How the UN can protect freedoms, with Gina Romero!

Описание: 3:52 What’s a special rapporteur and what’s their impact?
10:19 Loss of trust in the UN
14:35 Achievements and potential of the UN
15:37 COP29
21:56 UN Design problems
24:19 How to stop the global decline in freedoms
27:00 Is the universality of rights in question?
By Colombe Cahen-Salvador

"While Azerbaijan has been preparing to host COP29, recent months have been marked by an alarming wave of arrests and the setting of criminal cases against human rights offenders in the country, including journalists and independent media. (...) So while COPS should be an exemplary UN-led model for safe participation, each year the challenges for this participation is higher. (...) We must stop having these conferences in places where freedoms are heavily restricted because they send a very mixed message." - UN Special Rapporteur Gina Romero

I recently had the privilege of hosting an online townhall with United Nations Special Rapporteur Gina Romero on how can the UN protect freedoms. 

This conversation couldn’t be more urgent. Global freedom has been declining for 18 years in a row. Nearly 40% of the world’s population now lives under authoritarian rule, and that doesn’t just impact them—it impacts all of us. As the saying goes, an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

So here’s the big question: when freedoms are under attack globally, is the UN doing enough? Can it still protect, promote, and uphold the rights we all depend on? And if not, how do we fix it?

Throughout the conversation, we explored how the UN must change to better protect rights, including by finally tackling the fact that five countries can impose their veto upon all others. We discussed the universality of rights and the importance of not compromising on some while promoting others. This is more relevant than ever as UN conferences are being held in authoritarian countries that curtail freedoms of association and assembly. Gina Romero’s latest report is a stark reminder of what’s at stake. She highlighted how climate justice movements and pro-Palestinian solidarity campaigns are being vilified and repressed by both governments and non-state actors around the world. Instead of creating space for dialogue and addressing the crises these movements raise, the response has been sweeping restrictions and brutal crackdowns.

But here’s the thing: this fight is far from over. If something isn’t working, then it’s time to fix it. And right now, the UN isn’t working the way it should. It’s failing to protect the freedoms it was created to uphold.

At Atlas, we believe the UN must evolve, radically. That means:
1. Abolishing the veto.
2. Making international law enforceable and the jurisdiction of international courts mandatory.

We believe that together, we can build a UN that truly serves all of humanity, not just a privileged few. Gina Romero's insights provide a powerful roadmap for how we might begin this work.

What now? 
Change will only happen if we unite, fast! So join us: https://www.atlasmovement.org/volunteer

Check out this townhall, let us know what you think, and join our work to #Unite4Survival!