Proudly announcing our report on the UK youth knife crime, tackling root causes: deprivation, mental health challenges, and youth exploitation. Knife crime in the UK remains a critical issue, with a worrying 7% increase in knife-related offenses in 2023 highlighting the urgency for comprehensive action. The tragic Southport stabbings, where three young girls lost their lives, have intensified the focus on the vulnerabilities faced by children in a society grappling with violence.

Our analysis examines the root causes of knife crime, including socioeconomic deprivation, the exploitation of youth by criminal networks, and mental health challenges. The findings underscore the need for early interventions, community-driven strategies, and policy reforms rooted in human rights and public health principles. Key insights emphasize the importance of coordinated, multi-agency responses, bringing together educators, healthcare professionals, social workers, the NHS, and law enforcement to achieve sustainable change.

This initiative is the result of extensive collaboration with Greenwich University, Goldsmiths University, and St. George’s, University of London. Their representatives and emerging professionals contributed invaluable perspectives, shaping a project that is both academically rigorous and practically impactful. Together, we have established a foundation for a comprehensive strategy to address the underlying causes of youth knife crime while empowering communities to build safer environments. The potential use of AI tools, such as predictive analytics, offers an innovative way to support these efforts by identifying at-risk areas and individuals.

This summary outlines the central themes, findings, and conclusions from our in-depth analysis in an accessible format. We are proud to announce the upcoming publication of the full report as a book and the organization of a parliamentary side event in February 2025. This event will bring together policymakers, academics, and community leaders to discuss actionable solutions and plan the next steps in tackling knife crime and ensuring the safety and well-being of young people and communities.

In alignment with the government’s proposed initiatives, we advocate for the establishment of a new youth program tailored to addressing knife crime while tackling the rising mental health challenges among young people. This program should be integrated with support from NHS professionals and leverage advancements in AI to provide early intervention and preventative measures.

The strategies we propose go beyond theoretical exploration to offer a pragmatic roadmap for meaningful change. Designed to be actionable, adaptable, and focused on breaking down systemic barriers, our approach integrates academic rigor with community-centered insights. By doing so, we aim to move beyond identifying problems to actively driving progress toward safer communities.

We present our report on ‘The Humanitarian Crisis Emerging for Afghanistan and Afghan Refugees’ to UN and Council of Europe. “The Humanitarian Crisis Emerging for Afghanistan and Afghan Refugees” is a comprehensive and deeply impactful report that examines the intricate layers of the humanitarian crisis stemming from the prolonged conflict in Afghanistan and the subsequent displacement of Afghan refugees.

This meticulously crafted report not only presents a comprehensive analysis of the evolving situation but also adds a compelling human element through an insightful interview with a former female prosecutor who fled Afghanistan. By shedding light on the multifaceted issues at hand, this report aims to contribute to a better understanding of the situation and facilitate informed decision-making by governments, international organizations, and civil society.

Over the past few months, HRS undertake a project to investigate six key areas of human rights abuses in India. The current BJP Indian government has been responsible for some of the significant human right violations. The government and its associated have been involved in extrajudicial killings; torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by police and prison officials; political prisoners or detainees; and unjustified arrests or prosecutions of journalists. HRS has undergone a project over the past few months to investigate six key areas of human rights violations in India:

1. Freedom of Expression
2. Freedom of Assembly
3. Religious Freedom
4. Discrimination based on Caste
5. Human rights violations against Kashmiris
6. Rights of Children

Each of the six reports details past and present studies and details of the current situation in India respective to the topic covered, while also providing points of reflection and recommendation for ways forward. The hope is to both spread awareness and inspire action.

We proposed amendments to the draft report on extending the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crimes. We have been closely following the discussions surrounding the Draft Report on ‘Extending the List of EU Crimes to Hate Speech and Hate Crime’ and would like to share our proposed amendments.

