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UNESCO calls for a modern rethinking of the right to learn

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UNESCO warns that the global legal framework for the right to education must be urgently modernized to keep pace with a transforming world.

“If we do not update the legal framework, we will leave a large part of the population behind,” warned Borhène Chakroun, director of lifelong learning at UNESCO, in an interview with UN News.

Progress on access

A new UNESCO report, Right to education: past, present and futurenotes that progress made since the 1960 Convention against Discrimination in Education and Education 2030 Agenda was “real and measurable”.

“We have made enormous progress since the adoption of the Convention against Discrimination in Education,” said Mr. Chakroun.

In two decades, the free primary education landscape has been transformed: 82 percent of countries now offer free basic education, up from 56 percent in 2000. Completion rates have also increased, with 88 percent of children completing primary school today, up from 77 percent two decades ago.

Gender parity in schools is now close to being achieved in most regions. Higher education has experienced what UNESCO calls an explosive expansion, from 100 million students in 2000 to 264 million today. Encouragingly, this surge includes significant growth in least developed countries.

Pratham volunteer helps student read in Orissa, India

Persistent inequalities and the learning crisis

Yet behind these positive trends lie deep and stubborn disparities. “These positive results should not obscure the problems we face today,” warned Mr. Chakroun.

According to the report, 272 million children still leave school prematurely, while 762 million adults remain illiterate; two thirds are women. Learning outcomes are of particular concern: “In several low-income countries, up to 70 percent of ten-year-olds cannot read and understand a simple sentence – an alarming indicator of the quality of learning,” he said.

Poverty, shortage of qualified teachers, weak infrastructure, political instability and climate shocks are fueling this crisis.

© UNICEF/Kateryna Bondarenko

A basketball rests in a school gymnasium that was damaged during heavy shelling in Ukraine’s Kherson region.

Climate, conflict and AI are reshaping learning

Global disruption is putting unprecedented pressure on education systems. In 2024 alone, climate-related events will disrupt the education of more than 240 million students.

UNESCO calls for strengthening systems resilience, better teacher training and the expansion of hybrid and distance learning models, drawing lessons from COVID-19 pandemic. Conflict also deprives millions of children of equitable learning opportunities, particularly those displaced across borders.

Added to this is the rapid development of artificial intelligence. “Our approach to AI must be human-centered,” Chakroun said, as UNESCO calls for strong regulation, teacher training and tools truly designed to improve learning.

UN Women/Janarbek Amankulov

Lifelong learning helps an older Georgia woman retool her skills, opening up continued earning opportunities.

Lifelong learning

Amid radical changes in labor markets, UNESCO highlights that lifelong learning is now essential, particularly for workers and older people.

“Investing in the education of adults, workers and the elderly is a necessity: without it, many risk losing their jobs, disconnecting from society and no longer being part of their community,” explained Mr. Chakroun.

Countries are already moving forward with their reforms. The French individual training account allows workers to finance the development of their skills. Singapore’s SkillsFuture program offers similar opportunities to all citizens; Australia targets low-skilled adults through foundation qualification; and Morocco has included the right to professional training in its constitution.

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

Peace Proves Relative to Gaza Unabated in Deadly Airstrikes

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“THE Security Council the resolution is very clear about not calling anything a border or anything else, this is territory that must be respected in its entirety“, he said, referring to a resolution adopted by the Council on November 17 in support of a comprehensive plan to end the conflict.

“We call on all parties to respect the ceasefire and ensure that we can effectively move on to the next phase. [of the peace plan]”, the High Commissioner told journalists in Geneva. Gaza “remains a place of unimaginable suffering, loss and fear. Even though the bloodshed has lessened, it has not stopped,” he insisted.

Resolution 2803 (2025) received 13 votes in favor and none against, with permanent members China and Russia abstaining.

The text welcomes the comprehensive plan announced by President Trump on September 29. The first phase of the 20-point plan led to the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel a few days later.

Moving the “yellow line”

Most of last week’s violence was reported near the “Yellow Line”, whose large painted concrete blocks have shifted over the past week, causing “new waves” of displacement, according to the UN agency for Palestine refugees. UNRWA.

In a scheduled update, the agency cited data from Gaza health authorities indicating that 360 Palestinians have been killed and 922 injured since the fragile ceasefire agreement took effect at the end of October. Since then, 617 additional bodies have also been found under the rubble.

