We Are Witnessing the Worst ’Cascade of Human Rights Setbacks in Our Lifetimes’ - UN

By Staff, Agencies

The United Nations [UN] High Commissioner for Human Rights on Monday called for concerted action to recover from the worst global deterioration of rights she had seen.

"To recover from the most wide-reaching and severe cascade of human rights setbacks in our lifetimes, we need a life-changing vision, and concerted action," Michelle Bachelet told the opening of the UN Human Rights Council's 47th session.

The session is set to feature a report by Bachelet about systemic racism, and draft resolutions on Myanmar, Belarus and Ethiopia's northern Tigray region.

Bachelet said she was deeply disturbed by reports of "serious violations" in Ethiopia’s Tigray, racked by war and with about 350,000 people threatened by famine.

She pointed to "extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests… violence against children as well as adults."

The UN rights chief also pointed to the "chilling impact" of a sweeping national security law introduced in Hong Kong which seeks to curb democratic freedoms in the semi-autonomous city.