51����

For millions of girls, pregnancy can put health, education and dreams at risk. An estimated 12.3 million girls aged 10–19 gave birth in 2025, a finds. Poverty, gender inequality, child marriage and sexual violence heighten the risks, while stigma and barriers to healthcare leave many without support. Yet adolescent pregnancy is preventable. Comprehensive sexuality education, confidential healthcare, contraception and stronger protection can help girls make informed choices. The report urges governments to turn commitments into coordinated action, with girls helping shape the decisions that affect their futures.

Marking 40 years of the , the UN calls for inclusive, equitable, rights-based development to address today’s growing global challenges.

For Māori Indigenous fellow Naomi Watts, self-determination means reclaiming language, culture and Indigenous ways of governing while shaping a future for generations to come. After joining the UN Human Rights , she called for Indigenous and Western systems of government to have equal respect, authority and autonomy in Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme also gave her community greater access to international human rights advocacy. Watts says Indigenous communities continue to drive change despite barriers and limited resources.

Over 60% of workers operate informally, shaping economies and daily life while raising critical questions about rights, policy, inclusion, and economic justice.

In rural Honduras, 115 women from the Galilean Peasant Women’s Movement are fighting for land to grow food, support their families and build a better future. Led by Nolvia Albertina Ovando, the women have faced eviction, threats, stigma and criminalisation. Ovando was detained for five months after a 2023 eviction and was later cleared of the public stigma against her. In November 2025, the National Agrarian Institute agreed to grant the group 300 manzanas — 210 hectares / 510 acres —  of land, but ownership has yet to be formally transferred. With support from , the women continue pressing for land rights, gender equality and dignity.

More than two decades after Liberia’s civil wars, efforts to address wartime atrocities and corruption are advancing. The government is moving to establish War and Economic Crimes and National Anti-Corruption Courts, with draft statutes submitted to the Legislature in May 2026. is supporting the process through legal advice, capacity-building and victim-centred approaches to accountability. It is also advancing the rights of informal workers, who make up 68% of Liberia’s workforce. Recent progress includes the registration of the Federation of Informal Sector Workers of Liberia as a trade union and reforms aimed at stronger labour protections.

Born in Liberia to a Liberian mother and Lebanese father, Aziza Sbaity grew up embracing both cultures before civil unrest forced her family to relocate to Lebanon. Adapting to a less diverse environment, she drew strength from her family and found belonging through sport. Initially passionate about basketball, her speed led her to athletics, where she discovered confidence, purpose and acceptance. Now Lebanon’s fastest woman and a national record holder, Sbaity uses her platform to champion inclusion and equality. Recognized in the BBC 100 Women list in 2023, she inspires young people through advocacy and is launching an athletics academy to expand opportunities for all children, including those with disabilities.

A resin that helps bind everything from soft drinks to medicines now at the centre of Sudan’s devastating war economy, according to a new . Sudan’s gum arabic trade, long vital to global food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, has become deeply entangled in the country’s conflict. Sudan, which once supplied 70-80% of global crude gum arabic exports, now sees the commodity linked to conflict financing, with armed actors benefiting through territorial control, checkpoints, taxation and smuggling. Farmers and traders face insecurity, restricted movement and disrupted livelihoods, while human rights abuses have been documented in producing areas. The report urges stronger oversight, anti-smuggling measures and heightened human rights due diligence across the supply chain.

From football captains to grassroots activists, voices worldwide are uniting through the for Human Rights to defend dignity, equality, and justice for all.

“Growing up, I learned very early that the biggest challenge in my life was not my disability but the barriers… especially in the built environment,” says Esther Nagetey, a youth fellow at the International Disability Alliance from Ghana, reminding us that exclusion is often designed, not inevitable. A new UN Human Rights shows that inaccessible housing and transport systems exclude millions of persons with disabilities from daily life. Although they make up about one in 15 people globally, mobility barriers up to 15 times greater, often due to unaffordable or unavailable services. Accessible infrastructure is not optional but a human right, enabling access to education, work and healthcare. Inclusive design is also cost-effective when built early and helps prevent institutionalization. The report urges governments to invest in barrier-free systems, uphold rights, and build communities that foster independence, dignity and full participation.

A new UN Human Rights spotlights rising religious hatred and violence worldwide, impacting Christians, Jews, Muslims and other religious minorities both online and offline. Incidents range from discrimination and harassment to deadly attacks, while biased AI tools may deepen inequalities. Despite this, initiatives such as interfaith dialogue, global declarations and knowledge-sharing platforms show progress. The report urges governments to enforce anti-discrimination laws, leaders to reject divisive rhetoric, and educators to promote “inclusive faith literacy.” It also calls on tech companies to ensure their systems do not fuel hate, stressing collective action to uphold dignity and prevent violence.

Fourteen-year-old Maya Sakr sits on a thin mattress in a Beirut school turned shelter, clutching the only thing she carried when bombs fell: a small make-up bag. As her family fled the strikes in the city’s southern suburbs, there was no time for anything else. Now they share a crowded classroom with other displaced families. Her father, weakened by cancer, struggles to access care; her young brother is frightened and confused. At night, echoes of explosions linger. The make-up bag holds more than brushes—it holds Maya’s dream of becoming a make-up artist, and a fragile sense of control in a life overturned by war. Despite it all, Maya says it helps her remember who she is—and who she hopes to become.

Half a century after armed agents stormed a Rio de Janeiro home and vanished Brazilian congressman Rubens Paiva without a trace, his daughters stepped into a Geneva hearing room carrying fifty‑five years of silence, grief and unanswered questions, transforming their family’s long‑suppressed trauma into a public appeal before the , echoing the call to put victims first and demand urgent global action as families worldwide continue to suffer without truth, justice or accountability.

Human rights are our compass in turbulent times, guiding us through uncertainty. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk launched the 2025 Human Rights Day campaign, warning that rising inequalities, conflicts, and climate crises threaten fundamental rights. Marking the UN Charter’s 80th anniversary, Türk urged solidarity and advocacy. The “” campaign seeks to reaffirm the enduring relevance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, showing how rights like food, education, and freedom shape daily life. Share your essentials through our or on social media using the hashtag #OurEverydayRights.