Human rights will be a powerful force for the transformation of reality when they are not simply understood as externally defined norms of behavior but are lived as the spontaneous manifestation of internalized values.
December 2024 marked two important milestones in the field of human rights: The International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December and Human Rights Day on 10 December. These occasions also marked one year since the UN launch of Changemakers: Stories of Young Human Rights Educators, a documentary and multimedia education tool that was produced by SGI together with the UN Office for Human Rights and Amnesty International. The tool continues to inspire young people to become actors of change in their communities.
On 3–4 December, Elisa Gazzotti of SGI, together with the UN Office for Human Rights and an organization based in Tunisia that works with the deaf community, participated in a two day workshop titled “Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities through Human Rights Education.” At this event, participants heard the story of Maselina Iuta, a young deaf human rights educator who advocates for the rights of people with disabilities, followed by a group discussion with deaf people. The two-day workshop was also presented in sign language and focused on the importance of HRE for people with disabilities.
Participants of the two day workshop titled “Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities through Human Rights Education.”
In addition, on 10 December, SGI co-organized a youth-led event together with the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva, “‘Our Rights, Our Future. Right Now’ through Human Rights Education for, with and by Youth.” The event was held in partnership with UNESCO, Amnesty International and the NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning of the CoNGO at the Palais des Nations, in commemoration of UN Human Rights Day 2024. The invited youth attendees had the opportunity to engage with two young human rights educators who were featured in the Changemakers: Stories of Young Human Rights Educators documentary, Soufiane Hennani from Morocco and Dejana Stosic from Serbia, to discuss human rights issues relevant to them.
In her opening remarks, Astrid van Genderen Stort, Chief of External Outreach and Partnership Service at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) quoted the High Commissioner for Human Rights, saying,
"Young people carry the torch of freedom from fear and from want—and the colossal task of determining the future of humanity and our planet. Universal human rights cannot be achieved without your voices and contributions. We count on you to participate in shaping and implementing public policies; to claim your rights and those of others; to speak out against discrimination; and to lead human rights education initiatives for your peers, as Soufiane [Hennani] and Dejana [Stosic] are powerfully doing. We count on you to be leading actors of the global movement for human rights."
Gazzotti of SGI introduced the project with her colleague Ruth Zaldibar of Amnesty International and shared some closing remarks. Around 150 participants attended the event and engaged in discussions with Hennani and Stosic on topics relevant for young people.
Young people carry the torch of freedom from fear and from want—and the colossal task of determining the future of humanity and our planet. Universal human rights cannot be achieved without your voices and contributions.
“Don’t be afraid to raise your voice and to say what you think. In a world full of deception, telling [the] truth is a revolutionary act. Tell your truth. Tell how you are living. Tell how it’s to be like you,” said Stosic, a human rights educator and peace activist from Serbia. She works to combat gender-based violence, including by educating girls and young women on sexual and reproductive rights.
“We must not be ashamed of defending human rights. Today, some people don’t believe in human rights, and they are not ashamed of expressing that. We have to do the same, but to promote human rights,” Hennani said. “It is our duty as youth to take the floor, express ourselves and to be proud that we are defending gender equality and social justice more generally.”
Youth-led event where the OHCHR officially launched the fifth phase of the World Programme on Human Rights Education
The youth-led event was also where the OHCHR officially launched the fifth phase of the World Programme on Human Rights Education, which will start in 2025 and focus on children and youth, with a specific emphasis on gender equality, climate change and digital rights.
In today's complex world, children and young people face increasing uncertainty due to ongoing conflicts, climate change, poverty and human rights abuses. Human Rights Education is vital as a transformational process to combat these challenges, and it starts with increasing each individual’s awareness and inspiring them to make positive changes.
