11th Meeting - 63rd Session of Human Rights Council

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, I hereby declare open the 11th meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council. And we will begin the high-level panel discussion on the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, good practices, challenges, and the way forward, held pursuant to Council Resolution 57/10. That panel discussion will focus on human rights education for, with, and by children and youth, perspectives and practices. This debate is accessible to persons with disabilities through the provision of international sign interpretation and real-time captioning, together with the other accessibility means. I encourage those who may need reasonable accommodation to inform the Secretariat if they haven't done so already. It is my honor to welcome to the podium Mr. Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who will deliver an opening statement. It is also my honor to welcome our distinguished panelists. Her Excellency Ms. Davaasuren Gerelmaa, Permanent Representative from Mongolia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva. Mr. Goran Georgiev, Regional Director at the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Ms. Marion Wanyuku Mutugi, Commissioner of the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights. And Mr. Alessandro Ienzi, Artistic Director at the Rasis Teatro, Be Human, Be Yourself. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, the list of speakers will close in 15 minutes. I encourage all speakers to intervene in an interactive way, present comments and ask questions that reflect the panelists' interventions and the discussion. The speaking time limit is one minute and 30 seconds for all, and a maximum of 40 speakers will be accommodated. Delegates inscribed on the list of speakers who cannot take the floor because of time constraints can upload their statements to the online system to be posted on the HRC portal. And without further ado, I now give the floor to Mr. High Commissioner Volker Türk. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Madam Vice President, Excellencies, distinguished participants. In 1980, smallpox became the first and so far the only human disease to be eradicated through prevention in the absence of treatment. Over the past century, the death rate from natural disasters fell by more than 90 percent even as those disasters became more common, again, because we became better prepared. Time and again, humanity has turned to prevention as the most effective and efficient response to deadly diseases, to natural hazards, or economic shocks. Sometimes it's the only response available. When it comes to conflict, crisis, and injustice, Prevention is far better than the cure. And we have an effective vaccine against many of society's ills, human rights education. Human rights education strengthens our collective immunity against hatred, violence, discrimination, and polarization of all kinds. By teaching us our rights, enabling critical thinking, fostering solidarity and compassion, and awakening our conscience, it helps stop these malignancies at their source before they take hold and spread. And governments know this well. That is why 15 years ago, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. And the declaration affirmed that all states have a responsibility to provide education about, through, and for human rights to everyone. The authors of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights knew this too. By embedding human rights education in the text, they equipped the declaration with an engine through which each generation can renew its power. And by the way, human rights education was also embedded in the statute that created my office. For society as a whole, human rights education helps us resist dehumanization, break cycles of tension and violence, and live side by side in harmony with each other and the planet. For governments, it helps build trust, reinforce social cohesion, strengthen security, and foster resilience. For children and young people, human rights education gives them the tools to stand up for themselves and their peers in the real world and online. For the quiet majority, understanding human rights offers clarity, hope, and a compass for navigating the extremes of our divided world. And for all of us working for human rights, it helps us step beyond our own bubble and connect with people in ways that resonate deeply. Madam Vice President, the vaccine I'm talking about has already been tested many times and in many places, and it works. In Colombia, education based on art and storytelling has become a powerful tool for peacebuilding, helping young people, including former child soldiers, build empathy and trust. In Northern Ireland, integrated schools have brought together students from different religious communities, helping to challenge prejudice and bridge historic divides. Human rights education has also proved to be invaluable in humanitarian settings. In Jordan, for example, it has promoted the inclusion and participation of Syrian refugee children. So the evidence is clear, human rights education is not a nice to have, but a necessity for every society. So why don't we invest in it fully, consistently and seriously? I welcome the efforts of 34 states that have reported on their progress in human rights education, but this is clearly not enough. Human rights education is still not mandatory across all countries and the education systems. Major gaps remain in legislation, policies, curricula, and teacher training. It troubles me deeply when I hear of economists, of security services, of people working in digital technology, and even government ministers who have little or no understanding of human rights or what they mean for their work. Where does this leave us when addressing complex challenges like the climate crisis, technological developments, which we all see are both increasingly slipping beyond our control? The entire digital tech sector needs a crash course on human rights immediately. Madam Vice-President, today I am calling on every state to make human rights education compulsory at all levels, primary, secondary, tertiary, and in all disciplines, not just when it comes to law or social science. With less than 20% of countries reporting progress, the world is still far from a passing grade. We need to aim for excellence. I ask all states to report back by the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2028. People of all professions everywhere should know their rights and understand how their choices and their decisions affect the rights of others. Both formal and extracurricular programs, including children and youth movements, arts and sport, can help us get there. Very happy that we have the panelists here representing some of these areas. The freedom, dignity, and equal worth of every person need to be the golden thread running through all subjects and materials from textbooks and maps to digital tools. Programs for children and young people need to be built with and by them and reflect their lived realities. My office is ready to work with governments, with civil society, with educators, with children and youth movements to bring such learning to everyone. From Mongolia to South Africa, we are supporting laws, policies and practices that promote inclusive education grounded in human rights. And our new Global Alliance for Human Rights will be a laboratory for solutions, not only to repel mounting assaults on people's rights, but to preempt them. That is why Rights in Every Classroom is one of the Alliance's first flagship initiatives. It will pull ideas and resources from everywhere to make human rights education standard in schools and universities worldwide, and it will help reach the goal we need to achieve by 2028. The strongest defense of human rights lies with people who understand them, who claim them, and stand up for them. This is our best way to push back against defeatism, hopelessness, alienation, and apathy. I look forward to working with all of you to make this a reality and to take stock of our collective progress in two years to come. Thank you very much.

I thank you for your opening remarks and clear call on all states. I will now give the floor to the distinguished panelists for their initial presentations. And first, I give the floor to Her Excellency, Mrs. Dawasuuren Gerelmaa. Please, you have the floor.

Madam Vice President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, Mongolia has long recognized that human rights education is an important foundation for building a culture of human rights. Our experience predated the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training and has evolved over time in line with its principles. As early as 1997, Mongolia introduced a dedicated human rights course into higher education institution, providing legal training, making an early step toward institutionalizing human rights education within the national education system. We subsequently took steps to extend human rights education into secondary education, including through measures under the 2011 to 2014 action plan, responding to the recommendations received through the universal periodic review. This commitment has been further strengthened through the subsequent action plan for 2016 to 2019 and most recently for 2026 to 2030. We worked closely with the National Human Rights Commission, international partners such as UNDP and OHCHR, and a wide range of other stakeholders to implement the awareness raising and training activities identified in those action plans. Today, we are taking a further step by strengthening the legal and institutional foundation for human rights education across the entire education system. In 2023, Mongolia adopted a revised general law on education, which provides a legal basis for the mandatory inclusion of human rights education in curricula at all levels of education. This is an important step because it moves human rights education from being an optional activity towards becoming an integral component of the education system, from pre-primary and primary education through secondary, vocational and technical education to higher education, with content adopted to the age and learning needs of students. Madam Vice President, Mongolia adopted its first national human rights program in 2003 and work is now well advanced on a second national human rights program envisaged as a long-term 10-year framework for strengthening the protection and promotion of the human rights. The intention is for the new program to be more than a statement of principles. It's envisioned in an implementable, people-centered development framework that can guide successive governments over the common decade. This is in particular relevant to the human rights education. The renewal of the National Human Rights Program provides an opportunity to connect education, institutional capacity and implementation much more systematically. We have also sought to ensure the curricula reform is informed by broad national dialogue. In 2025, the Ministry of Education together with the National Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International Mongolia and the United Nations Resident Coordinators Office convened the Human Rights Education Symposium, the fourth of its series since 2017, in the context of the fifth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. More than 100 researchers and experts from government, from national human rights commissions, civil society, and international organizations participated. One important outcome was the development of a matrix identifying the human rights education content to be incorporated across all levels of education. This matrix is now informing the revision of curricula and education materials. Madam Vice President, looking ahead, Mongolia is seeking to contribute not only nationally but also regionally. In its Human Rights 75th pledge, Mongolia committed to establish a human rights regional human rights training and research center in Ulaanbaatar. In fact, it is a hub for education, research, and capacity building for governments. national human rights institutions, civil society and academia across the region. During the visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Walter Turk, to Mongolia in May this year, Mongolia and OHCHR signed a roadmap towards the establishment of this center. This marks an important milestone in translating our commitment into concrete action. We recognize that significant work now lies ahead to make this vision a reality, and we look forward to working closely with OHCHR and partners across the region. Distinguished colleagues, Mongolia's experience demonstrated that human rights education can be strengthened when it is supported substantially by legislation, national policy, curriculum reform, teacher preparation, institutional cooperation, and sustained national dialogue. We recognize that implementation is an ongoing process. We see human rights education not simply as a subject to be taught, But there's a culture to be cultivated, is a culture grounded in equality, dignity, participation, respect, and peaceful resolution of differences. As we look toward the future, we believe that our collective focus should increasingly be on moving from commitments to institutionalization, implementation, and measurable impact. Mongolia stands ready to continue sharing its experience, learn from others, and work with all partners to ensure that human rights education becomes a lasting investment in human dignity, democracy, and peaceful inclusive society. I thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you very much for outlining examples and experiences of Mongolia. Next, I give the floor to Mr. Goran Georgiev. Please, you have the floor.

Madam President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates and colleagues, it is an honor to be participating in this high-level panel marking the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. As Regional Director of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, I bring perspective of global education movement that engage millions of young people across the world in non-formal education. The anniversary that we celebrate today is an important opportunity to reflect not only on the progress, but also to recognize an important reality. Human rights education is most effective when it moves beyond awareness and becomes practice. Young people do not become defenders of human rights simply by learning about the rights. They become defenders of human rights by practicing respect, participation, inclusion, solidarity, and responsibility in their everyday lives. This is where Scouting contributes. Learning about human rights for human rights and through human rights, as High Commissioner mentioned. Worldwide, Scouting delivers human rights education through experimental learning. Young people learn by doing. Through teamwork, democratic decision-making, community service, intercultural dialogue, peacebuilding, and leadership opportunities, they develop values and practice participation rather than learning only about it. They exercise responsibility towards others rather than treating it as an abstract. In other words, human rights becomes part of their everyday life. Our collaboration with the United Nations has strengthened this work significantly. Through partnership across the UN system, including with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF, Scouting has been able to connect global human rights standards with practical projects at local level. In recent years, we have strengthened our collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and through initiatives such as the Power of Human Rights Education, young leaders from more than 16 countries have been able to strengthen their competencies in human rights education and active citizenship through non-formal learning. This cooperation has continued through the WUSM co-chair role in the UN NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning, contributing to shaping the fifth phase of the World Programme and the pioneering educational initiatives co-developed with our World Scout Centre. A dedicated human rights education program forms part of the center's permanent education offer and reach thousands of young people from around the world every year. Every day, Scouts lead community projects promoting social inclusion, supporting displaced populations, advancing gender equality, protect nature, and responding to the humanitarian needs. Our experience highlights three important lessons. First, Non-formal education is essential to assure the full realization of the formal education. Schools provide essential formal education opportunities and non-formal provides ability to develop competencies, life skills and internalize values. In many countries, Scoutit works closely with the Ministry of Education on creating partnerships, with work in environments where human rights are not only taught in the classrooms, but also lived through participation, leadership and service. Second, human rights are the best learned through experience. When young people participate in decisions, engage in dialogue across differences, resolve conflicts peacefully, serve their communities and work alongside people from diverse backgrounds. Human rights then moved from theory in practice. Human rights discussions often focus on the distinction between right holders and duty barriers. In World Scouting, young people are active participants, beneficiaries, and advocates for themselves and for others. They are recognized as partners and leaders. Through the U-Act initiatives, Responding to the consequences of the war in Ukraine, tens of thousands of Scouts provided humanitarian assistance, created safe spaces, supported displaced families, and provided non-formal education, fostering inclusion and solidarity. Young people were not simply receiving support; they were helping to defend dignity and uphold the rights of others. Inclusion must be intentional and proactive. If human rights education is to fulfill its promise, it must reach all children and young people, including those who face barriers because of disability, displacement, poverty, geography, or other forms of marginalization. This requires partnerships among governments, civil society organizations, schools, communities, national human rights institutions, and youth-led movements. no single actor can achieve this alone. Through initiatives such as the Ticket to Life, Scouting supports refugees, displaced children, and other young people facing difficult circumstances. By participating in Scouting, they gain confidence, skills, belonging, and opportunities to contribute to their communities. Looking ahead, The fifth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, with its focus on children and youth and its emphasis on digital technologies and gender equality, offers an important opportunity. We should invest not only on the curriculum development and educational resources, but also in youth participation, community-based learning and the strengthening of the non-formal education spaces. The world today faces growing polarization, misinformation, conflict and social fragmentation. Human rights education is therefore not a luxury. It's an investment for social cohesion, democratic participation and peaceful society. As we mark 15 years of the declaration, let us reaffirm a simple but powerful commitment. Every child and every young people should have the opportunity not only to know their rights, but also to exercise them, uphold them, and stand up for the rights of others. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your perspectives and giving us also the insights on the role of the youth organizations. Next, I have the honour to give the floor to Ms. Marion Wainiku Mutungi. Please, you have the floor.

