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The Human Rights Council convenes for its 58th session between 24 February and 4 April 2025. You can find all our statements delivered during this session below as they become available. Our past advocacy interventions are available here.

Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Representative of the Secretary General on violence against children – Uganda (12 March)

Children in Sub-Saharan Africa are more likely to be trafficked than anywhere else in the world. In northern Uganda, high rates of poverty have resulted in children being trafficked into urban centres for labor, begging, and sexual exploitation. Girls face further risks, as the entrenched patriarchal social structures deprive them of education and drive early marriages. We called on the Special Representative to dedicate part of her mandate to tackling the interconnected nature of these issues and engage with national authorities to exhort them to implement existing legal frameworks to address violence against children in a holistic manner.

• Full statement (English)

Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing – Brazil (7 March)

Civil society organizations have determined that over 1.5 million people in Brazil have been affected by forced evictions and displacement since 2020, with a disproportionate impact on women, non-white and low-income groups. Together with the Zero Evictions campaign we expressed our concern over a recent push to increase the criminalization of homelessness, led by politically and economically powerful groups. We urged the Brazilian government to repeal laws that criminalize squatting in homelessness and to take action in erecting the appropriate structures to ensure the protections against arbitrary evictions, in alignment with the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur.

• Full statement (English)

Item 2: General Debate – Mozambique (3 March)

Franciscans International called attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Mozambique following mass protests after the October 2024, to which the government responded with excessive force. The demonstrations have diverted attention from the ongoing crisis in Cabo Delgado province, which has recently seen an increase in insurgent attacks. We called on the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide regular updates on the situation to the Council and urged the government to ensure accountability for all violations committed by security forces, while also providing sufficient humanitarian assistance to Cabo Delgado.

• Full statement (English)

Item 2: General Debate – Guatemala (3 March)

Despite various efforts by the current government, Guatemalans are still facing structural discrimination and corruption. The co-opting of the judiciary by special interest has not only resulted in the forced exile of justice operators, but the weakened rule of law also enables land grabbing from Indigenous Peoples and peasant farmers. In a joint statement with FIAN International, we called on the council to continue to monitor the human rights situation in Guatemala and support affected communities. We also urged the government to guarantee the right of Indigenous Peoples and rural communities to access, control, and use their lands.

• Full statement (Spanish)

Image by UN Photo / Jean Marc Ferré

Franciscans International recently welcomed two partners from the Philippines to participate in their country’s examination by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in Geneva. In a submission ahead of the review, we raised our shared concerns over several large-scale development projects that have profound and negative human rights implications.

The government has already built fossil fuel infrastructure in the Verde Island Passage, harming this biodiversity hotspot and putting at risk the livelihoods of local fisherfolk. However, authorities now also plan to further develop the area as a major hub for liquified natural gas in the region. Beyond the larger threat of moving the Philippines away from its climate commitments, the immediate risks are already evident: in February 2023, a tanker carrying 900.000 litres of oil capsized causing a catastrophic spill.

“You cannot fish the way you could fish before. We’ve tested the toxicity in these marine protected areas. It’s still high, meaning that there is a risk for those that consume fish,” says Gerry Arances of the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED). “But people are forced to because there are no alternatives. And yet the government is not actually doing anything to clean it up. Their strategy for the oil-stricken municipalities is just a natural rehabilitation.”

In the same submission, we also expressed our concerns about ongoing reclamation projects in Manila Bay, leading to the destruction of mangroves and causing widespread environmental damage. With the fishing industry making up 67 percent of the bay’s total economic value, any decline in fish populations will have profound consequences for coastal communities. Already, the megaproject to develop Manila’s new airport has led to the displacement of 700 families, half of whom have received no compensation.

Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) working on these issues frequently face harassment, threats, or attacks themselves. Global Witness ranked the Philippines as the most dangerous Asian country for HRDs in 2023, with 305 killings documented since July 2016. To call attention to the consequences of this hostile environment for the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights, FI also invited Samantha David of the Philippine Alliance for Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) – an organization that itself has been accused by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) of supporting terrorist organisations for its support for a Human Rights Defenders Protection Act.

