Human Rights Council
AFTERNOON 17 September 2010

Concludes Interactive Dialogue with Independent Expert on the Sudan

The Human Rights Council this afternoon held a general debate on human rights situations that require the Council's attention. It also concluded its interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the Sudan.

Mohamed Chande Othman, Independent Expert on the Sudan, in his concluding remarks, said that it was important for the Council to take into account the incompleteness of the nature of human

Sudan, Russia and the Philippines are this year's top three major risers in the internationally-acclaimed global ranking 'Peoples under Threat', Minority Rights Group International (MRG) says.

The international human rights organization says that the list of states that have risen most prominently in the table this year are those which have all been the scene of past mass violence, and whose fall down the risk register in recent years has now suddenly been reversed - putting the lives of tens of thousands under threat.

'Those governments who are most likely

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REFUGEE NEWS BRIEFINGS

1. Sudan: disarmament in the south raises fears of fresh violence

According to an IRIN report on 22 September, a recent campaign by Southern Sudanese authorities to seize illegal arms in the capital of the semi-autonomous region of Juba may spark further violence.

The president of the region, President Salva Kiir, announced the campaign will continue until all the weapons have been confiscated. The authorities plan to extend the programme throughout the region.

More than 2,000 people have died and

LONDON, Aug 31, 2009 (AFP) - More than 400 children were being held in British immigration detention centres with their families, a report said Monday, citing official figures.

The Guardian newspaper said 470 children, many from countries suffering poverty and conflict such as Zimbabwe, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Democratic Republic of Congo, were locked up after arriving in Britain.

The figures from the Home Office were provided for a single day, on June 30 this year.

Most of the children were aged under five, and almost one third were held for longer than 28 days, the newspaper said.

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REFUGEE NEWS BRIEFINGS

SUDAN: DETERIORATING SECURITY HAMPERS PROVISION OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

According to a UN refugee agency (UNHCR) statement on 24 March, the deteriorating security situation in several parts of southern Sudan is hampering the return of Sudanese refugees and disrupting humanitarian activities in the area.

In mid-March, life in the border towns of Yei, Nimule and Kapoeta was brought to a standstill when war veterans from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) organised coordinated protests.

Nine conflict situations around the world deteriorated and two improved in March 2009, according to the new issue of the International Crisis Group's monthly bulletin CrisisWatch, released today.

In Sudan, fears of a rapid deterioration of humanitarian conditions and security in Darfur mounted after Khartoum expelled 13 international aid organisations, following the International Criminal Court pre-trial chamber's 4 March decision to issue an arrest warrant for President Bashir for atrocity crimes. The UN estimates that up to 1.5 million are at risk of losing food, water and shelter, while

The European Commission has adopted a €160 million food aid decision targeting an estimated 18.7 million people living in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East and North Africa. This funding decision, the largest ever launched by the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department, aims to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people facing food shortages due to natural catastrophes, economic and political crises, and armed conflicts. It is the first food aid decision for 2008. More funds will be allocated later in the year.

GA/SHC/3896
Sixty-second General Assembly
Third Committee
28th & 29th Meetings (AM & PM)

Myanmar Continues to Be Serious Concern in Light of Continuing Human Rights Violations, Committee Told by Under-Secretary-General

Political solutions were urgently needed to resolve the conflict in Darfur, where there could be no military solution, Sima Samar, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, said today as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its discussion of human rights issues.

GA/SHC/3888

Sixty-second General Assembly
Third Committee
13th & 14th Meetings (AM & PM)

Contribution of Children to Peacemaking, Peacebuilding not to be underestimated, says UNICEF Executive Director

A former child soldier in Sierra Leone turned best-selling author took the international community to task today for failing to do more for children living amid conflict, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) began its discussion on the rights of children this afternoon.