Madam Vice President, Excellencies, Ambassadors, distinguished panelists and colleagues, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights is honored to participate in this high-level panel discussion on the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. I want to focus my remarks on a practical question that every national human rights institution faces. Once a state commits to human rights education, how do we know that this commitment reaches the classroom? In Kenya, we sought to answer this using SDG 4.7, human rights education monitoring tool. This is a web-based tool developed by the Danish Institute for Human Rights with its indicators developed in consultation with the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights. It translates SDG indicator 4.7.1 into a structured evidence-based self-assessment measuring distinct elements. One, national education policies. Two, curricula. Three, teacher education. Four, student assessment. And last but not least, the learning environment. At the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, established under Article 57 of our constitution, this NHRI is accredited as an A status under the Paris Principles, and we partnered with the Ministry of Education in February 2021 to pilot this survey. We targeted three counties chosen to reflect Kenya's urban, peri-urban, and rural realities through the counties of Nairobi, Machakos, and Kajiado. Through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and questionnaires, we reached 230 respondents who included policymakers, county directors of education, teachers, and students themselves. Madam Vice President, we are pleased to note that Kenya's overall score was 67%. Although this represents meaningful progress, the desegregated data revealed gaps that matter far more than the headline number. We found human rights content genuinely present across the curriculum in subjects like social studies, history, government, religious education, and English. Overall, 85% of respondents confirmed that textbooks feature explicit illustrations and pictures reflecting the human rights principles. But there are three gaps that stood out. Number one, policy participation. 78% of the respondents said that National policies were developed with little or no participation from county and sub-county actors. The very people responsible for implementing them were left out. Two, resource allocation. 60% of the policy makers identified limited financial allocation from the national budget to operationalize human rights education. Three, the learning environment. 84% of the schools we visited had no trained professional counselors and 61% lacked infrastructure accessible to learners with disabilities, such as ramps, adapted sanitation facilities, and the very basics that they require to learn. Madam Vice President, we did not stop at measurement. Consistent with our constitutional mandate to secure observance of democratic values and human rights standards by state organs, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights issued a formal advisory to the Ministry of Education in August 2021. This recommended a bottom-up approach to policy formulation, dedicated budgetary allocation, and human rights division within the Ministry, as well as functioning complaint mechanisms in every school. We approach this as more than a compliance exercise. Education in Kenya is not only a developmental strategy under our vision 2030, it is a fundamental right in itself consistent with the human rights principle of interdependence. The right to education, we recognise, has a ripple effect on the realisation of every other right. On this basis, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights also proposed a framework of cooperation with the Ministry of Education to mainstream human rights indicators into curriculum development and jointly monitor progress against national and international obligations. I am pleased to report that within the five years since administration of this tool, this cooperation has materialized into a formal, memorandum of understanding between the Kenya National Commission of Human Rights and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, the KICD. In addition, there's a memorandum of understanding between KNCHR and various universities across the counties. This is to build capacity as well as explicitly embed human rights education into curriculum. Madam Vice President, we are conscious that surveying three of Kenya's 47 counties only gave us a baseline and not a complete national audit. But that baseline is a fixed point we can now return to as Kenya's competence-based curriculum continues to roll out. And it gave us, our national conversation on human rights education, something it lacked. a shared evidence-based starting point against which government, civil society, and the commission can hold one another accountable. Five years later, we propose that we could measure the progress or lack thereof as Kenya rolls out this competency-based curriculum, and this time to a more representative sample. I thank you.

Thank you very much for sharing insights of the work and the role of national human rights institutions. And last but certainly not least, I have the honour to give the floor to Mr. Alessandro Ienzi. Please, you have the floor.

Excellencies, distinguished representatives, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, good morning and thank you for the opportunity to be here today. My name is Alessandro Ienzi. I'm a theater director and artist. I'm a human rights lawyer and founder and artistic director of Raices Teatro, which is a nonprofit organization based in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, which is now active all over the world and promoting human rights education through the heart and theater. I would like to begin with a simple idea that has guided my work and is now guiding the work of the NGO and of the theater company. Human rights are not only principles that we must teach, they are experiences that people must be able to live, like the right to speak, the right to be heard, the right to participate, and the right to imagine a future if we talk about young people. These are not just words, these are experiences that we must allow people to live. Throughout my work, I've asked myself just one question. What happened when a person, and specifically when a young person, loses the possibility of imagining a future? I've asked this in schools, in communities across Sicily, while working especially with unaccompanied migrant children, with young people in Egypt, in Nepal, in Senegal, in Palestine, in Northeast Nigeria, and in many contexts marked by violence and conflict. The contexts are different, this is true, but one thing remains the same. Before a young person can participate in society, they must believe that their voice has a value. And this is where human rights education meets artistic practice. At Raizis, for this reason, we use theatre, creative writing, movement, football freestyle, visual arts and collective creation to create spaces where young people can transform experience into dialogue and dialogue into participation. But we don't give people a voice because people already have a voice. Our responsibility is to create the conditions for that voice to be heard. And Sicily, this approach has been developed especially through the Lab School, which is an educational model created by SHE Sicily, which is Schools for Health in Europe, which is a network of nine schools from nine cities, in cooperation with the Sicilian region department for education and vocational training, and in cooperation with RAICES. And the program connects artistic practice, human rights education, and youth participation. Together, we address issues such as addiction, violence, social exclusion, emotional vulnerability, identity and peer pressure. Our experience is clear. Prevention cannot rely just only on information and/or fear, but it must also be based on participation, trust, relationships and creativity. Through our theater activity in Sicily, we have engaged approximately 30,000 young people per year, and we are currently training 27 young people through an intensive performing art workshop, which is called Officina delle Arti, now hosted by the Istituto Florio in Erice, near Trapani, and managed by Istituto Rizzo in Melilli. And this school is including dance, theater, creative writing, and football freestyle. In particular, this section is managed by Mr. William Koschak, which will be performing today on childhood, which is our performing now, touring all over the world. 00 p.m., so feel free also to attend the side event at Auditorium 200H. The program also got the contribution of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, responsible for human rights education and training, and this strengthened the connection between artistic practice and international human rights education. So for us, what's clear through the presentation of our theater show, but also through the creation of our theater show with young people, is that human rights education cannot remain theoretical. It must become an experience. And this is particularly important, for example, when working with unaccompanied migrant children. Sicily is often a place of arrival. Many young people are arriving from African countries, crossing the desert, crossing the sea. But arrival is not just the end of a journey, because it is a beginning of a new challenge. belonging, identity, language, education, and finding a place in a new society. These are important challenges. And through artistic creation, we create spaces where young people can express themselves and participate. Because behind every migration statistic, every procedure, every number, every policy, there is always a person, a young person with memories, with fears, with dreams, with talents, and with a future. Our objective is not to speak on behalf of young people, it is to create the condition for them to speak for themselves. The same principle guided our work in Egypt through Together with Rai, developed in cooperation with IOM Egypt, where young people from different backgrounds from Egypt, but also from Sudan and Gaza, use theater and artistic practices as tools for expression, inclusion, and for leadership. So our question is not what can we do for them, but what can we create together? And this difference is very important because people cannot be defined only through their vulnerability. They must be recognized for what they can create, what they can contribute, and what can become. I've seen the same principle in northeastern Nigeria in cooperation with UNODC in contexts marked by violence and instability. because art cannot erase trauma, but it can create spaces where young people are not reduced to their trauma. Spaces where they can rediscover imagination, express themselves, share their stories, and imagine possibilities beyond violence. Today, this vision continues with our project, Roots of the Mediterranean, which is now touring all over the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean is often described through borders, migration, conflicts, also through division, but it is also a space of our shared memory, cultural exchange and encounter. Through the programme we work with young people, artists and communities across different countries. We listen, Before we can speak, we meet, and then we represent. We create before we judge. Because human rights education must also become an education in encounter. My experience from Sicily to Egypt, from Nigeria to Nepal, from Senegal to Palestine, has taught me something very simple. Young people do not simply need us to talk about their future. They need to participate in building it. For this reason, I believe that artistic and cultural practices should have more central role in human rights education. Every human being carries a story, and every story has the potential to create a connection. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing with us examples and practices from NGO perspective. Excellencies, dear participants, we will now proceed with the first segment of the list of speakers. All interventions from the floor are limited to one minute and 30 seconds. The list of speakers is now closed. And first, I have the honor to give the floor to European Union.

Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union. We thank the High Commissioner for his compelling keynote and the panelists for sharing their insights and good practices. 15 years after its adoption, the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training remains a vital framework for bringing universal rights into everyday life. We welcome progress in translating its commitment into concrete actions in classrooms, communities, and beyond. Human rights education enables people to understand and exercise their rights, respect those of others, and participate meaningfully in society. Building on this progress requires continued political will, sustained investment in education, inclusive learning, and strong partnerships. The EU fully supports the World Programme for Human Rights Education, including its ongoing fifth phase and focused on children and youth. By addressing some of today's most pressing challenges, it connects human rights education to their everyday lives, making their voices and experiences essential to its effective implementation. The EU also welcomes the synergies between the declaration, the world program, and the Global Alliance for Human Rights, Rights in Every Classroom initiatives. Dear panelists, what further concrete steps can States take through their policies and partnerships to strengthen human rights education and broaden its reach, including through the Global Alliance? I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Venezuela on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We make this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the United Nations Charter On this 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, our group reaffirms the importance of education for the promotion and implementation of all human rights. Education is a fundamental human right and an essential tool for the promotion of peace, justice, solidarity, sustainable development and human rights. We reaffirm our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including SDG 4, to ensure free, quality education. It is necessary to address the increase in structural inequality, polarization, lack of opportunities, and to demand fulfillment of financing commitments for development. We express concern that over 770 million young people and adults are illiterate and over 250 million children, adolescents, and young people are out of school. Our group calls for the mobilization of international financial resources and technical cooperation, as well as capacity building, to bring lifelong learning opportunities to people. These are based on contributions rather than penalizing. The right to education must be implemented for all. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Democratic Republic of the Congo on behalf of, uh, Group des Etats Membres de la Francophonie.

Madame Vice-President, I make this group on behalf of the group of Francophone ambassadors who welcome this panel because education commits to human rights, democracy and is at the heart of our commitments. We welcome the adoption by the Chair of the resolution on education for peace and reaffirm the role of education in promoting peace, tolerance and respect for human rights. Given the rise in hate speech, discrimination and attacks on freedom, we must strengthen human rights in education systems. We welcome the initiatives of the Global Alliance for Human Rights in the Classroom, which seek to bring human rights into primary and secondary education. We also welcome the adoption in 2023 by UNESCO of the recommendation on education for peace, human rights and sustainable development, on which a flagship programme is being developed. We emphasise the importance of empowering young people and ensuring that we have safe, inclusive educational environments. We reaffirm the importance of resources in French and in local languages to ensure that linguistic minorities and all others may be included in the process. How can multi-stakeholders partnerships improve access to multilingual resources and ensure human rights education for all?