Echoing these concerns, Mr. Türk said his Office had documented more than 350 attacks since the ceasefire began. Among the dead are seven women and 13 children.

“Israeli attacks continue, including against individuals approaching the so-called Yellow Line, residential buildings and [internally displaced persons] Tents and shelters for displaced people, as well as other civilian goods,” he told reporters.

In addition to the humanitarian emergency still unfolding in Gaza, the High Commissioner highlighted how the widespread psychological trauma affecting the population of the enclave constitutes “the most serious mental health crisis imaginable…Basically everyone is traumatized and especially the children.”

Meanwhile, at a press conference marking Human Rights DayMr. Türk also expressed deep concern over the “unprecedented levels of attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians” and their lands in the occupied West Bank.

“This is the time to step up pressure and advocacy – not to fall into complacency,” he insisted.

A world of problems

Regarding the long-standing emergency situation in the east Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)The High Commissioner expressed deep concern over reports overnight of thousands of people fleeing the town of Uvira, South Kivu, amid clashes between M23 rebel fighters and the DRC armed forces, supported by the Wazalendo militia.

“This comes just days after the DRC and Rwanda “We reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the June 2025 Washington peace agreement,” Türk said, warning that the risk of a broader regional confrontation was increasing.

The High Commissioner also issued a stark warning that war crimes and potential crimes against humanity could occur in Sudan, where the war shows no signs of abating.

A state of emergency erupted in April 2023 when the transition to civilian rule failed and today the Sudanese armed forces continue to clash with rapid support paramilitary forces. Recently, the RSF invaded the town of El Fasher after besieging it for 18 months, leading to widespread reports of serious rights violations.

“From Darfur and Kordofan to Khartoum and Omdurman and beyond, no Sudanese civilian has been spared from this cruel and senseless violence,” Mr. Türk said. “We’re talking about thousands of people who were killed. There were summary executions, there were people who were trying to leave us, for sure, who were killed trying to leave… There were testimonies of rapes and gang rapes, including in front of family members… So yes, we’re talking about very serious atrocity crimes. War crimes, of course. Potentially crimes against humanity as well.”

Appeal from Ukraine

In UkraineThe High Commissioner noted that damage to civilians has increased sharply. Civilian casualties so far this year are 24 percent higher than the same period last year, he said, largely because of Russia’s increasing use of powerful long-range weapons in large numbers and its continued efforts “to capture more Ukrainian territory by armed force.”

Urgent measures must be taken to alleviate the suffering, Mr. Türk continued, “including the return of transferred children.” [allegedly taken to Russia]the exchange of all prisoners of war and the unconditional release of civilian detainees held by the Russian authorities.”

War on drugs

Asked to comment on the deadly strikes carried out by the US military against suspected drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean, the High Commissioner reiterated his position that these strikes constituted a violation of international law and human rights law and required “prompt and independent investigations”.

Reports indicate that more than 80 people have been killed in more than 20 attacks since September. On September 2, two survivors of a first strike were reportedly killed in a second attack.

Mr. Türk noted that as U.S. lawmakers continue to demand more information about these strikes, “I hope that they will lead to a rapid, serious and independent investigation so we can get to the bottom of what happened there.

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

EU plans to upgrade energy infrastructure to lower bills and boost independence

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  The European Commission has proposed new initiatives to address long-standing issues in the planning and implementation of the EU’s energy infrastructure. They aim to ensure that affordable and clean energy flows more efficiently across the EU. Grid infrastructure is the backbone of the European energy system. The new package proposes to modernise and expand it to unlock its […]

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EU plans to upgrade energy infrastructure to lower bills and boost independence

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  The European Commission has proposed new initiatives to address long-standing issues in the planning and implementation of the EU’s energy infrastructure. They aim to ensure that affordable and clean energy flows more efficiently across the EU. Grid infrastructure is the backbone of the European energy system. The new package proposes to modernise and expand it to unlock its […]

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EU plans to upgrade energy infrastructure to lower bills and boost independence

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EU plans to upgrade energy infrastructure to lower bills and boost independence

 

The European Commission has proposed new initiatives to address long-standing issues in the planning and implementation of the EU’s energy infrastructure. They aim to ensure that affordable and clean energy flows more efficiently across the EU.

