Human rights: Cambodia; girls in Pakistan; United Arab Emirates

Parliament expressed grave concerns about forced land evictions in Cambodia and the conditions faced by migrant workers in the United Arab Emirates and condemned the Taliban's harassment of girls in Pakistan, in three human rights resolutions passed on Friday.

Violence against activists in Cambodia

MEPs are alarmed by the politically motivated sentences and convictions against political critics, land activists and human rights defenders in Cambodia. It urged the Cambodian government to cease all forced land evictions until a transparent and accountable framework guaranteeing adequate compensation and suitable alternative accommodation is in place. It also wants to see a reform of the electoral system.

Discrimination against girls in Pakistan: the case of Malala Yousafzai

MEPs condemned the violent attack by the Taliban on 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, for defending the right to education for girls in her blog. Deeply concerned about the worsening trend of violent extremism and repeated reports of violations of children's and women's rights, Parliament called on Pakistan's government to tackle discrimination and violence against women and girls effectively.

It welcomed the widespread condemnation of the attack by large sections of Pakistani society and asked the government to increase funding for public schools, calling on the Commission to develop, jointly with Pakistan, education programmes for women.

Migrants in the United Arab Emirates

Parliament also voiced major concerns about assault, repression and intimidation against human rights activists in the United Arab Emirates and repeated its condemnation of the death penalty and torture. It stressed the need to improve the living and working conditions of thousands of migrant workers in the territory, especially women, and urged the government to reform its legal and regulatory system to address the abuse of migrant workers.