Independent rights expert Reem Alsalem hailed the landmark 9 January decision by the Kentucky court declaring the US Department of Education’s regulations implementing the Title IX legislation as unlawful. The ruling extends nationwide. 

Title IX is a 1972 law to combat sex discrimination in education programmes or activities that receive federal funding. 

Last April, the Department of Education announced revisions that expand protection to include transgender and non-binary students, among others, on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.

‘A pivotal moment”

In the judgement, the court found that the regulations, which redefined the scope of sex discrimination under Title IX to include gender identity, exceeded its statutory authority and violated constitutional protections, Ms. Alsalem noted.

 “This is a pivotal moment in safeguarding the rights of women and girls to non-discrimination based on their sex and reasserting the obligations of the United States to protect this fundamental human right,” she said. 

 She further noted that the ruling clarified that “when Title IX is viewed in its entirety, it is abundantly clear that discrimination on the basis of sex means discrimination on the basis of being male and female.”

Safeguarding girls’ right to education

Ms. Alsalem said that Title IX has historically been the cornerstone for advancing gender equality in the US education system. 

She wrote to the Government last December, raising concerns about the human rights implications of the Department of Education’s then-proposed changes.

 “By preserving the original intent of Title IX, the Court has restored factual clarity and common sense to the design of policies that affect women and girls, reasserting their rights to access education under conditions of dignity, equality, and safety,” she said. 

 She urged the US Government to take careful note of the decision and reaffirm its commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls.

Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and report on specific country situations or thematic issues.

These experts are not UN staff and are independent of any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive payment for their work. 

“I arrived, I have to say, with a heavy heart, given the compounded traumas over decades in both countries, but I see signs of new beginnings,” said Volker Türk – speaking in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

On Wednesday, he was in Damascus for his first ever visit to Syria where he called for “urgent reconsideration” of sanctions following a constructive meeting with the head of the transitional authorities.

Hopes run high

Despite the immense challenges, he noted a sense of hope for Lebanon’s future. He highlighted the importance of the ongoing ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which continues to hold.

“The critically important ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel continues broadly to hold, albeit with worrying reports of continued demolitions by Israeli forces in towns and villages in southern Lebanon,” he remarked.

The recent election of a new President and Prime Minister in Lebanon has ended a two-year political stalemate, opening the door for much-needed reforms.

Time for reform and renewal

“With the election of this new leadership, there is momentum for political stability, economic recovery, and long-overdue implementation of critical reforms to address the multiple socio-economic crises and gaping inequalities facing Lebanon,” the High Commissioner emphasized.

Lebanon’s active civil society has underscored the need for full respect for freedom of expression and association, combating discrimination, improving participation and representation of women, guaranteeing full gender equality, recognizing and including people with disabilities, and ensuring human rights protections for the most marginalized and at risk.

“Respect for human rights requires specific and continuing investment in the rule of law,” he noted.

Reckoning with the past

The High Commissioner also called for a resumption of the independent investigation into the Beirut port explosion in August 2020, which killed over 218 people and rendered hundreds of thousands homeless.

“I repeat that those responsible for that tragedy must be held to account and offer the support of my office in this regard,” he stated.

Lebanon is currently experiencing one of the worst economic declines in modern history, with severe currency devaluation and triple-digit inflation affecting basic necessities.

According to the World Bank, 44 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, with 2.5 million people in need of food assistance. “There is a need for a renewal of the social contract that rebuilds the social fabric, that restores confidence in the institutions of the State,” the High Commissioner urged.

The recent months of fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants in the shadow of the Gaza war, have resulted in significant loss of life and displacement. More than 4,000 lives were reportedly lost, including over 1,100 women and children, and over 200 healthcare workers and journalists.

The ceasefire, which began in late November 2024, remains fragile but is holding despite violations.

“My office stands ready to strengthen our human rights work and to accompany the country as it moves forward,” the High Commissioner concluded, emphasizing the need for a durable peace and the safe return of civilians.

Speaking from Damascus after meeting the leader of the caretaker authorities, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Mr. Türk said that he had been “assured…of the importance of respect for human rights for all Syrians and all different components of Syrian society”.

Syria’s de facto leader – who spearheaded the lightning overthrow of Bashar Al Assad on 8 December at the head of opposition fighters Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) –  also underscored “the pursuit of healing, trust building and social cohesion, and the reform of institutions”, the High Commissioner said. 

Staggering needs 

“But the challenges are immense,” he continued, pointing to the “hundreds of thousands of lives” lost, the fact that much of the country lies in ruins”.

Today, nine in 10 Syrians are “mired in poverty, the health system is on its knees and many schools are closed,” Mr. Türk said. “Millions are still displaced both inside and outside the country. The rights to food, health, education and housing are fundamental human rights, and there must be prompt, collective and concerted efforts to guarantee them.”

Calling for “an urgent reconsideration” of ongoing sanctions on Syria “with a view to lifting them”, the UN rights chief said that considering their impact on the lives of the Syrian people was key. 

Sednaya horrors

Mr. Türk – whose visit to Syria is a first for any UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – said that he had heard harrowing testimony from numerous victims of torture. 

They included some jailed at the notorious Sednaya prison outside Damascus, where his Office documented violations “for years”.

The UN rights chief described prisoners telling him that “early in the morning, as they heard the guards at their door, trembling in fear, they retreated to the rear of the cell, fearing they would be hauled out again to be tortured, or even executed.”

Thousands died in prisons throughout Syria, the High Commissioner explained, as he went on to condemn the “apocalyptic wasteland” of the bombed-out residential neighbourhood of Jobar, in Damascus, which he visited.

Mass killing, destruction

“Not a single building in the area was spared bombardment in wave after wave of attacks,” Mr. Türk said, adding that it was “inconceivable that such mass killings and destruction” had happened. 

It was equally difficult to believe “that banned chemical weapons were used against civilians elsewhere in the country and not just once”, the UN rights chief said – a likely reference to several deadly chlorine gas attacks, including on two residential buldings in Douma in northeast Damascus by the Syrian air force on 7 April 2018.

It “says a lot about the extreme brutality of the tactics used by the former regime”, whose acts “constitute some of the most serious crimes under international humanitarian law.”

‘Real threats’ to Syria remain

Away from the immediate destruction and grief of war, the High Commissioner highlighted that the people of Syria “need every ounce of help they can get to rebuild a country that works for all Syrians”. 

The UN human rights office, OHCHR – which has had a dedicated Syria monitoring team since 2013 – “will continue to support inclusive, nationally owned and driven processes”, Mr. Türk said.

He warned of “very real threats” to Syria’s territorial integrity and independence. The country’s sovereignty “must be fully respected and rigorously upheld. The ongoing conflicts and hostilities must end,” the High Commissioner insisted, adding: “This is really a seminal moment for Syria after decades of repression. 

“My most fervent hope is for all Syrians to be able to thrive together, regardless of gender, religion or ethnicity and to build a common future.”