“We understand that the UN sessions won’t magically solve the human rights situation in the Philippines, but it is valuable that we are at least bringing attention to the violations on the ground that would be otherwise unknown to the public – which would be even more dangerous,” she said. “It is one out of many steps, but the support is crucial in sustaining efforts.”

You can find the joint submission to CESCR by Franciscans International, PAHRA, and Fastenaktion here.

Women and girls working on tea plantations in Sri Lanka are confronted with a multitude of challenges, ranging from unfair wages to limited access to education and health services. Poor access to justice further fuels exploitation and gender-based violence.

Last week, we were privileged to welcome Lucille Abeykoon of the Human Rights Center in Kandy, where she works closely with Franciscan sisters to promote the human rights of tea plantation workers. In Geneva, she raised these and other issues with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

One of the emblematic cases Lucille brought up at the United Nations is that of a young woman, who was attacked and raped in 2001 while on her way home from Sunday school. When she reported her case, she was unable to do so in her native Tamil language, leading to a faulty complaint that favored the men who attacked her. What followed were prolonged court proceedings and delays. Two decades later, she is still waiting for a final judgment.  

“Can you imagine going to court for 23 years? Yet she is still committed,” says Lucille, who is part of the team supporting the victim. “She says ‘I need justice. I know have not made any mistakes, and this was not my fault’.”

During Sri Lanka’s examination by CEDAW, FI made several recommendations to address the specific challenges facing women working and living on tea plantations. These include ensuring an increased daily minimum wage, improving access to education, and strengthening the capacity of law enforcement officers. You can find our full submission and recommendations to the CEDAW here.

Negotiations on a binding treaty for transnational corporations resumed in Geneva this week. For the tenth time, UN Member States will meet in an open-ended intergovernmental working group (IGWG) established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014 for this purpose. The need to regulate businesses under international human rights law has only become more urgent in the decade since, as their activities have become one of the driving causes of human rights abuses worldwide.

In 2024 alone, Franciscans International raised numerous cases at the UN of the harm done by unchecked business activities to people and the planet. In Mozambique, the exploitation of natural resources has led to half a million displaced people, food insecurity, and environmental degradation. In Indonesia, Indigenous Papuans benefit little from extractive projects but almost exclusively bear their negative impacts, including contamination of water sources and subsequent health issues. Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala contend with projects that are undertaken in the absence of free, prior and informed consent, and human rights defenders are often harassed and criminalized.

Against this backdrop, procedural delays and the attempted corporate capture of the negotiations are all the more concerning. As part of the Treaty Alliance, ESCR-Net, and Feminists for a Binding Treaty, Franciscans International collaborates closely with other civil society and grassroots organizations committed to countering these trends.

From 16 to 20 December, the negotiations covered Articles 4 to 11 and saw active engagement by States and civil society. FI supported and joined interventions on these articles, underscoring the need for prevention of environmental degradation and human rights abuses and violations, broad legal liability, and protections for affected individuals and communities.

The urgent need for a binding instrument was widely recognized: as part of this, and in follow-up to decision 56/116 of the Human Rights Council,  one meeting was dedicated to a tentative roadmap for further inter-sessional meetings in 2025. FI looks forward to continuing its engagement in the process and towards an end to impunity for human rights violations in the context of business activities and operations.

Follow our work at the IGWG:

Interventions on the draft text

Other resources

On this International Human Rights Day, we see a world that leaves us with plenty of reasons to despair. Wars, environmental degradation, natural disasters, and glaring inequalities all weigh on people and our planet. They weigh on our consciences too.

As much as there is time for despair and mourning, there is also time for hope and action. Human rights reflect this duality. They emerged as a response to war, discrimination, and exploitation. They have since been used by people around the world as a tool to make their voices heard and to live as equals in dignity and respect.  

This year’s United Nations campaign is “Our Rights, our Future, Right Now”. We join them, as well as civil society and individuals worldwide, to bear witness to the preventive, protective, and transformative force of human rights to forge a better world for all.  

Human rights are preventive

We use international human rights law to shed light on cases that would otherwise remain “out of the picture”, if not silenced by governments. Central to this is alerting the international community about underreported situations such as a forgotten conflict in Africa, migrants’ hardships throughout the Americas and Europe, or the coastal communities in the Pacific affected by rising sea levels. By raising awareness of human rights violations and abuses, we aim to prevent some situations from occurring or – when they occur – from deteriorating further.

