November 2025

Table of Contents

SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE DAY FOCUS

SPECIAL FOCUS: World Science Day for Peace and Development, Nov 10, 2025

Each year on 10 November, the world celebrates the World Science Day for Peace and Development – a moment to reaffirm the vital role of science in advancing peace, sustainable development, and the wellbeing of all.

The idea for the Day emerged from the 1999 World Conference on Science in Budapest, co-organized by the long-standing partners UNESCO and the International Science Council’s predecessor the International Council for Science (ICSU) with the aim of reinforcing the commitments set out in the Declaration on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge. UNESCO officially proclaimed the Day in 2001. Since then, it has catalyzed global initiatives, programmes, and funding to strengthen science as a cornerstone of progress.
This Day reflects our enduring commitment to science as a global public good, and to the responsibility of the scientific community to engage with society in shaping a more just, sustainable, and peaceful future.

UN COMMEMORATIVE DAYS – September and October

• November 10 – World Science Day for Peace and Development
• November 19 – International Men’s Day
• November 20 – World Children’s Day
• November 25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
  Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life. 

GNPHR NEWS AND EVENTS

Hello Global Network of Psychologists for Human Rights,

Do you know concrete examples of celebrating or supporting human rights in your community?

The International Council of Psychologists (ICP), a sponsoring organization for the GNPHR, is holding its annual “ICP day” on December 10, 2025, which is also The UN Human Rights Day. The GNPHR has been asked to help celebrate this day by showcasing stories of how human rights are promoted and celebrated in communities around the world.

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE – We invite you to submit a short video highlighting how you, your organization, or your community are taking action to uphold human rights in your community.
Your video can feature:
🎥 Personal reflections or community initiatives
🤝 Acts of inclusion, equality, and solidarity
🌱 Creative ways people are raising awareness and driving change
Submission details:
Length: Up to 30 seconds
Format: Horizontal video format
Deadline: Dec 1, 2025
How to submit: Upload your video or record it here: https://app.memento.com/celebrating-human-rights-action/SLflsJAd3p/record
At the start, state your name, location and organization (if relevant)
You may also record the video in your local language. Please provide the transcript in your local language and, if possible, its English translation. The transcription and translations will help to better share your human rights work to our global audience.

We are striving for as broad geographical representation as possible – be sure your country is included!

Selected videos will be featured during ICP Day celebrations on December 10, and shared across our communication channels to inspire others worldwide.

Let’s come together to honor Human Rights in dignity, freedom, and justice for all — and show how every action, big or small, makes a difference.
Thank you for being part of this global movement for human rights!

The GNPHR does have a LinkedIn page

New GNPHR blogs:

• Breaking the silence campaign: Changing the meaning of adoption in Pakistan and the world. Dr. Saima Eman, Pakistan / UK

Webinar Series Human Rights Education

Next webinar:
Dr. Saryia Narak, Univerity of Salford; Community Knowledge Producrs (CKP), UK
Moderator: Dr. Sharon Coen, Salford University

Community Knowledge Producers Insist on Intersectionality
Deecmber 9, noon EST/ 6:00  pm CET
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fdsDs1Y_RySAUw6UgzXFLw#/registration

For past Webinars, see: https://humanrightspsychology.org/webinars/

GNPHR Steering Committee member Wilson Lopez-López awarded inclusion in the  Colombian Association of Faculties of Psychology  ASCOFAPSI Collection: Great Masters of Psychology. This recognizes his work over 35 years in education, and in fostering the dissemination and recognition of Latin American psychology.
Citation (in Spanish): https://rebrand.ly/58vprnh

General

Open Global Rights is an independent platform for analysis and opinion on international human rights issues.
Joelle Besch & Ashley Otilia Nemeth & Dr. Edwin Hernandez-Delgado & Samuel Suleiman Ramos, October 29, 2025
Coral reefs are human rights defenders. Extreme weather events increasingly threaten coral reefs and the human communities they support.