Grid infrastructure is the backbone of the European energy system. The new package proposes to modernise and expand it to unlock its full potential. This means removing bottlenecks and increasing interconnectivity across EU countries, which will 

  • help lower energy prices
  • ensure a secure and reliable energy supply
  • help achieve energy independence

These initiatives represent a new approach to energy infrastructure by bringing a truly European perspective to project planning. Firstly, they will ensure Europe makes the most of its existing energy infrastructure before investing in new capacity. Secondly, they’ll speed up permitting procedures so that energy infrastructure can be developed faster across the EU, which is essential for meeting climate and energy objectives. Additionally, the proposals will ensure a fairer sharing of costs for cross-border projects. 

The legislative proposals will now go to the European Parliament and the Council for approval under the ordinary legislative procedure. The Commission will continue collaborating closely with EU countries and stakeholders to implement key cross-border energy projects.

Although progress has been made, the EU has not yet reached the level of connectivity needed to deliver a genuine energy union. Currently, several EU countries are not on track to meet the 15% interconnection target by 2030. In her 2025 State of the Union address, President von der Leyen announced that eight energy highways would address the most urgent infrastructure needs that require additional short-term support and commitment for implementation.

For more information

Press release

Questions & answers

Factsheet

Competitiveness

Affordable energy

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What is my IP in terms of online privacy

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What is my IP in terms of online privacy

The first time I really thought about online privacy was when I saw a tiny widget on a website I visited asking what is my IP, and realised a webmaster already knew roughly where I lived. I hadn’t logged in, I hadn’t told it my city, and yet there it was: a number, a location, and a reminder that the internet sees more of us than we usually notice.

Until that moment, an IP address for me was just some boring network thing that “IT people” cared about. Now I think of it as part of my online face – not as obvious as my name or profile photo, but still a piece of identity that can be tied back to me, my household, my habits, and sometimes even my mistakes.

What your IP actually says about you

Let me translate “what is my IP address” into human language. Your IP is basically your device’s return address on the internet. It doesn’t usually point to you as a named individual, but it often points to:

  • Your approximate physical location (city, region, sometimes neighbourhood)
  • Your internet provider (which already narrows down where you might live)
  • The type of connection you use (home, mobile, corporate, hosting, etc.)

On its own, that doesn’t sound terrifying. “So what if a site knows I’m in Berlin on home broadband?” But the problem is that this isn’t happening in isolation.

Every website you visit, every ad network that loads, every analytics script is quietly learning:
“IP X usually shows up in the evening, visits tech news, uses this browser, clicks on these types of links.”

That IP becomes a soft identifier for you as a real, breathing person with patterns.

When IP really starts exposing too much

There are a few situations where your IP becomes much more sensitive than you might expect:

1. Public Wi-Fi and shared networks

In cafés, co-working spaces, hotels and airports, lots of people are using the same network. If that network is poorly configured or monitored by the wrong person, your IP can be tied to:

  • The sites you visited
  • The services you logged into
  • The times you were online

Even if they can’t see everything you do (thanks to HTTPS), seeing when and where your IP appears can already be powerful metadata. It’s enough to correlate presence (“you were here at this time, doing something from this device”).

2. Small towns and niche providers

In big cities, an IP range might be shared by thousands of customers. In small towns or with a tiny regional ISP, an IP can narrow down the set of possible people a lot more. Combine that with other breadcrumbs (like your social media activity) and you get a clearer picture than you’d like.

3. When your IP meets your browser fingerprint

Your IP is just one piece. The other is your browser fingerprint – all the tiny technical details your browser shares:

  • Operating system and version
  • Browser and version
  • Screen size and pixel ratio
  • Installed fonts, languages, time zone
  • Enabled features (cookies, WebGL, WebRTC…)

Each of these by itself is harmless. Together they create a pattern that’s surprisingly unique. There are tools that can look at all these details and say, “The chance of another device with this exact combination is extremely low – this is almost certainly the same person as yesterday.”

Now imagine this combo:

Same IP range + same browser fingerprint + same behaviour every evening

At this point, a website doesn’t just see “a visitor from this city”. It sees you as a returning individual, even if you never log in, never share your name, and clear your cookies every day.

How you can actually be harmed

Let’s see at realistic risks for ordinary people.

1. Long-term tracking and profiling

Even without your name, companies can build profiles around an IP + fingerprint combo:

  • When you’re usually online
  • What topics you read about
  • What products you seem interested in
  • How often you return to certain services

This turns into behavioural targeting and sometimes into price discrimination (seeing different prices based on your region, device, or “richness profile”).

