GENEVA (16 October 2019) – A digital tool used by the Netherlands to detect welfare fraud discriminates against the poorest members of society and undermines the rights to privacy and social security...

The digital welfare state is either already a reality or emerging in many countries across the globe. In these states, systems of social protection and assistance are increasingly driven by digital data and technologies that are used to automate, predict, identify, surveil, detect, target and punish. In the present report, the irresistible attractions for Governments to move in this direction are acknowledged, but the grave risk of stumbling, zombie-like, into a digital welfare dystopia is highlighted. It is argued that big technology companies (frequently referred to as “big tech”) operate in an almost human rights-free zone, and that this is especially problematic when the private sector is taking a leading role in designing, constructing and even operatin g significant parts of the digital welfare state.

GENEVA (1 October 2019) – UN human rights experts* have expressed serious concerns about the disappearance of a prominent Lao human rights defender, Od Sayavong, who went missing in Thailand just...

Chinese GENEVA (24 September 2019) – UN human rights experts* have called upon China to immediately end harassment and surveillance of prominent human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong. Mr. Jiang was...

Our addiction to fossil fuels causes climate emergency, say human rights experts GENEVA (17 September 2019) – UN human rights experts call for an end to society's addiction to fossil fuels ahead of...

Signed by 26 mandates, see list below We are alarmed by the recent increase in hateful messages and incitement to discrimination and hatred against migrants, minority groups and various ethnic groups...

GENEVA (23 September 2019) – Thirty independent UN experts* have joined together to publish an open letter calling on States and social media firms to take action to curb the spread of hate speech....

Malay version Kuala Lumpur, 23 August 2019 Introduction Malaysia has achieved extraordinary growth over many years and has made huge strides in reducing poverty. It will soon be ranked as a high...

​Malay version GENEVA / KUALA LUMPUR (23 August 2019) – Malaysia lays claim to the world’s lowest national poverty rate by using an unduly low poverty line that does not reflect the cost of living and...

Malay Version GENEVA (8 August 2019) – The UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, will undertake a fact-finding visit to Malaysia from 13 to 23 August 2019....