Civil and Political Rights

Among the pressing human rights challenges for Europe as discussed at the FRA Forum 2024 under a valuable cross-generational perspective, it is worth highlighting insights on election impact, civic space promotion and protection, as well as digitalisation and AI impact.

Welcome to our sixth Curated series, which provides a space to reflect on conversations developed in the context of the Fundamental Rights Forum 2024 in relation to various issues concerning some pressing human rights challenges of our time and the significance of preparedness to overcome them.

The global youth climate movement faces significant challenges, including criminalisation and lack of support from the governments, yet it remains resilient. It is worth exploring India, with the world’s largest youth population, in relation to the youth climate movement at the intersection of right to participation and climate justice.

Whistleblowing, particularly on issues that relate to human rights, is an important means of keeping governments accountable. Some whistleblowers could also be viewed as carrying out the function of a human rights defender. This designation can help improve their protection under the ECHR.

In a context of insecurity and health crisis, along with the criminalisation of acts between people of the same sex, in Morocco LGBTIQ+ rights to life, freedom from discrimination, and freedom of expression and association are violated. Affected people have mainly fled to Germany, despite the hardships in this ‘Eldorado’ state.

As the EP elections approach, ICT present both opportunities and challenges for election campaigns. While a European regulatory framework for ICT usage is emerging, its adequacy is yet to be tested in the forthcoming elections. European human rights standards serve as a guide for the integration of ICT, allowing to leverage ICT's potential for democracy.

Surrogacy is becoming a more and more popular way of having offspring. The lack of proper standards of children’s rights in national law raises the risk of their violation. It is worth looking at how relevant monitoring bodies have addressed such a challenge.

Political participation is often a difficult threshold for migrants to cross in their adopted countries. The 2023 Argentinian elections showed their engagement is fundamental to deepening democracy and public debate. It is worth examining obstacles, myths and truths of a disputed right.

Academic freedom is under threat throughout Europe and beyond. Recent EU debate highlights the need for a protective legal framework while human rights law principles provide a nourishing context.

After 12 years of social and democratic erosion under previous regimes, Xiomara Castro´s government has the chance to make structural transformations in Honduras. It is worth exploring three main axes to analyse what the new government has done and what needs to be done.