Bangladeshi youth advocates shine at 57th UN Human Rights Council Session

Whether it is entrepreneurship, public service, social justice, or political reforms, the youth of Bangladesh have always come forward as advocates for sustainable and positive progress toward a brighter future. Their role as agents of change was also highlighted during the recent July movement. The successful movement, driven largely by youth, has opened new doors to critical conversations regarding youth-based human rights activism and policy-making at the national level. Recognising this, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) invited Anika Tahsina, Meghmallar Bose, and Nusrat Tabassum as representatives of youth human rights defenders from Bangladesh at the 57th UN Human Rights Council held recently in Geneva, Switzerland.

The three participants hail from diverse backgrounds: Anika and Nusrat were two of the central coordinators of the Anti-Discriminatory Student Movement in July 2024. Meghmallar is currently the president of the Bangladesh Students' Union. In the event, Anika and Nusrat were panellists in a conference organised by Amnesty International and FORUM-ASIA, where the discussions revolved around the July movement and its aftermath. Other notable panellists included Meenakshi Ganguly, the deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia Division, and YasasminKaviratne, a policy leader fellow at the European University Institute and a regional campaigner in the South Asia region for Amnesty International, during the panel. Meghmallar answered several questions from the audience. In addition to the panel discussion, the participants had official and unofficial conversations with various groups, including state delegates, diplomats, human rights organisations, and many others throughout the event.

Key topics addressed during the event: Although Meghmallar, Anika, and Nusrat represent different groups of people ideologically, they had a strategy to present Bangladesh in a much more coherent way. Meghmallar elaborated, "We wanted to avoid being repetitive in our statements. Despite our ideological differences, we ensured that our statements did not contradict each other. Our goal was to talk about a broad range of topics, and thanks to our synergy, I believe we were able to achieve it."

The discussions mostly centred around the July movement itself, the reality of Bangladesh in the last fifteen years, the current interim government, and the reforms that are needed in Bangladesh. Throughout the dialogues, the participants tried to portray a raw image of Bangladesh's social reality. Meghmallar elaborates, "In the early stages, we focused on universally relatable issues, such as the freedom of the press, extrajudicial killings, and other constitutional challenges. After addressing these topics, we moved on to more specific issues, such as minority concerns. Fortunately, they were eager to learn from us." In addition to these topics, Anika focused on legal and judicial matters, such as constitutional amendments and updates on engaging with the International Criminal Court (ICC). Meanwhile, Nusrat addressed the reforms needed in the functionality and administration of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh, along with other issues related to taxation and the economy.

The other panellists were more focused on learning from the three participants. "They didn't offer any counter arguments," Nusrat explains, "they simply listened to see if what we said aligned with the familiar narratives they've heard in the past. They were primarily interested in verifying the accuracy of those existing narratives." Anika believes that the discussions were fruitful. She opines, "Our goal was to present an authentic picture of Bangladesh, and we believe we successfully achieved that."

Insights and learnings from the participants: As it was their first time attending an international event like this, the participants had a lot to learn, particularly about how the structures within the UN and other human rights groups operate. "We got to know the internal mechanisms of these organisations," Megh observed, "for example, during a discussion about enforced disappearances with a civic rights wing, they pointed out that a separate UN division specifically handles enforced disappearances. It was more effective to address the issue with that wing. This experience taught us the importance of reaching out to the right division for meaningful discussions." Nusrat learned how to effectively discuss the country's challenges without painting it in a negative light.

Anika's key takeaway is to utilise this experience to make an impact in Bangladesh. She's also willing to help other future youth representatives from Bangladesh. Anika reflects, "Now that we've had our first experience, perhaps we might have approached some things differently. However, we don't have any regrets. It is just the beginning of global youth representation. In the future, we can support anyone representing Bangladesh by helping them navigate events effectively. I believe it's also essential for the three of us to contribute on a personal level and keep the momentum going."

Encouraging youth participation in local and global platforms: Throughout Bangladesh's history, youths have been at the forefront of driving meaningful change. To continue the positive force of reform, it's crucial to empower and encourage greater youth participation in policy and human rights spaces. Nusrat believes that creating more platforms is the key to empowering such discussions, "There need to be more platforms that encourage youth debates and conversations, and the platforms should be developed by citizens. While various entities and organisations can facilitate, relying on them to take the initiative is not the ideal approach. Citizens themselves must come forward to defend and voice their rights."

Anika adds that the discussions should reflect the authentic voice of the youth. Moreover, the representation should come from the grassroots to reflect the voice of the common people. "In the past, even youth representation often merely echoed the government's chosen narrative ultimately demotivating youth participation. It is crucial to ensure that representatives and platforms, both locally and globally, remain unbiased and truly reflect the authentic experiences of the communities. More importantly, those closest to the issues must have a platform to express their experiences and perspectives, ensuring that the voices of ordinary people are heard and valued in these discussions."

For Meghmallar, rights-based activism is key to fostering more participation. The goal should be to put aside personal identity and biases and advocate for human rights encompassing a wide spectrum of people to ensure maximum participation. He adds, "An inclusive approach will inspire more youth to participate in the discussion, as it creates a space where they feel their contributions matter."

Anika, Meghmallar, and Nusrat all pledge to leverage this experience to create a meaningful impact for Bangladesh.

Abdullah-Aat-Tahmidus Siddiquee is a final-year student at the Institute of Business Administration, Dhaka University.

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