February 28, 2019

Urge UN to monitor and prevent human rights violations in Western Sahara

tags:	#western sahara, #human rights, #United Nations, #NGO
located:	Western Sahara
by:	Yair Oded

For decades, the Saharawi people of Western Sahara have been pushing for independence from Morocco, which refuses to relinquish control of the region. Last December, another failed round of talks between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front has left Western Saharans under grave uncertainty regarding their future.

While the United Nations maintains its presence in the area through MINURSO (the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara), it fails to oversee the humanitarian situation in the region and curb the numerous human rights violations taking place there— including gross violation of freedom of expression, movement, assembly, and the right to fair trial and freedom from torture.

Western Sahara Action Forum (WSAF) is a nonprofit working to pressure the UN Security council to establish a human rights monitoring mechanism in Western Sahara alongside the renewal of the MINURSO mandate— until a free and fair referendum takes place to determine the future of the region’s residents.

In addition to gathering and circulating information regarding human rights abuses in the region, WSAF take actions to raise the issues with those in charge at the United Nations.

One of their campaigns invites supporters to draft and send letters to members of the UN Security Council regarding the issue.

Please visit their website to learn how you can help pressure the international community to take a stronger stance against human rights violations in a conflict zone that often fails to reach the public’s attention.