Jo Becker

Trinidadian Nationals Face Escalating Abuse in Syrian Camp Since 2019, more than 90 Trinidad and Tobago nationals, including at least 50 children, have been arbitrarily detained in northeast Syria for alleged links to the Islamic State (ISIS).

For more than 3 years, @hrw.org has been calling on the government of Trinidad and Tobago to bring home its nationals -- mostly women and children -- detained in NE Syria. We renew our call as Trinidadians and other detainees face escalating abuse and attacks. www.hrw.org/news/2026/02...

Haiti Criminal Groups Trafficking Children Amid State Collapse A new United Nations report details how criminal groups in Haiti are exploiting the near-total absence of the state, as well as widespread hunger and violence, to recruit children who then face abuse.

Recruitment of children by Haitian criminal groups tripled last year. With a near total absence of the state, criminal groups use threats and material incentives to force children into criminal activity, sexual abuse, and sexual slavery
www.hrw.org/news/2026/02...

10 years after a landmark US Supreme Court case limiting extreme sentences for children, a new report from ‪@thecfsy.bsky.social‬ assesses progress and gaps.

The plaintiff, Henry Montgomery, says, "Men who have done 20, 30, 40 years, it's time for them to come home."
cfsy.org/media-resour...

Good News for Children in 2025 Each year, Human Rights Watch reflects on progress in children’s rights worldwide. From better access to education to stronger protections in wartime, these are some highlights from 2025.

At the end of a rough year, @hrw takes stock of good news for kids from 2025. Countries banned child marriage, prohibited corporal punishment, and expanded free education and protections in armed conflict, showing progress is possible.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/12...

HRW quote card that says, “The UK government’s decision to end the cruel "two-child limit” social security policy is welcome and long-overdue. It forced growing numbers of children and families into poverty and undermined their rights.” Kartik Raj, Europe Senior Researcher

Good riddance to rubbish policy.

The end to the UK's "two child limit" social security policy has been announced, and it will soon be gone.

We @hrw.org welcome the news, as one of many, many, many voices calling for an end to this arbitrary, cruel social security policy.

Syrian teen, Bana Alabed (15), wins International Children's Peace Prize 2025 for her relentless advocacy for war-affected children and transformative initiatives - KidsRights Foundation Bana Alabed, a 15-year-old Syrian changemaker and survivor of the 2016 Aleppo siege, has been awarded the 2025 International Children’s Peace Prize, the world’s most important youth award. During a la...

The International Children's Peace Prize for 2025 was just awarded to 15-year-old Bana Alabed, recognizing her remarkable work to highlight the impact of conflict on the children of Syria.

www.kidsrights.org/news/syrian-...

NEW: US state laws requiring healthcare providers to notify a parent about a young person’s abortion decision are causing harm.

In a new report, HRW and If/When/How document how state-mandated parental notification laws in six US states threaten young people’s health and safety.

Learn more ⤵️

OPINION | Free Secondary Education Is Malawi’s Most Radical Leap Toward Equality - Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi Malawi breaking news publishing 24 hours a day news about Malawi, Malawi Business, Malawi Tourism, Malawi Politics, Malawi News

This compelling article highlights Malawi's new free secondary education policy and why it might be "the single most transformative policy the country could ever take for its future." www.nyasatimes.com/opinion-free...

Saudi Arabia: Spate of Executions of Child Offenders Saudi authorities on October 20, 2025, executed a man convicted of alleged crimes committed as a child.

🚩Yesterday Saudi authorities executed Abdullah al-Derazi for alleged crimes committed as a child.

Saudi authorities reached two horrific milestones: the 300th execution of 2025 & the 2nd execution of a person accused of committing crimes as a child. @hrw.org

www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Sri Lanka: Ruinous Tax Policies Stoke Inequality Sri Lanka’s tax policies played a driving role in the country’s devastating 2022 economic crisis and have contributed to the chronic underfunding of education and other public services.

Sri Lanka was once a global leader in education. New @hrw report documents how its ruinous tax policies starved schools of funding and squandered this lead. www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Children around the World Speak out for Free Education Children from across the globe have expressed support for expanding an international human rights treaty to require countries to provide free pre-primary and secondary education.

On Monday, governments will debate a possible new UN treaty to make education free from preprimary through secondary. More than 8,000 children from 40 countries have weighed in. My colleague @bedeonkidrights.bsky.social shares their views: www.hrw.org/news/2025/08...

Effective strategies to end and prevent grave violations against children - Security Council, 9945th meeting "Effective strategies to end and prevent grave violations against children" under the agenda item "Children and armed conflict"

Last week the UN reported the highest number ever of grave violations against children in armed conflict. Today, the UN Security Council will discuss how to respond. Tune in live at 10 a.m. ET: webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1s...

Myanmar: Stop Recruitment, Use of Child Soldiers The Myanmar military’s recruitment and use of child soldiers has surged since the 2021 coup, including a significant number recruited after the junta enacted a conscription law in February 2024. The U...

Since Myanmar's 2021 military coup, the UN has verified > 1,800 cases of child recruitment, including children as young as 12. The junta is the sole state actor listed on the UN SG's "list of shame" for grave violations against children. More from @hrw.org:
www.hrw.org/news/2025/06...

Violations Soar Against Children in Armed Conflict Last year was the most devastating year for children in armed conflict in two decades, according to the new annual report from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Despite being added to the UN's “list of shame” for violations against children in armed conflict, Israel's and Russia’s abuses have only increased; neither has engaged with the UN to negotiate an action plan to end their violations. My new dispatch:
www.hrw.org/news/2025/06...

