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...

The 49th UPR session was held from the 28th April till the 9th May 2025 in Palais des Nations in Geneva. The UPR is a mechanism of the Human Rights Council, which critically reviews all 193 UN member states every four years regarding their human rights situation. The State under review declares what action has been taken to improve human rights in the Country, while other attending States have the chance to bring forward specific recommendations in the spirit of constructive dialog. Each session is based on three main documents made public...

The United Nations Human Rights Council held its 58th session from 24 February to 4 April 2025 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The session’s agenda included several high-level meetings and numerous discussions dedicated to crucial human rights issues. IIMA and VIDES delivered several oral statements on item 3. In particular, during the Interactive Dialogue (ID) with the Special Rapporteur on the Sale, Exploitation and Abuse of Children (text and video), the ID with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Children and Armed Conflict (text and video) and...

According to data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), about 70% of the planet’s freshwater reserves are stored in ice and snow, coupled with the fact that nearly two billion people depend on water from glaciers, seasonal snow, and mountain runoff for their daily survival. This shows how glacier loss is a global threat. Can we save them? The UNESCO report The Andean Glacier and Water Atlas: The Impact of Glacier Retreat on Water Resources documents the effects of global warming on the glaciers of the Andes. The retreat of perennial...

The United Nations Human Rights Council held its Fifty-fourth session from 11 September to 13 October 2023 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The agenda of the session included several high-level meetings addressing crucial human rights issues. IIMA and VIDES International, together with other partners, delivered two oral statements on youth and human rights, one under Item 3 – Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order (text and video) and a another one on the occasion of the Panel discussion on...

The Committee on the Rights of the Child is composed of independent experts who monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by its States parties. It also monitors the implementation of the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. All states parties are required to report to the committee on how the rights are being met.  On May 9 and 10, 2023,...

The United Nations Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order, Livingstone Sewanyana, asked NGOs to provide written inputs for his Thematic Report on Youth Participation and Engagement in Intergovernmental Forums. The Human Rights Council passed a resolution on Youth Rights where it called upon States to empower youth to contribute to the political, civil, economic, social, and cultural development of their countries. The report will be used to identify good practices of youth participation in intergovernmental forums globally to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. The...