Firstly, we would like to express our strong support for the initiative to address hate speech and hate crime within the EU framework. These offenses pose a significant threat to the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion that the European Union upholds. Extending the list of EU crimes to encompass hate speech and hate crime would send a powerful message that the EU is committed to protecting its citizens from all forms of discrimination and violence.

We sincerely believe that the incorporation of our amendment proposals will strengthen the overall effectiveness of the EU’s efforts to combat hate speech and hate crime. Our organization will continue to be committed to contributing to a safer and more inclusive European Union, and we are always eager to collaborate with the European Parliament.

Our report ‘Preventing and Combating Violence against Women with Disabilities in the UK, EU and Turkey’ is submitted to PACE. We are proud to submit our report on “Preventing and Combating Violence against Women with Disabilities in the UK, EU and Turkey” to the Committee on Equality and Anti-Discrimination in the PACE and UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls. This comprehensive report aims to shed light on the pressing issue of violence against women with disabilities in different countries.

The report, which has been meticulously compiled through rigorous research and consultation, underscores the urgent need for measures to address and eliminate the violence faced by women with disabilities. It highlights the unique challenges they encounter and provides recommendations to the PACE on policy frameworks, awareness campaigns, and support systems.

We firmly believe that this report will contribute significantly to advancing the dialogue and actions surrounding this critical issue within PACE and beyond.

Our proposed amendments to the EP on the impact of prostitution on gender equality and women’s rights in the EU. We are proud to announce our amendment proposals on the Regulation of prostitution in the EU: Its cross-border implications and impact on gender equality and women’s rights.

The issue of prostitution and its regulation is being debated in many Member States and worldwide. The regulations, which differ from Member State to Member State, lead to diverse realities for and impacts on people in prostitution that prove disappointing and do not do justice to them and their individual situations. The draft report has been prepared in a very comprehensive and precise manner, but in our view, it requires a few changes to highlight some current challenges facing the continent. Our proposed amendments focus on the escalation of the sexual exploitation and trafficking of Ukrainian women and girls following the Russian invasion.

The report on the systematic torture of dissidents by state agents in Turkey has been turned into an animated film. Human Rights Solidarity (HRS) and London Advocacy (LA) have produced short animated films based on the report on the systematic torture of opposition groups in Turkey. One of the videos, posted on HRS’s YouTube channel, tells women being tortured, while the other shows men being tortured.

The report, entitled “Systematic torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in places of detention in Turkey”, was published last February and submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in March. The report reveals the widespread use of torture by Turkish law enforcement since 15 July 2016, when the fundamental rights and freedoms of Turkish citizens were put on the back burner.

You can access the videos by clicking on the links below: 

A Female Victim Statement                       A Male Victim Statement

We are delightful to share our amendment proposals to European Parliament draft report on the 2022 Commission Report on Turkiye. We would like to share our amendment proposals to your comprehensive and well-designed draft report on the 2022 Commission Report on Turkiye {2022/2205(INI)}. We hope to make contribution to the work of the European Parliament which makes invaluable contributions to the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Our report on Ukraine has been submitted to PACE, the UN Special Rapporteur and the FEMM Committee of European Parliament. We are pleased to submit a brief report on “sexual exploitation and trafficking of Ukrainian women” to esteemed FEMM Committee of the European Parliament, the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of the PACE and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls.

This report reveals the extent to which the rights of minority and opposition groups have been violated after the disaster. South-eastern provinces of Turkey were hit by one of the deadliest natural disasters of human history on the 6th of February 2023. The affected region is dominantly inhabited by Kurds, Alevites and Syrian refugees — all traditionally discriminated against, or at least considered to be neglected populations in Turkey.

As a result, the earthquake exacerbated the existing social cleavages and made the existing injustices increasingly more visible.

Our report reveals particularly the extent to which the fundamental rights and freedoms of minority groups are violated in the post-disaster period.

You can read our information note on rights violations after the earthquake in Turkey in the section below: