"There is an increase in the use of torture worldwide. It's partly correlated to the fact that [...] we have more wars going on in this world since 1945. The International Committee of the Red Cross says there are 100 armed conflicts currently going on. And regrettably, with armed conflict comes an uptick in the use of torture and other forms of inhuman treatment."

Dr. Alice Jill Edwards spends many of her days listening to the testimonies of torture victims. Now the UN’s Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, she works towards a world in which torture is finally a thing of the past.

"I rebuke the argument that it's a natural coalescence because I think disciplined troops do not torture."

In this episode, Dr. Alice Jill Edwards reflects on the challenge of holding states to their commitments, the visible and invisible scars torture leaves behind, and on the need to recharge without guilt.

Photo: ©United Nations

Nobel Literature Laureate Wole Soyinka delivered an address in 1993 to the World Conference on Human Rights as a ‘special guest’ of the UN Secretary-General.

As we mark the 75th anniversary of the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warns in this UN Chronicle article, that "we are still far from the world envisaged by the Declaration’s framers and find ourselves contending with a determined pushback on rights". He says this is "so horrifically illustrated by the unbearable suffering in recent weeks in Gaza and Israel". But he is hopeful that we can find in the Declaration's enduring promise of rights rooted in our common values, a path towards peace and inclusive development, based on free and meaningful participation.

The UN Prize in the Field of Human Rights is an honorary award given to individuals and organizations for outstanding achievement in human rights. It was established by the General Assembly in 1966 and has been awarded several times. The reward not only recognizes the accomplishments of the recipients but also supports human rights defenders worldwide. Among the 2023 recipients are an NGO from Belarus, an independent Center for Human Rights Studies from Jordan, a Global Coalition of civil society organizations and two human rights defenders from Uruguay and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“In Syria, I was really struck by this lack of revenge. I haven't seen many people wanting revenge. They want justice. And that's really a very powerful attitude.”

A former judge, Catherine Marchi-Uhel spent a lifetime pursuing justice. Now leading the quest for accountability for atrocities and war crimes committed in the Syrian civil war, she finds comfort in survivors’ resilience and their determination to move on with their lives. Since 2016, the UN’s IIIM (International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism) has been helping investigate and prosecute the most serious atrocities committed in Syria during the devastating conflict.

In this episode, Catherine Marchi-Uhel reflects on the painstaking job of documenting brutality, the importance of preserving evidence, and how she keeps faith in the face of humanity’s darkest crimes.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk's message to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

Human rights are inherent to all human beings, regardless of nationality, sex, religion, or any other status. They range from the most fundamental - the right to life - to those that make life worth living, such as the rights to health, food, education, work, and liberty. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, was the first legal document to set out the fundamental human rights to be universally protected. It continues to be the foundation of all international human rights law and is the most translated document in the world.

In a world where conflicts are raging, poverty and hunger are increasing, and inequalities are deepening, the opening sentence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights," is as important today as it was 75 years ago says the UN Secretary-General for Human Rights Day (10 December). This landmark document, which enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being, will be commemorated with a two-day high-level event in Geneva and several celebrations at the UN in New York.

Since its adoption 75 years ago, the Genocide Convention has played an important role in the development of international criminal law, in holding perpetrators of this crime accountable, galvanizing prevention efforts, and giving voice to the victims of genocide. This year’s event (9 December) focuses on the legacy of the 1948 Agreement. It highlights some of the achievements emanating from the Convention and reminds us of the efforts that led to its drafting and adoption. Genocide is still a threat in the world today and populations around the world remain at risk of this crime.

The Marsh Arabs, the wetlands' indigenous population of Iraq, have fished and cultivated crops for 5,000 years, raising water buffaloes and building houses from reedbeds on floating reed islands at the place where the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers meet before flowing into the Gulf. But climate change, water pollution, oil exploration and the construction of upstream dams threaten the survival of this delicate ecosystem and its ancient Mesopotamian culture, which some trace back to the Sumerians. Jassim Al-Asadi, head of the leading conservation group Nature Iraq, warns that a drought, which is now in its fourth year, is turning vast areas of once flourishing wetlands and agricultural land into desert. As a result, salinity is rising in the shrinking channels and waterways, killing fish and making buffaloes sick.

“When this genocide happened, I was right here,” Chinar, 18, said, standing before the Grave of Mothers in Solagh, Sinjar. “They separated the old women from the rest of us. I was 10 years old.” Nine years later, the site where nearly 90 Yazidi women were martyred by Daesh is forever memorialized with the Yazidi Genocide Memorial. Built at the request of survivors by Nadia’s Initiative, a nonprofit organization founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad , and the IOM in Iraq, the memorial site pays homage to the resilience and courage of the Yazidi community, who endured systematic violence and persecution during the Daesh occupation.

The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is a violation of human rights and a major public health issue with far-reaching implications for global well-being and development. The first World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence  (18 November) aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse, promote support for survivors, and emphasize the need to prevent and eradicate such exploitation while holding perpetrators accountable. On this day, let’s unite to end stigma against victims, protect their rights, and ensure their access to justice and remedies.

The challenge of ending impunity for offenses to reporters is crucial to ensure freedom of expression. The 2023 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (2 November) aims to raise awareness of the hurdles faced by reporters such as violence and repression against them, attacks on the press during social protests, and the use of judicial mechanisms against journalists. The theme also highlights the role of a safe and free press in ensuring the integrity of elections and democracies. States must protect the independent press and promote independence, sustainability and diversity.

In Paraguay, indigenous peoples lack access to basic needs such as adequate food, education, housing, justice and health, which puts at risk the achievement of most national and international commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals. UN Human Rights supports Paraguay’s efforts to adopt a social protection system that integrates human rights, alleviates structural inequalities and generates sustainable growth. With funding from the Surge Initiative, the Office is working with the government, civil society, human rights institutions and academia, providing technical assistance and analytical data, and enhancing capacity to build institutional and financial capacity to ensure social security for all.

My body is my own: claiming the right to autonomy and self-determination. Five things you need to know about consent