2. Doxxing and unwanted attention

If you rub someone the wrong way online (in a game, in a heated comment section, whatever), some people will go out of their way to find where you live or where you work. Your IP alone usually won’t give them your door number, but it narrows the search and can be combined with:

  • Old posts where you mentioned your city
  • Public social media profiles
  • Data leaks from other sites

Suddenly, “random stranger” turns into “probably this person in this area with this job”.

3. Attack surface for your home network

IP details can reveal that you’re on a home connection, maybe even give indirect clues about your router or provider. If your router is outdated or misconfigured, knowing your IP can make it easier for automated attacks to knock on your digital doors, looking for open ports and weak default settings.

How IP and browser leaks actually happen

Let me walk through a few leaks that I’ve seen surprise people.

WebRTC and local address leaks

Modern browsers have technologies like WebRTC for real-time communication (video calls, chatting apps). If a site uses them carelessly, it can sometimes see not just your public IP, but also internal network details — like local IPs inside your home network.

You might think, “I never gave that site anything,” but your browser did.

Embedded content and third-party scripts

You visit one site, but your browser loads code and images from many other places: ad networks, analytics providers, social media buttons. Each of these third parties can see:

  • Your IP
  • Your browser fingerprint
  • Which page you’re currently on

So even if you trust the main site, one of those invisible third-party passengers might be building a much broader picture of your browsing across the web.

Misconfigured privacy tools

People sometimes use privacy add-ons or special browsers, assume they are safe, and then:

  • Allow scripts that undo those protections
  • Leave some features on that leak extra info
  • Forget that IP is still there even if cookies are blocked

The result: they feel anonymous, but from a technical point of view they’re still very recognisable.

How I approach protecting my IP and browser data

I like practical checklists, so here’s the way I personally think about IP and browser privacy.

1. Check what you’re leaking

Before fixing anything, I want to see the problem. So I open an What is my IP tool and fingerprint page and look at:

  • My public IP and location
  • Whether DNS or WebRTC leaks are visible
  • How “unique” my browser fingerprint appears

Very often, people do this once and instantly realise how much is visible without any login or form submission.

2. Separate contexts

I try not to use the same browser, from the same network, for everything in my life. For example:

  • One browser profile for work
  • Another for personal stuff
  • A separate environment for things I really don’t want connected

The goal isn’t perfect anonymity; it’s just to avoid feeding all data points into one big profile tied to one IP and one fingerprint.

3. Be picky about networks

I treat public Wi-Fi as if someone is watching, because sometimes они действительно watching:

  • I avoid logging into sensitive services on random networks
  • I don’t reuse passwords
  • And I definitely check what my connection is exposing when I’m outside my home environment

4. Reduce fingerprinting where possible

There’s no magic bullet here, but small things help:

  • Limiting unnecessary browser plugins
  • Blocking third-party cookies and some trackers
  • Being careful with features like WebRTC and push notifications
  • Keeping browser and system updated (not just for privacy, but for security too)

IP isn’t your name, but it’s not “just a number”

It’s easy to shrug and say, “Everyone knows my city anyway, what difference does it make?” But an IP address combined with your browser fingerprint and behaviour over time is a powerful identifier.

It doesn’t scream your name on its own, but it quietly contributes to a profile that is very much about you: your habits, your routines, your interests, and sometimes your vulnerabilities.

Understanding what your IP reveals isn’t about becoming paranoid or turning into a network engineer. It’s about taking back a bit of control: seeing what the internet sees, fixing obvious leaks, and deciding consciously how much of your digital face you want to show in each context.

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Euria: A Swiss Answer to Europe’s AI Sovereignty Fears

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Euria: A Swiss Answer to Europe’s AI Sovereignty Fears

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in everyday life, concerns over privacy, data sovereignty and energy use are growing across Europe. Euria, a new AI assistant launched by Swiss provider Infomaniak, promises an alternative: data that never leaves Switzerland, models that are not trained on user inputs and a data centre that recycles all its waste heat to warm thousands of homes.

From AI enthusiasm to data sovereignty anxiety

Across Europe, people increasingly rely on AI tools to draft emails, summarise documents or translate sensitive files. At the same time, there is a widespread awareness that much of this data flows to large technology companies based in the United States or China, often under legal regimes that allow extensive access by public authorities. European policymakers have repeatedly warned that this creates structural dependencies and strategic vulnerabilities, particularly when a handful of US companies provide most of Europe’s cloud infrastructure and when leading AI services are controlled abroad.

