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Author: communications

It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. We are grateful for the inspiration he took from the values espoused by Saint Francis of Assisi, evident through his chosen name and the selection of Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti as titles for two of his encyclicals. More importantly, these values defined and animated both his life and his papacy.

Pope Francis stood for an open Church, recognizing that its message can inspire those beyond and welcoming people who had previously been excluded or marginalized. In doing so, he did not shy away from confronting the Church’s own history, reaching out to Indigenous Peoples to apologize for past wrongs and finally repudiating the doctrine of discovery.

Fundamentally, he recognized that the Church cannot turn inwards and has a responsibility to lead by example on the most pressing challenges of our time – issues that are not only spiritual but affect the daily lives of billions of people.

Under his guidance, the Church took an active stance on fighting climate change and environmental degradation, and the words Laudato Si’ now remind decision-makers that they have a responsibility as stewards of our common home. Pope Francis spoke out against rising inequality at a time of historic wealth, denouncing this as an affront to human dignity and imploring us to stand with each other in solidarity. 

As we mourn his passing, we also know that Pope Francis’ legacy – echoing the examples of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi – will be a source of inspiration for those working to build a more just and equitable world. Franciscans International remains committed to making this dream a reality.

Photo: Pope Francis is greeted by FI co-founder Dionysius Mintoff OFM during a 2022 visit to the Pope John XIII Peace Laboratory on Malta.

As migration across the Mediterranean continues to be marked by peril and human suffering, Franciscans from the region are working together to offer a different vision: transforming the Mediterranean from a “cemetery” – as Pope Francis once described it – to a home open to all.   

The Franciscan Network of the Mediterranean (RFMed), founded in 2019 to connect Franciscan-led initiatives supporting migrants and refugees across Southern Europe and North Africa, aims to uphold the dignity of every person, particularly those forced to flee violence, poverty, and climate-induced devastation. “It is something that was dreamt of a long time ago,” says Brother Fabio L’Amour, OFM, who is part of the RFMed’s Coordination Committee.  

This idea of creating a network around the Mediterranean started several years ago but was interrupted by the pandemic. Now, a new group has revived the project for good and chosen to focus on three pillars: migration, youth and ecology, and dialogue for peace. 

In Morrocco, Br. Fabio L’Amour works directly with migrants: “We have a group of sisters and brothers who work to guarantee a daily service for migrants trying to cross the frontier in the north of the country. Every day, we receive 30 to 40 of them.”  

“When they arrive, they are sometimes hurt, hungry, and in very bad condition,” he explains, “we give them some food, medical attention, and clothes because they have traveled a lot to arrive in Marrakech”.   

Building a foundation for the next phase of the Network  

From March 31 to April 4, 2025, the Franciscan Network of the Mediterranean held its annual meeting in Rhodes, Greece – a chance to take stock of recent progress and define collective priorities for the year ahead.  

Brother Eunan McMullan, OFM, FI’s Europe Coordinator, joined other friars and lay associates for a week of dialogue and strategic planning. Sessions included workshops, shared prayer, and support to local projects at the friary such as food distribution.  

While still in its early stages, the Network is steadily expanding its reach across the Mediterranean region. When asked about the Network’s next step, Br. L’Amour explains: “We found those who are working [on migration], and now we are going to plan what we could do as a group to collaborate and make the services better for those who are in need.”  

During the week, FI also presented examples of how it amplified the voices of migrants and frontline communities at the United Nations, so as to demonstrate how local pastoral care and international advocacy can – and should – go hand in hand.   

A Shared Commitment

“I think that the vision that we, the Franciscan family, have for the Network is not very different from the vision that Franciscans International has for the whole world,” says Br. Fabio, “so it’s natural that we connect with FI.”  

As Franciscans International is now formally part of the Network’s coordination committee, this week in Greece offered us the opportunity to reaffirm a shared purpose together with other members of the RFMed: to serve people on the move through both concrete action and advocacy, foster dialogue, and turn the Mediterranean from a zone of exclusion into a region of solidarity. 

“There is huge suffering,” states Br. L’Amour, “as Franciscans, we cannot be indifferent to that.”   

In Guatemala, Indigenous Peoples – who make up nearly half the population – continue to face systemic racial discrimination and profound inequalities. They experience limited access to healthcare, education, and political representation, while their ancestral lands are threatened by extractive industries and large-scale agribusiness. 

This year, Guatemala will be reviewed by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Recognizing this as a critical moment to amplify Indigenous voices and push for State accountability, Franciscans International travelled to the country to lead a workshop on engaging with the CERD process.

Capacity-Building for Indigenous Leaders

For three consecutive days, representatives from Maya organizations and other civil society groups gathered in a small hotel in Guatemala City. They shared their knowledge and experiences while learning about how they can advance their cause through the UN system. “In Guatemala, there is racial discrimination for being poor, for being Indigenous, and for being a woman”, remarked one of the attendees.

As part of the training, participants selected thematic areas to focus on for a joint alternative report that will be submitted to the CERD. Among them, land rights, environmental protection, and the defense of natural resources were identified as key concerns.

“We need to consider Mother Earth as a subject for human rights”, said a representative of CODECA, an Indigenous and peasant-led organization. “If we do not defend our Mother Earth, then we are destroying our own common home”.

The workshop also welcomed representatives of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), who provided valuable insights and best practices. The next step will be finalizing the alternative report, which will be presented to the CERD later this year.