Access to justice as a gateway for human rights achievements. Priscilla Costa Corrêa, September 25, 2025.
Brazil’s reliance on individualized litigation to access social security benefits may be entrenching inequality. Brazil’s 1988 Constitution enshrined a broad catalogue of social rights—including rights to health, education, social assistance, and social security—marking a milestone in democratization after two decades of military dictatorship. As a foundational charter for Brazil’s return to democratic governance, it represented a historic break with an authoritarian past and affirmed the nation’s commitment to building a just, free, and solidarity-based society. But more than three decades later, the promise of these rights remains elusive for millions.

Academic Freedom / Higher Education

Academic freedom: how to defend ‘the very condition of a living democracy’ in France and worldwide. Stéphanie Balme, Director, CERI, Sciences Po, THE CONVERSATION, October 17, 2025.
Director of the CERI at SciencesPo, Stéphanie Balme conducted a study for France Universités, an organisation whose members are presidents of universities, titled “Defending and promoting academic freedom. A global issue, an urgent matter for France and Europe. Findings and proposals for action.” She shares some of her insights here. “Defending academic freedom is not a corporatist reflex: on the contrary, it means protecting a precious common good,” according to Stéphanie Balme, who directs the Center for International Studies (CERI) at SciencesPo in Paris.

Unofficially unveiled on October 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education is a striking illustration of the politicisation of knowledge and the desire for ideological control over scientific output in the United States. Behind the rhetoric of “restoring excellence” lies a new stage in the institutionalisation of “sciento-populism”: mistrust of science is being strategically exploited to flatter populist sentiments and turn academics into scapegoats, held responsible for the “decline” of US civilisational hegemony.

Children/Youth

A coatrack for one’s mind: proposing a new theoretical model for the study of children’s rights in context. Hopman, Marieke Janne et al., Zenodo, September 8, 2025.
Several children’s rights researchers have expressed concern about a lack of foundational theory/ies in children’s rights research. In reply to this discussion, this article proposes the Children’s Rights Normative Cultures (CRNC) model, a theoretical model that can guide the empirical study of children’s rights in various societies. In addition to presenting the model, the article outlines a non-exhaustive set of empirical factors to be studied, offers methodological tools adaptable to diverse cultural contexts, and illustrates the model’s application in Flanders (Belgium) and Ethiopia.

Children with disabilities are missing from global efforts to address violence. Emily Eldred, Sabine van Tuyll van Serooskerken, et al., The Lancet, Child & Adolescent, Vol. 9, issue 11, p. 757-759, November 2025.
In November, 2024, the first Global Ministerial Conference on ending violence against children was held in Bogotá, Colombia, and was a landmark event for violence prevention. 101 countries and 21 organisations made commitments to address violence against children at home, in schools, in communities, and online.1However, despite efforts to get disability on the agenda for the conference by civil society organisations, there was a notable gap in commitments on preventing and responding to violence against children with disabilities.

Climate Justice

COP30 Health Day. 13 November 2025, Belém, Brazil
Focusing on Objective 16, promoting resilient health services, COP30 Health Day will convene a Ministerial Health Plenary on 13 November from 9:00AM-12:00PM in the Tocantins Plenary (Plenary 2), Blue Zone.
On this occasion, Brazil will officially launch the Belém Health Action Plan for the Adaptation of the Health Sector to Climate Change, developed through extensive international consultations and the result of collective efforts aimed at ensuring that health occupies a central place on the climate agenda. The Plan is founded on the principles of equity, climate justice, and participatory governance, with the purpose of accelerating the implementation of climate-health solutions. To this end, it provides glossaries of best practices in adaptation, guidance on access to means of implementation, and recommendations for strengthening health governance with broad social participation.
The Belém health action plan for the adaptation of the health sector to climate change

