Press release

Press release

Kashmiri Hindus and Atrocity Crimes: A Legal Brief on Persecution and Forced Displacement

The report exposes the systematic ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus, framing their displacement as a coerced outcome of targeted killings, sexual violence, intimidation, and terror—not voluntary migration. It applies tribunal-tested legal standards to show that leaving the Valley was not a choice but a forced act, documenting crimes including murder, rape, and property destruction. The brief highlights the role of Pakistan-backed militant networks and local separatist groups in enabling persecution, offering a legal roadmap to hold perpetrators accountable under international law, including crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Press release

HRFP Condemns Attack on Kot Radha Kishan Church, Calls for Justice and Preventive Measures

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) strongly condemns the attack on a Church in Ghanaykay village, Kasur, where the Holy Bible was desecrated and the premises vandalised, spreading fear among the local Christian community. HRFP calls for swift and transparent justice, stressing that accountability must go beyond arrests to uncover motives and accomplices. The organization urges concrete measures to protect religious minorities and places of worship, highlights the urgent need to counter religious intolerance and hate-driven violence, and reiterates its demand for the abolition of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which are widely misused and have led to grave human rights violations.

Press release

What Makes Climate Action Just?

Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) highlighted the link between climate action and human rights at The Hague Talks on December 15, 2025. Discussions addressed climate change as a human rights and security issue, emphasizing the need for ethical responses to systemic inequalities. Key points included the risks of ignoring ethical considerations in climate strategies, critiques of profit-driven economic models, and the role of youth in climate justice. GHRD advocates for climate actions that promote equality and involve affected communities in decision-making.

Press release

Child Marriage in Sindh: How Marginalisation, Climate Crisis and Religious Extremism Fuel a Growing Human Rights Crisis

Sindh continues to face alarming human rights challenges, particularly affecting young girls from marginalised and minority communities. Despite existing laws, child marriage and forced religious conversions remain widespread due to weak enforcement, political resistance, poverty, and entrenched social norms. This article outlines the structural causes behind these violations and highlights the urgent need for stronger protections, accountability, and coordinated efforts to safeguard vulnerable girls in the region. 

Italian Parliament Building
Press release

Italian Parliament Unanimously Votes to Make Femicide a Crime

Italy has taken an important step in combating gender-based violence by officially recognising femicide as a distinct criminal offence punishable by life imprisonment. Passed on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the law reflects years of activism and marks a turning point in how the country addresses systemic violence against women. GHRD welcomes this milestone and its potential to enhance justice and prevention.  

Press release

Youth Empowerment: Digital Challenges and Democratic Resilience

The event at the European Parliament on December 10, 2025, focused on youth empowerment, addressing challenges such as misinformation and digital media manipulation. Experts emphasized the need for media literacy and effective regulatory frameworks, like the Digital Services Act, while noting gaps in current laws. Concerns about a child protection crisis related to social media’s impact on minors were discussed. The EU aims to empower youth through inclusion and active participation in decision-making, highlighting the significance of youth empowerment for the future of European democracy.

Press release

Preventing Genocide and a Humanitarian Catastrophe in Sudan

During the ICC Assembly of States Parties, Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) convened a panel of leading legal and human rights experts to assess the escalating atrocities in Sudan and the growing accountability gap. Speakers examined the ICC’s limited jurisdiction, the role of external actors, the collapse of humanitarian access and the urgent need for coordinated international action to prevent further mass violence.

Women marching for voting rights in New York, ca. 1917.
Press release

Female Resilience: How Millennia of Obstacles Have Forged Exceptional Leadership

The persistence of violence against women remains a global concern, yet it represents only one dimension of a broader reality. Across historical and contemporary contexts, women have developed complex emotional and cognitive competencies that have mediated crises and contributed to social resilience in measurable ways. Understanding these capacities as empirically grounded forms of leadership, rather than as culturally assigned roles or innate attributes, allows for a more accurate assessment of women’s contributions to social stability and collective recovery.

EU
Press release

EU Enlargement Forum: Completing the Unification of Europe

From initial scepticism to emerging momentum, the EU Enlargement Forum demonstrated the European Commission’s renewed political determination and institutional drive to advance enlargement. Upholding democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law remains central for candidate countries, as the EU asserts greater readiness and credibility amid growing authoritarian challenges.

Press release

Inclusive Communication for All: Lessons from “Why Choice Matters”

At a time when digitalisation is reshaping everyday life across Europe, the “Inclusive Communication for All” event at the European Parliament highlighted the growing risks of digital exclusion and the urgent need for communication policies that protect citizen choice. Bringing together MEPs, civil society, and industry representatives, the discussion underscored that equal access to information is not only a policy concern but a matter of fundamental rights.