Widad Franco

🚨NEW on @hrw: My article how #UN members should select a champion of #HumanRights as the next UN Secretary-General as the UN faces a crisis amid a global retreat on rights and democracy. tinyurl.com/NextUNSG

Only the Central and Eastern Europe Group has a competitive slate. Belarus, which has effectively outlawed civil society and prosecutes human rights defenders, is vying with #Estonia and #Ukraine for two spots and should be rejected.

Abusive governments that restrict civil society have long held a majority on the panel. Instead of vetting applications responsibly so that organizations can interact with UN bodies and officials, it has largely blocked applications, particularly of #humanrights groups.

🚨NEW▶️@hrw: UN NGO Committee election in April is largely uncompetitive. And some candidates are hostile to civil society, restricting or even persecuting them, such as #Belarus. 📢Rights-respecting Governments shld seek seats on gatekeeper Body. tinyurl.com/UNNGOPanel 🧵

El Salvador 🇸🇻 | Desde marzo de 2025, autoridades salvadoreñas han sometido a desaparición forzada y detención arbitraria a salvadoreños deportados desde Estados Unidos. Al menos 11 siguen incomunicados y sin haber sido presentados ante un juez. hrw.org/es/news/2026/0…

Human Rights Watch is very concerned about reports of mass casualties from an airstrike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul. The authorities should promptly investigate the incident. Civilian facilities must never be targeted or put at risk of disproportionate attack.

📢UN Members should ensure that these elements remain in the draft.

👉 Adopt stronger national climate plans 👉Phase out fossil fuels 👉Take action to protect communities displaced by climate change. 👉Support mechanisms to document & track losses

🚨NEW from @hrw: tinyurl.com/VanuICJ 🌍On this new round of discussions on Vanuatu's UN General Assembly resolution on @ICJ_org Advisory Opinion on #ClimateChange, we call on UN members to support it to translate the #ICJ’s findings into action. UN member states should🧵

The pattern of strikes hitting distinct structures across a military compound and adjacent girls school where scores were killed, plus entry points of munitions on buildings, show the school was hit by highly accurate, guided munitions, not errant weapons. trib.al/vWAunAN

NEW: The Israeli military unlawfully used white phosphorus over homes on March 3, 2026, in the Lebanese town of Yohmor. The use of white phosphorus over residential areas is extremely alarming and will have dire consequences for civilians. Read more: bit.ly/4bdqxDt

NEW: Haitian security forces and private contractors working with them have conducted extensive and apparently unlawful lethal drone strikes. Dozens of ordinary people, including many children, have been killed and injured in these drone operations. hrw.org/news/2026/03/1…

The US attack on an #Iran school was a violation of the laws of war that can't be boiled down to a blameless mistake. The US military has an obligation to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm, which it clearly did not do in this case. -@hrw hrw.org/news/2026/03/1…

NEW: An unlawful attack on a primary school in southern Iran before midday on February 28, 2026, that reportedly killed scores of civilians, including many children, should be investigated as a war crime. Read more: bit.ly/40dNAcv

#EU leaders should never belittle role of international law or apply it selectively - as they've done since #USA/#Israel's strikes on #Iran & retaliatory strikes on neighboring countries. It goes against #EU values & its long-term interests. Our take 👇 hrw.org/news/2026/03/0…

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made comments about “stupid rules of engagement” on Monday, suggesting they may interfere with “fight[ing] to win” in Iran. These remarks are concerning in light of Hegseth’s actions in the past year that have weakened US military posts and mechanisms intended to safeguard international humanitarian law.

🚨 UN Security Council meeting at 4pm EST today after US & #Israel launched military strikes against #Iran. @hrw is monitoring. Our focus remains civilian protection & carrying out our mandate by monitoring for any violations of international humanitarian & human rights law.

After the US/Israel strikes on Iran & Iranian strikes on Gulf states & Israel, all parties are obligated to respect IHL & prioritize civilian protection. @hrw has previously documented laws-of-war violations by the US, Israel, & Iran & serious failures in protecting civilians.

@hrw is closely monitoring initial reporting that Israel and the United States have launched strikes on Iran. Our focus remains civilian protection and carrying out our mandate by monitoring for any violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

“ Russia is jeopardizing women’s rights, health, and even lives, as part of its harmful ‘traditional values’ crusade. Accessing abortions in Russia is becoming increasingly difficult. @hrw new research. hrw.org/news/2026/02/1…

The threats to the global human rights system demand a courageous leader at the UN who will put human rights at the heart of its agenda. But the selection process gives veto power to the permanent members of the UN Security Council incl 🇨🇳🇷🇺🇺🇸... hrw.org/news/2026/02/1…