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.

Volunteer at Human Rights Solidarity for hands-on experience in human rights advocacy, research, partnerships, leadership, and community engagement, enhancing employability. As a volunteer at Human Rights Solidarity, you will be immersed in a world of human rights advocacy and learning, gaining experience in research analytical skills, stakeholder engagement and partnerships, presentation skills, events coordination, and leadership positions.

 We have a range of volunteer opportunities from Research Analysts to Partnerships Volunteers to Group Leaders for our various immigrant integration programmes. Each of these experiences will equip you with valuable skills to carry you through your future careers and lives, opening your eyes to the world of human rights and public sector work.

 These roles are perfect for any young people with a desire to create a difference, help a local community, increase their employability in the human rights and government sphere, and a passion for human rights, community engagement, and policy change.

AVAILABLE ROLES:

 RESEARCH ANALYST

 As a Research Analyst you will be apart of a team investigating human rights violations in a specific geographical region or a specified topic by the team leader (e.g. women’s rights, trafficking, food and water scarcity etc.). Research methods may include podcast style interviews with experts and text-based analysis. Your will collate your research into a report to be published and on occasion submitted to European Parliament. This is a perfect role for anyone looking to enhance their research and report writing abilities and gain experience in the public sector.

 PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR

 As a Partnerships and Events Coordinator, you will engage in the creation of projects in collaboration with other NGOs and organizations to increase our impact and ability to spread awareness of human rights violations. You may be responsible for working with a team of volunteers to plan events on specific topics of human rights work, contacting speakers, organizations, and participants. This is a great opportunity for anyone passionate about events or partnerships work in the public sector and with a love for project design and management.

 INTEGRATION GROUP LEADER

 As an integration group leader, you will lead one of a selection of immigrant integration programmes we host at HRS. This may be researching and presenting at bi-weekly Know Your Rights events for young asylum seekers and immigrants, leading groups on our Breakfast, Walk, and British History and Culture tours around London, or training young athletes in Basketball on the weekends. This is a great opportunity with a passion for ameliorating society for those less fortunate.

 Join us today and become a part of the HRS family! 

Become a hero

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.

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.

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.

We have made our amendment proposals on “Political strategies to prevent, prepare for, and face the consequences of natural disasters.”

We are delighted to announce our proposed amendments to the draft report on the Political strategies to prevent, prepare for, and face the consequences of natural disasters. We hope to make contribution to the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe which is dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law.