RIT Kosovo Peace & Conflict Studies

The 21st century must be the century of women’s equality, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday, in a call to transform the world by ensuring equal participation for all.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1058271

Make this the century of women’s equality: UN chief The 21st century must be the century of women’s equality, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday evening, in a call to transform the world by ensuring equal participation for all.

Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has warned against complacency on women’s rights at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, a landmark agenda for the empowerment of women
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1058021

UN human rights chief warns of women’s rights complacency Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has warned against complacency on women’s rights at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, a landmark agenda for the empowerment of women.

Forty-one million people around the world are internally displaced – and hundreds of thousands more have been forced from their homes since the beginning of the year – an “unacceptable” situation for which solutions can be found, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a delegation established to address this global challenge.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1058011

UN panel to rally global political will to tackle internal displacement crisis Forty-one million people around the world are internally displaced – and hundreds of thousands more have been forced from their homes since the beginning of the year – an “unacceptable” situation for which solutions can be found, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told a delegation estab...

While a sudden increase in new cases of COVID-19 is of concern, the spread of coronavirus is not yet a pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057991

COVID-19 not yet a pandemic, says UN health agency chief While a sudden increase in new cases of COVID-19 is of concern, the spread of coronavirus is not yet a pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

(Nairobi) – Since December 25, 2019, police in Kenya have shot dead at least eight people in Nairobi’s Mathare, Kasarani, and Majengo settlements, Human Rights Watch said today. The police continue to kill crime suspects and protesters in cold blood despite persistent calls to end the killings and the use of excessive force.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/02/20/kenya-no-letup-killings-nairobi-police

The decision to detain Osman Kavala on new charges merely hours after a court ordered his release must be immediately reversed and he must immediately be set free, said Amnesty International.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/turkey-re-arrest-of-osman-kavala-smacks-of-calculated-cruelty/

In a tersely delivered statement on Friday, the UN Secretary-General appealed for an end to the “man-made humanitarian nightmare” currently unfolding in Syria, where ongoing military operations in the north-west have displaced hundreds of thousands amid bitter winter temperatures.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057861

Deadly attacks on villages in Burkina Faso have forced 150,000 people to flee in just the last three weeks, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday, warning of a displacement emergency in the wider Sahel region.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057831

Escalating Burkina Faso violence brings wider Sahel displacement emergency into focus Deadly attacks on villages in Burkina Faso have forced 150,000 people to flee in just the last three weeks, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday, warning of a displacement emergency in the wider Sahel region.

The international community has pledged $1.25 billion to help Albania recover from a devastating earthquake during a European Union-led donors’ conference in Brussels.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057801

More than $1 billion pledged for post-earthquake recovery in Albania The international community has pledged $1.25 billion to help Albania recover from a devastating earthquake during a European Union-led donors’ conference in Brussels.

The Nigerian military has burned and forcibly displaced entire villages in response to a recent escalation in attacks by the armed group Boko Haram, Amnesty International said today, based on interviews with affected villagers in Borno State and satellite data analysis.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/nigeria-military-razes-villages-as-boko-haram-attacks-escalate/

New Amnesty International investigation exposes the Nigerian military committing likely war crimes when it destroyed and displaced several villages in Borno State New Amnesty International investigation based on eyewitness testimony & satellite data analysis exposes the Nigerian military committing likely war crimes when it destroyed and displaced several villages in Borno State in early January.

Alarmed by the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in north-west Syria and the tragic suffering of civilians, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing fight that has displaced more than 900.000 civilians since early December.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057591

UN chief calls for immediate ceasefire in Syria’s war-battered north-west Alarmed by the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in north-west Syria and the tragic suffering of civilians, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing fight that has displaced more than 900.000 civilians since early December.

