PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55: Statement on Human Rights Defenders [March 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 March 2024.
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. UK statement at HRC55.
The United Kingdom welcomes the Special Rapporteur’s report, and fully supports meaningful participation of child and youth human rights defenders at the UN.
Child and youth human rights defenders are increasingly at the forefront of movements that bring about positive change. Their expertise and representation of marginalised groups should enrich decision-making and improve accountability. Sadly, that role is not recognised by all, and alongside the risks faced by all human rights defenders, they must contend with age-related discrimination in various forms.
Improvement in monitoring is required to ensure violence against child and youth human rights defenders is recorded and can be used to facilitate justice and accountability.
As part of our support for civil society and human rights defenders in crisis, we have recently made a new £1 million financial commitment to the Lifeline fund which supports Civil Society Organizations and human rights defenders which are under threat due to their vital work. We are co-chairing Lifeline this year as part of our commitment to supporting organisations under threat of reprisal for their work in advancing rights, freedoms and democratic values.
Mr. Vice-President, how can the United Nations systematically involve child and youth human rights defenders in UN decision-making processes that affect them?