Human rights are protective

When laws are either ignored, violated, or actively discriminate against parts of the population, human rights are both protective shields against arbitrariness and standards to course-correct. We use these standards and the relevant mechanisms established by the UN to push States toward improved protection for groups affected by harmful policies and practices, may they be children in Benin or Uganda or Indigenous people in Guatemala or West Papua, for instance.     

Human rights are transformative

Advancing human rights is also about creating a fairer world. When we uphold human rights, we also seek to reshape unjust societies and development models for the generations that will follow us. The global recognition of the right to a healthy environment two years ago, which we advocated for, has given activists an additional lever to protect the environment in the long run.

Human rights are a pathway to solutions to forge a better tomorrow.

Photo by OHCHR

Tensions tracing back to the controversial 1969 referendum that incorporated West Papua into the Republic of Indonesia continue to be at the root of the political repression, impoverishment, and marginalization that are now part of the daily lives of native Papuans. Ongoing clashes between the Indonesian government and pro-independence separatists have caused thousands of people to flee their homes. Many have sought refuge in remote shelters in the forest, where access to food, medication, and sanitation is minimal. Those who go back to their villages face constant surveillance and intimidation, and are met with ransacked houses, schools and hospitals, previously used as military posts.

At the same time, West Papua’s vast natural wealth is also being unsustainably exploited for its palm oil, copper, gold, forest trees, and natural gas. While Indigenous peoples benefit little from these projects, they almost exclusively bear their negative impacts, including the destruction of lands, contamination of water sources, and subsequent health issues. Decades of the government’s transmigrasi program have changed the demographic makeup of West Papua, thereby weakening the social-economic status of Indigenous Papuans by limiting their employment opportunities. The influx of transmigrants with different cultural traditions and practices from the rest of Indonesia has fostered a sense among West Papuans that they have become strangers in their own land.

We asked Father Alexandro Rangga OFM, a Franciscan priest who has lived in West Papua for the past 19 years, to share his insights on the current situation. Father Rangga works at the Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), where he helps to monitor and document human rights violations on the ground and bring them to the United Nations through Franciscans International.

Can you explain how the situation in West Papua has evolved in the past few years?

In the past years, things have mostly deteriorated. Although the Indonesian government has shifted from a security approach towards a ’welfare’ approach, they still use soldiers to lead that program on the ground. This is disturbing because people already have a long and traumatic experience with the military. The situation for internally displaced persons (IDPs) is also worrying. We currently have between 60.000 and 100.000 IDPs, mainly from Maybrat, Kiwirok, and Intan Jaya.

Furthermore, since 2020, the Indonesian government has been developing ‘food estates’ throughout West Papua. The issue is that, when the government wants to use land for these projects, they often don’t get people’s consent. In Papua, Indigenous people rely on customary land, so when the government wants to use it for a palm oil plantation, they need to get their permission. However, they usually directly strike a deal with the tribal leaders without consulting other members, or they use local authorities or the military to take over the land by force. In both cases, the government ignores people’s right to free, prior, and informed consent.

What are the main areas of concern of Franciscans on the ground?

Because of their history with Indonesia, Papuans often focus on the lack of civil and political rights. But, when we talk about the human rights situation in West Papua, it is important not to forget about economic, social, and cultural rights. This year, we addressed some of these issues through the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). In our submission we focused on customary land issues, the disparities between Indigenous Papuans and migrants, and access to health facilities and education – especially for internally displaced persons.  

In March, I came to Geneva for the reviews of Indonesia by both the CESCR and the Committee on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR). Based on the talks we had there, I have to say that I was disappointed when the Indonesian delegation just referred to their laws while ignoring the data presented by civil society organizations. They did not counter our information or answer our questions.

More generally, I find it hard to retain international attention, especially when the world is busy with other crises such as Ukraine and Gaza. Still, based on my experience of over five years, it seems that the situation in West Papua is now better known. This is a testimony to Franciscans International’s advocacy work with UN experts and diplomats.

Former general Prabowo Subianto won Indonesia’s 2024 presidential elections and will take office in October. What do you think this means for West Papua?