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Slovenia on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the platform of member states on human rights education and training, comprising Brazil, Costa Rica, Italy, Morocco, the Philippines, Senegal, Thailand, and my own country, Slovenia. Our countries have long championed this agenda, including through the World Program for Human Rights Education, and led the initiative for today's panel. We thank the High Commissioner and panelists for their valuable contributions. Fifteen years after its adoption, the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training remains a shared foundation for advancing a universal culture of human rights. Human rights education brings this vision to life, equipping people to understand and exercise their rights, respect those of others, and participate meaningfully in society. We are encouraged by active engagement with the Declaration and the World Programme, and by progress in translating their objectives into concrete action around the world. The World Programme's fifth phase, focusing on children and youth, offers an opportunity to build on these achievements. Ahead of its mid-term review, we encourage all stakeholders to share good practices, identify gaps, and strengthen implementation. Today's discussion offers valuable lessons for taking the work forward, and we hope this anniversary inspires renewed commitment and sustained action. I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Nigeria on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. I have the honor to deliver the statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Family. We take note with appreciation of the convening of this panel, marking the 15th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. The family, as a natural and fundamental group unit of society entitled to protection by society and the state, is the first environment in which children learn about dignity, equality, and respect for others. Through daily interaction and parental guidance, these principles become part of how children understand their own rights and treat others around them. For human rights education to take root, lessons taught in the classroom need to find expression in everyday life. A strong partnership between the family and schools can help children learn to listen, resolve disagreements peacefully, reject discrimination, and show solidarity with others. Through this partnership, children experience human rights as values practiced at home, at school, and in relationship with others. This requires equipping parents with practical educational resources and respecting their responsibilities, rights, and duties to provide appropriate direction and guidance, consistent with children's evolving capacities and best interests. Supporting the family's educational role is therefore an investment in the culture of human rights that each generation can carry forward. Finally, we ask the panelists, how can national human rights education programs better support the family in fulfilling this role? I thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Benin on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. I have the honour to take the floor on behalf of the beneficiaries for the LDC process. We thank the Office of the High Commissioner and the panellists for this debate, which comes at a time when human rights education must fully be part of climate imperatives. For small island developing states and for many coastal countries, the climate emergency is already threatening the rights to life, water, food and decent housing. Human rights education and training must therefore become tools for empowerment civic action and resilience in the face of environmental disasters, beyond the mere theoretical teaching of fundamental freedoms. International solidarity must go beyond post-disaster relief To invest in prevention and human capacities, we call for a strengthening of skills transfer, for interregional sharing of educational innovations, and for sustainable funding for climate-smart human rights education programmes. Investing in human rights education in the context of the climate challenge means preparing the conscience of future generations to guarantee the dignity, justice and continuity of our peoples. Thank you.

Next, I give the floor to Iceland.

Thank you, Vice-President, distinguished panellists. Today, I have the honour to speak on behalf of Icelandic youth. As we reflect on this anniversary, it's important to note the key role of youth in the implementation of the UN Declaration of Human Rights Education and Training. In a world facing growing polarization, disinformation, instability, and inequality, the continued relevance of human rights education is clear. Young people today are navigating complex challenges, including rapid technological changes that have created both opportunities and challenges for issues like human rights education. But human rights education is an investment in the future, empowering youth to understand their dignity and rights, to recognize discrimination, to build respect across differences, and to take action to build more inclusive and just societies. In Iceland and beyond, youth are leading initiatives that promote equality, democracy, and human rights. However, the full potential of youth as implementers must be unlocked through sufficient funding, platforming, and relevant tools. Therefore, I ask you, how can governments, human rights institutions, and civil society create more opportunities for youth to contribute to human rights education and training? I thank you.

Thank you very much for outlining the perspectives of youth. Next, I give the floor to Qatar.

Thank you, Madame Fois. present. We commend the convening of this important debate and thank the panelists for their valuable feedback. Human rights education is a pillar in the promotion and protection of human rights, especially in light of the multiple challenges facing today's world, which call for human rights-based solutions and the preservation of human dignity, hence the importance of disseminating human rights values and principles through ongoing education and training. Recognizing this, Qatar has focused on education and training in human rights, launching awareness initiatives, integrating human rights principles into formal and informal school curricula, and establishing human rights departments in a number of ministries and government agencies. The United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Center for Southwest Asia and the Arab region hosted in Doha also plays an important role in this. In conclusion, we emphasize the importance of taking into account national cultural and religious specificities in educating and introducing the principles and standards of human rights to take advantage of the diverse cultural riches of all countries and societies in exchanging good practice to promote human rights values and principles, far from imposing non-compatible concepts or principles. This is the best way to promote the principle of universality of human rights.

Thank you. United Arab Emirates.

Madam Vice-President, we welcome the holding of this debate, which is an occasion to reflect on the progress made by the United Nations in human rights education and training with a focus on young people and adolescents, my country has adopted an educational approach based on human dignity, tolerance, coexistence, and respect for others. This is reflected in school curricula, which contain human rights principles and shared values. We also have launched initiatives to promote acceptance by young people of these values, my country also emphasizes recent developments with human rights centers. National programs in artificial intelligence also seek to establish techniques that support human rights. the human rights culture starts with education. It is not limited to transfer of knowledge. There must be a suitable environment for shared understanding and for upholding dignity. My country emphasizes the importance of exchanging good practice and knowledge in order to contribute to human rights education and training programs for young people and children. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Slovenia.

Thank you again, Madam Vice-President. Slovenia welcomes the opportunity to mark 15 years since the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. This anniversary is both a moment to take stock of progress and to renew our commitment to its implementation. Fifteen years have confirmed that human rights education is not a one-off exercise, but a continuous and systematic process that must extend across formal, non-formal and informal education. Slovenia has been actively engaged throughout the development of this agenda, from supporting the declaration and shaping different phases of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, including as a member of the platform on HRE and as a core group member of the relevant Council resolutions to implementing and reviewing progress at the national level. At home, human rights education is enshrined in our education legislation and integrated across curricula. Internationally, Slovenia has long supported human rights education for children, including through the Our Rights project, which has reached more than half a million children in 27 countries since 2005. Dear panelists, with the fifth phase of the World Programme focusing on children and youth, how can we ensure their meaningful participation in shaping human rights education that reflects and responds to their needs and lived experiences? Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Oman.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Sultanate of Oman thanks the Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for organizing this debate on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. My country emphasizes that human rights education is a long-term investment in societies based on mutual respect, the rule of law, tolerance, acceptance of diversity, and the promotion of a culture of dialogue and peace. In this context, we welcome the launch of the fifth phase of the Global Programme for Human Rights Education 2025-2029, with its special focus on youth, human rights education and digital technology. gender equality, the environment and climate change, and the alignment of education efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals. We also emphasize the importance of investing in teachers, youth, and educational institutions, developing curriculum training programs, and promoting the responsible use of digital technologies in a way that contributes to enabling future generations to know and exercise their rights and duties responsibly. Finally, my country emphasizes its commitment to continuing to contribute to the implementation of the World Programme for Human Rights Education to promote a culture of rights, freedom, peace and coexistence. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Ukraine. Ukraine seems to be absent. So next I give the floor to Egypt.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Today we celebrate the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. This is a milestone in seeking societies that are more just, tolerant and inclusive. In recent years, the declaration has been a transformative framework, reminding us that human rights education is not just for teaching, but for recognizing their rights and the values and goals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It empowers individuals to accept and respect difference. It gives young people the tools they need for constructive participation in societies based on tolerance. these are more needed than ever. Egypt attaches particular importance to human rights education in line with our national, social, and cultural specificities. We have integrated in the school curricula to raise new generations aware of their rights and responsibilities and who understand the reality of the values that support the building of peaceful and cohesive societies. As we look to the future, our course must build on these achievements, as human rights education remains one of the most important tools we have to build societies capable of understanding difference, resolving differences peacefully. We reiterate our commitment to this shared vision. I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Algeria.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, the Algerian delegation would like to further support this declaration and its ability to further entrench human rights culture. We pay great attention to the education sphere as a national priority and a pillar for inclusive development. Our efforts in Algeria include what follows. At the legal and institutional level, we have constitutionalized the obligation related to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as ensuring free education supported by an institutional and legal framework that guarantees an education system that is up to international standard. Pedagogically, we have embedded human rights in curricula and training programs across levels from the elementary school all the way to university level. We also promote the National Commission for Human Rights as a constitutional body that implements awareness and communications programs in the field of human rights. In conclusion, Algeria renews its commitment to support the principles of the declaration and to work towards translating those principles into reality, serving the up and coming generations to benefit from the fifth phase of the World Programme on Human Rights Education. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Brazil.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Brazil thanks the panelists for their valuable contributions.

As a member of the core group of the resolution on human rights education.

We have witnessed the growing importance of equipping future generations with a solid understanding of human rights as an essential foundation for a sustainable international order. Rapid technological transformation, coupled with the reality that many of the children and young people who most need to learn about their rights remain outside formal education systems, remind.

Us that human rights education must reach far beyond the classroom.

Brazil believes that popular education methodologies and the use of.

Culture and the arts, including cinema, are powerful tools to overcome structural.

Barriers and to bring human rights learning closer to children and youth in vulnerable situations. In light of these challenges and opportunities, Brazil would like to ask the panelists What innovative approaches have proven to be effective in reaching children and young people who remain outside formal education systems? And how can international cooperation support the scaling up of such initiatives?

Thank you.

I thank you. And we will now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations. And first, I give the floor to Conseil National des Droits de l'Homme du Maroc.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. This is an opportunity at the 15th anniversary of the declaration on human rights education and training that our organization reminds of the importance granted to the human rights culture as part of our daily conduct. When it comes to law enforcement officials, our organization organizes training on international standards and national human rights standards. Those who benefit include the Royal Gendarmerie, the Directorate General of the Prison Service and Reintegration Service, the Royal Institute on Territorial Planning and National Security. On the media, our organization has signed an agreement with higher education and further education institutes in order to ensure training of journalists in human rights. Furthermore, The regional bodies have cooperation agreements with different local stakeholders in order to strengthen human rights education. We've also taken initiatives with the social society, notably human rights and citizenship clubs in schools. We seize the opportunity of this panel to remind that young people shouldn't just be beneficiaries of education and training. They need to be recognized as essential stakeholders, involved in the design implementation of these programs. Thank you.

The floor to Center for Global Non-Killing.

Dear human beings, Madam Vice President, distinguished panelists, everyone everywhere, greetings of lively and participative human rights. Please see also our written statement. Life is at the core of all human rights. Life is present when every human right is fulfilled. Life is needed for the future of every human being. The human rights education we need is to learn to live, to live well, and to live together, to respect life and the right to life of everyone. When life is respected, no homicides, no war, no death penalty. Even self-defense does not kill. When life and well-being are fulfilled, no poverty, no suicides, your humanity is not a suicidal species. Peace and climate change are mitigated for the good of all. When the creation of life is revealed as the greatest gift one can offer, children are desired. There are no more unwanted pregnancies or abortions. When life is sustained and reaches fulfillment, the worth of life expresses itself in a creative and shared happiness. Humanity has a future, history made with living dignity.

Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Humanists International.

We are making this statement together with the Secular Action Sector. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights bases human rights in its first article in the dignity and equal value of each individual and in the fact that all human people, human persons are granted reason and conscience. So, all of this is part of our human dignity, it's not a revelation or a sense of belonging. The declaration reminds each of us to develop the respect for human rights in education and training. And as the 2011 declaration says, this education must be based on principles of equality, human dignity, and openness to all, and non-discrimination. In a state like Belgium, state schools divide children according to the religion of their parents, and in some countries, non-religious pupils have no alternative. We promote courses on philosophy and citizenship, which, instead of dividing children depending on the religion of their parents, gather them together around democratic values and philosophical practices. from a younger stage. We want to guarantee the development of the autonomy of each pupil in order to have a democratic, pluralist, harmonious, respectful society, respecting the rights and freedoms of each person. To conclude, we would remind that, in our view, education on human rights must benefit each child without distinction, for free. Thank you.

Next, I give the floor to Soka Gakkai International for a joint statement.

