In Geneva, she highlighted the global challenge of “declining respect for human rights and multilateralism,” with conflicts, debt, and reduced development assistance posing risks to reversing progress.
The OECD, a 38-member economic cooperation organization, forecasts a nine to 17 percent decrease in aid next year, with the least-developed countries potentially facing a reduction of up to 25 percent, amidst soaring military expenditures.
“The situation is evident: poverty reduction has stalled, and nearly all SDGs are off track,” Ms. Al Nashif stated, referencing the World Bank’s caution of a “lost decade for development.”
Way forward
Despite the grim prospects, she suggested that the right to development could offer a valuable way forward — by reforming fiscal policies, enhancing social protection, and aligning global finance with human rights values.
Nearly 40 years since the UN Declaration on the Right to Development, Ms. Al Nashif called on governments to “transition from words to deeds,” citing new momentum from initiatives like the Sevilla Commitment and revitalized global solidarity at the 80th UN General Assembly.
UN independent expert: Belarus is no ‘paradise’ for workers
“Contrary to claims, Belarus is not the worker’s paradise authorities profess it to be, despite their declared dedication to economic and social rights,” stated UN independent human rights expert on Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, at the UN General Assembly on Monday.
As a Human Rights Council-appointed expert, Mr. Muižnieks presented his latest report, exposing widespread politically-motivated discrimination and harassment in both the public and private sectors of Belarus.
Forced labour
He also uncovered unjustifiable job access restrictions based on political reasons and the use of forced labor, often unpaid or poorly paid, as a punitive measure against unjustly incarcerated individuals.
The report comes after a two-year involvement with the International Labour Organization (ILO), which has placed Belarus under heightened scrutiny for violations of trade union rights.
Mr. Muižnieks, who is not a UN staff member and receives no salary for his role, reminded that over 1,100 individuals remain arbitrarily detained in Belarus, and some of those released have been deported and had their passports confiscated, risking statelessness and fearing to return home.
IOM steps up Ebola and mpox preparedness across Africa
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is enhancing its health response across Africa, promptly addressing the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) last September and aiding mpox preparedness in several African nations.
The agency’s primary goal is to ensure full operation of all entry points and screenings to curb disease spread in areas with human movement.
“These measures are vital for preventing disease spread and ensuring the safety of both travelers and border communities,” said Frantz Celestin, IOM’s regional director for East, Horn, and Southern Africa.
Border communities are at increased risk due to high mobility and limited health services access, but operational screening points have facilitated over 169,000 screenings.
Improved mpox response
The agency also supports national mpox responses in multiple countries. In Uganda and Ethiopia, health authorities utilize
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