Human Rights | WPN World People News

30 November 2010 – The United Nations today appealed for more than $7.4 billion to provide humanitarian assistance to 50 million people suffering from the effects of conflicts and natural disasters in 28 countries over the coming year.

The United Nations human rights chief today voiced concern about the fate of human rights defenders in Iran, whose situation she says is becoming increasingly difficult.

She has been in prison for 15 years in the past 21 years, but now she is free at last. Burmese pro-democracy icon and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was released from detention by the military-backed government of Myanmar Saturday afternoon, a week after the holding of a nationwide election which was dominated by pro-administration candidates.

Since 2005, Iran’s government has cracked down on activists – particularly those who press for women’s rights and speak out against discriminatory laws. Repression only worsened in the wake of the contested 2009 presidential elections.

The Cameroonian police arrested Christian, accusing him of being gay: “On our way to the police station, the police officers insulted us and they beat us with batons on our heads and bodies.

The recent ban on around 150 NGOs - almost all of them local NGOs - for flouting reporting procedures is believed to be an Afghan government attempt to demonstrate it is taking action against corruption, aid workers say.

More needs to be done to protect women from the dangers of unsafe abortions, a United Nations official told a forum in Ghana that is examining the extent of the problem in Africa, where some 5.5 million unsafe abortions are performed annually.

Modern war is often not about soldier against soldier, but a struggle to "break the will of civilians - women, girls, men and boys" by whatever means possible - including rape - the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) State of the World Population 2010 report published on 20 October states.

Ms. Lin, Chung Yuan, Chief of Taipei Tax Administration, stated in her speech in a university campus to encourage college students to act as whistleblowers to receive rewards for reporting tax evasions to Tax Administration of amount up to NT$ 480million (approx. US$155,000). The controversial video from YouTube about her speech has brought wide attention and even been discussed in NGO workshops during the 2010 UN Human Rights Council.

Since 1971, Taiwan's seat in the United Nations has been replaced by P.R.C. This has resulted in a difficult situation for the Taiwan government to have formal status to participate in many international affairs. However, in the 15th session of the UN Human Rights Council, it is surprised to hear the voices from Taiwanese people seeking supports from the international community to help Taiwanese people free up from the abuse of the government power.