Category: Human Rights News
News and updates on Human Rights, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of children and the dark side of the travel and tourism industry.Click here to submit news and tips.
The UNWTO Election just killed any decency left in the UN System
Juergen T Steinmetz- January 20, 2021 05:30The UNWTO Executive Council extended the mandate for UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Zurab Pololikashvil until the end of 2025. This is a sad day, and not an evaluation of Mr. Zurab's ... Read More
ECPAT-USA report: Human Trafficking Laws for Lodging Industry
Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor- January 20, 2021 03:34An updated ECPAT-USA report details laws in all 50 states and 23 US territories, counties, and cities for the lodging industry. Read More
2020 Gay Travel Awards winners revealed!
Harry S. Johnson- December 29, 2020 15:59The 2020 Gay Travel Awards announced the winners today. In its fifth year, the Gay Travel Awards mission is to recognize and reward select accommodations, destinations, and transportation companies worldwide. These ... Read More
Names of 35 Tourism Ministers UNWTO is targeting to influence elections
Juergen T Steinmetz- December 17, 2020 03:15So far tourism ministers in these 35 countries had been quiet. One minister told eTurboNews off the record: "Why would I stick my neck out first?" This type of thinking ... Read More
WTTC: New inclusion and diversity guidelines to aid global Travel & Tourism
Harry S. Johnson- December 15, 2020 18:14The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched its new high-level guidelines for inclusion and diversity in the Travel & Tourism sector, which have been compiled to support businesses ... Read More
Peace Through Tourism: How Louis D’Amore spread the virus?
Juergen T Steinmetz- December 10, 2020 00:30Louis D'Amore is a hero and was awarded this honor by World Tourism Network. Lous D'Amore is the president and founder of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism. (IIPT) ... Read More
Human Rights Alarm in Uganda
eTN Managing Editor- November 29, 2020 18:50Ugandan police responded violently to protestors, killing at least 37, injuring more than 65 others, and incarcerating approximately 350 Ugandan protestors. TASSC respectfully asks that the United States take a leadership ... Read More
Nigerian Lives Matter: Really?
Juergen T Steinmetz- October 22, 2020 22:3156 innocent protesters were shot by the Nigerian army. Citizens are terrified and are hiding in their homes or on the streets fighting. A tweet says: "From today, I want ... Read More
Wheels Up partners with International LGBTQ+ Travel Association
Harry S. Johnson- October 20, 2020 15:56The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association announced today that Wheels Up has become its first global partner in the private aviation sector. Wheels Up, the leading brand in private aviation, is ... Read More
UNICEF to stockpile over half a billion syringes for COVID-19 vaccine by year’s end
Chief Assignment Editor- October 19, 2020 22:49As soon as vaccines are licensed for use, the world will need as many syringes as doses of vaccine, said UNICEF on Monday. To begin preparations, this year, UNICEF will ... Read More
Sao Paulo Governor: COVID-19 vaccination will be compulsory for all residents
Harry S. Johnson- October 17, 2020 07:30Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria has announced that the vaccination for coronavirus will be mandatory for all residents of the state. The head of Brazil's most populous state told reporters ... Read More
Southwest Airlines committed to increasing diversity in leadership
Harry S. Johnson- September 29, 2020 09:29Southwest Airlines Co. today reinforced a continued commitment to putting People first and championing an inclusive workplace for all Employees. In a video message for the Company's Employees, Chairman of the ... Read More
IGLTA moves its 2021 Global Convention to September
Harry S. Johnson- September 15, 2020 16:16The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) announced today that it’s planning to bring the 37th edition of its global convention to the W Atlanta-Midtown, 8-11 September 2021. This marks the ... Read More
Wizz Air: Stop union busting in Ukraine!