At first, I was perplexed by this result because Prabowo has been accused of grave human rights violations. These allegations include the abduction and disappearance of pro-democracy activists in 1997-98 and war crimes during the occupation of East Timor. Still, almost 70 percent of people living in West Papua voted for him. Now, if you look at the demographics of West Papua, you can see that a large part of the population at this time are transmigrants, which might have affected election numbers.

I think these results might make things more difficult for us. It is unlikely that there will be a better approach to West Papua because, according to what Prabowo said during his electoral campaign, he will continue the program of his predecessor. For West Papuans, knowing that the elected president is a perpetrator of human rights violations, the future remains uncertain.

In this context, how are you and Franciscans on the ground going to approach the human rights work?

Based on this situation, we will try to support and strengthen the capacity of people at the grassroots but also focus on local documentation and monitoring reports. Next year, we are planning to go around eight main parishes in remote areas of West Papua. The goal is, together with the parish priests and the local government, to empower people at the grassroots to fight for their rights to health, education, and customary land. I think these types of local projects are vital so that we don’t only rely on the international community.

Still, I want to call all the people, all the civil society at local and national levels but also internationally for whom human rights issues are important, to raise the situation in West Papua. It is important to bring awareness to international actors, but also to the people in Indonesia so they can have comprehensive information about what is happening in West Papua. By understanding the situation, they can help us bring up the human rights issues we are facing.

On October 1, we co-organized a side event at the United Nations to address the ongoing human rights violations in West Papua. Learn more about it here.

Fetra Soloniaina, Brother Antony Baketaric OFM, Sister Charity Nkandu FMSA, Brother Eunan McMullan, Panuga Pulenthiran, and Fabiola Todisoa.

In November, Franciscans International welcomed a Friar Minor from Bosnia-Herzegovina, a Franciscan Missionary Sister of Assisi, and two Secular young Franciscans from Madagascar to take part in the pre-sessions for their countries’ Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Their visits to Geneva offered the chance to highlight the urgent human rights issues identified by Franciscans in a series of local workshops throughout 2024 and make specific recommendations at the UN to address these.  

The UPR is a UN mechanism through which States examine each other’s human rights records and make suggestions to improve areas of concern. At the end of the process, the country under review can choose which of these recommendations it will accept. These, in turn, provide a valuable handhold for civil society and faith-based organizations working at the grassroots, as they provide concrete benchmarks to demand action from authorities and hold governments accountable.  

Because civil society only has limited opportunities to intervene directly during the examination by States, UPR Info has organized these pre-sessions since 2012. Throughout this process, FI and Franciscans from these three countries will be calling attention to the following issues: 

Bosnia-Herzegovina 

Key concerns: strengthening national human rights institutions, the right to a healthy environment, and the rights of migrants.  

Despite generally being well regarded, only 50 percent of the recommendations made by Bosnia-Herzegovina’s National Human Rights Institution are implemented – a situation that could be addressed by changing the law to make these enforceable subject to court supervision. Franciscans are also calling on the government to urgently reduce high levels of air pollution in cities – Sarajevo has topped the list of the most polluted in at least one instance – to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. Finally, as a transit country for migrants seeking to enter the European Union, the government should review its immigration laws and policies to ensure that people on the move are treated with dignity.  

Italy 

Key concerns: the right to health, the right to a healthy environment, the rights of prisoners, and the rights of migrants.  

Franciscans are drawing attention to the structural fracture in healthcare quality between the northern and southern regions, calling on the government to take concrete steps to reduce this inequality. Healthy forestry is vital to providing a healthy biodiversity and ecosystem, which are currently under threat in Italy. Franciscans are calling for the protection of the national forest heritage and a national action plan for sustainable forest management. Meanwhile, the figure for self-harm in Italian prisons stands at 18 percent, with suicide rates being 18 times higher than on the outside. Immediate action should be taken to reduce the number of detained persons in Italy’s overcrowded prisons. Finally, considering the experiences of Franciscans providing care to migrants, Italy should ensure that the rights of migrants and refugees are respected and avoid amplifying disinformation and xenophobic rhetoric.  

