Human Rights in the News: June 2020
/Curated by Nikki Bambauer
Welcome to the June 2020 edition of Human Rights in the News, Woven Teaching’s monthly collection of important human rights stories from around the world.
A delegation of one woman and ten men signing the UN Charter. There are flags and the UN logo behind them (Credit: UN Photo/Yould)
UN marks 75-year milestone anniversary of founding Charter
UN News | June 26, 2020
June 26 marked the 75th anniversary of the signing on the UN Charter in San Francisco. “Conceived above all as a means to save future generations from the scourge of war, the Charter calls for the Organization to maintain international peace and security; promote social progress and better standards of life; strengthen international law; and promote human rights.” Learn more >
An unhoused person wearing grey lays on a sidewalk. A colorful mural is pictured on the wall behind them (Credit: Franco Folini/Flickr)
Homeless Deaths Have Tripled in San Francisco Amid Pandemic
Ellie Swain | Invisible People | June 29, 2020
When compared to the same period of time last year, the number of unhoused people in San Francisco who have died this year has tripled. According to the reporter, while many of the deaths do not seem to be directly related to coronavirus, disruptions to services and limited shelter space as a result of the pandemic may be a contributing factor. Learn more >
Uighur men, facing away from camera, in the Xinjiang region of China (Credit: · · · — — — · · · via Flickr)
UN experts urge world to ensure China respects human rights
Associated Press | June 26, 2020
UN human rights experts gave urged the international community to to “take all appropriate measures” to monitor China and ensure that human rights are respected in the country. The expert group is particularly concerned about Beijing’s treatment of ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region and Tibet. Learn more >
Wind turbines and a solar panel against a setting sun (Credit: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre)
Clean power companies 'failing on human rights'
ReNews | June 29, 2020
According to a new report by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, none of the world’s largest public solar or wind energy companies meets their responsibility to respect human rights. The average score was 22% – meeting less than one-quarter of their responsibilities as outlined by the United Nations. Learn more >
Police in riot gear chase a protestor in a tie-dye t-shirt and shorts in Washington, DC (Credit: Reuters)
‘State-sanctioned violence’: US police fail to meet basic human rights standards
Ed Pilkington | The Guardian | June 22, 2020
A University of Chicago study recently found that none of the police departments in the United States’ 20 largest cities are compliant with minimum standards as laid out by international human rights law. “The Chicago study underlines how far policing in America is adrift from international norms, making the US a lonely outlier on the world stage.” Learn more >
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