Climate change and mental health: announcing a new Lancet Psychiatry Commission. Lasse Brandt Vikram Patel, et al., The Lancet, Vo.12, 11, p. 811-813, November 2025
Climate change is an existential threat to humanity and the ecosystems we rely on, impacting many aspects of human life, including mental health.1,2 Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, loss of habitats, environmental degradation, and resulting socioeconomic instability are some of the drivers associated with increasing incidence of psychological distress, psychiatric disorders, suicide, and mental health-related mortality.
The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Climate Change and Mental Health aims to address the aforementioned global challenges by providing a scientific foundation for mental health strategies in the context of climate change. The Commission seeks to identify critical knowledge gaps and unmet needs in the fields of climate research in psychiatry, supporting adaptation, mitigation, and strategies that strengthen mental health systems, determinants of mental health, and community resilience.
Equity and justice are key guiding principles of the Commission. Individuals and communities most affected by the climate crisis are the least responsible for it and often inadequately equipped to adapt to the subsequent challenges. The Commission aims to foster inclusive and participatory approaches, and it will shape global policy and investment by defining research and action priorities and highlighting strategies to integrate mental health into climate-related development agendas.

Crimes against humanity

Vol. 35 No. 2-3 (2025): Torture Journal: Journal on Rehabilitation of Torture Victims and Prevention of Torture.
We present in this double issue 2025(2–3) a special section devoted to Israel and Occupied Palestine, one of the most comprehensive collections of academic and field-based analyses published to date on torture, genocide, and the psychosocial mechanisms that sustain them in the context of prolonged occupation.
In his Editorial, Pau Pérez-Sales examines the convergence of empirical evidence from international organisations, Israeli and Palestinian sources, and public opinion studies to explain how collective narratives, social structures, and political incentives can normalise and sustain genocidal policies.
The special section opens with Hatem Yousef Abu Zaydah, whose autoethnographic account captures the daily psychological, humanitarian, and physical suffering endured by Gaza’s inhabitants during the ongoing war.

Displaced/Migrants/Refugees/Stateless

Global Attitudes to Refugees: a 52-country survey from Ipsos and UNHCR
A new 52-country survey from Ipsos and UNHCR for World Refugee Day 2024 reveals enduring public support for refugees, alongside stark variations in attitudes. 18.06.24

Key findings:

• Global support for offering refuge to people seeking safety from war or persecution remains high. Almost three in four people (73% Global country average) express support for offering refuge to those fleeing war or persecution. Support is highest in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, with 93% in Kenya and 92% in Uganda.
• There is significant support or ‘openness’ among the public to finding solutions that enable refugees to access their rights. While attitudes varied, half of those surveyed believe in refugees being able to integrate and, for example, access their full right to education, and nearly as many support their full access to healthcare and jobs (44% and 42%, respectively). Around three-quarters (77%) expressed support, to a varying degree, for policies that allow refugee families to be reunited in the country of asylum.
• Still, some major hosts and Western countries showed less positive sentiment. This scepticism is coupled with concerns about refugees’ ability to integrate and their overall contributions. While globally a third believe refugees will positively contribute to their country’s labour market, national economy, and culture, another third holds the opposite view. The survey also showed concerns about the impact of refugees on national security and public services, notably in countries with large refugee populations.
• Despite the concerns and scepticism about refugees’ impact on host societies, many people are still taking action to support refugees. A third have shown support for refugees in several ways, including by donating or through social media posts. With 75% of refugees living in low- and middle-income countries, almost two in five people surveyed (37%) believe that international aid for countries hosting refugees is insufficient.

This report presents the findings from an Ipsos and UNHCR global survey of 33,197 adults across 52 countries for World Refugee Day 2024. The research, released as part of UNHCR’s Hope Away from Home campaign, aims to shed light on issues related to refugees and contribute to a better global understanding of public attitudes towards refugees.
The survey takes place against a backdrop of unprecedented levels of forced displacement, with more than 120 million people forcibly displaced globally, by May 2024, as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disturbing public order. This is a historic new record propelled by new and long-lasting conflicts around the world.
Of those, 43.3 million are refugees, with low- and middle-income countries hosting 75% of the world’s refugees, and Least Developed Countries hosting 21% of the total. This includes 31.6 million refugees and people in a refugee-like situation and 5.8 million other people in need of international protection under UNHCR’s mandate, as well as 6 million Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.

