Challenges for Everyone’s Human Rights – Democracy, Peace and Climate Change

In a world marked by uncertainty and growing inequality, the challenges for everyone’s equal rights are many. During the Swedish Forum for Human Rights 2025 three challenges for all human rights will be highlighted from an equality perspective: climate change, peace and democracy. Who is affected, what rights are infringed, and how are these three challenges related? And most important of all, what solutions are there, and how can we work together to strengthen human rights and create a more equal world?

Women, children, elderly, indigenous people, minorities, disabled and LGBTQ+-people are often the ones who suffer the most from climate change, in conflicts and during wars. The rights for these groups are often violated first when democracy is overshadowed by autocracy and populist rule. Other factors such as class, level of education, religion or belief and where in the country or the world you live also affects the ability to get your rights respected. By whom and why are these inequalities created? How do we counteract inequalities in schools, workplaces, housing and health to create more equal societies?

These challenges are global issues and therefore need collective solutions. Why are the legal framework for human rights, international law and the international humanitarian law not able to prevent war, conflicts, oppression and climate change? How can the legal framework be strengthened to get more effective? What happens to the legitimacy of international law when states no longer uphold past agreements?

More people than ever before are displaced as a result of oppression, conflicts and climate change. Despite that, borders are closed with reference to security or to the countries’ own deficient integration policies. How can the rights for displaced people be strengthened and protected? In what way are the transnational companies and the global north responsible for the crises? Why is it, despite years of discussions and several international agreements, still difficult to efficiently enforce corporate responsibility?

Each state is responsible for the adherence of human rights for the people within its borders. Yet we see political initiatives that want to limit and condition human rights for some people. Fundamental rights are questioned or dissolved, often with the argument that it is necessary in order to protect other humans’ freedom and rights. As a result, the right to asylum, abortion rights, the protection of privacy, freedom of speech and of religion are being questioned. Why is it that some rights for some people seem more important than others? How does the shrinking space for civil society affect democracy and the protection of human rights? How is our understanding of democracy and societal development affected when traditional media declines in favour of the tech giants’ platforms, which contribute to disinformation and polarization?

We now invite your organization to join in and contribute with new solutions to these challenges and create a more equal society. Share your knowledge, methods, debates and good examples of how you have worked in your organization. Your knowledge, experiences and voices are needed at the Swedish Forum for Human Rights! Send your program proposal and become a part of the conversation, together we will create the biggest forum for human rights in the Nordics.