Madagascar 

Key concerns: extreme poverty, the right to a healthy environment, and internal displacement 

Madagascar is facing extreme climate hazards that have already resulted in a prolonged drought in the south – pushing 1.47 million people into food insecurity. Subsequent internal displacement to the North has fueled tensions over land between displaced and host communities. Franciscans are calling on the government to adopt a comprehensive migration policy that specifically addresses the adverse effects of climate change on vulnerable populations. The government should also provide local authorities with adequate resources and training to manage internal migration flows in line with international human rights and constitutional standards.  

The Universal Periodic Reviews of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, and Madagascar will take place in January 2025.

Top picture: Fetra Soloniaina, Brother Antony Baketaric OFM, Sister Charity Nkandu FMSA, Brother Eunan McMullan, Panuga Pulenthiran, and Fabiola Todisoa at FI’s office.

From 11 to 22 November, the world will turn its eyes to the 29th UN Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. As the planet keeps warming due to human activities, the 1.5°C limit established by the Paris Agreement is getting alarmingly closer. Crossing this threshold – and any increase beyond – would have further devastating consequences, such as extreme heatwaves and droughts, glaciers and sea ice melting, accelerating sea level rise, hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding, especially in countries already struggling with the effects of climate change.

The previous COP in Dubai, although reaching some important agreements, has been disappointing to many environmental justice advocates for its lack of ambition and concrete results. Indeed, while science is clear about the need to rapidly phase out fossil fuels if we want to have a chance of meeting the 1.5°C target, world leaders only agreed to “transition away” from fossil fuels. This decision was made amid growing concerns over corporate capture of the negotiations, as COP28 welcomed a record number of fossil fuel lobbyists. After the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the 2024 COP will again be hosted by a country that has announced a major fossil fuel expansion.

Key issues at stake

At each UN Climate Conference, the stakes get higher –  as does the need to accelerate meaningful efforts. While the question of how to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation has been prominent every year, negotiators at COP29 – often referred to as the “Finance COP” – are specifically tasked to address the shortfall of funding for these measures. Here are a few things to watch for:

  • The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG): Governments are scheduled to adopt a new climate finance goal to support developing countries in their climate actions. A key element of the Paris Agreement, the NCQGs will replace the original 100 billion USD target set in 2009. For now, it remains unclear who should pay and how the funds should be managed.
  • Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): NDCs are plans set by each country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Paris Agreement requires countries to update their NDCs every 5 years, which means a new set of NDCs is due in 2025. The UAE, Azerbaijan, and Brazil – COP Presidencies Troika – are expected to announce their NDCs at COP29.
  • Loss and Damage Fund: A major outcome of COP28 in Dubai was the operationalization of a dedicated fund for responding to loss and damage, which has been a long-time request of developing countries in the negotiations. However, only 700 million USD was pledged at COP28, while vulnerable countries may face as much as 580 billion USD in climate-related damages by 2030. COP29 is expected to review the Fund’s initial report, assess progress, and discuss key issues like eligibility criteria. The goal is to establish a loss and damage fund with clear triggers for quick support delivery, avoiding lengthy project-based funding processes.

What we’ll be advocating for

In recent years, we have witnessed that efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of climate change have fallen short. But when even adaptation reaches its limits, the losses and damages people suffer escalate. Whether these are economic, such as damage to infrastructure, or non-economic, such as the loss of culture, they need to be addressed.

While in Baku, Franciscans International’s delegation will focus on non-economic loss and damage (NELD), which involves those aspects that are not so easily quantifiable, such as the loss of territory, cultural heritage, and identity, but also the mental and emotional aspects of loss. Although this makes it more difficult to value them, they have equally significant impacts on human rights and well-being.

In the context of the upcoming discussions about the Loss and Damage Fund, it will be crucial to define what constitutes NELD, to emphasize the importance of capturing the full range of issues that should be addressed, and to find ways to ensure effective remedies for those experiencing them. At the same time, the countries most responsible for causing climate change should bear a greater duty to support those who least contributed to it yet are most affected by its impacts.

Our advocacy builds on the ongoing efforts of a faith-based alliance that has been raising NELD at the United Nations. During the 56th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, FI co-organized a side-event, where panelists – including the UN Special Rapporteur on climate change – addressed the numerous ways in which loss and damage intersect with human rights.