Aspirations, capabilities, and relationships: The transition to adulthood of unaccompanied refugee adolescents in the Netherlands. Kjell Winkens, Thesis University of Groningen-NL, June 2025.
This thesis focuses on the influence of social relationships and institutions on the transition to adulthood of adolescents who fled to the Netherlands without their families. In the short period before adulthood, they have to process their experiences before and during their flight, make plans for the future, and overcome challenges in the present.

Human Rights Education

An Intercultural Training Module. That Is More About “Us” Than About “Them” and the UnderlyingRationale. Ype H. Poortinga and Michael Bender. In: Handbook of Diversity Competence, 2025.
In interactions between people with different behavioural repertoires, communication errors are more frequent than between people who speak the same language and follow similar customs and habits. Nowadays, we tend to refer to such differences in behaviour as differences in “culture”. In intercultural communication research and training, this comes often with the presumption that those who grow up in another society as ours somehow are unlike “us” psychologically. In this chapter, the point of departure is that everyday interpretations of behavioural differences are influenced demonstrably by our own ethnocentrism and systematic biases. An approach to intercultural training (IT) is outlined with low emphasis on extensive psychological differences and high emphasis on the actual context in which people live and on specific rules that only hold in specific categories of situations. Implications of this approach are illustrated with reference to an existing module on intercultural training.

Inclusion, Exclusion, Racism

Rising antisemitism reflects wider social ills, says Britain’s former counter-terrorism co-ordinator. Sir David Omand on why social cohesion in the face of extremism is a security imperative. The Economist, October 5, 2025.
The attack on worshippers at the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day, provides another grim reminder that the struggle with hate-fuelled extremism and political violence continues. Yes, within seven minutes armed police had arrived and shot the terrorist dead. But the potential damage to community confidence—and to the wider social fabric—lingers.
When antisemitic tropes proliferate online, when conspiracy theories about Jewish power gain traction, when attacks against Jews are rationalised, it creates an environment in which society becomes inured to the likelihood of violence. Between January and July this year alone, more than 1,500 antisemitic incidents were recorded in Britain—the second-highest total ever reported in the first half of any year. This reflects a global pattern.

LGBTQI+, Gender Rights

A Case for Inclusion: Deed of Familial Association as a Solution for the Inclusion of LGBTQIA+ Family Structures into the Indian Legal System. Suha K, Human Rights Here, 15 October 2025. Despite it being 11 years after recognising the rights of transgenders and 7 years after decriminalising homosexuality, India’s legal system continues to be designed almost exclusively for traditional heterosexual families, leaving millions of Indian citizens belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community and other non-conformist family structures such as homosexual couples, people in polyamorous relationships and other families of choice in a state of legal invisibility that denies them the fundamental right to form families of their choice which subsequently denies them rights to inheritance, medical decision-making, adoption, housing protections, and social security benefits.

Mental Health and Human Rights

Working towards successfully centering dignity and epistemic justice in mental health practice. Katarina Grim, Shulamit Ramon, Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, 2025
Positive examples of the implementation of dignified and successful approaches in different mental health service contexts in the UK, Germany, and Sweden are presented, highlighting the translation of values into practice and requiring a willingness to focus on the strengths and resources of service users and informal carers.
Dignity is rooted in values such as autonomy, freedom, and responsibility. Every interaction in a health care setting has the potential to be a positive dignity encounter, enabled by service providers. This review article presents positive examples of the implementation of dignified and successful approaches in different mental health service contexts in the UK, Germany, and Sweden. These examples highlight the translation of values into practice, providing guidance and inspiration to support positive changes internationally. Epistemic injustice highlights the vulnerabilities that mental health service users may face. Concepts from epistemic injustice theory are applied to exemplify how epistemic justice can be strengthened through approaches and methods that affirm service users as knowers and testifiers. Shared decision-making permeates several of our examples, alongside the involvement of family and peers in the planning and delivery of care and the use of EbEs (experts-by-experience).

