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The Human Rights Council convenes for its 61th session between 23 February and 31 March 2026. You can find all our statements delivered during this session below as they become available. Our past advocacy interventions are available here.

Item 4: General Debate – Mozambique (17 March)

Armed groups have continued to carry out attacks in Cabo Delgado province, leading to the displacement of half a million people. The January 2026 decision to resume the extraction of liquid natural gas has to potential to worsen such attacks. Additionally, civil society organizations have documented serious human rights violations related to this project. As Mozambique prepares to undergo its Universal Periodic Review later this year, we called on all Member States to provide provide constructive recommendations such as adopting measures to address the root causes of the conflict, including socio-economic and political measures addressing structural inequalities.

• Full statement (English)

Item 3: General Debate – Indonesia (11 March)

More than 42,000 hectares of forest have been cleared for the Merauke National Strategic Project in South Papua to cultivate rice and sugarcane. In late 2025, authorities reclassified an additional 487,000 hectares for further expansion, which could make it the largest deforestation project in the world. Beyond its environmental harm, the project is already having serious impacts on the livelihoods, food security, culture, and way of life of Indigenous Papuans. In a joint statement, we urged the government to suspend this Strategic Project pending a comprehensive and independent environment assessment and to adopt the Indigenous Peoples bill with a view of ensuring their recognition and protection.

• Full statement (English)

Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on a healthy environment (9 March)

As we find ourselves in a spiraling context of war following the United States and Israeli offensive against Iran, Franciscans International underscored not only the human toll of the conflict, but also the inter-generational harms on people and the environment caused the pollution and toxics generated by militaries and their ammunition. While welcoming recommendations by the Special Rapporteur that States should align national air quality standards with World Health Organization guidelines, we voiced our concern that the legal limit for pollutants in Bosnia-Herzegovina still exceeds these – an issue that Franciscans International previously raised during the Universal Periodic Review.

• Full statement (English)

Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing – Guatemala (4 March)

Guatemalans continue to experience profound inequalities in access to land and housing, legal uncertainty over tenure rights, and recurring forced evictions that happen both judicially and extra-judicially. In a joint statement, Franciscans International welcomed a report by the Special Rapporteur raising these realities and their disproportionate impact on Indigenous Peoples and peasant communities. We urged the Council to call on Guatemala to urgently address this situation, including by instituting a moratorium on evictions, addressing structural racism and discrimination against Indigenous People, and guaranteeing judicial independence.

• Full statement (Spanish)

Panel discussion on human rights and a culture of peace (4 March)

Franciscans joined Pax Christi and others in expressing its deep concern about ongoing conflicts worldwide, particularly situations where structural injustice, exclusion, and the denial of human rights continue to fuel suffering. Noting that initiatives described as “peace efforts” address only the symptoms of conflict rather than its underlying causes, the organizations stressed that genuine multilateralism remains essential to address these shared global challenges.

• Full statement (English)

Item 2: General Debate – UN reform (2 March)

In a joint statement with the International Service for Human Rights, we expressed our alarm that human rights multilateralism faces an accountability crisis, a financial crises, and a legitimacy crisis. In order to create a system that is more credible, inclusive, and just, it is essential that States secure adequate funding for the UN’s human rights pillar, empower the Human Rights Council to combat impunity and better respond to crises, and continue to make the case for human rights at a times of UN reform.

• Full statement (English)

Item 2: General Debate – Madagascar (2 March)

Madagascar new Gouvernement de Refondation, established after a wave of Gen Z-led protests, has announced reforms in to fight corruption, guarantee equal access to public services, and strengthen the rule of low. In this context, the engagement with UN human rights mechanisms is a critical step. In a joint statement, we called on the new government to ensure the effective implementation of recommendations related to climate change, internal migration, the excessive use of preventive detention, and civil society inclusion that were made during Madagascar’s recent Universal Periodic Review.

• Full statement (French)

Thumbnail: UN Photo / Violaine Martin

“I have to speak and use these microphones because here there is hope.” 