Thank you. I speak on behalf of the NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning. 15 years ago, this council and the General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, recognizing its vital role in promoting and protecting human rights worldwide. Since then, the declaration has provided a framework for promoting human rights education into school curricula, teacher training, and vocational programs across many countries. States, national institutions, and civil society have used it to advocate for right-based pedagogy and more inclusive societies. Yet, 15 years on, the gap between formal commitment and implementation remains critically wide. And today's pushback against human rights make a stronger stance even more urgent. Too often, human rights education is still treated as an optional rather than core to public education. Teachers frequently lack training and resources, and in many places, civic space for human rights educators and defenders is narrowing. We therefore call on states to integrate human rights education into curricula and teacher trainings with adequate financing, protect educators and defenders from harassment, and report periodically on implementation, including through the Universal Periodic Review. We also encourage this Council to build on the existing reporting system with a more robust binding mechanism to assess the declaration implementation at this 15 years milestone. I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to United Nations Watch.

Panel asks how the United Nations can advance human rights education for children and youth. Surely, the first principle must be do no harm. Yesterday, UN Watch released its report card on UNRWA reform, testing the agency's claims against the evidence. UNRWA says it fulfilled 41 of the 50 reforms recommended by the Kullana review. But what is the reality in UNRWA's classrooms? According to a December 8, 2024 report in the New York Times, 24 employees at 24 different UNRWA schools, mostly principals and deputy principals, were Hamas or Islamic Jihad terrorists. We ask, why for 27 years did UNRWA employ Suheil al-Hindi as school principal and teachers union chief while he openly sat on the Hamas Politburo with Yahya Sinwar? Why was he allowed to block Holocaust education? Why did UNRWA employ Fathi Sharif as a school principal and teachers union chief while he was also the Hamas commander in Lebanon? Why did the UN honor UNRWA principal Emad Al-Sambouri at its solemn memorial ceremony when he was a Hamas commander sworn to jihad? Now, the UN can pretend they didn't know, but his social media is full of photos of him bringing Hamas chiefs into UNRWA schools. And so we ask the panel, is this human rights education? Will the UN and this council demand an investigation into the UNRWA leaders who oversaw the hiring of terrorist commanders to run the schools and brainwash generations of Palestinians with incitement, hate, racism, and holy war. We ask, who will be held accountable? I thank you.

Next, I give the floor to Association of Iranian Short-Statured Adults.

Mr. President, as an Iranian NGO, we emphasize that education is a fundamental human right and the cornerstone of sustainable development. However, decades of unilateral sanctions and conflict have severely compromised Iranian students' access to quality, safe, and uninterrupted education. US UCMs, directly violate the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education. By restricting educational resources, tech infrastructure, and essential standardized testing like TOEFL and GRE, these measures arbitrarily penalize youths and isolate our academic community from global opportunities. Compounding this crisis, military aggression against educational infrastructure is an unconscionable violation of international law. The horrific strike on Minab Shajarat Al-Taba school, which claimed 168 innocent lives, most of them children, remains an unforgivable crime against humanity. Months later, the perpetrators continue to enjoy total impunity with zero accountability. Schools must remain inviolable sanctuaries, and no political doctrine can ever justify targeting the innocent. We urge the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner, and Member States to uphold international law by safeguarding schools from military conflict and ensuring that illegal sanctions do not destroy the inalienable right to education for children and youth. I thank you.

We have exhausted the first segment of the list of speakers, and we will proceed with the second segment of the list of speakers. And first, I have the honor to give the floor to Cambodia.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. Cambodia welcomes this timely discussion, marking the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. Cambodia attaches particular importance to human rights education for children and youth, We believe that education is not only about imparting knowledge of human rights and fundamental freedoms, but also about fostering a sense of responsibilities, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and respect for the rule of law. We welcome the fifth phase of the World Programme 2025-2029, an initiative such as rise in every classroom, which support integration of human rights educations into schools and exchange of good practices. Cambodia has continued to promote general education through its national curriculum and capacity building efforts, with particular attention to persons with disabilities and those in vulnerable situations. Like many developing countries, however, we continue to face challenges in reaching remote and rural communities, including limited teacher training and resources. We therefore encourage OHCHR and partners to strengthen technical assistance for developing countries in these areas. Cambodia reaffirms its commitment to human rights education as an investment in human dignity and sustainable peace. Finally, I would like to ask panelists what practical approaches have proven most effective in extending human rights education to under-resourced or remote schools. I thank you.

Thank you. Next, taking the floor to Afghanistan.

I thank the Chair and the panelists 15 years after the adoption of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, the situation in Afghanistan demands the Council's sustained attention. More than 2.6 million girls in Afghanistan have been denied secondary education since 2021, while women have been excluded from universities since December 2022. The exclusion of girls and women from education, therefore, affects not only those whose rights are denied today, but also the children and communities that will depend on this system in the years.

Ahead.

And the absence of formal schooling, informal education, including home-based classes and community learning centers, have become one of the few means through which the children of Afghanistan, and particularly girls, continue to learn. Where such channels exist, human rights education must remain an integral part of learning and should not be or excluded when education takes place outside formal institutional settings. The 15th anniversary of the declaration should not only be an opportunity to reflect on progress, it must also be an opportunity to identify clearly where its principles are being most seriously undermined. I thank you.

I thank you. Next, I give the floor to Finland on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States. We welcome this 15th anniversary as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to implementing the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, but also to take stock of what has worked, where gaps remain, and what needs to change. Human rights education is not only about what is taught, but also about how information is shared through inclusive learning environments that uphold equality, participation, and critical thinking. Human rights education must keep pace with technological change. As AI increasingly shapes how young people learn, communicate, and access information, digital literacy is becoming part of human rights literacy. Young people need to understand how technology can affect their privacy, equality, and access to reliable information. We strongly support the focus of the fifth phase of the World Programme on Human Rights Education on children and youth, which places a timely emphasis on human rights education in the digital age. And we would like to ask, are we preparing young people merely to know their rights? or to exercise and defend them in the world that they live in. Thank you.

I thank you. Next, I give the floor to Angola.

Madam President, Angola welcomes this high-level panel marking the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. Human rights education is essential to build just, inclusive, and peaceful societies. By empowering people with knowledge and understanding of their rights and responsibilities, it helps prevent violations, combat discrimination and intolerance, and strengthen respect for human dignity. For Angola, human rights education is closely linked to citizenship and a culture of peace. National efforts include training and public awareness initiatives, the promotion of human rights and citizenship group within educational institution, and activities targeting different sectors of society, including young people and media professionals. And we also continue to encourage the progressive integration of human rights principles into education and public awareness. As the fifth phase of the World Programme focuses on children and youth, we believe particular attention Particular attention should be given to equipping a younger generation not only with knowledge on their rights, but also the value and critical thinking needed to promote tolerance, equality, and peaceful coexistence. Angola commends the High Commissioner and his office for coordinating the World Programme, developing educational resources, building national capacity, and facilitating the exchange of good practices. Distinguished panelists, how can the international community better support states, particularly developing countries, integrating human rights education and a culture of peace into a formal and non-formal education for children and youth? I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor.

To Libya.

Madam Vice-President, my country believes that human rights education and training are very important because they play a key role in promoting human rights, dignity and tolerance, especially amongst young people. We believe that promoting a human rights culture begins at a very young age in order to ensure that young people can express their views and become involved in issues important to them. My country would therefore like to emphasize the Libyan Children's Parliament, which testifies to Libya's interest in promoting human rights, youth culture from a young age, providing young people with a forum for expressing their views and also become familiar with their rights and obligations. Through this experience, young people learn the value of exchanging views and the respect of others strengthens their sense of responsibilities and they make a positive contribution to society. To conclude, we believe human rights education should become more effective. It should become a participative event. We believe it's therefore important for young people to benefit from exchanging experiences in this area. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Senegal.

Thank you very much, madam. Senegal wishes to commend the panelists for their high-quality statements, which highlight the challenges that remain and the good practices to be shared for better promotion of human rights education. We remain convinced that human rights education and training are essential to strengthen knowledge of and empowerment within the human rights sector. We believe that this is important for peaceful and inclusive society. We would urge all stakeholders to redouble their efforts to make sure that the second phase of the global programme for human rights education 2025-26 is truly implemented. It is essentially the responsibility of the states to ensure human rights education and training. Obviously, this has to be done pursuant to their level of development and their values. There must be prevention of human rights abuse. Our country, therefore, mainstreams human rights education throughout schooling and in university, but also includes it in training programs for public officials, including our security and defense forces. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Mauritius.

Madame.

Vice-President, 15 years after its adoption, the Declaration remains essential to building societies founded on dignity, equality and mutual respect. Human rights education must go beyond teaching legal principles. It must empower everyone, particularly children and young people. to understand, exercise, and defend their rights and shape a future rooted in dignity and equality. Mauritius recognizes that human rights education must also respond to contemporary challenges, including misinformation, hate speech, gender inequality, climate change, and the digital divide. In Mauritius, human rights education is integrated into primary and secondary curricula. through values and citizenship education, life skills, and social and modern studies. Teacher training also increasingly covers the responsible use of artificial intelligence, including privacy and human agency. We therefore call for meaningful youth participation and stronger cooperation among governments and other stakeholders. Human rights must not only be taught in every classroom, but also lived and upheld in everyday life. I thank you.

Thank you very much. Next, I give the floor to Romania.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Romania welcomes this high-level panel, and we wish to thank the panellists for their contributions. Since the adoption of the UN Declaration, Romania has invested greatly in the national education system, which recognizes non-discrimination, diversity, equality and inclusion as fundamental values. Human rights education is a key part of the school curriculum. Courses on intercultural education, education for democratic citizenship, critical thinking and the rights of the child, Roma from slavery to emancipation, or Holocaust in Romania, are some of the mandatory subjects. Human rights related topics are also taught in various optional subjects developed at national, local or school level. Efforts are ongoing to ensure that teachers have access to human rights training and tools to fight prejudice and discrimination. Madam Vice-President, challenges to the realisation of the right to education are part of the realities in many countries and Romania is no exception. Access to quality education for all, Inequalities between the rural and urban education offer, reducing school dropouts, investing in digital literacy and IT school infrastructure, to name a few, are some of the topics that my government is endeavouring to address. Romania will continue to develop policies, practices, tools and resources in order to overcome these challenges and support human rights education across the country. I thank you, Madam Vice-President.

I thank you. And next I give the floor to Philippines.

Madam Vice President, for the Philippines, human rights education is about empowering individuals, especially young people, to exercise their rights, respect the rights of others, and participate meaningfully in shaping their communities and society. This principle is reflected in our integration of human rights and peace education in school curricula at various levels and in sectoral policies and strategies. It also underpins our advocacy in this Council and beyond to recognize young people as partners and agents of change. Domestically, we have translated our commitment under the World Programme on Human Rights Education into concrete, actionable programs. For instance, our labor agency conducts training of traders programs to promote labor rights awareness among young workers. utilizing specialized training materials on decent work, gender equality, and non-discrimination in the workplace. In addition, our Independent Commission on Human Rights has partnered with the state universities and colleges across the country to establish centers for human rights education. As we mark 15 years of the declaration, our challenge is to bring human rights from international instruments into classrooms, communities, and ultimately everyday life in a more impactful manner. We therefore post to the panelists, how can states safely and effectively harness emerging technologies, including AI, to design and deliver human rights education? Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Mauritania.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania welcomes holding this high-level meeting on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. this is an opportunity for us to take stock of what's been done, to exchange good practices and to explore ways of further promoting a human rights culture. In our view, human rights protection is not just about laws and institutions. It means that we have to enshrine the values of tolerance, non-discrimination and mutual respect must be anchored within society. So we have made the human rights education and training a central pillar of our national strategy for the promotion and protection of human rights 2024 to 28 in order to mainstream human rights principles within our education system. We do this by capacity building within more democratic schools and by involving civil society and democratic stakeholders. We must promote international cooperation exchange expertise, technical capacity on the basis of national priorities. And this is part of universalizing human rights. Mauritania will therefore press on with its efforts to ensure that human rights education is a central pillar in promoting citizenship and preserving human dignity.

To University for Peace.

