European Union (EU)

Press release

Rohingya Heritage in Exile: European Parliament Exhibition Highlights Cultural Resilience Amid Ongoing Genocide

This press release highlights an exhibition at the European Parliament that brought attention to the Rohingya people’s cultural resilience amid genocide and prolonged displacement. It underscores how preserving heritage, memory, and identity remains vital for a community facing statelessness, exile, and ongoing humanitarian crisis. The exhibition also called for stronger international action, accountability, and safe, dignified repatriation.

Article

Pressures, Scandals, and Survival: The Darker Side of Civil Society

This article humanizes Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) by taking a deep dive into the external and internal challenges they face in today’s highly dystopian world. External challenges range from funding cuts, shrinking civic space, and smear campaigns. Internally, issues rise from rigid hierarchies influenced by reputation seeking board members with elite links, donor-imposed conditions that shift priorities, and employees working with low remunerations.

© European Union, 2025.
Press release

EU–Latin America Trade: Where Key Agreements Stand in 2026

Members of the European Commission conducted a Civil Society Dialogue to inform civil society about the state of play of the European Union trade relations with the Latin American and Caribbean region. Led by the Head of Unit TRADE D2, Mr Paolo Garzotti, the dialogue led to a discussion on the latest conclusion of the EU-Mercosur and EU-Mexico agreements, evaluating the implementation and ratification timelines. The European Parliament resolution to suspend the Mercosur agreement, and the examined conditions affecting political rights, lack of bindingness, and environmental standards, highlights critical gaps in contexts of governance crisis.

Press release

DROI Mission to Türkiye Highlights Continued Human Rights Concerns and Stalled Democratic Progress

Members of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights conducted a mission to the Republic of Türkiye to assess human rights, the rule of law, and democratic governance within EU Türkiye relations. Led by rapporteur Isabel Wiseler-Lima, the delegation met governing and opposition parties, civil society organisations, journalists, and independent media. The mission evaluated implementation of European Parliament resolutions and examined conditions affecting political rights, judicial independence, and freedom of expression. Meetings and prison visits informed a critical assessment, highlighting democratic backsliding, misuse of terrorism legislation, and prolonged detention of political figures, while emphasising Convention obligations under international human rights.

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.

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.

Press release

The Human Rights Situation in Sudan and the EU strategy

Against the backdrop of one of the world’s fastest-escalating humanitarian crises, the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and Subcommittee on Development convened a joint hearing to assess Sudan’s deteriorating human rights situation and the European Union’s strategic response. Bringing together EU officials, UN representatives, and civil society experts, the session underscored the scale of atrocities committed since the outbreak of conflict in 2023 and highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated, well-resourced, and rights-centred EU approach.

Italian migrant rescue operation off the coast of Libya. Source: © Heath Klein/Flickr, 2016.
Article

Trapped in Transit: Libya and the Road of No Return to Europe

Each year, thousands of migrants risk everything to cross the Mediterranean. Yet before they ever reach the sea, many find themselves trapped in Libya, caught between war, poverty, and tightening borders. This article looks beyond migration statistics to expose the human cost of the EU’s approach to managing migration through Libya.

6th GHRD International Film Festival: Human Trafficking Edition
Submission Deadline: 9th August 2026
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