When Brother Agostinho Matlavele OFM, speaks at the United Nations (UN), he carries a simple but urgent message: the people of Cabo Delgado want peace, dignity and to be heard. Speaking on behalf of Franciscans International (FI) during the civil society pre-sessions of Mozambique’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a UN process where States examine one another’s human rights records and propose concrete improvements, his voice reflects both deep Franciscan spirituality and a growing commitment to human rights advocacy.

Born and raised in Mozambique, Brother Agostinho’s vocation is rooted in lived experience. “Coming from a situation of poverty,” he explains, “it was easy for me to identify my faith with the poverty of Jesus and of Saint Francis.” For him, Franciscan life is not only about renouncing material wealth, but about choosing proximity to those who suffer and defending their dignity when it is threatened.

That calling has led him to international advocacy, through which he seeks to ensure that the realities of Cabo Delgado are not forgotten in global decision-making spaces. Once known for its natural beauty and abundant resources, Cabo Delgado is now widely associated with conflict and displacement. Violence involving insurgent groups and government forces has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, leaving behind land that sustained their families for generations. As of today, more than one million people in northern Mozambique need humanitarian assistance, in a context marked by insecurity and severe funding shortages.

“The communities are the ones who suffer,” Brother Agostinho says. “They leave their homes to escape war, they lose their land where they cultivated food, and they are resettled in places they do not know.” Fisherfolk can no longer fish. Farmers can no longer farm. Many displaced families now live in resettlement sites where resources are scarce, and safety remains uncertain.

While Brother Agostinho is not based in Cabo Delgado himself, his advocacy is shaped through close collaboration with Franciscan sisters and friars working directly with affected communities. For years, Franciscans on the ground have accompanied families displaced by violence, provided pastoral and humanitarian support in resettlement camps, and documented human rights violations. This collaborative work, together with preparatory workshops, submissions and sustained engagement through FI, made it possible for voices from Cabo Delgado to reach Geneva. Testimonies shared with Brother Agostinho shortly before his travel ensured his advocacy reflected lived realities rather than abstraction.

Women and children, he stresses, are particularly vulnerable. “In situations of war, men may be able to flee more easily, but women and children do not have the same flexibility.” Reports of sexual violence, exploitation, and children going missing are deeply troubling. In resettlement sites, women may face abuse and harassment when trying to secure food for their families. “We hear testimony that women suffer just to have something to eat,” he says. “This vulnerability continues even where people are supposed to be safe.”

At the UN, Brother Agostinho also raised concerns about how large-scale extractive projects, particularly in the gas sector, are aggravating the conflict in Cabo Delgado. Communities face a double displacement, first from violence and then through forced relocation linked to economic development. Excluded from meaningful consultation and denied a share in the benefits of these projects; families lose ancestral lands that are central to their identity and survival. “The land is sacred,” he explains. “It is inherited from generation to generation. To tell people to leave because there is a project is very difficult.”

At the same time, security forces are often deployed to protect commercial infrastructure rather than civilian populations, exposing communities to abuse and deepening resentment. In such conditions, extractive development does not bring stability but instead aggravates human rights violations and fuels further insecurity.

His engagement with Franciscans International marked a turning point in how Brother Agostinho understands his Franciscan mission. “Before, we focused mainly on charity, responding to immediate needs,” he reflects. “With Franciscans International, we discovered regional and international advocacy, helping people to claim their rights.” It is work that requires patience and perseverance, as change through international mechanisms often unfolds only over time. For him, this partnership completed what was missing in the Franciscan charism in Mozambique.

As Coordinator of the OFM Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) in Mozambique, Brother Agostinho works to raise awareness among fellow friars and younger generations that Franciscan life is not only spiritual but deeply engaged with the realities of injustice. “Justice and peace are the Franciscan charism in action,” he says.

Taking the floor during the UPR pre-sessions, he describes the experience as seeing a green light at the end of the tunnel. “It is all or nothing,” he reflects. “I have to speak and use these microphones because here there is hope.” After his intervention, diplomats approached him to learn more about Mozambique. “It showed me that our suffering is not invisible.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, Brother Agostinho remains anchored in hope. “As Christians, we must always hope,” he says. “In the midst of chaos, we believe that evil does not have the last word.”

