NEWS & EVENTS

50th anniversary of the international human rights covenants: A celebration and appraisal, 15 December 2016 - Message by the Deputy High Commissioner

December 15, 2016
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Statement by the High Commissioner at the General Assembly commemorative event to mark the 50th anniversary of the Human Rights Covenants

October 19, 2016

The Human Rights Covenants, now 50 years old, are our most precious legacy.

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Picturing freedom: UN Human Rights Office announces winners of children’s poster competition

March 11, 2016

The UN Human Rights Office has today announced the two winners of a poster contest for children to illustrate what freedom means to them.

High Commissioner calls for end to pressure on human rights

February 29, 2016

Likening human rights violations to seismic signals that come before an earthquake, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein called on leaders to take actions now to relieve the pressure on rights or face future explosive consequences.

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Human Rights Council High-level Panel to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the International Human Rights Covenants

February 29, 2016

"What connects us is much stronger than what divides us. People everywhere, have the same hopes and the same rights. The two great Covenants that we celebrate today commit States to ensure respect for the rights of all their people..."

“As the Covenants turn 50, it is time to turn norms into action — UN experts”

December 10, 2015

Amid large-scale atrocities and widespread abuses across the world, Human Rights Day should rally more concerted global action to promote the timeless principles that we have collectively pledged to uphold. ...

A large group of people gathered at the UN.

Pledge to uphold freedoms, UN human rights experts urge States

© UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré9 December 2015

UN experts have urged all States to ratify two key human rights treaties that celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2016, as a concrete commitment to the freedoms enshrined in the texts.

For Human Rights Day, Zeid calls for universal ratification and respect for the ‘bedrock’ human rights treaties

Multi-language transcripts available

The Secretary General speaks at the podium.

UN Secretary-General’s Message for Human Rights Day

© UN Photo/Evan SchneiderDecember 9, 2015

Amid large-scale atrocities and widespread abuses across the world, Human Rights Day should rally more concerted global action to promote the timeless principles that we have collectively pledged to uphold. ...

Zeid speaks at the podium.

For Human Rights Day, Zeid calls for universal ratification and respect for the ‘bedrock’ human rights treaties

© UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré8 December 2015

Two fundamental human rights treaties adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966 are as important and relevant today as they were half a century ago and should be ratified by all States, UN High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a message for Human Rights Day.