In this context, so-called “sovereign AI” has become a political and commercial mantra. European Union institutions speak of digital sovereignty and the need to diversify cloud and AI supply chains, while national governments look for providers that can guarantee local control, strict privacy protections and compliance with European data-protection standards. The EU’s new Artificial Intelligence Act sets out a risk-based regulatory framework for these systems, aiming to ensure they are safe, transparent and respectful of fundamental rights. Switzerland, though not an EU member, is part of this wider European debate and hosts several initiatives that present themselves as privacy-respecting alternatives to Big Tech.

How Euria works: privacy by design, not by slogan

Euria is Infomaniak’s response to these concerns. According to the company’s own technical documentation and its dedicated portal for the assistant at euria.infomaniak.com, all processing, storage and hosting of Euria take place exclusively in Infomaniak’s data centres in Switzerland, without external subcontractors or transfers abroad. User conversations are encrypted at every stage, and the company pledges that prompts and files are used only to answer the current request, not to train its models or for advertising.

For particularly sensitive use cases, such as clinical notes, legal drafts or confidential administrative documents, Euria offers an optional “ephemeral mode”. When this mode is activated, discussions are not stored, no logs are retained and the content cannot be recovered — including by Infomaniak itself. This is explicitly designed for users who must respect strict professional secrecy obligations, such as doctors, lawyers, public administrations or researchers handling unpublished material.

Photo by Dan Nelson on Unsplash

Functionally, Euria aims to match the versatility of well-known general-purpose AI tools. At launch, it already supports voice queries and audio transcription, image analysis, translation, interpretation of PDF, Word and Excel files, web search and complex reasoning. It can also be integrated into Infomaniak’s collaborative ecosystem, assisting with email writing, working on documents stored in the company’s cloud drive and helping teams to organise projects. Practical guides, such as Infomaniak’s tutorials on using Euria in kDrive or in its webmail writing assistant, show how the tool is being embedded in everyday workflows.

Under the hood, Infomaniak builds on a mix of high-performing models, including European and open-source systems, but routes all requests through its own Swiss infrastructure. The company explicitly warns users that no AI is infallible and encourages them to verify outputs before relying on them in high-stakes contexts such as medical, legal or financial decisions. In that sense, Euria presents itself as a privacy-respecting tool, not as an infallible oracle.

Turning waste heat into social benefit

What makes Euria unusual is not only where and how it processes data, but also what happens to the energy it consumes. Infomaniak operates a new generation data centre in the canton of Geneva that is designed to recover 100% of the electricity it uses. All the heat produced by servers, cooling systems and supporting equipment is captured by an air-to-water exchange system and fed into the local district heating network.

According to the company’s figures, once the facility reaches full capacity, the data centre will provide enough thermal power to heat up to 6,000 homes in winter and to supply the equivalent of 20,000 hot showers per day, while avoiding the combustion of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ from natural gas each year. Infomaniak presents this as proof that, with the right design, data centres can support the energy transition instead of simply adding to electricity demand. More details on this energy model are set out in the company’s public information about its sovereign cloud infrastructure.

Independent researchers from Swiss academic institutions have started documenting this model so that it can be replicated elsewhere. Their work underlines that metrics traditionally used to evaluate data-centre efficiency, such as Power Usage Effectiveness, are no longer sufficient on their own; new indicators that measure how much energy is reused for other purposes are becoming just as important.

A European alternative in a contested AI landscape

The launch of Euria comes at a time when European leaders warn that the continent risks “missing the boat” on AI if it remains a slow adopter and continues to buy most of its technology from abroad. At the same time, they caution that simply importing AI solutions from established providers will deepen Europe’s reliance on foreign entities and could expose critical sectors to geopolitical pressure.

For governments, public services and regulated professions, the question is therefore not only which AI system is most powerful, but also who controls the infrastructure, under which jurisdiction the data falls and whether the provider can resist foreign legal demands. Euria positions itself clearly in this space: an AI assistant run by a company controlled by its employees, with data centres and staff based in Switzerland, committed to respecting both the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection.

Beyond privacy, the environmental dimension also matters. AI systems are energy-intensive, and their rapid expansion has raised concerns about electricity use and water consumption in data centres worldwide. By combining renewable electricity with complete heat recovery and dry cooling solutions that avoid the use of additional water, Infomaniak argues that Euria can deliver advanced AI services while minimising environmental impact and creating tangible local benefits.