Violations Soar Against Children in Armed Conflict Last year was the most devastating year for children in armed conflict in two decades, according to the new annual report from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In armed conflict, violations against children have soared. The UN SG reports more than 41,000 violations -- 25% above last year. My new dispatch on the SG's devastating new report:
www.hrw.org/news/2025/06...

Africa: Insufficient Domestic Funding Hinders Education Progress Most African governments have consistently failed to meet global and regional education funding targets to ensure quality public education.

Today is the African Union's Day of the African Child. While African governments and leaders have made bold commitments to education, in practice, their investments have fallen short. New analysis from @hrw.org:
www.hrw.org/news/2025/06...

Despite progress, child labour still affects 138 million children globally New report shows an almost 50 per cent reduction since start of century, but world fails to reach elimination targets.

New global report from ILO and @unicefmedia.bsky.social finds 20 million fewer children involved in child labor compared to 2020, but 138 million is still far too many. www.ilo.org/resource/new...

Today is the second-ever #InternationalDayofPlay! Learning through play is more than just fun—it builds critical thinking, language, and social skills. Every child should have a guaranteed human right to free preschool, to learn and thrive through play. #ChildRights

Another victory: Oregon banned child marriage! - Unchained At Last Once again we are doing a wild victory dance: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek just signed the bill we helped to write, introduce and promote to ban all marriage before age 18, no exceptions. !!! Yes, this is o...

Great news! Oregon has become the 15th US state to ban all child marriage. Before 2018, all 50 US states allowed children under the age of 18 to marry. Congratulations to Unchained at Last for its relentless advocacy.
www.unchainedatlast.org/another-vict...

US: Asylum Seekers Expelled to Costa Rica Detail Abuses The United States should offer to bring back and hear the asylum claims of approximately 200 third-party nationals, including children, who were wrongfully expelled to Costa Rica in February.

New @hrw.org research on 200 asylum seekers, including 81 children, expelled from the US to Costa Rica in February. "It’s reprehensible to dump families in a country they never chose, with no process and no regard for their safety," says @michaelbochenek.bsky.social www.hrw.org/news/2025/05...

US: Florida Set to Trample Young People’s Rights A devastating decision from Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeals would eliminate access to abortion care for young people unable to get written, notarized parental consent, Human Rights Watch and...

A devastating decision from a Florida court would eliminate access to abortion for young people unable to get written, notarized parental consent.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/05...

Trinidad and Tobago Nationals Remain Stranded in Northeast Syria Trinidad and Tobago’s newly elected prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, should act quickly to repatriate more than 90 of the country’s nationals, including at least 50 children, who remain unlawfu...

Over 50 children from Trinidad and Tobago have been stranded for years in NE Syria. @hrw.org calls on T&T's newly elected prime minister to bring them and other T&T nationals home. www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...

12 US Senators condemn cancellation of $500 million in grants to address child labor and trafficking worldwide. "The only winners here will be the multinational corporations who want cheap labor, and our adversaries that benefit from these practices."

www.duckworth.senate.gov/imo/media/do...

Today @hrw.org issued 100 Human Rights Harms in Trump's First 100 Days. Harms to children include cuts to school lunches, food banks, gender-affirming care, restrictions on school curricula, and programs to combat child labor worldwide. See the whole list here: www.hrw.org/feature/2025...

HRW joined 100+ civil society organizations to call on US DOL to restore $500M in funding to combat forced labor & child labor. These funds are essential to protect children and to end human trafficking. These cuts put lives at risk. #ForcedLabor #ChildLabor stopchildlabor.org/civil-societ...

The UN needs your expertise on pre-primary and secondary education - World Education Blog The United Nations has issued a critical call for information to help shape the global understanding of children’s right to education. It's a once-in-a-generation opportunity for education experts to…

The United Nations has issued a critical call for information to help shape the global understanding of children’s right to education. Take part here:
buff.ly/kf3kO80
#UN #EarlyChildhood #ChildrensRights

Texas Bill Would Criminalize Those Transporting Youth for Abortion Care A harmful bill in the Texas legislature would criminalize transporting youth younger than 18, or funding their transportation, out of state to access abortion without written parental consent.

It's bad enough that Texas has a total abortion ban. Now lawmakers want to make it a crime -- punishable by up to 20 years in prison -- to transport a young person under age 18 out of state for an abortion without their parents' permission. Read more:
www.hrw.org/news/2025/04...

Build prosperity through free pre-primary education Ugandan children’s access to nursery should not depend on their parents’ ability to pay fees.”

Three independent reports within 1 year all urge the Ugandan government to provide free pre-primary education for its children, paving the way for equality and prosperity. My op-ed together with @iseruganda.bsky.social director Angella Kasule Nabwowe: www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/...

Trump Administration Shutters Research Lab Tracking Stolen Ukrainian Children The Trump administration has jeopardized efforts to find thousands of Ukrainian children illegally deported to Russia and Belarus, and in doing so, may have compromised evidence of war crimes by Russi...

Trump cuts have jeopardized efforts to find thousands of Ukrainian children illegally deported to Russia and Belarus, and may have compromised evidence of war crimes by Russian officials. New dispatch from @billvanesveld.bsky.social
www.hrw.org/news/2025/03...

New US Labor Secretary, Congress Should Act on Child Labor President Trump’s pick to lead the United States Department of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, will soon oversee the federal government’s response to labor rights issues across the US. One of her key prio...

On Monday, Congress confirmed Lori Chavez-DeRemer as the new US Secretary of Labor. One of her big challenges: addressing hazardous child labor in the US. More from my colleague Margaret Wurth: www.hrw.org/news/2025/03...