Formal Verification and Security group at the Informatics Department (www.verify.inf.usi.ch) is looking for research assistants. Assistants are to join the Ph.D. program/or postdoctoral studies at the University of Lugano and to conduct their research as part of the fully funded … Continue reading →

We are a small team within Haemostasis Research at the University Hospital and University  of Bern, but we are one of the internationally renowned and leading research groups in the  field of blood coagulation factor XIII, and we have a … Continue reading →

The NCCR-TransCure is a research network sponsored by the Swiss National Science Foundation involving several universities in Switzerland. It focuses on membrane transporter research in the treatment of common human diseases. We are looking for a Postdoc in the laboratory … Continue reading →

In the laboratory of molecular nanotechnology of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), we are working on the design of molecular (nano)systems able of selfDassembly, molecular recognition  and catalysis. The present project is financed by the Swiss National … Continue reading →

The Optical Astronomy group of the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) has a world-leading position in the domain of optical surveys and characterization of fast moving objects, including artificial satellites, space debris, and asteroids. AIUB operates the … Continue reading →

The goal of the project is to develop a computer-aided platform to perform systematic process design for the synthesis chains of wood into marketable chemical products and energy services. This advanced decision support platform will be based on the development … Continue reading →

Empa is the interdisciplinary research and services institution for material sciences and technology development of the ETH Domain.   The main objective of a 3-partner interdisciplinary research project founded by the Swiss National Science Foundation is the investigation of implantable … Continue reading →

Silence never won rights.  They are not handed down from above; they are forced by pressures from below.  - Roger Nash Baldwin

Today we celebrate International Human Rights Day, marking the 63rd anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Today is one that continues to inspire people across the globe, transcending cultures and borders, as they stand united for human rights for all men, women and children.

The promotion and protection of global human rights became a priority for the United Nations following World War II, when world united to see that the horrors of the war would not be repeated. Respect for human rights and human dignity “is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”, the General Assembly declared three years later with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  As a result in 1950, the UN General Assembly selected 10 December as Human Rights Day (Resolution 423(V)).

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was born from the wounds of the Holocaust, which shocked the world over and gave birth to the word genocide.  As we sit in remembrance, we should note that we do not have to go back some 63 years to remember the monstrous human rights violations that face men, women and children.  The situations in the DRC, Sudan, Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Sri Lanka, Gaza and Afghanistan, are only a few examples of where we should ask ourselves if we have made any significant progresses.  Even though gender inequality has found a larger place on the awareness map this past year, we continue to battle for equality and education for all, and for an end to gender discrimination, child labor and all forms of modern slavery. We have gained some ground in the battle to ensure basic human rights for all. But we have a long way to go: the horrors of abuse, war and genocide still exist, and they are too often ignored as we go about our daily lives.

86% of the world’s children live in the developing world. Many lack access to primary education, and forced labor, sexual abuse, and gender inequality run rampant. A third of all children in the developing world have had some level of malnutrition by the age of five, and have little or no access to adequate healthcare. In 2011, millions upon millions of children continue to live in dire conditions. 215 million children work as child laborers, 115 million in hazardous conditions (ILO). While there has been progress, especially in regard to awareness on issues like child trafficking, the majority of problems are stagnate in the world of international politics.

It is clear that we have a long way to go yet to ensure that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is upheld across the globe. On this Human Rights Day, let us act as a united global community and hold ourselves accountable for ensuring the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration. Take this day not only to celebrate progress, but to resolve to act, to address the voices of those who seek their right to freedom.

Links to UN and UN System sites:

United Nations

• Human Rights Day
• Human Rights
• Human Rights Council
• General Assembly, Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Committee (3rd Committee)
• Global Issues on the UN Agenda: Human Rights
• UN Works for Human Rights
• CyberSchoolBus – Student Conference on Human Rights at the United Nations
• International Criminal Court

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

• Human Rights Day
• Message of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Commission on Human Rights
• Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
• Human Rights Committee
• Human Rights Bodies
• Human Rights Issues
• International Law

International Labour Organization

• International Labour Standards
• ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
• Standards and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work

Unesco

• Human Rights
• Human Rights Education
• World Forum on Human Rights, 2nd Edition – Nantes, France, 10-13 July 2006

UNICEF

• Children’s Rights
• Children Have Rights
• Realizing Rights, Getting Results

UnitedNationsDevelopment Fund for Women

• Human Rights

United Nations Development Programme

• Poverty Reduction
• Inter-Agency Campaign on Women’s Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean
• Equality between Women and Men

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

• Democracy, Governance and Well-Being
• Gender Justice, Development and Rights

World Health Organization

• Health and Human Rights

International Human Rights Links: .

• African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
• Alliances for Africa
• Amnesty International
• Arab Organization for Human Rights
• Asian Human Rights Commission
• Carter Center
• Centre for Human Rights
• (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
• Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
• (Washington College of Law, American University)
• Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative
• Derechos Human Rights
• European Court of Human Rights
• Human and Constitutional Rights (Arthur W. Diamond Law Library, Columbia Law School )
• Human Rights Internet
• Human Rights Library
• (University of Minnesota)
• Human Rights Watch
• Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
• Inter-American Court of Human Rights
• International Committee of the Red Cross
• International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
• International Federation of Human Rights Leagues
• International Institute of Human Rights
• Rights International
• Universal Rights Network
• Women’s Human Rights

PhD position opened in Switzerland for engineers (Microengineering & Computer Science) Building robotic/automated acquisition devices for the analysis and modelling of complexity in animal colour traits In the context of a multidisciplinary study combining mathematical modelling, computer science, and evolutionary developmental genetics, we … Continue reading →