Guinea’s government should respect freedom of assembly and ensure security force discipline in advance of the March 1, 2020 constitutional referendum, Human Rights Watch said today. The referendum on a new constitution could clear the way for President Alpha Condé to run for a third presidential term.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/02/19/guinea-fear-further-crackdown-constitutional-poll-nears

Guinea: Fear of Further Crackdown as Constitutional Poll Nears Guinea’s government should respect freedom of assembly and ensure security force discipline in advance of the March 1, 2020 constitutional referendum, Human Rights Watch said today. The referendum on a new constitution could clear the way for President Alpha Condé to run for a third presidential ...

Many animals – including birds, fish and mammals – migrate along set routes in search of food or breeding grounds. How best to protect them in a rapidly changing world is the focus of a major UN wildlife meeting which opened in Gandhinagar, India, on Monday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057511

Protecting migratory species in a rapidly changing world More than 200,000 Indians have served in 49 of the 71 UN peacekeeping missions established around the world since 1948.

Pakistan’s solidarity and compassion for hosting Afghan refugees is a remarkable blueprint that the rest of the world should follow. Click the link to read more!
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057541

World must ‘step up’, match Pakistan’s compassion for refugees, says UN chief Pakistan’s solidarity and compassion for hosting Afghan refugees is a remarkable blueprint that the rest of the world should follow.

More than two years after the defeat of ISIL in Iraq, some children in areas formerly controlled by the terrorist group still cannot access school or get the necessary documentation required for enrollment, a UN report published on Monday finds.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057561

Iraq: Education access still a challenge in former ISIL-controlled areas More than two years after the defeat of ISIL in Iraq, some children in areas formerly controlled by the terrorist group still cannot access school or get the necessary documentation required for enrollment, a UN report published on Monday finds.

So proud to be a tiger 🙌🏽!!

RIT lands No. 1 in graphic design program rankings According to GradReports.com, RIT offers the top graphic design program in the country based on graduates' earning potential.

Taher, a Rohingya Christian pastor, and his 14-year-old daughter were abducted from their shelter in a refugee camp in Bangladesh on the morning of January 27. The previous night scores of men attacked 22 Christian families living in Kutupalong Camp 2 in Cox’s Bazaar. The attackers beat up residents, vandalized homes, and looted personal property in the sprawling Rohingya refugee camp. At least 12 Rohingya Christian refugees were injured and hospitalized following the attack. A makeshift Christian church and school were also smashed. After the attack the families relocated to a United Nations transit center and filed a police case against 59 alleged assailants.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/02/13/christians-abducted-attacked-bangladesh-refugee-camp

Christians Abducted, Attacked in Bangladesh Refugee Camp Taher, a Rohingya Christian pastor, and his 14-year-old daughter were abducted from their shelter in a refugee camp in Bangladesh on the morning of January 27. The previous night scores of men attacked 22 Christian families living in Kutupalong Camp 2 in Cox’s Bazaar.

Some moments in life are forever etched in our minds. Everyone recalls where they were when they heard their favourite rock star died, or how they felt around the birth of a child. For me, 6 June and 5 July 2017 are two dates that will forever be on my mind. They are the days when I learned that my friends and colleagues, human rights defenders, had been detained by Turkish police.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/who-will-defend-the-defenders/

Who will defend the defenders? This week, I will be in Istanbul for the verdict in the case of Taner and the Buyukada 10. If found guilty of ‘membership of a terrorist organisation’, they could face up to 15 years behind bars

With millions of people displaced from their homes worldwide, a UN ceremony celebrating Holocaust survivors in Brazil, has provided a stark reminder that throughout the 75 years of the Organization’s existence, the plight of refugees has been an ever-present theme.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057241

Holocaust survivors rebuild lives and traditions in Rio de Janeiro With millions of people displaced from their homes worldwide, a UN ceremony celebrating Holocaust survivors in Brazil, has provided a stark reminder that throughout the 75 years of the Organization’s existence, the plight of refugees has been an ever-present theme.

