Project report

Children help shape new UN guidance on the right to freedom of association

Intern 1 · 16 Jul 2026

Abstract

In 2026, the United Nations Human Rights Committee is developing new guidance on a fundamental human right: the right to freedom of association. Find here the original draft General Comment 38 on the right to freedom of association. Recognising this as a key opportunity to advance the rights of child human rights defenders, Child Rights Connect partnered with Amnesty International to ensure that children’s voices help shape this important process. For the first time, children met directly with a member of the Human Rights Committee to share their experiences and recommendations. In April 2026, Child Rights Connect and Amnesty International launched a joint call for expressions of interest(you can also find it in Spanish and French), inviting child human rights defenders to take part in the consultation and share their experiences of joining, creating, or participating in groups, movements, and organisations, as well as their recommendations on how the right to freedom of association should be better protected and fulfilled. We warmly thank our members, partners, and Amnesty International for mobilising their networks and supporting children to participate in the consultation. More than 25 child human rights defenders aged 12 to 17 responded to the call, joining the consultation from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Mexico, the Republic of Moldova, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Palestine, Peru, Rwanda, Serbia, and Ukraine. The children first came together in May to get to know one another and discuss a child-friendly version of the draft General Comment No. 38. Together, they identified key gaps in the draft regarding children’s exercise of the right to freedom of association. You can access the child-friendly version in English and Spanish here. On 20 June, the children met online with Ms. Hélène Tigroudja, Vice-Chair and member of the Human Rights Committee, who represented the Committee during the consultation. The discussion provided a unique opportunity for children to speak directly with the Committee and contribute to the drafting of General Comment No. 38. To promote cooperation between UN human rights mechanisms, Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, also joined the consultation. This gave children the opportunity to share their views with the Special Rapporteur as she prepares her report, “Youth Activism Report: Gen-Z Activism and the Future of Civic Space”, on the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association by young people. The consultation provided valuable insights that will help enrich the draft General Comment. Below are some of the key messages shared by the children: Freedom of association is essential for children’s development. Children described associations as safe spaces where they can express themselves, build confidence, develop leadership skills, support one another, and create positive change. They stressed that, for children, exercising the right to freedom of association is itself an essential part of their education and development. Children face multiple barriers to exercising this right. Children highlighted age discrimination, adult-centred approaches, legal and administrative barriers, and limited access to funding and other resources. They also emphasised that adults should support children’s participation and leadership, not replace it. States and schools have a key role to play. Children called on States to ensure meaningful participation, improve access to information about children’s rights, and create equal opportunities for all children to join or establish associations. They also stressed that schools and other educational institutions should actively support children’s freedom of association by creating opportunities for children to organise, participate, and lead child-led initiatives. Restrictions must be addressed. Children shared how restrictions, particularly in schools, can limit their freedom of association. They also highlighted the impact of stigma, negative stereotypes, and reprisals against children who organise, participate, or speak out. You can find the child-friendly outcome document from the consultation in English and Spanish. The children will meet again in the autumn to see how their recommendations have been reflected in final General Comment. The consultation was followed by a joint written submission, co-drafted by Child Rights Connect, the Network of Organizations for Children of Serbia (MODS), and the Union of Secondary School Students of Serbia (UNSS). The submission translates the children’s key messages into concrete drafting proposals for General Comment No. 38. You can read the Joint Submission on Draft General Comment No. 38 on Article 22 of the ICCPR (15 July 2026) here. We warmly thank Amnesty International for their collaboration in making the consultation with children possible, and MODS and UNSS for their valuable contribution in developing the joint submission.