15 years ago, the Human Rights Council adopted a declaration on human rights education and training, affirming that human rights are not only to be protected but to be learned. This year, as the fifth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education turns to children and youth, that conviction turns towards the very world this next generation will inherit and must know how to defend. The University for Peace has carried this conviction long before this declaration existed. Built on the core value of educating for peace, it has since sent students across more than 100 countries to do exactly that. What 15 years of this declaration have shown is simple. A right named on paper becomes real only when someone has taught a child how to claim it. Yet knowing this has not been enough to deliver it. The world children and youth are inheriting is shaped by digital technologies, a changing climate, and persistent gender inequality. Today, roughly two-thirds of the world's children have no internet access at home, and a right to learn about one's rights in a digital age means little without the access to exercise it. As this plan of action itself puts it, this work is one of the best investments we can make in a just and sustainable future. That is exactly what it demands we change, treating children and youth not as an audience for this education, but as partners in building it with the access and the investment that partnership requires.

Thank you.

I thank you. Next, I give the floor to Italy.

Thank you, Madam Vice President, distinguished panelists. Human rights education is not merely an academic exercise. It is the ultimate tool to ignite empathy and cultivate a global culture of peace. It is a shield for the mind, enabling our youth to fiercely protect the dignity of others. As a member of the core group on human rights education, Italy has consistently spearheaded this agenda, nationally, we translate this commitment into concrete action through our flagship project, R2P in schools. Originally launched during our mandate in the UN Security Council, this innovative, innovative initiative uses interactive role-playing games to engage students in realistic crisis scenarios, teaching them the importance of international law and atrocity prevention. To expand this dialogue today, Italy is delighted and to co-sponsor the upcoming side event with, uh, OHCHR and Rises Te- Teatro, featuring the performance Unchilled, which showcases the innovative power of creative civil society. We ask the panelists, how can the Human Rights Council better support member states in linking formal programs like R2P in schools with non-formal R2P-based methodologies to deepen youth awareness? I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Luxembourg.

Madame la Vice-President.

Madam Vice-President, distinguished panelists, Luxembourg associates with the statement by the European Union. In a context marked by the rise of hate speech, disinformation and attacks on democratic values, human rights education is more essential than ever. Luxembourg believes that human rights education must start at an early age. It must be integrated into education systems. It contributes to strengthening critical thinking and also citizen participation and respect for diversity. We encourage States to continue all efforts within the framework of the fifth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, with a particular focus on children and young people. We welcome the Rights in Every Classroom initiative, which can promote the sharing of experience and good practice. Luxembourg attaches great importance to cooperation between governments. We welcome the existence of national human rights institutions and schools to ensure the effective and inclusive implementation of human rights education. We would like to ask the panelists what they believe are the most effective measures to ensure meaningful participation by young people in the development and implementation of human rights education programs. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next, I give the floor to Sierra Leone.

Madam Vice President, Sierra Leone welcomes the convening of this high-level panel and thanks the High Commissioner and the panelists for their insights. Sierra Leone has placed education at the center of its development agenda. First, through our flagship free quality education program, we have expanded free access to primary and secondary education while seeking to improve learning outcomes for every child.

Second.

Our radical inclusion policy seeks to ensure that no child is left behind with particular attention to girls, including pregnant girls and young women, children with disabilities, and other marginalized learners. Third, consistent with Article 11 of the declaration, Sierra Leone has mainstreamed human rights into security sector training. The Sierra Leone Police Training Academy incorporates a dedicated human rights curriculum, while our military personnel receives systemic training in human rights and international humanitarian law. These efforts seek to ensure that law enforcement and security operations are conducted with little respect for human rights. CIO calls for strengthening international cooperation to translate commitments into meaningful action in classrooms. This requires enhanced teacher training, inclusive curriculum development, and equitable resource sharing, particularly for countries facing capacity and resource constraints. We must ensure that human rights education reaches every learner and equips future generations to build a tranquil society. And I thank you, Vice-Presidents.

I thank you. And we will now turn to the list of speakers for National Human Rights Institutions and non-governmental organizations. And first, I give the floor to National Human Rights Committee of Qatar.

I speak on behalf of the National Human Rights Committee with regard to our contribution to human rights education. I would like to express my appreciation to the Human Rights Council for recognizing the important role of national human rights institutions in implementing the program and for encouraging their contribution to the plan for the fifth phase. We have worked in cooperation with the Arab Institute for Human Rights, and we've developed a human rights education guide covering the three educational levels. We further developed and refined this guide between 2007 and 2019. And in that same year, we signed an MOU with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to strengthen the integration of human rights into educational curricula alongside training programs for law enforcement. The third phase focused on media professionals and journalists through traditional and digital media, as well as social media platforms, with the aim of promoting the values of equality, non-discrimination, diversity, and tolerance. During the fourth phase, we strengthened our programs targeting young people and university students, recognizing them as key partners in promoting culture of human rights. we have conducted 107 activities and programs for schools, universities, and higher education institutions. And here we are in the fifth phase, we're focused on children in the digital sphere, also focusing on gender equality while focusing on training educators and turning human rights education into a practice, investing in children and young people, as well as in those responsible for educating and training them, is an investment in a future that is more just, equal, tolerant and inclusive. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Ingenieurs du Monde for a joint statement.

My name is Netta Heyman-Mena. On October 7, my mother, Ditsa, was 84 years old when she was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas terrorists. For 48 days, an UNRWA teacher, Abed, kept her trapped in his attic in terrible conditions with very little food. I ask the United Nations, how could you place the education of Gaza's next generation with someone involved in holding an elderly woman hostage? My mother wasn't the only one. We know of other UNRWA employees connected to the massacre and kidnappings of October 7. Why did UNRWA allow Suheil Al-Lindi to be in charge of 8,000 teachers in Gaza while he was a member of Hamas? If the UN truly cares about human rights and education, how can it allow an agency compromised by terrorism to shape the future of Palestinian children? I believe the vacuum must be filled. The UN and the Board of Peace must find alternatives to provide Gaza's children with healthcare, education, and food security. As an activist with Women Wage Peace, I believe Israel should support this effort. It is the moral and the Jewish thing to do. When the people of Gaza have a better life, our future will be better too.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Association Haste Oyr for a joint statement.

15 years ago, the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and Training recognized an important principle. The family has a role to play in promoting and providing human rights education. That role must be respected. The education of children belongs first and foremost to the parents. Yet today in Brazil, thousands of families who choose homeschooling live under constant legal threat as the group CitizenGO has denounced. In Jales, Sao Paulo, a couple was convicted of intellectual abandonment, despite actively educating their children, who read extensively over 30 books per year and spoke other languages. In other parts of Brazil, families have faced heavy fines and court orders forcing them to enroll their children in conventional schools. Defending homeschooling is not an attack on schools. It's a defense of freedom of choice. Brazil now has the opportunity to end this legal uncertainty. Bill 1338 of 2022 would provide a legal framework for families who choose home education responsibly, while preserving conventional schooling for those who choose it. Parents are not obstacles to seek children's right. They are their first educators. Every child has different needs, and every family knows its own reality better than any state bureaucracy. Thank you, President.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to International Volunteerism Organization for Women Education and Development for a joint statement.

Vidas and IMA welcome this high-level panel discussion on the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. Human rights education, including education concerning human rights and digital technologies, the environment and climate change, and gender equality, empowers children and youth to take action and uphold their human rights and those of others, and to participate in public affairs and democratic decision-making processes If human rights education is key to empowering children and young people to build a sustainable, peaceful and just world, then their meaningful participation as active rights holders and agents of change is equally essential to advancing the protection and promotion of their human rights. In this regard, we call upon states and other relevant stakeholders to develop a comprehensive human rights education strategy for children and youth to be adapted to national context in accordance with the plan of action for the fifth phase of the World Program for Human Rights Education, raise greater awareness among children and youth of international human rights mechanisms to uphold their human dignity, which the international community is called to protect and promote. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Asian Pacific Resource and Research Center for Women.

Distinguished delegates, I'm Saira Cherla from the Asian Pacific Resource and Research Center for Women, ARROW. The 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training is yet again a reminder for all of us to protect, promote and fulfill human rights for all without any discrimination on the basis of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, disability and other multiple and intersecting forms of any discrimination. In this regard, human rights education is crucial and it should start early, it should be institutionalized and provided across the continuum of life course to all in formal and informal education mediums. Such human rights education should develop skills and attitudes amongst all, especially marginalized, excluded and disenfranchised learners, so they apply these human rights in their daily ways of living, dismantling the structural and systemic barriers. Finally, such human rights education should be holistic and focus on economic, environmental, climate, social, gender, including sexual and productive health and rights, justice, realizing the sustainable development agenda, leaving no one behind in principle and in practice. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Mott for Peace, Development and Human Rights Association.

Thank you, Ms. Vice President. MADD hopes that the discussion and its resulting recommendations will contribute to raising awareness about human rights education and promoting human rights literacy, especially in the Arab region where programs dedicated to human rights education are scarce. Ms. Vice President, in Egypt, the National Human Rights Strategy established ambitious targets under the fourth pillar, focused on education and capacity building. These targets included launching a national action plan for human rights education and establishing dedicated digital platforms. However, through monitoring of the strategy's implementation, MADD has not observed the completion of these targets, despite the conclusion of the strategy's first phase. Accordingly, MADD recommends that the Egyptian government carry over all unfulfilled targets from the first phase into the new strategy. We also recommend that member and observer states of the council develop human rights educational plans and programs aligned with the United Nation plan of action for the fifth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, but also recommends integrating human rights into educational curricula in accordance with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. I thank you.

Thank you. This was the last speaker we could accommodate. I wish to remind you that delegates inscribed on the list of speakers who could not take the floor due to the time constraints can upload their statements to be posted on the HRC portal. I will now give the floor back to the panelists for their concluding remarks. You have three minutes each. And first, I give the floor to Her Excellency, Mrs. Tavasurren Gerelmaa.

Thank you very much, Madam Vice President. It was very good opportunity to share Mongolia's experience, how Mongolia could develop human rights education as a priority of the government of Mongolia. And also it was a very good opportunity to listen the good experience from other countries, from all stakeholders, and also the challenges, how we should resolve on this matter. And As we mark the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, I believe this occasion offers us an opportunity not only to reflect on the progress we have made, but also to reaffirm our commitment to the work that lies ahead. For Mongolia, human rights education is not simply about providing knowledge. It's about the fostering values, attitude and the skills that are enabling individuals to understand their rights, respect the rights of others and contribute meaningfully to a democratic and inclusive society. As we look ahead, Mongolia remains committed to strengthening human rights education. It's a lifelong process, one that begins early, continues through school education, and extends into society more broadly. I thank all our partners and colleagues for their continued cooperation, and most importantly, for keeping human rights education at the heart of our efforts. to build a culture of human rights. I thank you very much, Madam Vice-President.

I thank you. Next, I give the floor to Mr. Goran Georgiev.

Thank you, Madam President. I have tried to collect many of your questions and put a lot of long notes here. So in my closing speech, I will try to focus on two. First, that it is a beautiful audience and beautiful room to listen. I believe that most of the answers are with you. So I will focus on two aspects that I managed to capture today. One is answering on the question of what we can do more. And I would say then this is to prioritize, to put human rights education beyond good to have and to integrate resources and to dedicate efforts and building partnerships around them that we work together on them to make it happen. The second was what we can innovate and I believe that here is that innovation would come with freedom. Freedom to explore new things, freedom to explore new programs and methods, freedom to create new partnerships and through this partnership to try to close two important gaps that was mentioned today in this panel. One is how we move from commitment to implementation, and the second one is how that we support young people to move from knowing their rights into practicing them and defending them. I believe that No actor can do this alone. So my conclusion here is I would invite that we all do much more to put priority and to work together. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your contribution. I will now give the floor to Ms. Marion Wanyiku Mutugi.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. From our experience in Kenya, Our lessons learned that we would like to share is number one, get baseline information so that you can be able to measure evidence-based progress. This you can do using human rights-based approach, standards of accessibility, acceptability, affordability and quality. Number two, desegregate and expose crucial gaps. Number three, include all stakeholders all the way from duty bearers to right holders. May they be government agencies, ministries, teachers, students. Number four, work throughout the education system, primary, secondary, tertiary, inculcate human rights education within the curriculum at all these levels, utilize innovative formal and informal methods and capacity build accordingly. And number four, leverage on the moment. Certain things may be operational in a country, for example, in Kenya, where we have the human, where we have the competence-based curriculum rollout, leverage on the moment, and target country, regional, socio-economic, demographic specific strategies. I thank you.

