The UN Human Rights Office on Friday released a 20-page report documenting 1,004 cases of sexual violence committed during Russia’s full-scale armed attack against Ukraine between February 24, 2022, and July 31, 2026. The report, titled Sexual Violence in the Context of the Russian Federation Full-Scale Armed Attack against Ukraine, is based on confidential interviews with [...]

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for sweeping reforms to global institutions during the 18th Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (BRICS) Summit in New Delhi on Sunday, arguing that the international system must adapt to a world that has changed dramatically since 1945. Speaking to leaders of BRICS member states, Guterres said the world is [...]

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on Monday stated that countries have a legal obligation to consider comprehensive reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and the continuing harm caused by the legacy of racialized chattel slavery. In a general recommendation, the Committee said that the historical harms associated with the trafficking [...]

US District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts on Thursday issued a 14-day temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking key provisions of a new US Postal Service (USPS) rule implementing President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting mail-in voting ahead of the November midterm elections. The court’s TRO prevents USPS from implementing portions of the rule while the parties litigate whether [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Monday that armed groups in Colombia have increased their recruitment of children, citing what it described as an ineffective government response to the growing problem. In a report titled “‘I Thought I’d Never See My Mom Again’: Recruitment and Use of Children by Colombian Armed Groups,” HRW examined the factors [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday urged calm and restraint amid escalating unrest ahead of regional elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, emphasizing the need for impartial investigations into protest-related deaths and fir renewed political dialogue to address longstanding grievances. Türk expressed concern over increasing violence in the region as tensions continue to [...]

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday called upon Iran and the US to “urgently” resume negotiations as hostilities in and around the Strait of Hormuz intensified, warning that further escalation could have devastating consequences for regional and global security. Guterres said he was “deeply concerned by the serious escalation” and stressed that a return to [...]

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday urged Sri Lankan authorities to conduct a prompt, independent and transparent investigation into recent incidents of prison violence following deadly clashes and allegations of torture involving transferred inmates. UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani called for accountability after violence erupted at Negombo Prison on July 5, leaving [...]

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported Monday that more than 300 children were killed or injured in Sudan during the first six months of 2026, warning that intensified fighting in the Darfur and Kordofan regions has continued to place children at heightened risk. According to UNICEF, Darfur and Kordofan have recorded the highest number [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday called for independent investigations into dozens of deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. He urged authorities to take immediate measures to prevent further fatalities as the number of deaths in detention continues to rise. Türk noted that at least 52 people have [...]