Challenges and Human Rights Violations in Migration, Physical Health, and Capital Punishment

Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration Fails to Prevent Record Deaths at Sea

In a report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Special Rapporteur Siobhán Mullally revealed that despite the commitments made in the 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, at least 8,565 people have died on migration routes worldwide in 2023, marking it as the deadliest year on record.

The report highlighted that more than half of the deaths were due to drowning, emphasizing the urgent need for individual or joint search and rescue operations at sea to prevent further tragedies. Ms. Mullally stressed the importance of upholding the right to life as a fundamental human right, especially for victims of trafficking at sea.

The situation facing Rohingya refugees was also brought to attention, with nearly 4,500 Rohingya undertaking perilous sea journeys in 2023, resulting in 569 reported deaths or missing persons. The number of people leaving the shore and the number of casualties have both increased significantly compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, the report discussed the alarming rates of physical inactivity worldwide, with nearly one third of adults not meeting the recommended levels of exercise. This poses a significant threat to global health, increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and certain cancers.

The study by researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that certain regions, such as high-income Asia-Pacific and South Asia, exhibited the highest rates of physical inactivity. Gender disparity was also evident, with women globally being less active than men, and individuals over 60 being less active than other adults.

In another troubling development, a group of human rights experts raised concerns about the arbitrary executions taking place in Iraq, with nearly 400 executions reported since 2016, including 30 this year. The experts pointed out that executing prisoners based on torture-tainted confessions under a counterterrorism law may amount to a crime against humanity.

The experts called for an immediate halt to all executions in Iraq, fair retrials for prisoners on death row, and thorough investigations into reported irregularities in the administration of justice. The report serves as a poignant reminder of the need for greater protection of human rights and the prevention of tragic loss of life on migration routes and beyond.