Human Rights | United Nations Blog

April marks the 19th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda. — What is the UN doing to prevent such tragedies in the future? What is the role of the international community, and of individual countries, in the prevention of genocide? What difference can individuals, NGOs, the media make?

Adama Dieng, the UN Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide took questions via our social media platforms. See his answers to the following questions in this video:

What can States do to prevent genocide? — Gregor Hofmann, Germany (via Twitter)
What measures can the UN adopt to save the world from the scourge of genocide? — Ajebe Akame Gilbert, Cameroon (via Facebook)
In a field of too often bad news, what are some positive examples in your experience preventing genocide? – Daniel P. Sullivan, USA (via Twitter)
What is the UN doing to stop the killing in Syria? — Zara Sari, Algeria (via Facebook)

There is a separate short video in French, with just one question:

Que fait l’ONU pour mettre fin à la violence en Syrie? — Zara Sari, Algerie (via Facebook)

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Mr. Mutuma Ruteere, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Photo credit: UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Mr. Mutuma Ruteere, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, is ready to answer your questions. Share your questions on Twitter using #FightRacism between now and Friday, 15 March. Answers to selected questions will be posted online on 21 March, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Independent experts, or special rapporteurs, are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

Mr. Ruteere currently serves as Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Policy Studies in Nairobi, Kenya. He holds a PhD in political science with a specialization in human rights, and has taught human rights in Kenya, South Africa, Sweden and the United States. He has advised state agencies, NGOs and private sector organizations on human rights, and he is particularly interested in issues related to security,
conflict and development, gangs, violence and terrorism.

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