The importance of dignity among higher-education faculty members who support student mental health. Riba, Erica B. Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, vol. 2, no. 2, Academia.edu Journals, 2025, doi:10.20935/MHealthWellB7787.
In the past two decades, mental health among students at colleges and universities in the United States has been a widely studied topic. Fortunately, there has been some improvement in anxiety and depression among college students in recent years. This improvement may be due to greater attention to and investment in mental health promotion and resources, less stigma surrounding mental health awareness, and changes in campus culture related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This progress may also be related to an increase in training, resources, and support that faculty members received from their institutions. Adding to the literature, studies have found that faculty members in higher education have a key role in supporting college students’ mental health, but they are not often directly asked about how they see themselves in this role.

Dignity is the method: ethnic minority mental health, structural harm, and the constellation model. Anindya Kar, Dinesh Bhugra, Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, Volume 2; Issue 4, October 15, 2025.
Dignity is not a metaphor. It is a method and mechanism. In this article, the authors critically explore the concepts of tolerance, respect, and dignity through the lens of ethnic minority mental health, arguing that dignity must become a diagnostic principle within psychiatry. Drawing on recent findings in stress biology, social psychology, and global policy, it presents how dignity violations, ranging from subtle exclusions to structural violence, leave biological, psychological, and cultural impacts.
At the cellular level, chronic stress linked to exclusion activates inflammatory pathways, shortens telomeres, and predicts psychiatric morbidity. At the meso-social level, cultural othering, forced migration, and political authoritarianism incite stigma and internalized shame. At the macro-structural level, austerity, hostile immigration laws, and regressive policies erode collective mental well-being. The article further explores the concept of double jeopardy, where ethnic minority status and psychiatric diagnosis intersect to multiply vulnerability, institutional mistrust, and diagnostic harm. We argue that dignity must be restored as a measurable outcome, not a rhetorical flourish. The proposed model of the “Dignity Constellation for Ethnic Minority Mental Health” outlines a multilevel framework where dignity injuries can be identified and repaired, from clinical to legislative spaces.

Mental health and dignity in higher education: the academic career in decline. Mary Sandra Carlotto, Sônia Maria Guedes Gondim, Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, Volume 2; Issue 3 , 2025.
Political, economic, and technological changes have made academic careers more challenging. This theoretical essay aims to critically analyze the issue of dignity in academic careers in Brazil, which, until recently, enjoyed great social prestige, especially in higher education. It seeks to identify factors contributing to career decline, accompanied by physical and mental suffering. It also examines the relationship between working conditions, dignity, and researchers’ health, including the impact of these dynamics on academic trajectories. In conclusion, the academic career is a construction process that requires ongoing effort to reaffirm its social role in an increasingly technological, economic, political, and ethical landscape. It demands a courageous stance in firmly defending the right to practice a profession with dignity, one that insists on becoming visible in a culture that seeks to render educators and promoters of science invisible. The work of academics produces qualified knowledge and forms critical individuals who transform society.

Opening doors or building cages? The adverse consequences of psychiatric diagnostic labels. Lars Veldmeijer, Gijs Terlouw, Nynke Boonstra, Jim van Os. Science Direct, 2025, 65:102076, Open access.
Psychiatric diagnostic labels can no longer be considered mere neutral descriptors for mental distress; the weight of evidence indicates that they shape reality, often in problematic ways. Providing accurate information about the scientific status of diagnostic labels helps minimize many of these problems. Academic psychiatry and psychology must therefore learn to resist the temptation to reduce human complexity to fixed labels, provide accurate information when labels are applied, consider to separate diagnoses from experienced distress, recognize patients’ experiences as legitimate perspectives, and, most importantly, develop the conceptual competence to design and integrate alternative human-centered approaches that go beyond diagnosis-centric practices.

