This year’s OxFID Global Youth Challenge 2022 focused on the advancement of the implementation of the fourth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. “People cannot protect, defend, and promote something that they do not fully understand,” said Jean Linis-Dinco, the leader of one of the three winning teams, “It is imperative for young people to come together and understand human rights.” UN Human Rights strives to ensure that the work on human rights education is not only conducted for youth, but also with and by youth.

Sexual violence is not inevitable. We cannot allow it to become normalized in any way. This is the story of a 13 year old girl forced into motherhood by rape.

Sometimes, we might unintentionally trigger a harmful narrative on migration. In this episode of the UN Human Rights podcast, #StandUp4HumanRights, we focus on how migration is not one-dimensional and why telling individual stories of migration, which reflect all dimensions of people, can help avoid perpetuating harmful narratives.

Meet Musician Austin Zhang who uses the power of music, harmonizing his saxophone jazz melodies with a recording of his mother’s own story of migration, to accentuate the emotions of her story.

“I had to share my mother's story and just to give people that perspective of that side of life and how real it is for many people to this day,” he said. “It was very important to me and also just the gratitude that I have for her and her journey.”

From September 14 to October 2, Little Amal will be walking through all boroughs of New York City. Little Amal is the giant puppet of a 10 year old Syrian refugee girl. Since July 2021, she has travelled over 9,000 km representing all children fleeing war, violence and persecution, each with their own story. Amal has been welcomed at 190 unique events in 85 cities, towns and villages, her urgent message to the world is “Don’t forget about us”. Carrying a message of hope for displaced people everywhere, especially children separated from their families, she is an international symbol of compassion and of human rights.

“With over 50% of the Madagascar population under 20 years of age, the participation of youth in addressing the root causes of conflict is essential if we are to succeed in consolidating sustainable peace,” said Sabine Lauber, Senior Human Rights Adviser for the UN Country Team.

The Rary Aro Mada project - supporting the protection of young human rights defenders and peace builders - has just entered its second phase with the establishment of regional human rights observatories. The main mission of the observatories is to document cases of human rights violations. Among the young people trained by the human rights team in Madagascar under this project are 9 young people, including 5 women, who have been designated as coordinators of these observatories.

The International Day for People of African Descent celebrates the diverse heritage and culture of people of African descent and their enormous contribution to our societies throughout history. Yet, around the world, millions of people of African descent are still subject to racism and deeply entrenched and systemic racial discrimination.  That is why the United Nations continues to call for the full respect of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, for redress when these are violated, and for formal apologies and reparations for the egregious wrongs of slavery and colonialism.

Enforced disappearance has frequently been used as a strategy to spread terror within the society. The feeling of insecurity generated by this practice is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared, but also affects their communities and society as a whole. The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance was adopted in 2010 by the General Assembly to prevent enforced disappearances and to combat impunity. Only 68 Member States have ratified the Convention. Use the UN Human rights tool to view its ratification status.

"We were surrounded by the Islamic State. And we had no weapons even to fight. We had nothing. We were left alone." Adiba Qasim has shown extraordinary courage and resilience. She narrowly escaped when her village was stormed by Islamic State militants who killed and enslaved thousands of Yazidis. This is her story.

Returning to northern Iraq in 2015, Adiba threw herself into humanitarian work, aiding survivors who had been enslaved by the militants. In this special bitesize episode she reflects on the horrors she witnessed, on battling survivors’ guilt, and on her motivation to help others.

“I noticed this woman with a 10-year-old boy. He never looked up, his eyes were down, and he never blinked. And I just kept on thinking, what has this boy seen on his journey here?”

Ugochi Daniels was just six years old when her family fled the civil war in Nigeria. Now the International Organization for Migration’s Deputy Director General for Operations, she is often struck by the pain of uprooted children, most recently those escaping from Ukraine. Women and children are particularly vulnerable when they have left their home – no matter for what reason. Across the world, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. In this episode, Ugochi Daniels reflects on efforts to meet the needs of people on the move, and on a life dedicated to the service of others.

The world honours a leader of unparalleled courage and towering achievement. Nelson Mandela was a healer of communities and a mentor to generations. On Nelson Mandela International Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, makes a call to honour Nelson Mandela’s legacy by taking action. “By speaking out against hate and standing up for human rights. By embracing our common humanity – rich in diversity, equal in dignity, united in solidarity. And by together making our world more just, compassionate, prosperous, and sustainable for all.”

“It’s difficult because you’re wondering why others have died and you’re alive. And for those who did not survive […] I felt like having a responsibility somehow to do something that would make them proud of me.” Monique Sokhan survived the Cambodian genocide, having fled the Khmer Rouge terror when she was just a small child. Now, working as Senior Protection Coordinator, at UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, she is still searching for answers about the atrocities that killed many of her family members.

Dedicating her life to humanitarian work, Monique soon found herself face to face with the very people who were responsible for killing her own family and friends. In this special bitesize episode, she reflects on her quest to understand the perpetrators of genocide, on reserving judgement, and on the unanswered questions that continue to haunt her.

Photo: ©UNHCR/Susan Hopper

In 2010, the streets of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan experienced tragic events, residents would like to forget: an inter-ethnic conflict between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz that killed at least 426 people, burned down 2500 homes and forced thousands to flee. Today, nearly 28% of Kyrgyzstan’s population is composed of ethnic minorities but fewer than 5% of civil servants come from these groups. In the Osh and Djalal-Abad regions, an internship programme designed by UN Human Rights has expanded opportunities in the civil service for ethnic minorities, women and people with disabilities.

Attacks on female journalists have reached unprecedented levels. A recent UNFPA report noted that women journalists, human rights defenders, activists and leaders are disproportionately attacked, with public forums being used to threaten, harass and stalk, and to promote hate speech targeting them. “It’s chilling and sets a dangerous precedent for human rights violations,” said Reem Abdellatif, an Egyptian-American journalist who has endured abuse because of her profession.  Hate speech has been recognized by the United Nations as a major threat to peace and human rights.

For many women around the world, the devastating loss of a partner is magnified by the long-term struggle for their basic rights and dignity. Even though there are more than 258 million widows around the world, historically, widows have been left unseen and unsupported. Today, as armed conflicts, displacement, and the COVID-19 pandemic leave women newly widowed or with disappeared partners, the unique experiences and needs of widows must be brought to the forefront. This International Widows’ Day, let’s make their voices lead to the path to equality.

“What is keeping me awake at night is the horror of knowing that it hasn't ended yet and that there are more people alive today that are very likely to be dead tomorrow.”

Osnat Lubrani knows first-hand the horrors of war. As UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, she has witnessed the dramatic changes since the Russian invasion and rapidly mounting needs as the war tears lives apart across the country. At least 15.7 million Ukrainians are now in urgent need of humanitarian aid, with the UN working to expand existing programs and establish new life-saving operations. Yet access to some of the most vulnerable is proving extremely problematic. In this episode, Osnat Lubrani reflects on the frustrating battle to reach them, what it feels like to receive distressing cries for help, and what gives her hope when all seems lost.

Photo: ©Osnat Lubrani