The UN Human Rights Council opened its 62nd session in Geneva on 15 June 2026, with High Commissioner Volker Türk warning of an unprecedented assault on international law and calling for human rights to be placed at the core of responses to today’s gravest global crises.
Human trafficking is a significant human rights violation, representing modern slavery, driven by criminal networks, corruption, and weak enforcement. Millions endure forced labor, sexual exploitation, and other abuses. As Chairman of Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD), I urge the international community to intensify efforts against human trafficking. Governments and organizations must collaborate to protect victims and prosecute traffickers. Recognized by the UN as a severe violation, human dignity cannot be compromised. Inaction only fortifies exploitative networks; collective action is essential for justice and protection of all lives.
This article summarises a European Parliament exchange of views on statelessness, forced exile, and the deprivation of nationality as tools of repression. Speakers highlighted how authoritarian governments and discriminatory legal systems leave millions without nationality, restricting access to healthcare, education, documentation, and protection. Testimonies from Nicaragua and the Rohingya community illustrated the severe human consequences of forced displacement and denationalisation, while experts and civil society representatives called for stronger EU sanctions, more coherent foreign policy, improved asylum protections, and sustained international accountability efforts.
Opening the 61st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that human rights are “under attack” worldwide, as High Commissioner Volker Türk cautioned against the erosion of international norms and called for renewed commitment to accountability, justice and the rule of law.
Introduction The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) has told the Council of Europe’s highest body, the Council of
Child poverty is a significant yet overlooked issue, impacting millions globally despite legal frameworks that recognize it as a violation of human rights. The article emphasizes that poverty affects not only the economic well-being of children but also their development and future opportunities. Various international treaties, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, obligate governments to ensure every child’s access to essential needs like nutrition, education, and healthcare. The persistence of child poverty, particularly in the EU where over 20 million children are at risk, highlights the gap between laws and actual conditions, urging a need for political accountability and effective resource allocation to improve the lives of affected children.
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.
The GHRD hosted its fourth human rights film festival on November 21, 2024, in The Hague, focusing on children’s rights and attracting over 160 attendees, including ambassadors and advocates. The festival featured impactful documentaries, such as “Butterfly Butterfly,” highlighting the struggles of child refugees; “Worth of a Girl,” addressing forced marriages; and “Children of War,” which explored the effects of conflict on children. Other films included “Hunger Ward,” depicting the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, and “International Adoptions: A Global Scandal,” investigating unethical adoption practices. A panel discussion followed, featuring experts discussing children’s rights, the risks children face online, and the importance of advocacy. The event concluded with a poignant testimony from GHRD’s Youth Ambassador, Putheany Kim, emphasizing the need to protect vulnerable children and amplify their voices.
We express grave concern over the November 25, 2024, arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a respected ISKCON leader, by the Bangladesh Police, which poses threats to freedom of speech and religious harmony. As an advocate for the Sanatana Dharma community, his recent activism has involved addressing attacks on Hindu temples. The allegations against him, including sedition, seem like targeted attempts to suppress his calls for justice. We urge the Bangladeshi government to ensure his safety and fair treatment, request international human rights organizations to monitor the situation, and call on media and civil society to advocate for accountability. An impartial investigation is demanded, and if no credible evidence is found, his release is necessary. This arrest threatens democratic values and communal peace, prompting solidarity with Bangladesh’s Hindu community in the call for justice and equality.
The Interactive Dialogue on the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Afghanistan was held on April 29th in