“For the people of Cabo Delgado,” he concludes, “the message is simple: we want peace, and we want our land back.” Through Franciscan presence at the UN, their suffering is no longer reduced to numbers alone but heard as a call to conscience.

A persistent drought in southern Madagascar, where 85 percent of the population still depends on agriculture, has pushed over 1.47 million people into food insecurity and extreme poverty. The dire living conditions have spurred migration to the north, creating tensions between displaced and host communities. With Madagascar being the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change in the world, environmental degradation and the absence of a holistic policy to meet this new reality are further exacerbating the crisis.

Franciscans International recently visited Antananarivo to conduct a workshop and a series of meetings with civil society and other key stakeholders, such as diplomatic missions and UN representatives, and aimed at implementing relevant recommendations accepted during Madagascar’s 2025 Universal Periodic Review. This follows a 2024 training and fact-finding mission by members of the Secular Franciscan Order with displaced communities and local officials. Their findings formed the basis of a joint stakeholders’ report by FI and the participation of two Franciscans during the UPR pre-session of ahead of Madagascar’s review, during which 80 percent of Franciscan recommendations were reflected.

However, since the adoption of the report, the political situation in Madagascar has changed dramatically. After widespread demonstrations in September 2025 led to the ousting of President Rajoelina, a transitional government under Colonel Randrianirina has committed to addressing the core demands of Gen Z protestors, including the lack of public services, rampant corruption, and poverty.

While there is a general perception of a more open civic space under the new administration, no specific priority has been given to the implementation of UPR recommendations. With seven outstanding country reports to UN Treaty Bodies and the National Human Rights Institution left without Commissioners since July 2025, the human rights agenda does not seem a priority for the new government.

In this context, part of the workshop facilitated by FI focused on reinforcing networks with civil society and faith-based organizations and strengthening local Franciscan capacity to take ownership of the UPR process. As part of this strategy, the Secular Franciscans are planning a second fact-finding mission in Mahajanga in mid-2026 to assess the implementation of accepted UPR recommendations and provide feedback to authorities. FI will continue to rely on these findings to raise the human rights situation in Madagascar with the UN, including through interventions at the next session of the Human Rights Council and at Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Franciscans International welcomed Father Agostinho Matlavele OFM from Mozambique and Rodrick Hollands, an activist and organizer from Solomon Islands, to take part in the pre-sessions for their countries’ Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Their visit to Geneva provided the opportunity to highlight a series of human rights issues identified by Franciscans and other local partners, that were submitted previously to the United Nations.

The UPR is a UN mechanism through which States examine each other’s human rights record and make suggestions to improve areas of concern. At the end of this process, the country under review decides it will accept and implement. These, in turn, provide a valuable tool for civil society and faith-based organizations working at the grassroots, as they provide concrete benchmarks to measure the action taken by authorities and hold them accountable.

Because civil society has only limited opportunities to intervene directly during the examination by States, UPR Info has organized pre-sessions since 2012, providing an opportunity to engage directly with diplomats and other stakeholders. Throughout the UPR process, FI and its partners in Mozambique and Solomon Islands, are calling attention to the following issues:

Mozambique

“We want the war to end. The people are saying this to their government in Mozambique. The same message should be said here, at the international level, at the United Nations.”

Key concerns: internal displacement, violent conflict, business and human rights

A violent insurgency in the northern Cabo Delgado Province, fueled by longstanding socio-economic inequalities has left over 1,3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 600.000 people are currently displaced, many of whom lack access to basic services, adequate infrastructure, and livelihood opportunities, and continue to be subjected to violence. Franciscans are urging the government to adopt a coordinated and multisectoral approach that prioritizes protection and psycho-social support for internally displaced people while ultimately ensuring the conditions for their safe return.

Meanwhile, counter-terrorism efforts by the government in northern Mozambique have instead resulted in grave human rights violations by military and security personnel. The absence of a functioning judiciary and lack of protection mechanisms for victims allows these violations to occur with impunity. In its UPR report, FI stresses the importance of ensuring accountability as a key step toward rebuilding trust with authorities.

