HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS: UN Expert focuses on youth and student defenders in annual report

Submitted by crinadmin on

Summary: In her annual report to the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders focuses on the specific risks and challenges faced by selected groups of defenders, including youth and student defenders.

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, has released her annual report ahead of the 19th session of the Human Rights Council.

In chapter III, the Special Rapporteur focuses on the specific risks and challenges faced by selected groups of defenders, including journalists and media workers, defenders working on land and environmental issues and youth and student defenders.

Below are her comments on youth and student defenders:

  • Youth and student defenders seem to be targeted for their involvement in peaceful demonstrations and protests or the publication of articles or blog entries. They also seem to be highly exposed to physical attacks.
  • States should refrain from having their security personnel use excessive force during demonstrations. Law enforcement officials should be trained in international human rights standards and child/youth protection measures, particularly regarding crowd control during public assemblies.
  • States are encouraged to invest more in youth development and facilitate participation of youth in public affairs, e.g. through simplification of registrationprocedures for NGOs or providing support to youth organizations in the registration process.
  • States should facilitate and simplify notification/registration procedures for the participation of youth and students in public assemblies, including by removingprohibitions preventing youth, and in some cases children, from participating.
  • Youth and student defenders should be equipped with knowledge about human rights protection mechanisms, risk assessment skills and connections with national and international organizations.
  • NGOs should try to be youth friendly and cater to youth's needs; they should try to look at ways in which youth are mobilized, what sort of change youth expect, etc.

Further Information

pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/A.HRC.19.55_English.pdf

Articles: 
Article 13: Freedom of expression
Organisation: 
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Attachment Link: 
http://www.crin.org/docs/A.HRC.19.55_English.pdf
Web: 
http://www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?id=27080
Tags: 
Individual cases of violations
Link : 

Countries

    Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.