“Education is a fundamental human right. It has long held a special place in the hearts and minds of people across the world, and for good reason. Throughout history, it has been a source of personal dignity and empowerment and a driving force for the advancement of social, economic, political, and cultural development. Yet today, beset by inequalities and struggling to adjust to the needs of the 21st century, education is in crisis. We must respond decisively, with conviction, imagination and in solidarity to transform education.”   António Guterres   The 2025 United Nations...

The Fifth Session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on 13-14 October 2025, gathered States, experts, civil society organizations, and youth representatives under the theme “Democracy and climate change: focusing on solutions.” The Forum reaffirmed that the climate crisis is not only an environmental emergency but also a profound challenge to democracy, governance, and the protection of human rights. Opening the Forum, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stressed that human rights are the foundation...

“We, the girls from rural areas, want to exercise our rights online permanently, efficiently and securely. Just as I have had the possibility thanks to this empowerment project, all girls need to be able to learn about secure platforms that help empower us and enable us to choose who we want to be in the future.” Luciana, 13 years old, from a rural farming community in Peru. Extract from her intervention in the Online Event “The Commitment of the Human Rights Council to Youth and Human Rights: Addressing the Digital Divide, Online...

The 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council took place from 8 September to 8 October 2025 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The agenda featured a wide range of discussions focused on key human rights issues. IIMA and VIDES delivered two oral statements on item 3. In particular, during the Interactive Dialogue (ID) with the Special Rapporteur (SR) on the right to development (text and video), they welcomed the report on his visit to Honduras, expressing concern that 40% of children in the country are still out...

On 16 September 2025, the voices of young people, powerfully resonated at the Human Rights Council’s Biennial Panel “The role of youth in fostering peaceful societies and creating an enabling environment for the enjoyment of human rights by all” (watch the Session here). With 1.9 billion young people worldwide, the message was clear: youth are not only future leaders, but present agents of peace and human rights. Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al-Nashif opened with a call to take youth seriously as bridge-builders in an increasingly polarized world. She warned of shrinking...

The 8th of September commemorates United Nations International Literacy Day (ILD) which was established in 1966 to draw attention to a fundamental right, that is, the ability to read, write, and access knowledge. Today, however, the word “literacy” also refers to the capacity to access online information, understand it, evaluate it critically, and use it responsibly. UNESCO emphasizes that: “Literacy is a key to making transformation inclusive, sustainable, relevant, and meaningful. Beyond reading and writing on paper, literacy in the digital age allows people to access, understand, evaluate, create, communicate,...

The International Youth Day (IYD) celebrated every 12th of August was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999. It aims to draw attention to the youth challenges, opportunities and their fundamental role in building fairer, more just, and more peaceful communities. The IYD 2025 theme, “the Contribution of Local Youth Actions for the Sustainable Development Goals and Beyond”, promoted by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), emphasizes the “unique role of young people in translating global ambitions into community-driven realities.” It is believed that...

The United Nations Human Rights Council held its 59th session from June 16 to July 8, 2025, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. This was a crucial appointment, where the international community addressed the most urgent challenges: from the defense of human dignity to the growing alarm over xenophobia and intolerance, and the dramatic situations marked by systematic violations of fundamental rights. In this context, IIMA and VIDES International strongly raised the voice of young people, bringing to the heart of the Council four oral statements dedicated to the vital...

On June 12, 2025, VIDES International and IIMA Human Rights Office organized an online webinar titled “Youth for Human Rights: Opportunities to Engage and Advocate”, run by Maria D’Onofrio, IIMA and VIDES Advocacy Officer in Geneva. The webinar highlighted the importance of including the perspective of young people and promoting their participation in the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). Following the welcoming and opening remarks, the webinar started with an informative presentation on the Human Rights Council. Afterwards, the short video “IIMA and VIDES Youth Human Rights Agenda” introduced participants on the...

Between May 6 and 12, 2025, we received an incredible 513 responses to our Youth Online Survey on Democracy and Climate Change, from young people and educators in 33 countries across five continents. Notably, 52.2% of respondents were youth aged 18 to 35, ensuring that young voices are central to this important conversation. This survey was launched by IIMA and VIDES in response to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) call for inputs ahead of the Fifth UN Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of...