UN human rights chief decries politicians who 'scapegoat', attempts to 'muzzle' freedoms

Volker Türk, UN human rights chief, opened the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council today in Geneva addressing various global issues including political unrest, regression on women's rights and, freedom of press and expression.

Addressing the council he said "Human rights are not in crisis, but political leadership needed to make them a reality is. In every region around the world, we see deep seated power dynamics at play, to grab a hold on to power at the expense of universal human rights."

Türk also mentioned the set back on women's rights imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

"Despite some important advancements, 30 years after the universal commitments on women's rights in Beijing, the shadow of patriarchy still looms large. We are seeing alarming regressions on gender equality issues that we thought had been settled years ago, at the most extreme, for example in Afghanistan."

Other points of discussion on the agenda for the Council will also seem to include the scapegoating of migrants, refugees and minorities by politicians and the media in various countries, as well as "the attempts to muzzle freedoms of expression, assembly and association, and a free press".