Thank you very much. I will now give the floor to Mr. Alessandro Ienzi.

Hello, everyone, and thank you so much for your contribution. It was very interesting to listen to all your speeches. And what I can add is that when we talk about young people and human rights education, we're not talking just about numbers, even if it was very interesting to consider in my mind while you were talking. how many young people we were representing, we are representing today here in this room. But all these people are not just numbers, are not just citizens in an ideal world, but they are humans, they have needs, they have concrete needs, and we have the possibility coordinating our interventions in the different level to really create an impact. especially in this era in which their lives are affected by the consequences of COVID, the consequences of the abuse of tech and internet and digital communication, and the consequences of the fear which is spread by all the conflict that we are personally experiencing and that we are also witnessing personally through the video. It is the first time that we can follow all these wars, all these violences, through our phones in a live session, actually. And this having a strong impact, especially on our minds. So imagine on young people minds. So what we have to do is really to be really serious and to address this topic altogether. This is very important to be all together here. So we need to unite as different people, different population, different nationalities, and from different levels. It means institutions, and then all the administrative part, and NGO, and then the last part, but the most important part of the chain, which are the young people. So we have really to address them. We have to meet them. So we have to create that space where it's still possible to meet. I have personally experienced in many countries and the real change is when we meet, when we have the opportunity to share. So, for example, we have to foster investment on youth center, on youth worker, on the possibility to have life activities with them. We did not just information, but to give them the possibility to talk, the possibility to express, also through imagination and creativity. And that's why, as I told in my speech, it's very important to foster the use of art, of theater, or sport, of also of urban disciplines which can be music which can be uh football freestyle which can be uh hipop everything that can really include them so they can consider to be seen and starting again expressing their ideas so our commitment here also getting back to my to my country representatives is to make a link between institutions and NGO so we can provide the better services at the base so directly to young people thank you so much.

Thank you very much for your contribution. So this brings us to the end of this panel discussion. I wish to thank the High Commissioner for his opening remarks and, of course, our distinguished panelists. and all participants who have contributed today to this discussion. We will now take a short break before continuing the interactive dialogue with the working group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination. Excellencies, distinguished participants, we shall now continue the interactive dialogue with the working group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights, impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination. And we shall return to our list of speakers. And first, I have the honor to give the floor to Malaysia.

Madam Vice President, Malaysia thanks the Working Group for its report on the use of technology by mercenaries, mercenary-related actors, and private military and security companies. Malaysia is concerned by the growing use of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, surveillance systems, drones, and geospatial technologies, in military and security operations. While these technologies may serve legitimate security purposes, their use in armed conflict raises serious concerns when they contribute to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Malaysia is particularly concerned by the increasing involvement of private actors in military and security activities, the use of contractor-operated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, including in relation to Gaza, highlights the need to address questions of attribution and accountability where private actors support military operations. We welcome the working group's emphasis on stronger regulation, oversight, and human rights due diligence for private military, security, and technology companies. We also support greater international cooperation to address accountability gaps, preserve evidence, and ensure effective remedies for victims. Malaysia believes that the development and deployment of emerging technologies must remain subject to meaningful human oversight and consistent with international law. Greater transparency, accountability, and effective regulation are essential to ensuring that technological advances contribute to human security rather than facilitate violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. I thank you.

Thank you. Next, take up the floor to the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Vice President.

We thank the working group for its timely report.

Technology-enabled mercenarism poses a serious and evolving threat to human rights, international security, and the rule of law.

Unregulated access to artificial intelligence, cyber tools, commercial spyware, autonomous systems, and digital platforms can extend the reach.

Scale, and deniability of malign actors.

These capabilities heighten risks for civilians in affected communities, particularly in fragile, conflict-affected contexts.

Concerned by Russia's use of AI to support and influence operations by Africa Corps and the Wagner Group across Africa.

Russian state-directed actors, such as the media organization Rybar, influence organization Africa Politology, and news aggregation network Portal Kombat, have exploited AI to generate disinformation and manipulate online discourse, which undermine democratic institutions and regional stability.

Russia should be held accountable for those malign activities and their impact on vulnerable communities.

The UK supports stronger human rights safeguards in procurement and export controls and the need for rigorous due diligence by companies.

Greater international co-operation is also essential to preserve evidence, investigate violations and prevent safe havens. Members of the working group, what practical steps should states take?

To strengthen international coordination and ensure accountability for technology enabled mercenarism.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to India. India is absent, so we move on. And next, I give the floor to Egypt.

Madam Vice President, The Egyptian delegation welcomes the report of the working group and the comprehensive analysis of the ever shifting activities of mercenaries and the resulting human rights violations. We concur with the content of the report as to the fast-paced technological developments that are radically changing the activities of private military and security companies. and boosting their capabilities. The incorporation of advanced digital tools as well as autonomous decision-making systems within the activities of PMSCs has led to blurring the conventional limits between civilian and military techniques. This leads to genuine fears regarding the proper ways to strengthen oversight, transparency, and accountability, and it leads us to recognize that we need to be collectively vigilant to ensure that technological innovation does not undermine human rights. We'd like to shed light on the importance of every state shouldering its responsibilities in terms of oversight and holding those companies accountable. Given this ever-changing environment, We understand that no single state can confront these challenges alone. Thus, the importance of a collective, coordinated effort to monitor, assess, and regulate advanced technologies in the activities of mercenaries and the operations of private military and security companies. Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to China.

Vice President, China have carefully studied the report and statements of the working group. We are deeply concerned over the activities pointed out in the report, including mercenaries, PMSCs, using emerging technology for cyber intrusion, sabotage, using drones to attack civilians, employ spyware for digital surveillance, deliberately spreading misinformation. They are serious human rights violations. China has always maintained that the legal status of mercenaries is ambiguous. In practice, they repeatedly cross ethical red lines, violate human rights. Activities of PMSCEs should comply with international human rights law, humanitarian law, and relevant national laws, and be overseen by international mechanisms. AI should be a trustworthy tool for humanity. Guided by the purpose of pursuing lofty progress, common good to benefit humanity, we have put forward global AI governance initiative. We call for great attention to endogenous and derivative risks stemming from AI, building security guide, rail guide, our guide rail preventing use abuse so as to ensure AI remain under human control. China is ready to work with international community to both seize opportunities and to meet challenges from AI. Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Malawi.

Madam Vice President, Malawi aligns itself with the African Group statement and thanks the working group for its comprehensive report. We fully support its recommendations. We wish to emphasize that all forms of weapons, whether conventional or technologically enhanced, must be developed and used in full compliance with applicable international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law. This includes respect for the right to life and the right to privacy, particularly as emerging technologies expand capabilities for surveillance, targeting and the use of force. While technological advancement does not alter states' obligations under international law, indeed the increasing delegation of decision-making to machines and increasingly autonomous systems presents new challenges for accountability and the attribution of responsibility. Without effective accountability mechanisms, these developments risk creating further gaps in responsibility and facilitating violations of international law, potentially contributing to further humanitarian crises. We therefore support stronger safeguards, including meaningful human oversight and effective regulation of dual-use technologies. I thank you, Madam Vice-President.

Thank you. The State of Palestine has requested to inscribe to the list of speakers after the closure of the list. Unless there is an objection, I don't see any. I will give the floor to State of Palestine, please.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. The State of Palestine thanks the working group for its report. For our people, technology-enabled mercenarism is not abstract. The working group reports one documented case in which a contractor reportedly operated surveillance flights over Gaza under a contractor-owned, contractor-operated arrangement, raising questions of attribution, accountability, and direct participation in hostilities. This outsourcing has expanded into the machinery of Israel's genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza. The so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation hired armed contractors from Safe Reach Solutions and UG Solutions, militarizing access to food. UN mandate holders documented contractors firing live ammunition and stunt grenades at Palestinians seeking aid while in direct communication with Israeli forces. such activities is considered direct participation in the genocidal war against the Palestinian people. Israel has also armed militias inside Gaza, further outsourcing violence and obstructing chains of responsibility. No state, corporation, contractor, or proxy can hide behind privatization while enabling or participating in this genocidal war. How can we ensure that all such actors are identified, investigated, and held accountable? Thank you.

Thank you. And last, I give the floor to India.

Thank you, Mr. President, Vice President. India takes note of the working group's report concerning the use of technology by mercenaries, mercenary-related actors, and private military and security companies. While technology is an engine for development, its misuse presents a grave threat. The deployment of capabilities like AI, uncrewed aerial systems, and cyber tools by such actors may result in violation of human rights, while undermining state sovereignty and territorial integrity. The report highlights that mercenaries increasingly use AI and other sophisticated technologies and exploit social media platforms to conduct information operations, mine data, and recruit individuals into armed conflict. Furthermore, they leverage digital financing and crypto assets to conceal illicit transactions. States where such mercenaries, mercenary-related actors, and private military and security companies operate, as well as those states that serve as their point of origin, supply them with arms, or allow their territory to be used for recruitment and transit, have the primary responsibility to address and regulate such misuse. We also urge strengthening of technological governance to prevent malicious actors from weaponizing digital platforms, thereby protecting innocent individuals from being deceived and trafficked into mercenary activities. Thank you.

Thank you. This was the last speaker on my list. We shall now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations. And first, I give the floor to Association des Etudiants Tamouls de France for a joint statement.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. We thank the working group for its report. For decades, successive Sri Lankan governments have relied on paramilitary groups and state-linked armed cadres operating alongside security forces to terrorise the Eelam Tamil people. Most notorious are the white van abductions in which armed men in unmasked vehicles abducted Tamil civilians, journalists, activists and former combatants. combatants, many of whom remain forcibly disappeared. Survivor testimony and independent investigations point to coordination between these irregular forces and state intelligence, obscuring accountability. These practices form part of a broader genocidal campaign against the Tamil nation, alongside mass killings in 2009, continuation of militarization, land appropriation, and entrenched impunity. We therefore ask the Working Group First, what concrete steps can you take to investigate paramilitary and mercenary-linked involvement in white van abductions and enforced disappearances? Second, how can accountability be pursued against state officials who commanded, funded, or colluded with these forces? Third, what protection do you recommend for Tamil families still searching for their disappeared relatives? Finally, do you support establishing a country-specific special rapporteur on Sri Lanka to ensure sustained international scrutiny of enforced disappearances and genocide against Eelam Tamils. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Association of Iranian Short Stature Adults.

Mr. President, the ongoing military aggression against Iran is raising a serious concern for this working group. The possible use of foreign supported armed and covered actors inside the country. In January 2026, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly referred to the Mossad agent alongside demonstrators, while Israeli Heritage Minister said that Israel had people operating in Iran. During the 2025 attacks, Israel Security sources also described Mossad commanders prepositioned weapons and a drone base inside Iran. During the current war, Israel had reportedly used individuals inside Iran to provide targeting intelligence for military strikes. We urge the working group to examine the recruitment, financing, and direction of such actors and to assess the role and responsibility of any state involved in their recruitment, financing, or.

Directions.

We asked the working group to send formal communication to the United States and Israel and request information on any recruitment, training, financing, arming, or coordination of non-state actors in Iran. We also asked the group to preserve and examine relevant financial and digital evidence, identify a chain of commands and financing, and report any finding on state responsibility to the Council.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to RSKS.

Mercenaries and proxy armed actors thrive where violence can be financed, trained, and acted across borders, while responsibility remains hidden. Their networks exploit instability, weaken accountability, and turn innocent civilians into targets. Imagine a family Beginning a holiday in Palgham, a passenger returning home in Mumbai, a young officer traveling with colleagues in Pulwama. None of them expected an ordinary day to become their last. India remembers Mumbai, where 166 people were killed in 2008. Pulwama, where 40 security personnel were last their lives in 2019. And Palgham, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in April 2025. But this suffering is not India alone. From Kabul to London, Paris and other cities, civilians have repeatedly suffered when armed networks receive financing, training, weapons, logistical support or sanctuary across borders. Mr. President, this Working Group mandate is vital where mercenary-type recruitment, financing and proxy violence allow those responsible to hide behind intermediaries and borders. We urge the Council and Member States to trace illicit financing, disrupt recruitment and training networks, deny safe havens, strengthen intelligence sharing, prosecute facilitators, and ensure justice and support for victims. Mr. President, when violence crosses borders, accountability must cross borders too. We thank you. May all live happily.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Midland for Human Rights.

