Human Rights | WPN World People News

The United Nations General Assembly and Human Rights Council should act on the report by the UN special rapporteur on the right to health about attacks against health workers and services, the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition said. The report, by Anand Grover, the special rapporteur, was presented to the General Assembly on October 24, 2013. It describes a wide range of abuses occurring against health workers and highlights the need for better monitoring and accountability.

Saudi authorities should end the country’s driving ban for women as the “Women2Drive” campaign gathers momentum, Human Rights Watch said.

Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea Sheila B. Keetharuth (right) addresses a press conference at UN Headquarters.

“The Arctic 30 are no more hooligans than they were pirates. This is still a wildly disproportionate charge that carries up to seven years in jail. It represents nothing less than an assault on the very principle of peaceful protest. Those brave men and women went to the Arctic armed with nothing more than a desire to shine a light on a reckless business. They should be with their families, not in a prison in Murmansk.

The U.N. Special Rapporteur for assessing the human rights situation in Iran has warned of “the systemic and systematic violations” of a wide range of rights in that country.

European Union heads of state meeting in Brussels on October 24 and 25, 2013, should urgently adopt measures to improve sea rescues of migrants and asylum seekers trying to reach Europe, Human Rights Watch said. The summit should also pledge more measures to facilitate access for refugees from Syria and protect their rights as they increasingly turn to dangerous boat migration.

The trial of three activists who publicly supported a tough anti-corruption measure will be a bellwether of the new Chinese leadership’s attitude toward peaceful activism, Human Rights Watch said.

The Thai government and parliament should reject a proposed blanket amnesty law that would prevent prosecutions of those responsible for serious human rights abuses, Human Rights Watch said.