Millions of people worldwide will get to share their views on climate action through a UN campaign launched on Thursday aimed at connecting them with Governments and policy makers.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057391

Mobile game aims to bridge gap between citizens and leaders on climate action Millions of people worldwide will get to share their views on climate action through a UN campaign launched on Thursday aimed at connecting them with Governments and policy makers.

A monthly average of 11,500 people traveling from the Horn of Africa to Yemen last year made the so-called Eastern Route the busiest maritime migration path on earth, the UN migration agency said on Friday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057411

Amidst protection challenges, Eastern Route outpaces Mediterranean for people leaving Africa A monthly average of 11,500 people traveling from the Horn of Africa to Yemen last year made the so-called Eastern Route the busiest maritime migration path on earth, the UN migration agency said on Friday.

For countries to move forward after conflict or mass atrocities, suffering must be acknowledged and justice served, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights told the Security Council on Thursday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057351

Transitional justice processes critical to lasting peace, Security Council hears For countries to move forward after conflict or mass atrocities, suffering must be acknowledged and justice served, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights told the Security Council on Thursday.

26 Days until the applications for the RIT Kosovo Peace and Conflict students are closed!

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(Milan) – The Italian government should suspend all support to the Libyan Coast Guard until Libya commits to a clear plan to fully respect migrants’ safety and rights, Human Rights Watch said today. The plan should include closing abusive migrant detention centers and, in particular, a guarantee to protect migrants against arbitrary detention and inhuman and degrading treatment.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/02/12/italy-halt-abusive-migration-cooperation-libya

Italy: Halt Abusive Migration Cooperation with Libya The Italian government should suspend all support to the Libyan Coast Guard until Libya commits to a clear plan to fully respect migrants’ safety and rights, Human Rights Watch said today. The plan should include closing abusive migrant detention centers and, in particular, a guarantee to protect ...

The South African education system, characterised by crumbling infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms and relatively poor educational outcomes, is perpetuating inequality and as a result failing too many of its children, with the poor hardest hit according to a new report published by Amnesty International today.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/south-africa-broken-and-unequal-education-perpetuating-poverty-and-inequality/

South Africa's broken and unequal education laid bare South Africa's broken and unequal education perpetuating poverty

“You can walk down to the sculpture,” said the guide, “or,” and he paused to pique interest, “you can use one of these new public bicycles and follow the bike lane.” He gestured enticingly at a row of brand new, green, semi-electric bicycles.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057201

Ai Wei Wei sculpture celebrates pedal power, as Urban Forum continues in Abu Dhabi “You can walk down to the sculpture,” said the guide, “or,” and he paused to pique interest, “you can use one of these new public bicycles and follow the bike lane.” He gestured enticingly at a row of brand new, green, semi-electric bicycles.

Deaths from the coronavirus epidemic have surpassed 1,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Tuesday, as hundreds of health experts began meeting at its headquarters in Geneva to help halt the spread of the disease, now officially known as COVID-19.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057161

WHO convenes meeting of top scientists to slow coronavirus spread Deaths from the coronavirus epidemic have surpassed 1,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Tuesday, as hundreds of health experts began meeting at its headquarters in Geneva to help halt the spread of the disease, now officially known as COVID-19.

Comprehensive national strategies are urgently needed to prevent child sexual abuse online and other Internet issues for children, independent UN human rights experts said on Tuesday, Safer Internet Day.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057141

Victim-centred laws ‘paramount’ to combat online sexual abuse against children Comprehensive national strategies are urgently needed to prevent child sexual abuse online and other Internet issues for children, independent UN human rights experts said on Tuesday, Safer Internet Day.

Fewer than 30 per cent of the world’s scientific researchers are women: that’s just one of the statistics showing how many challenges remain for women and girls in the scientific field, as the world marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, on Tuesday.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/02/1057111

With science ‘held back by a gender gap’, Guterres calls for more empowerment for women and girls Fewer than 30 per cent of the world’s scientific researchers are women: that’s just one of the statistics showing how many challenges remain for women and girls in the scientific field, as the world marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, on Tuesday.