Young Human Rights Defenders

In 2023, as part of the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, I have been meeting young HRDs from all over the world to hear about their experiences, discuss the opportunities, challenges and restrictions they face, and get their views on what more can be done to protect and empower them in their work.

On 5 June 2023, 40 defenders between the ages of 12 and 32 joined me and our team in Vienna, Austria, for a conference to address the challenges they face and the forms of support they need. It was a moment to take stock of the present and look towards the future, while also marking the 30th Anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme for Action.

Read more about the 2023 Vienna Youth and Child Human Rights Defenders Conference

The situation of young human rights defenders will remain a priority for me over the course of my mandate, and I intend to dedicate an upcoming thematic report to their role, work and the risks they face.

In the coming months, I will also share video interviews recorded with some of the young human rights defenders I had the chance to meet in Vienna.

#YouthForRights
#InSolidarityAndHope

Read my report to the Human Rights Council about child and youth HRDs (2024)

Video interview: Mariam from Nigeria

Video interview: Osmayra from Mexico

Video interview: Rebecca from Uganda

Video interview: Dhruv from India

Video interview: Andrés from Colombia

Guest Blog: Rania from Yemen

Video interview: Zeinab from Kenya

Guest Blog: Dulce María from Ecuador

Video interview: Kinja from the Philippines

Photos from the 2023 Vienna Youth and Child Human Rights Defenders Conference

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk is standing at a lectern and looking straight into the camera while delivering a statement at the start of the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference. Seated to his left are Austrian Minister of Justice Alma Zadić and UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor.
Francisco Vera Manzanares, a young human rights defender from Colombia, is speaking at a panel during the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference. He is wearing glasses and a green T-shirt. To his left is seated UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor, who is looking at him while listening to his speech being simultaneously interpreted through an earphone. Behind them is a screen that reads Vienna + 30 Our Rights Our Future.
Mariam Oyiza Aliyu, a young human rights defender from Nigeria, is addressing the audience at a panel during the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference. To her left and her right, two other young human rights defenders are turned towards her listening to her speech.
Young Human Rights Defenders Maria José Benavides from Honduras and Osmayra Solorio Loeza from Mexico are seating next to each other in the audience at the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference. They are smiling and looking at the camera. Maria José has black wavy hair with a strand of blue hair and is wearing a khaki shirt. Osmayra has dark brown hair and is wearing bright pink earrings with an embroidered white and purple blouse.
Eight young human rights defenders are standing around a high table, all smiling at the camera: from left to right are Tracy and Patience Nakitende from Uganda, Mahlet Tibebu from Ethiopia, Rebecca Karagwa from Uganda, Tito Magoti from Tanzania, Zeinab Abdullahi from Kenya, David He from Canada and Namatai Kwekweza from Zimbabwe.
A close-up shot of young human rights defenders Dulce from Ecuador, and Vasile from Moldova, laughing together while looking at the camera.
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor and Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen are standing next to each other and facing several human rights defenders seen from the back. Ms. Lawlor is wearing a black dress and the President is wearing a blue suit. They are both smiling.
Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen is posing with ten young human rights defenders participating to the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference.
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor and Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen are standing amongst all the young human rights defenders participating in the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference. The picture is taken on a terrace of the UN Office in Vienna.
A panel from the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference features six young human rights defenders and a moderator from the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders’ team. From left to right are seated Negina from Afghanistan, Mahlet from Ethiopia, Anna from Thailand, Michael from the mandate’s team, Osmayra from Mexico, Buyanzaya from Mongolia and Dhruv from India. Behind them are several screens reading “2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference” and showing the organisers’ logos.
Young human rights defender Buyanzaya from Mongolia is addressing the audience at a panel during the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference. She has black short hair and is wearing a white t-shirt. Behind her is a screen that reads “Vienna + 30 Our Rights Our Future”. To her right is seated fellow human rights defender Osmayra from Mexico, taking notes.
Young human rights defender Janna from Palestine is addressing the audience at a panel during the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference. She is wearing a keffiyeh around her shoulders. To her left are fellow human rights defenders Nandar from Myanmar and Dulce from Ecuador, who are both turned towards her. Behind them is a screen that reads “Vienna + 30 Our Rights Our Future” and features the logo of the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs.
A wide-angle picture of the room where the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference took place, at the UN Office in Vienna. Members of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders’ team are on the stage, with one man standing at the lectern and reading from a monitor. Above them are screens showing the live results of a vote by the audience on recommendations for the protection of young human rights defenders.
Four women wearing dark green dresses are performing an Irish traditional dance in the middle of the room where the 2023 Vienna Youth & Child Human Rights Defenders Conference took place. Behind them is a four-person band featuring guitars, a violin and drums. Participants of the conference are watching their performance, some clap while others film using their phone.
Seven people are standing together at the Human Rights Fair in Vienna. From left to right are young human rights defender Vasile from Moldova, Front Line Defenders Protection Manager Ivi Oliveira, young defenders Anna Savelieva from Ukraine, Marianna Romero from Venezuela, Rebecca Karagwa from Uganda, Bitate Uru-eu-wau-wau from Brazil and Yalkun Uluyol from the Uyghur region. They are holding a sign featuring the logo for the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and its slogan, “In solidarity and hope”.
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