An added factor is Cabo Delgado’s wealth of natural resources. The conflict has done little to dissuade the interest of transnational corporations, leading to situations of forced evictions of locals and inadequate compensation for the loss of land and livelihoods.  The military has been accused of prioritizing the defense of extractive projects over civilian protection. Franciscans are calling for the suspension of all transnational projects that might contribute to the conflict and to establish clear thresholds for future and ongoing projects that ensure the prevention of grave human rights violations.

The review of Mozambique will take place on 5 May 2026. The final report will be adopted at the 63rd Session of the Human Rights Council in September 2026.

Solomon Islands

Climate change and human rights issues are global issues, and it cannot be tackled only by a single civil society organization […] It requires unity between different stakeholders, civil society, and, of course, the government.

Key concerns: logging and mining, rights of women and children, the right to a healthy environment

Industrial logging in the Solomon Islands has affected all aspects of life, with over 240.000 hectares of tree cover lost since 2024. An outdated regulatory framework that neither reflects local realities nor contain free, prior and informed consent provisions, has excluded local communities from decision-making and compensation, while environmental impact assessments have proved woefully inadequate. The growing mining industry – in part facilitated by deforestation – is generating similar problems. In response, Franciscans are calling on the government to immediately pass into law both the latest iteration of the Forestry bill, which has been pending with the Attorney General’s Office since 2020 and the Mineral Resources bill 2025, which is on the legislative agenda for 2026.

The impact on food and water has been particularly severe. Pollution combined with deforestation have decimated local agriculture, while transport barges have damaged coral reefs and fishing grounds. Invasive species, introduced on imported equipment, are devastating cash crops. Likewise, water sources have been contaminated and blocked, increasing the risk of flashfloods. Franciscans recommend that the government strengthens the Ministry of Environment, so that it can conduct robust and effective environmental impact assessments. Communities already facing soil degradation should receive restitution and training in new farming methods.

Finally, women and young girls have fallen victim to sexual exploitation and human trafficking, with girls as young as 13 years old being coerced into relationships with foreign workers. When foreign workers leave, the women are left facing stigma and marginalization. The situation is further aggravated by an influx of alcohol, which has increased domestic abuse cases. Franciscans are calling on authorities to raise the legal marriage age to 18, establish a complaint mechanism at the provincial level, and provide adequate funding for support, counseling and rehabilitation services for victims.

The review Solomon Islands will take place on 11 of May 2026. The final report will be adopted during the 63rd Session of the Human Rights Council in September 2026.

Franciscans International welcomes a gazette by Sri Lankan government announcing its decision to raise the effective daily wage of tea plantation workers to 1.750 rupees. The increase follows demands by workers unions, supported by civil society and faith-based organizations including Franciscans.

“The daily wage of tea plantation workers in Sri Lanka will be increased by 550 rupees. This should help workers to cover their daily needs after rocketing inflation of basic goods due to the financial crisis in Sri Lanka,” says Father Patrick Perera OFM in Colombo. “Hopefully, they can now also allocate some portion of this money to other needs, such as healthcare, housing, and education for their children.”

FI has previously called attention to the dire conditions of tea plantation workers in Sri Lanka at the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery. Women and girls in particular face a multitude of challenges, ranging from unfair wages to limited access to education and health services. The prolonged economic crisis has pushed poverty levels to 24.5 percent in 2024, with the High Commissioner for Human Rights reporting that female-headed households and plantation workers are among those hardest hit.

Poor access to justice and impunity further fuel exploitation and gender-based violence. One emblematic case FI raised during Sri Lanka’s 2025 CEDAW examination was that of a young woman who was attacked and raped in 2001 while on her way to Sunday school. More than two decades later, following prolonged court proceedings and delays, she is still waiting for a final ruling in her case.

