‘If I Disappear:’ Global Report on Protecting Young People in Civic Space

In every corner of the world, young people drive positive impact and change towards a more sustainable, just, equal and peaceful world. It is due to their unwavering persistence and activism that we have seen significant progress in the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making, policy development and all aspects of programme implementation. As a result, young people are increasingly recognized as active global citizens and advocates for human rights, peace and security, humanitarian action and sustainable development. It is therefore critical that, despite continuous setbacks and challenges, we acknowledge the tireless advocacy led by youth, civil society and other stakeholders for more inclusive decision-making spaces where young people participate and contribute as equal partners.

While recognizing the milestones that deserve to be celebrated, young people’s reality of oppression, discrimination, and human rights violations, which the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated, must be urgently addressed. With school closures and bans on public gatherings, young people lost access to the community networks that often serve as lifelines of protection when governments and other stakeholders fail to fulfil their obligations. Anger, frustration and unapologetic demand for change have long fueled young people’s movements that filled our streets, news and social media. Instead of support and solidarity with young people, we have seen an alarming rise in arbitrary arrests, censorship and ruthless crackdown on young people and their rights to freedom of expression, movement, peaceful assembly and association, online and offline. In many cases, even the right to life.

In 1945, the world unanimously adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reaffirming our collective “faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of every human being, and in the equal rights of all” to “promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.” More than 75 years later, as you read through this report and the testimonies of hundreds of young people, I challenge you to keep these sentiments in mind and reflect on following: What do values of freedom, dignity and worth mean if we fail the young generations of this world, the leaders of our present and future, who are simply trying to promote social progress? What message are we sending to these agents of change, if their actions to achieve a better standard of life for all are ignored, or worse, punished?

These are some of the most challenging issues of our time that we have the duty to answer and resolve. Yet, while this report presents a harsh reality of what it means to be young and challenge the status quo today, it also showcases the resilience, creativity and hope embodied by young people around the world. It is my hope this report inspires us to see the testimonies and recommendations of young people not as a burden to bear, but as a torch to guide our steps towards protecting the dignity, worth and freedom for young people in all their diversity everywhere.