“Global Alliance for Human Rights”: new initiative launched by the OHCHR

The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has launched the initiative “Global Alliance for Human Rights” on June 2026. This initiative seeks to unite a wide range of actors (governments, civil society, businesses, cities, faith leaders, artists, academics and young people) around a shared framework built on the principles of imagination, dialogue and act.

The aim, as presented in the concept note published by the OHCHR, is to directly respond to the current challenges and the “unprecedented strain” that the human rights system is currently facing: unpunished violations, a shrinking civic space, some States retreating from multilateral commitments and the severe underfunding.

The Alliance is framed as a long-term endeavour, with a three-years milestone timed to the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10th December, 2028. An annual Global Alliance Human Rights Forum, convened each year on that date will track progress and set priorities.

Within this broad project, during the month of June, a series of initiatives are set to launch, including a Global Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights, a RightsX Summit on digital innovation, and a Human Rights in Every Classroom programme to embed rights education at all levels of schooling.