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	Human Rights Leader Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin passes by United Nations Population Fund Nigeria   With profound sadness, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, announces that its Executive Director, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, passed away suddenly at his home last night. He was 68 years old.   “This is a devastating loss for UNFPA and for the people, especially women, girls and youth, he dedicated his life to serving, starting from when he became a doctor in Nigeria. UNFPA expresses its deep sympathy to his family and prays that they have the fortitude to bear this great loss,” said UNFPA management.   “Dr. Osotimehin was bold and never afraid of a challenge and his strong leadership helped keep the health and rights of the world’s women and girls high on the global agenda. He understood that the world’s 1.8 billion young people are truly its greatest hope for the future.”   UNFPA is dedicated to continuing Dr. Osotimehin’s grand vision for women and young people and will continue to stand up for the human rights and dignity of everyone, particularly the most vulnerable adolescent girls.   He vigorously championed three major transformative goals of zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet demand for family planning and the elimination of harmful practices against women and girls. UNFPA urges all to honour his legacy by rallying around those global goals.   Dr. Osotimehin, a physician and public health expert, became UNFPA’s fourth Executive Director on 1 January 2011, with the rank of United Nations Under-Secretary-General.   Before this appointment, Dr. Osotimehin was Nigeria’s Minister of Health. Prior to that, he was Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, which coordinated HIV and AIDS work in Nigeria.   Dr. Osotimehin qualified as a doctor from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1972, and went to the University of Birmingham, England, where he got a doctorate in medicine in 1979. He was appointed Professor at the University of Ibadan in 1980 and headed the Department of Clinical Pathology before being elected Provost of the College of Medicine in 1990.   Dr. Osotimehin received the Nigerian national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger in December 2005. He led several councils, including in the World Economic Forum.   He was married, had five children and several grandchildren.   5 June 2017   Statement by the Secretary-General on the death of Babatunde Osotimehin   I am profoundly saddened by the sudden passing of my good colleague and friend, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin. I offer sincere condolences to his family, to the staff of UNFPA, to the Government and people of Nigeria, and to all those around the world touched by this loss.   The world has lost a great champion of health and well-being for all.   Dr. Babatunde was admired globally for his leadership of the UN Population Fund and for his forceful advocacy for the world''s women and girls in particular.   Sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights are among the most important, and often sensitive, on the international agenda; Dr. Babatunde''s calm yet ardent efforts helped families get the sexual and reproductive health services they need, and helped the world advance the landmark 1994 Cairo Programme of Action on Population and Development. His voice was invaluable over the years, including his time as Nigeria''s Minister of Health, in pressing for family planning, women''s education, children''s health and action on HIV/AIDS as vital ingredients in human progress.   At this moment of sorrow, let us give thanks for Babatunde''s life of service. Visit the related web page
	UN expert calls for urgent action to safeguard progress made in minority rights protection by Rita Izsak-Ndiaye Special Rapporteur on minority issues   A United Nations expert has called for swift guarantees to safeguard achievements and advances in the field of minority rights protection.   In an address to the Human Rights Council in Geneva as Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsak-Ndiaye expressed concern about an alarming increase in hate speech, xenophobic rhetoric and incitement to hatred against minorities worldwide, alongside a rise in extremism and far-right political parties.   “In this critical time, we need unequivocal political will, as well as strengthened legislative and institutional frameworks, to help create conditions for cohesive societies where there is unity in diversity,” Ms. Izsak-Ndiaye said.   “Democracy requires good and inclusive governance which allows for the pluralism necessary to enable all population groups to preserve and develop their identity on the basis of dignity and rights for all.”   The Special Rapporteur emphasized the importance of accurate data and statistics on minorities for policy making, and called for dedicated institutions in charge of minority rights and relations to be established.   The aim, she said, would be to close the gaps between the often ambitious policies, legislation, action plans and programmes on minorities and the reality, in which often the actual implementation is lacking.   Ms. Izsak-Ndiaye pointed out that there were minorities in particularly precarious situations because States refused to recognize them as minorities or even as citizens.   “The existence of an ethnic, religious or linguistic minority in a given State does not depend on decisions of the government but needs to be established by objective criteria,” she stressed.   “Moreover, out of 10 million people deprived of a nationality globally, many, if not most of them belong to minorities. Swift measures are needed to end statelessness so it will not be a further source of stigmatization for minorities,” she added.   Ms. Izsak-Ndiaye urged more efforts to integrate migrants into societies new to them saying: “Feelings of alienation and lack of belonging experienced by migrants on the one hand, and citizens being afraid and feeling threatened on the other, should be met with concerted bridge-building efforts - to enable new minorities to integrate into the social fabric.”   The Special Rapporteur reminded the Council that 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities as well as the 10th anniversary of the UN Forum on Minority Issues.   These occasions, she said, provided an excellent opportunity to discuss not just progress made so far but also the challenges remaining. Ms. Izsák-Ndiaye called on the UN and its Member States to consider possible measures to strengthen existing mechanisms to fulfil the promises made to minorities.   Reflecting on her six-year tenure, the Special Rapporteur concluded: “I was often struck by the general lack of knowledge and understanding by the public about the daily struggles of disadvantaged minorities which was often compounded by denial or negligence on the part of officials.   “Strenuous efforts are needed to enhance awareness-raising, communication, trust-building, inclusion and power-sharing measures to forge a sense of belonging for the different population groups which is a prerequisite for sustainable development, peace and stability of our societies.   We must never lose sight of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which declares that we are all born free and equal in dignity and rights, and we are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” Visit the related web page
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