Dignity, families, and family therapy. Edwards, T. M., Patterson, J. E., & Griffith, J. L.,  Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, 2(2), 2025.
Dignity has been described as an individual and social construct. Dignity is the enactment of identity in the social space of a community, where what matters is how the person perceives the community to be responding to this expression of identity. It is how individuals perceive their worth and belonging within their community. The loss of dignity can lead to feelings of shame and isolation, while its restoration brings pride and honor. Families play a key role in preserving dignity to reinforce care and mutual respect. In this paper, we link dignity to concepts in systemic family therapy and describe family interventions to preserve and restore dignity.
In a world that often marginalizes individuals with mental illness, isolates them from friends and family, and strips away hope, mental health systems and interventions that promote dignity and social connections are essential. A central social connection for many patients, regardless of age, is their family. It may be surprising to some people that mental health professionals would have concerns about the absence of dignity in families. Are families not “havens in a heartless world”, full of unconditional acceptance? In some cultures, families are the only available resources for mentally ill family members. We assume that families are willing providers of care and nurture, regardless of how their family member is treated by the outside world. In fact, being treated with dignity by family members can be an essential source of strength when facing mental illness. Losing family support or experiencing hostility, criticism, or contempt from one’s family can lead to despair and even early death.

Older Persons

Dignity and human rights-based care and support for older persons. Carlos Augusto de Mendonça Lima & Kiran Rabheru. Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, Volume 2; Issue 2, 2025.
The global increase in the older population has led to a rise in mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of aging cohorts. This demographic shift increases the risk of human rights violations driven by ageism, mentalism, and ableism. However, older persons often face unique challenges in exercising their rights due to variations in autonomy, cognitive function, and care needs. A human rights-based approach to mental health care must explicitly address these nuances. This paper examines how dignity—a fundamental human right—can be meaningfully operationalized in care models. We propose a structured, evidence-based approach to care that is grounded in dignity, human rights, and the principles of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. This framework also emphasizes trauma-sensitive care, recognizing the vulnerabilities of older persons in institutional settings.

Peace / Violence and War 

The Peace Psychology Digest, Issue 14, October 21, 2025.
Alma Jeftić, Editor, Peace Psychology Digest!
September 11, 2001 was a day that reshaped global consciousness and the meaning of security, grief, and collective resilience. Nearly a quarter century later, the memory of that day continues to echo not only in the lives of those directly affected but also in the broader human story of how societies respond to violence and loss. For peace psychologists, remembrance is not only about honouring those who perished but also about examining how trauma narratives are formed, transmitted, and healed.
Research by cognitive psychologist William Hirst and colleagues has shown how collective remembering of 9/11 evolved over time, not as a static record of facts, but as a socially shaped reconstruction that reflects shared identities, conversations, and cultural meanings. Their studies revealed that as memories of 9/11 converged within communities, they became central to group identity and public discourse. This insight reminds us that how we remember such events is as important as what we remember, shaping whether collective memory fosters fear and division or empathy and understanding.
The legacy of 9/11 reminds us that remembrance must extend beyond mourning as it must inspire reflection on the choices societies make in the wake of tragedy. As peace psychologists, we are invited to question how collective memories of violence can either perpetuate cycles of retribution or open spaces for reconciliation. To remember September 11th is to renew our commitment to preventing future harm by promoting understanding across boundaries, addressing the roots of extremism, and fostering cultures of peace through education, research, and community engagement.