An increase of the daily minimum wage was among the recommendations Franciscans made to the Government of Sri Lanka. FI will continue to advocate for other urgently needed measures to protect the dignity of plantation workers, including improving access to education, strengthening the capacity of law enforcement officers, and a revision of land rights so that workers near plantations can legally own their houses.

COP30 came to an end on 22 November, closing two weeks of negotiations for which more than 56.000 delegates descended on Bélem, Brazil. In a year that marks the 10th anniversaries of the Paris Agreement, the encyclical Laudato Si’, and the 800-year anniversary of the Canticle of Creatures, Franciscans International supported a large delegation to attend the UN Climate Conference. Twenty-four brothers and sisters, representing all branches of the Franciscan family, took part in events inside and outside the COP30 venue, sharing concerns of the grassroots communities they represent to demand stronger climate action.

Despite an ambitious agenda set by the Brazilian presidency, COP30 ultimately fell short of delivering a breakthrough in the struggle against climate change. Billed as the ‘COP of implementation’, negotiators failed to adopt an envisioned roadmap to phase out fossil fuels. Instead, the commitment to transition away from fossil fuels made two years ago at COP28 in Dubai continues to be watered down at the insistence of a coalition of oil-producing countries.

“This is a great disappointment and shows the failure of political leaders to take the climate crisis seriously,” said Budi Tjahjono, FI’s International Advocacy Director. “While it’s encouraging to see that over 80 States are considering their own initiative to phase out fossil fuels, COP30 did not meet the moment. Similarly, while delegates agreed to an urgently needed increase in funding, these political pledges need to be made concrete. However, Belém did made one thing crystal clear: across the globe, people are running out of patience.”

Moving the debate forward

Spurred on by climate-vulnerable nations and civil society, the push for stronger climate action continued. As part of these efforts, FI and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) launched a new report exploring faith-based perspectives on a Just Transition – one of the key issues being discussed at COP30. Drawing on inputs from communities at the frontlines of the climate crisis, the organizations propose that a Just Transition should not be narrowly approached as a shift to a low-carbon economy, but rather as a structural and systemic transformation to a more equitable, inclusive, and greener society.

Throughout the conference, FI joined several side-events and press briefings to raise the need for such a truly Just Transition and provide recommendations on the way forward to negotiators. This research also built on a previous report on non-economic loss and damage released by FI and LWF during COP29 in Azerbaijan. Utilizing the deep connections of the two organizations in grassroots communities, this paper provides a deeper understanding of climate change-related impacts that cannot be expressed as monetary value, such as the destruction of cultural heritage or the loss of traditional knowledge.

A global movement

Outside the COP30 venue, civil society organized a range of events to provide a platform to those unable to join the negotiations and to explore alternative solutions to the crisis. Members of the Franciscan delegation joined the Talanoa and Tapiri interfaith dialogues, where they met with representatives from Indigenous, traditional, and marginalized communities.

They also took part in the Peoples’ Summit, a forum led by popular and social movements that brought together 25.000 delegates, who presented their manifesto to COP30 president André Corrêa do Lago. On 15 November, Franciscans were among the 70.000 people who took to the streets of Belém in the largest global demonstration to demand climate justice.

The efforts of our  delegation all complemented other initiatives coming from both the Anglican and Catholic Churches. The delegation met with Cardinals Fridolin Ambongo OFMCap, Felipe Neri, and Jaime Spengler OFM, the three signatories of the call to action by the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of the Global South who demand, among other things, payment of the ecological debt owed by wealthy industrialized nations.

Where do we go from here?

Although COP30 did not meet most of civil society and States’ expectations, the conference in Belém was not an endpoint in itself. Strengthened by the connections built and the knowledge gained, the Franciscan family remains convinced that care for creation is not optional, and will use all avenues at its disposal at the United Nations and at the grassroots to advocate for stronger climate and environmental policies. The road to COP31 starts yesterday.

Climate change poses a profound threat to ecosystems, economies, and human rights demanding and urgent and equitable transformation of our societies as we face this crisis. However, as States negotiate their “Work Programme on Just Transition Pathways” at the UN Climate Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, their scope is narrowly focused on the shift to a low-carbon economy.