The European Times has already examined the broader risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence, including the impact of deepfakes and AI-generated content on democratic debate and individual rights, for example in its coverage of Denmark’s digital identity and deepfake legislation (read the article here). In that broader context, initiatives that explicitly link AI deployment to human rights standards, environmental responsibility and community benefit are likely to attract growing attention.

Promise, limits and the need for scrutiny

Euria will not, by itself, resolve Europe’s wider structural dependency on foreign digital infrastructure. Nor does hosting data in Switzerland automatically eliminate all legal or technical risks. As with any AI system, users must still verify outputs, apply professional standards and ensure that their own internal policies on data protection and confidentiality are respected.

Nevertheless, Euria offers a concrete example of what a more sovereign and sustainable AI model might look like in practice: clear rules about data use, transparent hosting in a defined jurisdiction, integration with local cloud services and a serious attempt to address the climate impact of intensive computing. It also illustrates how smaller European players can innovate by combining technological performance with strong ecological and social commitments.

For citizens, professionals and public authorities wary of entrusting their most sensitive information to opaque systems controlled from afar, the emergence of tools like Euria suggests that another path is possible. The key question now is whether such initiatives can scale, remain independent and inspire similar approaches across Europe — or whether they will remain niche alternatives in a landscape still dominated by global giants.

How to access Euria

Euria can be used free of charge via a web interface at euria.infomaniak.com, without the need for an existing Infomaniak account. For individuals, a low-cost subscription to Infomaniak’s collaborative suite (my kSuite+) unlocks more intensive use of the assistant alongside secure cloud storage. For companies and public bodies, Euria is integrated into the professional kSuite Pro environment, which includes email, file storage, messaging, videoconferencing and shared calendars, all hosted on Swiss infrastructure. This offers a single environment where sensitive data can be created, processed and archived without leaving the European legal space.

As European institutions continue to refine AI regulation and to debate how to reduce strategic dependencies, solutions that combine privacy, technological autonomy and environmental responsibility are likely to play an increasingly visible role. Whether Euria becomes a model for others or a distinctive Swiss exception will depend on the choices of regulators, public administrations and users across the continent.

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UK Deputy Prime Minister discusses the European Convention on Human Rights with PACE committee in London

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The Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary of the United Kingdom David Lammy has underscored the British Government’s commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights during an exchange of views on 1 December with the Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in London, noting that the Convention “upholds the values of a civilised society” and benefits everyone across the UK.

But he added there was nonetheless “an appetite for reform” in the face of unprecedented levels of migration across Europe, and said the Convention should now evolve to address modern challenges.

He informed the committee of coming changes in UK domestic law to tighten the application of Article 8 of the Convention for migrants in the UK and said he would discuss reform of the Convention – together with other countries – to clarify how the notion of “inhuman or degrading treatment” under Article 3 of the Convention is applied in the migration context.

Despina Chatzivassiliou, the Assembly’s Secretary General, distinguished between any domestic changes and wider reform, if ever needed, at the international level. She said that any discussions on the latter should be conducted by all member states “calmly, thoroughly and democratically”. Council of Europe justice and other ministers are due to hold an informal meeting in Strasbourg on 10 December.

Also taking part in the committee’s meeting were the former judge in respect of the UK on the Strasbourg Court, Tim Eicke KC, members of the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights and the House of Lords Constitution Committee, and the President of the Council of Europe’s Anti-torture Committee (CPT). Issues discussed during these exchanges included the ECHR system, the rule of law, artificial intelligence, transnational repression and the work of the CPT.

The Assembly’s Sub-Committee on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights also met separately a day later to discuss how the implementation of Strasbourg Court rulings by states could contribute to deeper democratic security across Europe, as well as how to ensure the implementation of rulings against Russia.

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Nansen Prize winners show compassion for refugees is far from fading

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This year’s honorees include five remarkable winners from Cameroon, Mexico, Ukraine, Iraq and Tajikistan, each recognized for their courage, empathy and determination to protect those forced to flee.

Established in 1954, the award recognizes those who go above and beyond the call of duty to support refugees, internally displaced people and stateless people.

Announcing the winners, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said their actions demonstrate that humanity continues to prevail.

“This year’s honorees remind us that even in dark times, compassion remains intact“, he said.

