UN Human Rights Council calls for a comprehensive study on young people’s rights

On 22 June, during its 35th Session the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on youth and human rights that marks a step forward in advancing the youth rights agenda.

The European Youth Forum welcomes the resolution, which builds on a previous resolution and subsequent panel discussion on the same topic. The Council most notably requests the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct a detailed study on:
• Investigating the implementation of human rights with regard to young people;
• Identifying cases of discrimination in young people’s exercise of human rights;
• Identifying best practices on the full and effective enjoyment of human rights by young people;
• Highlighting the contribution of empowered youth to the realization of human rights in society.

The resolution explicitly mentions representatives of youth organisations as relevant stakeholders to be consulted, among others. The report will be prepared ahead of the Council’s 39th Session in September 2018.

The Youth Forum and other stakeholders have in recent years been calling for a similar report, including during the panel discussion on youth and human rights held at the Council in September 2016.

We look forward to engaging with the consultation and urge the Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights to consult with youth organisations as widely as possible. This process provides an invaluable opportunity to put the spotlight on the discrimination young people face and the barriers they encounter in accessing their rights during the transition to adulthood.

In order to impact youth, the study must identify concrete ways for the UN and for Member States to put an end to the discrimination young people face and to ensure full access to rights.