutor’s certification to access abortion. However, this certification process has no mandated timeline, often delaying care.

Further restrictions include mandatory reporting of abortions, insufficient training for medical professionals, geographical barriers, and limited information on abortion access. The CEDAW highlighted additional impacts of the criminalization policy, noting that the lack of a legal requirement to share prenatal test results and poor quality of care disproportionately affect impoverished women and those facing intersecting forms of discrimination. Protesters, human rights defenders, and civil society advocates also face intimidation, and family planning resources remain inadequate.

The CEDAW concluded that Poland’s restrictive abortion laws violate several rights enshrined in the Convention, including the rights to equality, non-discrimination, educational equality, family planning, and equal protection under the law. The report can be found here and the press release here.