Drawing on the experiences of faith-based communities at the frontlines of the climate crisis, Franciscans International and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) released a new study that challenges this limited conception. Rather than considering a Just Transition solely as a technical shift in energy systems, “Just Transition and Human Rights: Views of Faith-Based Communities” proposes that the question should be approached as a broader systemic and societal transformation.

Download the report

What is a truly Just Transition

In this context, a Just Transition is a principle rooted in care and justice, advocating for systemic and inclusive change toward a cleaner, low-carbon economy that is fair for all. It should focus should be on care of the people and the planet, ensuring that both human dignity and ecological integrity are prioritized. This economic shift from fossil fuels should protects workers, Indigenous Peoples, and other marginalized groups. As such, it should be founded on social justice, good governance, inclusive participatory processes, and non-discrimination.

For faith-based communities, Just Transition naturally intersects with human rights, as it asserts that people must be placed at the center of climate action. Already, elements of this have been affirmed by international institutions beyond COP30. In a landmark 2025 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice found that States have a legal obligation to reduce greenhouse emissions and concluded that some of those harmed by human-caused climate change may be entitled to reparations. This emphasizes that just transition is more than a concept: it is a necessary process to guarantee human rights in an era of climate disruption.

In practice, this conception of Just Transition involves creating new conditions that allow human beings to live with dignity and security, in a safe environment. It is about collaborating with local communities to develop a new renewable energy infrastructure so that they directly benefit from it. It is about ensuring that the resources extracted for this transition do not recreate exploitive practices from the past that harm communities or contaminate their lands. 

Why it matters

As Franciscans, we care deeply for creation. A Just Transition responds to the climate crisis by requiring that we care for the Earth in ways that heal social conflicts, improve the living conditions of those on the margins of this new economy, and build a transformative future in which humankind and the planet live together in harmony.

Unchecked business activities have become a leading driver of human rights violations across the world – an issue that is reflected in our work in Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. Impunity for corporate abuses is widespread and victims seeking accountability often run into insurmountable barriers, especially when their activities transcend national borders. Faced with this reality, UN Member States civil society, affected communities, and other stakeholders have been working toward a new binding treaty on transnational corporations.

 The 11th Session of the open-ended intergovernmental working group (IGWG) on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights convened in Geneva from 20 to 25 October 2025. Established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014, the mandate of the IGWG is to elaborate a binding treaty to regulate business activities under international human rights law.

This year’s session saw negotiations on Articles 12 to 24 of the 4th draft, and a discussion on the Chair-Rapporteur’s suggested redrafting of selected provisions (from Articles 4 – 11), which covered a range of issues including jurisdiction, access to justice, and precautionary measures for victims.

Franciscans International entered the week with the aim of underscoring the urgent need for a binding treaty that ensures protection of people and the environment. This strategy is informed by FI’s grassroots partners, who continue to reiterate the impact of business abuses on their communities. As FI prepares for COP30 in Belem, ending the power and destruction caused by fossil fuel companies is a forefront concern.

As part of the Treaty Alliance, ESCR-Net, and Feminists for a Binding Treaty (F4BT), FI worked and coordinated with these networks on statements and other joint advocacy. This included co-sponsoring a side event on civil society and parliamentarian initiatives to stop impunity and corporate complicity in atrocity crimes. During the discussions, FI and its partner JA! Friends of the Earth Mozambique highlighted the case of Total Energies and its role in enabling a range of human rights violations amid the ongoing insurgency in Cabo Delgado province. During a previous session, FI already hosted a Franciscan sister who supports people displaced by this conflict.

 Separately and in coalition, we also continued to raise concerns over the process, including the presence and participation of business interests, insufficient time to analyze the Chair’s proposals, and a lack hybrid participation options during the intersessional meetings that took place ahead of the 11th session.

While the Chair has made efforts to move the process forward in recent years, it remains unclear when a new draft is expected and whether this will bring another round of textual negotiations which may draw out the process for years. Mindful of the urgent need for this treaty, FI will continue to advocate against any undue delays or attempts to water down its provisions to protect victims and prevent future violations.

