Statement by Mr. Oļegs Iļģis, DPR of Latvia, on behalf of Nordic-Baltic States - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, at the UN General Assembly 81st session 3rd Committee
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
Intervention by the Nordic-Baltic States - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
16 October 2025
Chair,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States.
Madame, Special Rapporteur,
We thank you for your report and the youth-informed recommendations on protecting and sustaining youth activism.
We agree that youth activism is essential not only for the political participation of young people, but also for strong democracies, the sustainability of democratic institutions and the protection of rights and freedoms.
Ensuring open, safe and enabling civic space, both online and offline, is a responsibility of States. Yet civic space is increasingly under pressure across the globe, with arbitrary restrictions on the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association undermining meaningful participation in public life. Young people are often at the forefront of civic engagement and, consequently, particularly exposed to these restrictions.
As your findings demonstrate, young activists face persistent and heightened threats to exercising their rights. Instead of being recognized and protected as legitimate actors, they are subjected to intimidation, repression and arbitrary detention. Anti-terrorism and national security laws are misused to portray peaceful activism as a threat to national security, leading to prolonged detention, excessive sentences and inhuman prison conditions. Furthermore, while digital spaces should offer safe platforms for youth activism, they have become arenas for surveillance, privacy violations, and smear campaigns. Restrictions online and offline increasingly reinforce one another, further narrowing the space in which young people can organize, express dissent and participate in decisions affecting them.
These challenges are amplified by systemic barriers and intersecting forms of discrimination facing young women, LGBTIQ+ youth, persons with disabilities and youth living in vulnerable situations.
All youth, regardless of gender, ability, or sexual orientation, must be able to participate in decisions that define their future.
Madame Special Rapporteur,
The Nordic Baltic States attach great importance to meaningful youth participation and to strengthening opportunities for young people to influence decision-making.
In the Nordic Baltic region, the annual Nordic Baltic Youth summit is a crucial opportunity for young people to make their voices heard and play key roles in shaping their future. The Summit fosters an open and inclusive culture for youth. It gives an opportunity to contribute ideas and perspectives that can be transformed into recommendations for national decision-makers. This gives youth a platform to connect youth perspectives with policy discussions across the region.
The Nordic Baltic States remain determined to continue engaging and working for and with youth.
Madam Special Rapporteur, what measures should States prioritize to ensure that youth participation goes beyond consultation and that young people’s perspectives - including youth with disabilities or living in vulnerable situations - are systematically integrated into policy design, implementation and follow-up?
I thank you.