Human Rights 75 Global Youth Consultation
Forced To Flee Advocacy Statement
14 August 2023
14 August 2023
Good afternoon everyone, my name is Navin and I am the Partnerships and Projects Lead at Forced To Flee, a global non-profit organisation that advocates for refugees.
318 million. That is the number of people who have been displaced by climate change since 2008. Climate change is not going away and millions upon millions of people will continue to lose everything if we do not do something about it. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees does not account for those displaced due to climate change. The Special Rapporteur, Mr Ian Fry, recognises this in his report to the human rights council. He urges that the General Assembly begins the process of providing legal protection to persons displaced across international borders due to climate change. These outdated legislations and definitions need to be re-written if we are to adapt to the challenges we face today.
But this is an issue that does not only apply to legislation; it applies to governance as well. In a world where less than 2% of parliamentarians are under 30, we must take concerted steps to empower our young voices. We must ensure that our voices are heard by utilising global platforms, such as the Human Rights 75 Initiative. It is so incredible to see so many young people here today, but we must keep pushing ourselves and the people around us to be more involved and to create wider change.
You see, intergenerational trust has fallen. Governmental agendas have allowed the politicisation of human rights and what we are seeing is human rights being treated as simply a matter of ethics, when it is a matter of law. We need to promote the values of the Rights Up Front Action Plan, where we actively commit our actions to human rights. We must campaign and push for this political culture to change, for human rights to be put at the forefront of decision making. We have power. Even in the face of adversity, advocacy and activism have taken new forms in social media and digitalisation. As a global community, we have the power to innovate change on all levels.
318 million. That is the number of people who have been displaced by climate change since 2008. Climate change is not going away and millions upon millions of people will continue to lose everything if we do not do something about it. The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees does not account for those displaced due to climate change. The Special Rapporteur, Mr Ian Fry, recognises this in his report to the human rights council. He urges that the General Assembly begins the process of providing legal protection to persons displaced across international borders due to climate change. These outdated legislations and definitions need to be re-written if we are to adapt to the challenges we face today.
But this is an issue that does not only apply to legislation; it applies to governance as well. In a world where less than 2% of parliamentarians are under 30, we must take concerted steps to empower our young voices. We must ensure that our voices are heard by utilising global platforms, such as the Human Rights 75 Initiative. It is so incredible to see so many young people here today, but we must keep pushing ourselves and the people around us to be more involved and to create wider change.
You see, intergenerational trust has fallen. Governmental agendas have allowed the politicisation of human rights and what we are seeing is human rights being treated as simply a matter of ethics, when it is a matter of law. We need to promote the values of the Rights Up Front Action Plan, where we actively commit our actions to human rights. We must campaign and push for this political culture to change, for human rights to be put at the forefront of decision making. We have power. Even in the face of adversity, advocacy and activism have taken new forms in social media and digitalisation. As a global community, we have the power to innovate change on all levels.
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This statement was delivered by Navin Vithana, Forced To Flee Partnerships & Projects Lead, to the Human Rights 75 Global Youth Consultation hosted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on 14 August 2023, on behalf of the organisation.