Interventions during the session:

FI also participated in the drafting of resources and statements in the lead up to the session, including:

Documents from the IGWG:

The 12th Session of the IGWG is scheduled to take place in from 19 to 23 October 2026. We also expect to have three intersessional meetings prior to next year’s session.

A Shelter on the Journey 

Along Panama’s migration routes, families arrive exhausted, children on their shoulders, searching for safety after days in the Darién jungle. In the city of David, Franciscans and other Church-based organizations offer a moment of rest, food and accompaniment to those who have nowhere else to turn. For most, this journey is not a choice, but a last resort, driven by conflict, persecution, poverty, and the escalating impacts of climate change. 

Ahead of Panama’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in November 2025, Franciscans International, together with the Franciscan Network for Migrants – Panama and other partner organizations, submitted a joint alternative report documenting serious human rights violations against migrants. These organizations are part of the Human Mobility Observatory in the Darién and Other Alternative Routes, a collective effort that monitors the situation of people on the move and advocates for their rights. In this context, FI actively participated in the UPR pre-sessions for Panama, promoting the recommendations included in the joint submission.  

Danger and Denial of Justice 

The Darién Gap, an area covering the south of Panama and part of Colombia, has become a mirror of the Americas’ migration challenges. Between 2020 and 2022 crossings surged nearly 4.000 percent, reaching a historic peak of 520.085 people making the passage in 2023 alone. 

Instead of safety, migrants face further dangers: robbery, extortion, kidnapping, disappearances, and sexual violence are all frequent. Doctors without Borders (MSF) reported that they have assisted over 1.300 victims of sexual violence between April 2021 and January 2024. The actual number of victims is likely much higher, as fear and stigma keep many silent. 

These risks are even greater for those in already vulnerable situations, particularly women and girls, who have been disproportionately affected by sexual violence.

Access to justice remains elusive. According to Panama’s Ombudsman, 88 percent of crimes committed against migrants in the Darién go unreported due to fear, lack of information, and mistrust. Even when cases are reported, justice is not guaranteed. The case of Jesús Vélez Loor, an Ecuadorian migrant tortured during detention in 2002, illustrates this reality. Despite a 2010 ruling by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ordering Panama to investigate and provide justice, the case remains unresolved. 

From Protection to Criminalization 

Instead of strengthening protection systems, Panama has responded with punitive measures. Under “Operation Controlled Flow,” migrants exiting the Darién Gap were confined in Migrant Reception Stations (ERM), which UN experts and regional human rights bodies denounced as de facto detention centers with inhumane conditions. Although these centers were closed in early 2025, no alternative reception or protection system has been established.  

In 2024, in an effort to curb the passage of migrants through the Darién, Panama signed an agreement with the United States that eventually helped the Panamanian government deport over 1.500 so-called “irregular” migrants. In February 2025, Panama agreed to receive third-country nationals expelled from the United States, despite the absence of a full and fair assessment of their refugee claims prior to removal. These included, for instance, nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, and China, who had credible fears of persecution in their countries of origin.   

The Reverse Flow 

In recent months, a new trend has also emerged: thousands of people, blocked from reaching the United States, are now returning southward. This “reverse flow” has left many stuck without resources, documentation, or safe passage. 

These systemic failures have had devastating consequences for families and children in transit. “Families arrive exhausted and traumatized, only to be divided. While some can access return programs, others, especially children without valid documents, are left trapped in dangerous conditions,” explained Vivian Cianca, volunteer psychologist at the Franciscan Network for Migrants – Panama. 

In February 2025 alone, over 2.000 people attempted to return, many via dangerous maritime routes. Some boats overturned, leaving survivors traumatized and families mourning loved ones.  

Franciscan and church networks remain committed to providing assistance. Yet as Vivian noted: “The lack of a comprehensive State response based on human rights, including care for people in return situations, leaves the vast majority in a state of vulnerability.” 