Harry S. Johnson- September 10, 2020 19:44Following attacks on workers’ rights and the freedom of association by Wizz Air in Ukraine, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) urge authorities to ... Read More
Italian mayor threatens to fine people €2,000 for WEARING a face mask
Harry S. Johnson- September 5, 2020 18:41In the midst of global COVID-19 pandemic, going out to public places without wearing a face mask is considered an offense in many countries and cities. In mid-August, Italy made ... Read More
Amsterdam’s Red Light District may soon become a thing of the past
Harry S. Johnson- September 3, 2020 19:50The Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), a junior partner in the Netherlands’ coalition government, has breathed fresh life into the country’s long-running debate on legality of prostitution with the calls for ... Read More
LGBTQ people are fleeing Poland
Juergen T Steinmetz- August 30, 2020 20:52About a thousand pro-LGBT+ demonstrators took to the streets of Warsaw to take a stance against hate and discrimination on Sunday. The demonstrators were seen chanting slogans, dancing, and carrying ... Read More
Boeing donates over $10 million to support racial equity and social justice
Harry S. Johnson- August 28, 2020 19:17Boeing today donated $10.6 million to a group of 20 nonprofits working to address racial equity and social justice in the United States. The funding package is part of the ... Read More
New Zealand court rules country’s first COVID-19 lockdown illegal
Harry S. Johnson- August 19, 2020 19:56New Zealand's High Court ruled today that the country’s COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, under threat of punishment, from March 26 to April 3 were unlawful as they infringed on people’s rights ... Read More
Hotel Association of Los Angeles condemns use of hotels for migrant detention
Harry S. Johnson- August 19, 2020 01:39The Hotel Association of Los Angeles issues the following statement, attributable to Executive Director Heather Rozman about recent use of Southern California hotels as migrant detention centers. "The Hotel Association ... Read More
German Citizen from Glendora, California abducted by Iran Ministry in Dubai
Juergen T Steinmetz- August 4, 2020 18:48When flying on Emirates Airlines from Los Angeles to India, you need to change planes in Dubai, UAE. This may cost Jamshid Sharmahd his life. Jamshid Sharmahd is a German ... Read More
Celebrated human rights activist dies in Kyrgyzstan prison
Harry S. Johnson- July 28, 2020 00:17Human rights activist Azimjam Askarov has died while in detention in Kyrgyzstan, despite numerous international rulings calling for his immediate and unconditional release. Askarov had already spent 10 years imprisoned ... Read More
Emergency in North Korea: DPRK reports COVID19 cases
Juergen T Steinmetz- July 26, 2020 00:09North Korea admits a returning “runaway” has tested positive for Covid-19 in the city of Kaesong, looking to trace contacts from the last five days. It’s the first time DPRK ... Read More
UN and ICAO help airline cabin crew combat human trafficking
Harry S. Johnson- July 16, 2020 19:52The United Nations took an important step forward in preventing trafficking in persons, with the launch of the new online training to support the implementation of the ICAO-OHCHR Guidelines for ... Read More
Netherlands sues Russia over Malaysia Airlines MH17 shot down over Ukraine in 2014
Harry S. Johnson- July 15, 2020 22:04The government of the Netherlands has filed a lawsuit with the European Court on Human Rights (ECHR) against Russia over the 2014 shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 passenger ... Read More
United Airlines named top company for disability inclusion
Chief Assignment Editor- July 15, 2020 18:18United Airlines was recognized for the fifth consecutive year as a top-scoring company and best place to work for disability inclusion with a perfect score of 100 on the 2020 ... Read More
IGLTA reschedules Milan Global Convention to 2022
Harry S. Johnson- July 2, 2020 15:32The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association has confirmed that it will bring its 38th Annual Global Convention to Milan in 2022. The convention, the premier educational and networking event for LGBTQ+ ... Read More
Delta Air Lines employees support Georgia’s new hate crime law
Harry S. Johnson- June 26, 2020 19:41After advocacy by thousands of Georgians – including Delta Air Lines and its employees - Georgia has approved tough new hate crime legislation. The bill was formally signed into law ... Read More
Is an LGBT lifestyle really satanic?
George Taylor- June 26, 2020 08:49The Kingdom of Eswatini is a beautiful country with very conservative values and was formerly known as Swaziland. In Eswatini, eSwatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM) was founded as one ... Read More
ACLU concerned about facial recognition technology use at Hawaii airports
Harry S. Johnson- June 22, 2020 23:42The ACLU of Hawaii Foundation (ACLU of Hawaii) writes with serious constitutional, civil rights, and privacy concerns about the announcement that the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation (“DOT”) is ... Read More
Monumental Tragedy for Africa unfolding in Burundi on COVID-19?
Juergen T Steinmetz- June 17, 2020 07:41Tanzania just opened its travel and tourism industry and should stay aware of the ongoing development in neighboring Burundi. In April the African Tourism Board Chairman Cuthbert Ncube urged Burundi ... Read More
Working for Emirates Airlines could mean arrest, imprisonment and Interpol warrants
Juergen T Steinmetz- June 11, 2020 21:55Like any airline in the world, COVID-19 is putting airline operations on the edge. Emirates had been leading in innovative solutions to make the carrier safe and in relaunching its ... Read More
Puerto Vallarta LGBTQ visitors asked about COVID-19 effect on travel plans
Chief Assignment Editor- June 3, 2020 22:33From May 14-18, 2020, Casa Cupula, a luxury LGBT boutique hotel in Puerto Vallarta reached out to their guests, and to people in the LGBT community in general who visit ... Read More
Trump: Heavily armed military will restore order in the United States
Juergen T Steinmetz- June 1, 2020 22:52Did the President of the United States, Donald Trump, just declare war on the American people? Is the US on its way to a dictatorship? Thousands and thousands of heavily ... Read More
World Tourism United: One Song, 50 Affected Countries, Amazing!
Juergen T Steinmetz- May 31, 2020 10:18World leaders declared an emergency restricting our human right to travel, but here is what makes us human! People in 50 countries facing the realities of COVID-19 got together at ... Read More
Montréal Pride Festival: Pride goes beyond any physical or in-person gathering
Harry S. Johnson- May 19, 2020 23:57The Montréal Pride Festival, presented by TD, proudly announces that it will hold a 360 Edition from August 10 to 16 in an entirely adapted form, and stresses that the ... Read More