Faith-based organizations often have deep-rooted connections with affected communities, positioning them uniquely to raise awareness about the impacts of inadequate financing and adaptation measures on people’s lives. From this perspective, the Geneva Interfaith Forum –  of which FI is a member – has been conducting a research project to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of climate-induced non-economic loss and damage. Key initial findings – including mental health impacts – were presented in September 2024. The final study is expected to be published during COP29.

Where to find us during COP29

  • Franciscan Climate Talks
Part 1: Franciscan Climate Talks – Looking ahead
Part 2: Franciscan Climate Talks – Live from Baku
Part 3: Franciscan Climate Talks – Last days at COP29
Part 4: Franciscan Climate Talks – Reflecting on COP29
  • Informal Interfaith Gathering in the Spirit of Talanoa Dialogue (6 November – Online).

    Based on a traditional form of dialogue by the Indigenous People of Fiji to solve problems within the community, we’ll meet to exchange our initiatives, concerns, and hopes in our work for climate justice.
  • Beyond Material Loss: Exploring Non-Economic Impacts of Climate Change through Faith-Based Perspectives (13 November – 10:30 Baku / GMT+4 – Faith Pavilion in the Blue zone).

    Live stream and recording
  • Exploring Non-Economic Impacts of Climate Change: Faith-Based Insights on Loss and Damage (15 November – 11:30 Baku / GMT+4 – Room Side Event 5 in the Blue zone).

Franciscans International joined its Ugandan partners in early October for a three-day workshop ahead of the country’s examination by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Despite the legal protections that are formally in place, young women and children continue to be at risk of serious human rights violations, including early marriages, female genital mutilation, and human trafficking. Drawing on the insights of Franciscans and other partners working directly with affected children and youth, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss these issues and explore recommendations that can be made during the upcoming UN review.

Although the Ugandan constitution puts the legal age for marriage at eighteen and prohibits forced marriage, customary laws, cultural norms, and social pressure all contribute to entrenching early marriages. Closely linked to this is the prevalence of teenage pregnancies – both of which have been on the rise since the Covid-19 lockdowns. Poverty and an educational system that is chronically underfunded further contribute to the vulnerability of young women and girls.

Poverty is also a driving factor of school dropouts, forced labor, sexual exploitation, and domestic servitude. Girls are particularly at risk of being trafficked for domestic labor in the Middle East and the Gulf States. Despite some improvements to identify victims and prosecute perpetrators, there is still a lack of social, psychological, and legal support from authorities for those who manage to return – much of that is left to civil society and faith-based organizations. All these factors combine to negatively affect the socio-economic empowerment of girls and further isolate them from society.

Since Uganda already has extensive legislation in place to address these issues, Franciscans will highlight the need to take a holistic approach to fully utilize and operationalize these protections. This should include awareness raising and improved implementation at the local level, and addressing the structural lack of funding that impedes the realization of children’s rights in the country. The recommendations will build on previous submissions made during the Universal Periodic Review and Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2022 and the Human Rights Committee (CCPR) in 2023. Uganda will be reviewed by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in September 2025.

The universal recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment by the UN General Assembly in 2022 was almost five decades in the making. Yet, more than two years after this historic moment, the environmental crises that engulf our world continue unabated. It has never been more urgent for States to respect, protect, and fulfill this human right. A critical first step toward doing so is understanding its different dimensions.

“The Right to a Healthy Environment: From recognition to implementation” is a new publication by Franciscans International to empower human rights defenders, activists, and affected communities working to promote and defend this right. Developed together with Astrid Puentes Riaño, it traces the historical processes that led to the UN recognition of the right to a healthy environment, explains the different substantive and procedural elements that make up the right, and offers advice on how to incorporate it into ongoing advocacy efforts.

Underpinning the publication is a 2023 workshop held by Franciscans International with partners from the grassroots who shared their experiences, best practices, as well as strategies to support the implementation of the right to a healthy environment and avenues to hold those who violate the right accountable. Based on these conversations, the report considers lessons learned at the grassroots and identifies challenges ahead. It also covers several legal cases brought by affected communities claiming their right to a healthy environment.

“The Right to a Healthy Environment: From Recognition to Implementation” aims to be a source of inspiration and creativity for communities and movements on the ground. It is also an invitation to continue learning, coordinating, and sharing all these lessons whenever possible. Together, across the world, we can all contribute to protecting our beautiful planet.

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