Midline for Human Rights is deeply concerned by the growing role of mercenaries and foreign military personnel in Sudan's devastating conflict. The use of foreign fighters and private military contractors has transformed Sudan's war into a transnational conflict and has contributed to the capacity of armed groups to sustain their campaigns against civilians. A report titled Enabling Atrocity documents evidence of Colombian private military contractors deployed alongside the Rapid Support Forces, reportedly serving as drone operators, artillery personnel, snipers, infantry, drivers, and trainers. Some were reportedly present during the RSF offensive on Al-Fashir, where the fact-finding mission identified events bearing the hallmarks of genocide. We call upon the Working Group to investigate systematically the recruitment, financing, transportation and deployment of mercenaries and foreign fighters in Sudan. We also urge States to criminalize and prevent the recruitment and financing of mercenaries and to ensure that those responsible for atrocities, including foreign personnel, are brought to justice.

Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Oid Haco, Bureau International des Droits Humains, Action Colombie.

The working group speaks of about 10,000 Colombians, former military, former police officers, members of illegal armed groups, recruited as mercenaries to fight in armed conflict or in organized crime activities in different parts of the world. Many of these persons have been tricked and can themselves be considered victims of trafficking. As the working group says, there are more than 600 families that are actively seeking news of their family members. We welcome the fact that Colombia adopted Law 2569, which approves and compels to implement the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing, and Training of Mercenaries. We would urge Colombia to conclude ratifications and to ensure that mercenary activities are a crime in its penal code. An incentive to become a mercenary is financial, given that there is no civilian reintegration and few job opportunities. We would urge Colombia to implement the peace agreement of 2016. This would reduce the conditions that push many people, including former combatants, to accept offers of mercenarism. We'd urge all countries to comply with the convention and not to use mercenaries. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Institut International pour les Droits et le Developpement.

The IRDJ urges the working group to inspect not only those who fight for financial gain, but also the states and networks that recruit, finance, arm, transport and facilitate them. In our Enabling Atrocity report, based on cross-verification of dozens of reliable sources, we identify the UAE as central external enabler of RSF military.

Capacity through weapons transfers, logistical corridors.

And the deployment of over 300 Colombian mercenaries via Emirati territory and networks that are now sanctioned by the US. UN special procedures also endorsed concerns regarding this military and logistical support, including the use of mercenaries and related actors in Sudan. We therefore call on a comprehensive investigation into the UAE's support the wider transnational networks facilitating mercenary deployments. We urge accountability for recruiters, financiers, commanders, and state actors that knowingly enable violations. The amount of evidence now available makes the UAE's support to the RSF undisputable. If states fail to act, that failure will not stem from a lack of evidence.

It will be a political choice to shield those responsible for the devastation.

Of a whole nation.

Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to the International Network for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.

Thank you, Madam.

For decades, the Sri Lankan military and affiliated intelligence units employed unmarked white van abductions to forcibly disappear Tamil civilians, including human rights defenders, journalists, former LTTE combatants who surrendered under state assurances, and their family members. Many of these operations were carried out by uniformed personnel or state-linked disappearances, numbering in the tens of thousands remain almost entirely unresolved, with victims' families still denied truth, justice and reparation, and many forced into decades of fruitless searching before state commissions that have delivered no accountability. This is part of the larger genocidal campaign. My concerns, first, what is the working group's assessment of Sri Lankan state and paramilitary actors use covert abduction methods as a tool of enforced disappearances? Second, does the working group support the establishment of a dedicated country-specific Special Rapporteur mandate on Sri Lanka, given the scale, duration and continuing impact of these resolved violations on the Eelam Tamil community? We urge this Council to get decisively to end the ongoing impunity. Thank you, Madam.

Thank you.

Next, I give the floor to partners for transparency.

We are fearful. about what is happening in relation to Colombian mercenaries that have been trained to fight abroad. We have seen support from the UAE through an Abu Dhabi-based security company, and this has allowed for very rapid support to investigate an attack This has the characteristics of a genocide, costing the lives of 6,000 people in just three days. Their involvement in Sudan constitutes a human rights violation. So, our organization calls on the Council to urgently investigate the networks sent to Sudan, and it urges the UAE to immediately halt military or logistical support to the these groups. Thank you.

Next, I give the floor to World Muslim Congress.

Madam Vice-President, we welcome the report of the working group. The integration of advanced technologies into the operations of private military and security companies represents a dangerous escalation in the erosion of state accountability and human rights. We express grave concerns regarding the situation in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. There are alarming reports that the government of India has not only armed the private militia actors, mercenaries, but has systematically provided them with blanket impunity. By outsourcing violence to non-state actors, the Indian state evades international legal responsibility for atrocities, including extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances. Of particular concern is the deployment of sophisticated surveillance technologies by these mercenary-related actors. factors. The use of AI-driven monitoring, biometric tracking, digital espionage in Kashmir has transformed the region into an open-air prison. These technologies are used not for security, but to stifle dissent, target human rights defenders, and impede the fundamental right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination. The intersection of private weaponry and undergraded surveillance technologies creates a lethal environment where human rights are discarded in favor of geopolitical control. We call upon Council to demand an immediate, imminent investigation into the role of private military actors in Indian-occupied Kashmir and urge India to cease the weaponization of private entities and the illegal use of surveillance technologies against civilians. I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to.

Madam Vice-President, the Polisario authorities have turned the Sahrawi camps in Tindouf into camps where there is recruitment of mercenaries, including of children. There is trafficking in children to combat the revolutionaries, and so these are children that move from one conflict area to another, and this serves the agenda of certain countries. countries to destabilize others and to repress people's protest requesting democracy as occurred in Libya and Syria and sources demonstrate that a number of Polisario elements that have been arrested, and there are mercenaries recruited by Polisario authorities have been used to support forces from former regimes and have fed into Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. The Sahrawi people is the clearest example. of exploitation in order to promote the Islamic State in the broader Sahara. And this is why the host state is exploiting these camps. They must be urged to cease doing this because these young recruits are used to destabilize countries in the region. Thank you.

Thank you. This was the last speaker on my list. that we could accommodate for this debate. So I now give floor back to Ms. Small for her concluding remarks. You have seven minutes.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. I will use the allocated time to combine responding to questions and comments raised by states and NGOs, as well as incorporating concluding remarks. I will also stick to replying to mandate related issues. I extend my appreciation on behalf of the working group on the use of mercenaries to all states and NGOs for your engagement with our mandate on our present thematic report. Our report is timely, one that is joining the rising collective voices who are deeply concerned about the use of technology with implications for human rights During this week alone and in recent weeks, several high profile voices from the tech industry have sounded the alarm about the harms of AI and the need for stronger safeguards. The High Commissioner himself issued a statement echoing the sentiment yesterday. There were five main questions posed to the working group, namely, what concrete due diligence benchmarks does the working group recommend? how to ensure responsibility for those who use, develop, and deploy technology, how to ensure compliance by PMSCs on human rights in tech-enabled operations, what working group recommendations can be made in preventing recruitment, and how states can regulate these cross-border activities. Regarding questions of holding developers and users of tech responsible and ensuring compliance, as well as due diligence processes, I highlight three interconnected approaches. The first is to recognize and scope actors, entities, and activities. If these are not scoped in domestic frameworks, the law cannot cover the actors, entities, or activities. clearly delineate what is permissible and what is prohibited in terms of actors, entities, functions, and activities. And the law must be clear so as to be operational to cover this ecosystem of actors and activities. Second, there should be oversight and monitoring mechanisms in place domestically that track and monitor actors and entities as well as their activities. And in cases where violations occur, follow-up mechanisms and investigative procedures should be in place. States should ensure that the use of AI, surveillance technology, cyber capabilities, and other advanced systems remain subject to meaningful human oversight, transparent auditing, and clear chains of responsibility. Equally important is to ensure access to remedies for victims and strengthen international cooperation so that human rights obligations are upheld consistently across jurisdictions and throughout the life cycle of these technologies. For permissible functions, activities, and entities, reporting requirements should be in place, which are pegged not only to domestic legal obligations, but also industry standards and good practices, such as the toolkit developed by COCA and ICT for Peace. as well as international obligations and guiding principles such as that on business and human rights. Make transparency and reporting a requirement for state entities, for businesses, clients, contractors, subcontractors. This requires oversight and monitoring, particularly in the field of technology. With regard to the question on due diligence benchmarks, the working group considers that effective due diligence must extend beyond traditional compliance mechanisms. States should require technology providers, companies, private actors operating in security contexts to identify beneficial ownership structures, conduct human rights impact assessments before deploying high-risk technologies, and maintain records of subcontracting relationships, establish traceability mechanisms. Importantly, commercial confidentiality should not be a shield against accountability. Finally, in terms of the third dimension, support the open-ended intergovernmental working group on PMSEs and the adoption of the international regulatory instrument to cover the activities of PMSEs. The working group notes the broad interest expressed in this room yesterday regarding strengthening norms around private military security actors and the use of emerging technologies. This brings me to the last questions on recruitment and cross-border activities. Again, to close gaps, states should sign and commit to the conventions in place. As we heard in the room yesterday, many states are grappling with predatory recruitment, particularly the transnational and technological dimensions of recruitment that relies on deceptive promises. It is clear that the global mercenary market is surging, rooted in the proliferation of armed conflicts across the world today, sustained by states who organize, recruit, supply, finance, arm, and equip mercenaries, contractors, and predatory recruits to sustain conflicts over resources, territory, and strategic influences. Mercenarism is therefore more than the individual. The global mercenary market is tied to states of origin, states of transit, and states of destination, And this creates perverse incentives for participation, profitable informal and formal economies, and reinforces the neocolonial dynamics of global warfare and labor, whereby subcontracting violence to and labor from the global south. State cooperation is required here. States need to respect calls from states in the Global South for their nationals not to be recruited into foreign wars, for their nationals not to be used as disposable soldiers, and for their domestic laws which ban serving in foreign armed conflicts and foreign armed forces to be respected. Allow me to conclude. Technology itself is not the problem. These can contribute to peace and security. The challenge lies in preventing the misuse by actors operating with insufficient oversight and outside accountability frameworks. No state can address these challenges alone. The working group stands ready with states to offer technical cooperation and assistance, and for NGOs and CSOs, we welcome consultations and submissions with a clarification that we are not an investigative body. I thank you, Madam Vice-President.

Thank you very much. This brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue, and I wish to thank Ms. Michelle Small for her participation and contribution. We will now take a short break before holding the interactive dialogue with a working group on enforced and involuntary disappearances.

So.

Excellencies, distinguished participants, we shall now hold the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. The list of speakers will close in 15 minutes. And without further ado, I will give the floor to Ms. Grażyna Baranowska, the Chair of the Working Group, to present the reports. The floor is yours.