Why It Matters 

Panama’s migration crisis reflects regional and global patterns: borders are increasingly militarized, migrants face criminalization, and humanitarian organizations encounter growing restrictions. Bilateral agreements to control migration made without transparency and specific human rights monitoring clauses risk undermining international protection standards.  

FI and its partners have used their presence at the UN to amplify grassroots voices. Their joint UPR submission urges Panama to: 

  • Adopt a human rights–based approach to migration.  
  • End de facto detention and ensure dignified, open shelters.  
  • Guarantee access to justice, especially for survivors of violence.  
  • Make asylum accessible, fair, and efficient, including work permits for applicants.  

Building on this momentum, FI has facilitated multiple platforms for civil society to present recommendations on behalf of migrants, asylum seekers, and people in transit. These efforts have created opportunities for grassroots organizations and States to engage in constructive dialogue, turning local realities into concrete advocacy at the international level. 

A Changing Landscape: From Forest to Fire

In Croatia, environmental degradation and migration challenges have created a crisis of human dignity. From waste-burning pits that poison communities to migrants caught between bureaucracy and indifference, everyday lives are marked by injustice. At the intersection of these struggles stands a Franciscan brother who refuses to look away.

Brother Benjamin Milkovic OFM, serving with the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Office in Croatia, carried the concerns of communities affected by environmental deregulation and of migrants to the international stage, using the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of his country as a platform. The UPR is more than a diplomatic process; it is a moment when the calls of those who are otherwise unheard can be amplified on the world stage.

Can you tell us about yourself and the changes you have witnessed?

I grew up in the small village of Brestanovci, surrounded by forests that felt endless. As a child, I remember running freely among the trees, playing in nature, that was part of who we were. But today, most of the forest is gone. Deforestation and illegal waste burning have scared our land.

I have watched it unfold year after year, feeling the loss not just in the land, but in the silence where birds used to sing and children used to play. What hurts most is knowing that the children growing up now will not have the same chance to be shaped by nature the way I was.

You talked about illegal waste. What are the issues there? 

Not far from where I used to live, a small community has been deeply affected by waste-burning pits: open areas where trash is burned without regulation. The smell is unbearable. Children and families are affected, and still there are no fines, no regulations, especially for big businesses. The government looks away.

I have seen how environmental neglect becomes social injustice. How children are denied their rights to clean air, to safe play, to a future rooted in nature. This is not just a Croatian story. It is a global one. 

What changes have you observed regarding migration in Croatia?

The migration landscape in Croatia is changing quietly, steadily, and profoundly. Croatia is a country of transit. Migrants pass through, often exposed to smuggling and trafficking. And yet, every person is a creature of God, worthy of care and compassion. 

Every Sunday at Mass, I see more foreign faces. Though the liturgy is conducted in Croatian, they still come. They do not speak the language, but they pray with reverence and hope. I also see how collaboration in our community has been key to responding to growing needs that the State cannot, or is too slow to, address.

How is your community responding to these challenges?

We have begun discussing the possibility of offering Mass in English so that everyone can feel truly included in the spiritual life of our community. At my church, I run a youth program. I hope to open it to foreign youth as well, to help them build community, cultivate values, and grow into good people.

What inspired you to take these concerns to the UN?

My inspiration comes from Francis, his call to care for our common home and treat all fellow creatures with dignity and respect. 

This is not something I just do for advocacy; it is a way of living the Gospel that has both social and environmental dimensions.

Despite challenges, what gives you hope?

In all of this, I see a deeper truth. Our response to migration and environmental injustice reflects our values. And I believe we can do better. We must do better.

When I see migrants praying with hope despite not understanding the language, when I see communities organizing to demand clean air, when I see young people eager to build bridges across cultures, I see the Kingdom of God breaking through.

How was your experience presenting to the UN?

Standing before the international community with Franciscans International, I carried the voices of the unheard to make States aware of our shared responsibility, our right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and the dignity of each human being, especially migrants.

As Croatia human rights record is reviewed at the UN, Br. Benjamin’s voice joins a global chorus of Franciscans working at the intersection of environmental and social justice, proving that the message of St. Francis remains as urgent today as it was 800 years ago.

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