Home
United Nations
The United Nations Office at Geneva
A collage of different person's faces, combined to one face.

Defending human rights is a challenging job. But tireless and dedicated human rights defenders step up every day. We are launching a video series, “Let’s talk human rights” where you will hear engaging, first-hand accounts of what it takes to monitor human rights.

Let’s talk human rights | Ahmed Motala

Meet one of our own, Ahmed Motala, a South African human rights lawyer, from the Methodology, Education and Training Section – under the Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division. For him, human rights are in his DNA. He grew up at the height of the apartheid era. The first-hand experience of human rights violations led him to the legal path. Now, working for UN Human Rights, he uses that experience to help people stand up for their rights. Get inspired by Ahmed’s story and learn more about how we advocate for all.

Let’s talk human rights | From child activist to one of our own human rights lawyers

At the age of 10, Juliette De Rivero organized her first protest against discrimination in her school. Years later, she’s the UN Human Rights representative in Colombia and uses her voice to strengthen rights movements from the ground up. When victims are empowered to claim their rights & realize their collective strength, anything is possible, she says. We’ve seen through the courageous acts of women’s rights defenders world-over that when people come together, they can be engines for change - transforming social norms, law & relationships of power within society

Let’s talk Human Rights | Roberto Ricci

Driven by conviction, Roberto Ricci, is a Human Rights defender, with a wealth of knowledge and experience in conflict situation. Similar to a war correspondent - he has been at the frontlines - witnessing Human Rights violations in conflict situations in many countries. He heads the UN Human Rights Emergency Response Section. In this episode of Let’s Talk human Rights, Roberto, breaks down the role of human rights defenders’ presences in conflict situations. He emphasis the centrality of the UN in conflict situations, saying, “when there is a conflict there is all of a sudden, a complete loss of confidence between the people and authorities and between people and fighting elements.

Let's talk human rights | Facundo Chavez Penillas

An accident at the age of 15 changed his life. Facundo Chavez Penillas, says, "there is no better way of promoting change than facing others with that otherness." Facundo, advocates for rights of persons with disabilities, he is a Human Rights Adviser on Disability Rights at the UN Human Rights Office.

Let’s talk human rights | Shyami Puvimanasinghe

inequalities: the quest for justice and the right to development

Shyami Puvimanasinghe, has seen poverty in her home country of Sri Lanka to distant places like Somalia.  This propelled her to advocate for justice and the right to development. Hear from Shyami, a human rights officer, how the #right to development, links peace, justice and the economy.