“Their unwavering commitment to the protection and improvement of displaced people offers hope and inspiration. They embody the spirit of Nansen – a belief that everyone forced to flee, wherever they are, deserves dignity, security and hope.”

A village opens its doors to you

The 2025 global winner, Chef Martin Azia Sodea from Cameroon, has become a symbol of what hospitality and leadership can look like.

When tens of thousands of Central African refugees arrived in his village of Gado-Badzéré, he and his community made a collective decision: no one should be turned away. Under his leadership, families donated land for shelter and farming, helping 36,000 people rebuild their lives.

“We are all human beings and we need to take care of each other,” said Chief Sodea.

He remembers villagers saving exhausted people who had collapsed along the road. “We couldn’t watch our brothers die. There is no distinction between refugees and the host population. We live together.”

His example encouraged other traditional leaders to follow suit, helping to change attitudes in the region and demonstrating how empathy can reshape entire communities.

© UNHCR/Jeoffrey Guillemard

Pablo Moreno Cadena, a business leader in Mexico, has become a pioneer of refugee inclusion in the country.

Regional champions

Four regional winners will also be honored this year. In Mexico, business leader Pablo Moreno Cadena has become a driving force for refugee inclusion by encouraging major appliance manufacturer MABE to hire hundreds of refugees, proving that integrating displaced people strengthens workplaces and communities.

In Ukraine, the Proliska organization continues to provide lifesaving aid to millions of people, often reaching some areas just hours after bombings or airstrikes. Their teams work where few others can, ensuring “no one is left behind”.

In Iraq, Taban Shoresh, a genocide survivor turned activist – founded The Lotus Flower, a women-led organization that supports more than 105,000 conflict survivors with protection, counseling and livelihoods.

And in Tajikistan, Afghan refugee Negara Nazari co-founded the Ariana Learning Center, a school providing displaced Afghan children with the education they were previously denied. A former scholarship student, she chose to give others the opportunities she once had.

© UNHCR/Rasheed Hussein Rasheed

Together, this year’s honorees send a powerful message that acts of kindness, inclusion and courage can transform lives – and that even in the most difficult times, humanity endures.

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

What do singing and sports have to do with human rights?

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As part of this year’s campaign to Human Rights Day – Our daily essentials – the UN human rights office (OHCHR) invited audience members to write about what matters most to them.

With the help of artificial intelligence, UN News analyzed the most popular themes based on responses received.

With answers ranging from “love” to “education for all”, the results provide a fascinating illustration of how Universal Declaration of Human Rights (DUDH) translates into real life.

Not lost in translation

Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on December 10. It was on this date, in 1948, that the declaration was signed, divided for the first time into 30 sections – or items – a framework on fundamental human rights, including protection against slavery and equality before the law.

It remains the most translated document in the world, available in 577 languages.

OHCHR requested: What essential elements of your daily life are most meaningful to you and that you wish everyone could have?? Here is how this fundamental international pact corresponds to the daily experiences of some of the respondents.

Some answers have been translated into English from the original language.

Dignity

  • “Being human for all beings” (Pakistan)
  • “Access to justice is important because I believe everyone deserves the chance to be heard. » (Serbia)
  • “Every woman deserves to live without fear, with respect and dignity. »
  • “Speak without fear” (India)

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights… and must act towards each other in a spirit of fraternity.

Article 11: Any person accused of a criminal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression…

Balancing leisure and professional life

  • “Freedom to explore and enjoy nature: walking, camping or climbing with loved ones. ” (UNITED KINGDOM)
  • “Do sports and chat with friends” (Switzerland)
  • “Being able to attend a dance class after work! ” (WE)
  • “Share precious moments with family, friends and little gourmands” (Russia)

A participant’s response.

Article 24: Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic paid leave.

Security

  • “My home. I wish everyone could have a safe place to live.” (WE)
  • “Live in peace. »
  • “Having a solid roof over my head. » (Korea)

Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Health and wellness

  • “Clean, free and constant water supply. » (Canada)
  • “A safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment” (Switzerland)
  • “To be able to access my medications. » (Lebanon)
  • “Good health!” (France)

Article 25: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being and that of their family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care…

Education

  • “Every child should receive an education without any discrimination. »
  • “Access to education and learning because I value history and learning about the past and the future” (Australia)
  • “Access to education – it is empowering and should be a right for everyone. » (Afghanistan)

Article 26: Everyone has the right to education…

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

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