The Government of Panama declared a state of emergency in “the entire province of Bocas del Toro” on Friday, in an ad hoc cabinet meeting, in the background of escalating civil unrest opposing Law 462, implemented on March 18 to reform the social security system. The declaration temporarily suspends constitutional rights, among other things, leading to the suspension [...]

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor on Friday urged authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights defenders, after concluding her visit to the country. In her statement, Lawlor called for authorities to ensure accountability and “tackle negative narratives” against human rights [...]

The European Union’s diplomatic service, European External Action Service (EEAS), concluded in a report Friday, that Israel may have violated its human rights obligations in the EU-Israel Association Agreement, according to Euronews. The EEAS’ report suggests Israel’s actions in Gaza, particularly the blockade of humanitarian aid and the introduction of restrictive aid distribution mechanisms, may [...]

The UN verified 41,370 grave violations committed against children globally in 2024 in its annual report on children and armed conflict, released Thursday. The number, which includes 11,967 children killed or maimed, represents the highest number of grave violations against children recorded by the UN since it began monitoring. The Annual Report of the Secretary-General on [...]

The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) reported on Saturday a transition towards more inclusive global participation in outer space activities, with the growing involvement of Global South countries, including Ghana, Maldives, Tonga and Côte d’Ivoire. Having long been dominated by technologically advanced countries, outer space is now becoming increasingly accessible [...]

UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health Tlaleng Mofokeng on Thursday called on states to stop the targeting and killing of health and care workers, and to immediately release all health workers being detained, harassed or tortured. She also urged states to “respect and protect the right to health and its underlying determinants,” including [...]

Amnesty International on Friday welcomed the conviction by the Central African Republic’s Special Criminal Court (SCC) of six former combatants in the Ndélé 2 case for war crimes and crimes against humanity, calling the decision “a breakthrough in the fight against impunity in the country.” However, Amnesty said that the trial was “tarnished” by the fact [...]

A US federal judge on Friday ordered the federal government to release detained activist Mahmoud Khalil immediately. Judge Michael Fabiarz of the US District Court for the District of New Jersey said Khalil can return to his home after over three months in detention. Khalil is restricted to New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Washington, DC, and [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday called for the Myanmar military to stop the recruitment and use of child soldiers. Since the junta took over Myanmar in the 2021 coup, the recruitment and use of child soldiers has surged, especially after the junta enacted a mandatory conscription in February 2024. HRW Asia researcher Shayna Bauchner [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday called on France’s National Assembly to include access to education and other core economic and social rights for children in a recent emergency bill for the French overseas department of Mayotte, an island off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. Elvire Fondacci, an advocacy officer at HRW, [...]