Fact-Finding Mission in El Estor

Before leaving Guatemala, our team traveled to El Estor, a town nestled on the shores of Lake Izabal, the country’s largest lake. Known for its lush landscapes and mineral-rich soil, the region has been at the center of land disputes for decades.

At the heart of the conflict is the mining industry. For years, transnational companies have extracted resources from these lands, often at the expense of local communities.

The industry has been linked to environmental degradation, forced displacement, and violent repression of Indigenous resistance.

Land rights are a particular area of concern for local communities. In total, nearly 385 square kilometers have been granted as a mining concession around El Estor and divided up into several “lotes” (plots of land).

We met with the inhabitants living on Lote 9, who for decades have fought to secure legal ownership of their land. Despite fulfilling all required payments, their land title was never issued. As a result, they have suffered forced displacement, harassment, as well as the contamination of their food and water sources.

“Look at the children here. Where else can they go?” one resident asked.

After years of legal battles, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled in December 2023 that Guatemala had violated the community’s rights and ordered the government to grant them their land title within six months, but as of today, the community is still waiting.

Why it Matters

The situation in Guatemala underscores a broader global pattern: Indigenous communities defending their lands against powerful economic interests, often at great personal risk. To protect their rights, Indigenous land defenders are exposing themselves to intimidation and criminalization – particularly in Guatemala, where the legal system has been co-opted by special interests.

Our country mission aimed to support these communities by ensuring that their voices reach the international stage, particularly through the upcoming CERD review. Furthermore, FI will continue pushing for a legally binding instrument that regulates transnational companies, so that Indigenous rights and environmental justice are not sacrificed in the name of profit.

Eight hundred years after Saint Francis composed the Canticle of Creatures, his writing continues to be deeply relevant– including at the United Nations. Already during his own lifetime, Francis grew concerned by the impacts that humans were having on the world around them. In offering his praise to the many dimensions of nature he witnessed around him, Francis also recognized their fragility. Today, as we try to preserve the world from the multiple and intersecting crises that threaten all of nature, his words resonate as a reminder of what is at stake. 

This year, as we mark the 800th anniversary of the Canticle, the members of our International Board of Directors reflect on its different elements. We invite you to follow along as they explore what the Canticle can teach us, and how its message can inspire us as we work to protect human rights and the environment. 

Vicente Imhof OFMCap
Sister Water
Christopher John SSF
Brother Fire
Benedict Ayodi OFMCap
Laudato Si’
Carolyn Townes OFS
Brother Wind
Charity Nkandu SFMA
Brother Sun
Michael Perry OFM
Sister Mother Earth
Eduardo Tarín TOR
Sister Death

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 5: General Debate – Sri Lanka (21 March)

Despite repeated promises of accountability, critical reports regarding the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks remain undisclosed. Even the number of people killed remains uncertain. Key questions, including why protective measures that were authorized in advance were not implemented, remain unanswered. We urge the Sri Lankan government to publicize all relevant report on the attacks, ensure accountability and reparations for the victims, and cooperate with international initiatives that work toward these goals.

• Full statement (English)

Item 4: General Debate – Guatemala (20 March)

Although the new government in Guatemala shows commitment to the rule of law, the cooption of the justice system by corrupt actors continues to foster a climate of impunity. In 2024, civil society documented the murder of 29 human rights defenders. Over 60 justice operators and 20 journalists have been forced into exile, while others who remained in the country have been criminalized for their work. In a joint statement, we urged the international community to support civil society and closely monitor the selection of magistrates for the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the Constitutional Court, and the Attorney General’s Office in 2026.

• Full statement (Spanish)

Item 4: General Debate – Indonesia (20 March)

Indigenous women and children are bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict in West Papua, that has displaced almost 80.000 people as of mid-March. Many are forced to travel long distances on foot over difficult terrain to access limited healthcare, education and livelihood opportunities. In the absence of international humanitarian aid due to government obstruction, women in West Papua are organizing locally to collect resources and provisions for the internally displaced. In a joint statement, we stressed that Indigenous West Papuan women should be actively involved in decision-making processes and in discussions aimed at building a just, inclusive and sustainable peace.

• Full statement (English)

Item 3: General Debate – Environmental Justice (17 March)

Climate change is an existential challenge for developing countries that are highly vulnerable to climate impacts. However, many of these countries are spending more on servicing debt than on life-saving public services and responding to the climate emergency. In line with the jubilee tradition, we called on the Human Rights Council to support the proposal of the Independent Expert of the effects of foreign debt to cancel unjust and unsustainable debt without harmful austerity conditions and to promote a fairer system of taxation. In this joint statement, we further urged the Council to support a transparent debt restructuring framework and a UN Debt Convention to develop rules on settling debt crises in a fair and accountable manner.

• Full statement (English)

Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to a healthy environment – The Philippines (14 March)

Although liquid natural gas (LNG) is seen as a “bridge fuel” in the transition to cleaner energy, its use poses several human rights and environmental challenges of its own. In the Philippines, the development of new LNG infrastructure in the Verde Island Passage is a profound threat to this biodiversity hotspot. Already, toxic cargo spills have had catastrophic consequences for the environment and coastal communities in the area. In our statement, we stressed that fragile marine ecosystems such as the Verde Island Passage should be made off-limits for commercial exploitation and declared as Marine Protected Areas.

• Full statement (English)

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.

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