The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has expressed deep concern over the massive human rights violations in Haiti, saying that more than a million people have been displaced and children are facing a "horrific increase in sexual violence and recruitment into gangs."
Guterres addressed the Human Rights Council, highlighting the need for a political process led and owned by the Haitian people to restore democratic institutions through elections. He also emphasized the importance of an effective UN assistance mechanism to support the Multilateral Security Support mission, the national police, and Haitian authorities.
The UN Security Council has passed a resolution for a Kenya-based Multinational Security Support Mission to combat gang violence and restore stability in Haiti. The mission, initially slated to be composed of 2,500 officers and soldiers, aims to assist the Haitian police in regaining control of key areas and protecting civilians.
Haiti is facing a crisis following the assassination of its former president, Jovenel Moise, in July 2021. Criminal gangs, seeking to take control of the capital, Port au Prince, have launched several attacks, killing women and children, among others.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, also spoke at the meeting, warning that the global consensus on human rights is crumbling under the weight of authoritarianism, strongmen, and oligarchs. He emphasized the need for an all-out effort to ensure that human rights and the rule of law remain central to communities, societies, and international relations.
Guterres also spoke about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, saying that more than 12,600 civilians have been killed, with many more injured. He emphasized the need to end the conflict and achieve a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law, and General Assembly resolutions.
In his address, Guterres warned that without respect for human rights, civil, cultural, economic, political, and social, sustainable peace is a pipedream. He also highlighted the importance of human rights defenders, saying that they are supporting brave human rights defenders risking persecution, detention, and even death.
The UN Secretary-General recalled that five years ago, the UN launched the Call to Action for Human Rights, embedding human rights across the work of the United Nations worldwide in close cooperation with partners. He emphasized that human rights are the oxygen of humanity, but one by one, human rights are being suffocated by various factors, including the climate crisis, a morally bankrupt global financial system, and growing intolerance.
Guterres concluded by saying that the recently adopted Pact for the Future reminds everyone that human rights are a source of solutions, and that conflicts inflict human rights violations on a massive scale.
Conclusion:
The situation in Haiti is dire, with massive human rights violations and gang violence rampant. The UN Security Council has passed a resolution for a Multinational Security Support Mission to combat gang violence and restore stability in Haiti. The mission aims to assist the Haitian police in regaining control of key areas and protecting civilians.
FAQs:
- What is the situation in Haiti?
Haiti is facing a crisis following the assassination of its former president, Jovenel Moise, in July 2021. Criminal gangs are seeking to take control of the capital, Port au Prince, and have launched several attacks, killing women and children, among others. - What is the UN’s role in Haiti?
The UN Security Council has passed a resolution for a Kenya-based Multinational Security Support Mission to combat gang violence and restore stability in Haiti. The mission aims to assist the Haitian police in regaining control of key areas and protecting civilians. - What is the global consensus on human rights?
The global consensus on human rights is crumbling under the weight of authoritarianism, strongmen, and oligarchs. There are concerted efforts to ignore, undermine, and redefine human rights and to create a false binary that pits one right against another in a zero-sum game.
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