Mrs. Vice President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Dear Families of Victims, Representatives of Civil Society, and National Human Rights Institutions, It is a great honor to address the Human Rights Council in my capacity as Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. I would like to begin by reaffirming our solidarity with all victims of enforced disappearance, including the families of the disappeared. Across the world, relatives and their allies continue to search for disappeared persons. Many do so despite intimidation, harassment, criminalization, and reprisals. Their courage is a constant reminder that enforced disappearance is not confined to the moment when a person is taken. Its consequences continue for as long as the truth remains concealed and families are denied answers and justice. President, During the reporting period, the Working Group transmitted 1,723 new cases of enforced disappearance to 36 States. This is the highest number recorded by the Working Group in an annual reporting period over the past decade, reflecting the growing demand on its humanitarian mandate. Yet, these figures do not reflect the full scale of enforced disappearance. Our records are only the tip of the iceberg, as many cases are not brought to our attention due, among other factors, to lack of access or fear of reprisal. During the reporting period, the Working Group clarified 374 cases. While every clarification means that the Working Group was able to establish the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared person, it does not necessarily mean that the person has returned to their loved ones. nearly 60% of all clarification have been made only after the disappeared person's death was established. This sobering reality reminds us that time is most often the most critical factor in cases of enforced disappearances. Excellencies, 46 years after the establishment of the working group, enforced disappearance remains a global phenomenon, but the context in which it occurs have changed considerably. In 1980, the Working Group dealt primarily with disappearances associated with military dictatorships. Today, the actors, methods, and justification may change, but the purpose remains the same, to place a person outside the protection of the law, conceal the truth, and create a chilling effect. The Working Group remains particularly concerned by the continued use of enforced disappearances in armed conflict, including against civilians and, in particular, children. This is notable in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as in Gaza and in Sudan. The Working Group is also concerned by unlawful cross-border transfers, transnational repressions, deportation and returns that expose individuals to a risk of enforced disappearances, including in Tanzania, Kenya, the United States of America and Thailand. The Working Group is further concerned by the use of national security and counter-terrorism frameworks to conceal the fate and whereabouts of detained persons, particularly in Egypt, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Finally, it is concerned by the use of enforced disappearances in the context of the suspension of democratic guarantees, including in El Salvador and Nicaragua. Excellencies, during the reporting period, the Working Group also undertook a study on enforced disappearances and memorialization. The study highlights memorialization as a crucial form of operation for enforced disappearances and as an integral component of the right to truth. Memorialization must be grounded in international human rights law and developed in close cooperation with victims, including families of disappeared persons, as well as civil society. The working group is further presenting its follow up report on the implementation of the recommendations made following its visit to Uruguay in 2022. The working group welcomes Uruguay's cooperation and notes progress in efforts to locate and identify disappeared persons. Challenges remain, including limited access to archives, resources for searches, and a comprehensive reparation framework for victims and their relatives. The working group encourages Uruguay to continue advancing truth, justice, memory, and reparation, and remains available to continue its constructive dialogue with the authorities, victims, and civil society. The reporting period also brought positive developments. The Working Group warmly welcomes Estonia's accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. The Working Group would like to thank the Government of Cote d'Ivoire for hosting its annual out-of-Geneva session in May 2026, which allowed to bolster its relationship with relatives organizations, civil society and institutions, as well as of regional and sub-regional human rights mechanisms in Africa. The working group is furthermore thankful for the support received, including through voluntary financial contribution from France, Lithuania and the Republic of Korea. We also reaffirm our thanks to Bangladesh, Canada, Maldives, and the Republic of Korea for the invitations to undertake country visits previously extended to the Working Group. These invitations demonstrate openness to cooperation and constructive engagement with the mandate. Regrettably, despite these invitations, the Working Group was unable to undertake a country visit during the reporting period. The country visit to Guatemala in June 2026, for which we thank the government for agreeing to, will be covered in the next reporting period. The lack of visits in this reporting period was not due to a lack of cooperation from the state concerned or the willingness of the working group. It was a direct consequence of the liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations and the special procedure system. An invitation that cannot be acted upon is a lost opportunity for dialogue, prevention, and technical cooperation. Despite these constraints, the working group provided technical cooperation during the reporting period to Peru, continued cooperation with Bangladesh, Colombia, and Chile, initiated cooperation with the Gambia, and will start cooperation with Guatemala. We remain ready to assist states and institutions seeking to strengthen their responses to enforced disappearance. While the annual number of cases brought before the mandate has risen sharply, its capacity has not increased accordingly. On the contrary, the liquidity crisis has affected its capacity. The Working Group has over 50,000 cases under active consideration. There are now more than 8,000 cases awaiting registration, review, or processing. We are deeply conscious that this backlog is not merely a collection of files. For many families, the Working Group is the only international mechanism to which they can turn in cases of enforced disappearance. When a submission cannot be reviewed promptly, the Working Group may lose the opportunity to intervene during the period when urgent international attention could make the greatest difference. We cannot know how many outcomes might have been different, but we do know that delay has human consequences. The Working Group and its Secretariat continue to handle an unprecedented volume of work with dedication and professionalism, while being asked to do considerably more with less. Adequate capacity is essential to sustain our work. Ms. President, Excellencies, The Working Group calls upon all States: To cooperate fully and promptly with its humanitarian procedure; To investigate every allegation of enforced disappearance independently, impartially, thoroughly and effectively; To protect victims, including relatives, as well as lawyers, human rights defenders and civil society organizations from reprisal and harassment; To respect the prohibition of refoulement. To support truth, justice, reparation and memorialization processes. To ratify or accede to the International Convention and recognize the competences of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances to receive individual or interstate complaints. To honor the pledges made in January 2025 on the occasion of the First World Congress on Enforced Disappearances, as well as to secure a second edition to promote universal ratification and implementation of the Convention. to provide the working group and the special procedure system with the resources necessary to fulfill their mandate effectively. Every enforced disappearance begins with a person being placed outside the protection of the law. It leaves behind a family searching for answers and a society confronted with silence. The working group will continue to stand with families and to work so that no disappeared person is forgotten, silence is broken, and responses are given. But to achieve these aims, the mandate must be given the means to act in time. Thank you very much for your attention.

I thank you. In accordance with our practice, we will now hear from the delegation of the country concerned. And I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uruguay. Excellency, you have five minutes.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President, and we thank the working group for presenting its report at the outset. And as a general consideration, I wish to reiterate the importance and the support of Uruguay to the special procedures. The Working Group on Forced and Involuntary Disappearances is one of the oldest bodies in the system and, through the decades, has contributed to implementing human rights throughout the world. As we have just heard, this confirms the pressing need of the mandate. Uruguay, in particular, welcomes the humanitarian work done by the Group, helping families and of disappeared persons to find out the fate and location of the victim. Uruguay aligns with the declaration made by the Working Group on the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearance, 30th of August. We note the comments made by the group. regarding its country visit in 2022, and in particular, we point to the excellent cooperation that we had with the working group before, during, and after the visit to Uruguay, and we encourage and call on all countries to accept a request for a country visit by the working group. In legal terms, we note the specialized work on crimes against humanity, particularly the criminal cases on violations of human rights that took place during the period covered by the relevant law of September 2009, which are now being processed throughout Uruguay. And as the group knows, in 2009, the law established the national, ascribed to the national human rights institution, investigations into disappearances and localizing human remains in order to register them accordingly. There was excavation and exhumation work. This provides technical and administrative support, access to documents and interinstitutional co-operation, respecting the autonomy and the mandate of the relevant bodies responsible for search and for justice. Uruguay undertook institutional reorganisation with decrees adopted in July this year. determining the makeup of the Human Rights Secretariat under the present presidency, with specific coordination and no reduction in staffing. The digitalization team is now working on police archives and will be moving to military archives. the presidency has received the mothers and families of victims in 2025 and 2026. Madam Vice President, on 9th September, in an act of historic reparation, we transferred the property of Lina Quinterez Almeida, held under the dictatorship, who had been expropriated to the Ministry of Education and Culture so that it could be handed over to the Lina Quintana Foundation. We recognise that the victims, their families and society as a whole, over more than four decades, have been awaiting responses regarding the fate of persons detained and disappeared, and for lengthy periods, state action was insufficient. The current administration intends to make progress and achieve convincing results. This is a commitment of our State to contribute to memorialization, justice and truth. And for this, we seek to ensure the continuity of this work, ensure access to documentation, promote effective cooperation under the State bodies, and provide periodic reports on the progress made and the obstacles encountered. I thank you.

I thank you. The list of speakers is now closed. And I now invite interested delegations to ask questions and to make comments on the reports. The speaking time is one minute and 30 seconds for all. And first, I have the honour to give the floor to Lithuania on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States. We thank the Working Group for its report and important work. We remain deeply concerned by the continued use of enforced disappearances and reprisals against victims, their families, human rights defenders, and those seeking truth and justice. We also seriously concerned by the enforced disappearances in the context of armed conflicts, including by the disappearance of children. We stress the obligation to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing persons and ensure accountability for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. States must ensure safe and enabling conditions for victims to seek truth, justice, and reparation. We recognize the importance of preserving memory and ensuring that memorialization efforts contribute to truth, dignity, and reparation, while stressing that they cannot substitute for justice and accountability. The effectiveness of the Working Group's mandate depends on the States' full, timely, and substantive cooperation. We therefore call on all States to respond to its request for information and to address the accountability gaps highlighted in the report. My question is, how can states increase their cooperation with the working group? I thank you, Madam President.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to European Union.

Thank you, Madam Vice President.

Madam Chairperson of the working group, and forced disappearances remain a matter of concern between May 2025 and May 2026 1,723 cases were brought to the attention of 36 States the number of cases of the numerous cases of reprisals against direct victims are alarming including recorded acts of transnational repression the work of the working group is useful on daily basis to combat impunity and ensure the relatives that disappear to find answers the EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to fighting enforced disappearances it strongly condemns this practice, be it by state or private actors. It recalls that enforced disappearances have been international crimes since the adoption in 2006 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the 20th anniversary of which we are commemorating this year. The European Union thanks the Working Group for its latest report. This work is an essential form of reparation and a constituent element of the right to truth. It aims to preserve the memory of the disappeared, restore dignity and combat denial. The European Union calls on all States to cooperate with the Working Group. It encourages all States to ratify the International Convention against Enforced Disappearances. I thank you.

Next, I give the floor to

Iraq on behalf of Group of Arab States.

Thank you, Madam President. We thank the Chair of the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances and believe that As has been mentioned, enforced disappearances bring harm to human rights defenders and those who are active in humanitarian assistance in Sudan and elsewhere. This is a concern. The same is true for the occupying power in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. These are men and women and children who have disappeared. And the group finds that this is an integral part of a genocidal war launched by the occupying power against the Palestinian people and part of a system that criminalizes the Palestinian people. The group also believes that Targeting persons who are well known is a crime. The group emphasizes the right of Palestinian families to know the fate of their loved ones. There must also be access to witness statements. We must shed light on the fate of all victims of disappearance to end impunity. I thank you.

I would like to remind all speakers to deliver their statements on a reasonable pace. Next, I give the floor to Kenya on behalf of Group of African States.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. The African Group thanks the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances for its report and for its continued engagement with States and regional human rights mechanisms. We particularly welcome the working group's cooperation with the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, the African Court on Human and People's Rights, and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, in the spirit of complimentary between United Nations and Africa human rights systems. The group acknowledges that enforced disappearances cause profound and lasting pain, not only to victims, but also to their families and communities. Efforts to address them must therefore place victims and families at their center and ensure access to truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence. We also underscore the importance of technical cooperation and capacity building, particularly in supporting states to strengthen national legislation and institutional frameworks. The report itself demonstrates that value of such cooperative engagement. The African Group further takes note of the Working Group's thematic focus on memorialization. While memorialization can contribute to preserving truth, dignity, and collective memory, it should remain a component of transnational justice processes that are nationally owned and determined by states in accordance with their sovereign, specific national context. We encourage continued constructive dialogue between the Working Group, African states, and regional institutions with greater emphasis on practical assistance responsive to national needs and I thank you.

Thank you. Next, I give the floor to Ukraine on behalf of the Group of Countries.

I have the honour to deliver the statement on behalf of the Group of Countries. We thank the Working Group for its continued efforts to address enforced disappearances and establish the fate and whereabouts of disappeared persons. International humanitarian law and international human rights law prohibit enforced disappearances and guarantee the right of families to know what has happened to their loved ones. We draw particular attention to Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. Families face prolonged uncertainty without reliable information about their relatives' fate. We are particularly concerned about cases where detention is not acknowledged or information is deliberately concealed. In the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, Russian authorities continue to arbitrarily detain civilians, many held incommunicado. Ukrainian children are also among the victims of Russian aggression, unlovely deported or forcibly transferred, leaving families without reliable information about their fate or whereabouts. We call upon the working group to give particular attention to prisoners of war, missing service person, disappeared civilians, and children whose fate remains unknown. Prisoners of war must be fully exchanged. Those unlawfully detained must be released. The fate of every missing person, especially children, must be established. They have names. They have families waiting for them. And they must come home. Thank you. Thank you for allowing me this statement.

Thank you very much, excellencies, distinguished participants. This brings us to the end of this meeting. We will reconvene in the afternoon at 3 p.m. to continue with the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances and then to hold the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. I hereby close the 11th meeting of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council.