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Stop Human Rights Abuses
  • HIV-Positive Migrants Face Deadly Barriers
    Jun 18, 2009

    International groups, nations and donors should give increased attention to the protection of human rights and the HIV-prevention and treatment needs of migrants.

  • Zimbabwe: African Leaders Should Intervene
    Jan 22, 2009

    The African Union should put concerted political pressure on President Robert Mugabe to end Zimbabwe's longstanding political crisis, which has led to an ever-deepening humanitarian emergency and a regional crisis.

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Disasters and Displaced Populations

Refugees and persons displaced, disaster, disease outbreak, or conflict, are subject to a wide range of abuses. Individuals fleeing abuses at home have the right to leave their country freely and to seek refuge and asylum elsewhere, yet governments frequently see refugees as a threat or a burden, often meaning that refugees face many difficulties accessing health care critical to their needs.

Natural disasters put a high burden on governments to react quickly to protect the lives of vulnerable civilians, but governments often make decisions during such times of crisis that are discriminatory and may arbitrarily and unjustifiably restrict individual rights.

Reports

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Disasters and displaced populations
  • Within but Without
    Nov 19, 2009
  • Universal Periodic Review of Yemen Working Group Report
    Sep 24, 2009

    Human Rights Watch welcomes the UPR Working Group report on Yemen, and seeks to further urge the government to implement fully the accepted recommendations.

  • HIV-Positive Migrants Face Deadly Barriers
    Jun 18, 2009

    International groups, nations and donors should give increased attention to the protection of human rights and the HIV-prevention and treatment needs of migrants.

  • Sri Lanka under siege
    Jan 29, 2009

    The advance of Sri Lanka's army into the northern strongholds of the Tamil Tigers marks the end of a chapter in Sri Lanka's long civil war. But the conflict's human-rights toll is heavy, says Meenakshi Ganguly.

  • Zimbabwe: African Leaders Should Intervene
    Jan 22, 2009

    The African Union should put concerted political pressure on President Robert Mugabe to end Zimbabwe's longstanding political crisis, which has led to an ever-deepening humanitarian emergency and a regional crisis.

  • Gaza: Israeli Attack on School Needs Full UN Investigation
    Jan 7, 2009

    The United Nations Security Council, meeting on January 7, 2009 in a high-level emergency session, should establish a commission of inquiry to investigate alleged laws-of-war violations in Gaza.

  • Political poison sickening Zimbabwe
    Dec 12, 2008

    As the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe spreads across regional borders, southern African governments have come together to discuss a regional strategy to stem the outbreak.

  • Sri Lanka: Allow Aid Groups to Help Cyclone Victims
    Nov 29, 2008

    The Sri Lankan government should immediately lift its September order barring humanitarian agencies from the Vanni conflict area in northern Sri Lanka so they can assist thousands of persons displaced by flooding from Cyclone Nisha.

  • Training Eyes on the Junta
    Sep 4, 2008

    Brad Adams is the Asia Director of New York-based Human Rights Watch. Adams talked to The Irrawaddy about Burma’s constitutional referendum, human rights and the international response to Cyclone Nargis.

  • Burma: Cyclone Donors Should Ensure Transparency and Accountability
    Jul 22, 2008

    Donors assisting in Burma’s reconstruction after Cyclone Nargis should ensure that aid reaches the Burmese people, and is not manipulated by its repressive government, Human Rights Watch said today in an open letter to donors. The devastating cyclone that struck southern Burma on May 2-3 directly affected approximately 2.4 million people, with 140,000 killed or listed as missing.

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