Middle East

The Political Psychology of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: How Can We Overcome the Barriers to a Negotiated Solution? Herbert C. Kelman, Political Psychology, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Sep., 1987), pp. 347-363 (17 pages), International Society of Political Psychology. APA Presidential Address.  https://doi.org/10.2307/3791039

 THE ROZANA PROGRAMS: Health Diplomacy in the Middle East. Wajdi Bkeirat, with Fritzsche K, McDaniel SH, & Wirsching M.  (In Press)
The Rozana programs have demonstrated the power of healthcare collaborations as a vehicle for fostering understanding and building peace between Israelis and Palestinians. By focusing on personal connections, professional competencies, and community health needs, these initiatives have not only enhanced healthcare delivery but have also addressed the emotional and social dimensions of the conflict. Continued focus on adaptive strategies, community engagement, and dialogue will be vital in expanding upon the significant groundwork laid by Rozana in nurturing peaceful cooperation in a divided landscape.
Rozana’s programming has significantly transformed participants’ views towards the ‘other,’ demonstrating impressive changes both qualitatively and quantitatively, particularly within the Education Pillar. This transformation was most notable among participants who had little to no prior interaction with individuals from the other side.
From the outset of joint activities, where relationships were initially explored through personal exchanges and collaborative work, to the final workshop where participants jointly deliberated on recommendations for future initiatives, there was a marked evolution in viewpoints. These changes encompassed shifts in cultural perceptions and racial stereotypes, indicating a deep-seated transformation in how participants viewed and understood each other.
The Rozana programs have demonstrated the power of healthcare collaborations as a vehicle for fostering understanding and building peace between Israelis and Palestinians. By focusing on personal connections, professional competencies, and community health needs, these initiatives have not only enhanced healthcare delivery but have also addressed the emotional and social dimensions of the conflict. Continued focus on adaptive strategies, community engagement, and dialogue will be vital in expanding upon the significant groundwork laid by Rozana in nurturing peaceful cooperation in a divided landscape.

‘Fatal combination’ of disease, injuries and famine in Gaza is generational crisis, WHO tells BBC. Sean Seddon, Wahiba Ahmed and Anna Foster. BBC News, October 22, 2025.
Gaza is experiencing a health “catastrophe” that will last for “generations to come”, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that a massive increase in aid is needed to begin to address the complex needs of the Strip’s population.
Israel has allowed more medical supplies and other aid to cross into Gaza since a ceasefire with Hamas came into effect on 10 October, but Dr Tedros said levels are below those needed to rebuild the territory’s healthcare system. His intervention comes as the US attempts to shore up the ceasefire it helped to broker following an outbreak of violence at the weekend.

Women

Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed. #NoExcuse UNiTE to End Violence Against Women
Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life.
For at least 51,100 women in 2023, the cycle of gender-based violence ended with one final and brutal act—their murder by partners and family members. That means a woman was killed every 10 minutes.
This scourge has intensified in different settings, including the workplace and online spaces, and has been exacerbated by conflicts, and climate change.
The solution lies in robust responses, holding perpetrators accountable, and accelerating action through well-resourced national strategies and increased funding to women’s rights movements.

OPPORTUNITIES

PUBLICATIONS

Handbook of Diversity Competence. European Perspectives. Matt Flynn ,Michael Morley, Martina Rašticová. Springer Nature, Open Access, 2025.
This open access handbook provides the most current overview of the discussion on diversity competence, with a focus on Europe. Diversity competence has become a key area of interdisciplinary study because of the increasingly intercultural nature of institutions and organisations across the world. This important handbook reviews the conceptual and theoretical foundations of this concept and reflects on the scope of its application. It provides directions for further research in the theory, research and practice of diversity competence and includes country-wise perspectives as well. An international team of researchers brings together insights from research and best practice in psychology, cultural sciences, economics, pedagogical sciences, sociology, social work, medicine, theology, politics and law. This is an important resource for a wide readership of students, researchers and practitioners who research on or work with people from diverse cultures.

Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC). Natalija Aceska, Martyn Barrett & Felisa Tibbitts,  Council of Europe, September 2025.
The RFCDC as a set of materials can be used by education systems to equip young people with all of the competences that are needed to take action to defend and promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law, to act as active citizens, to participate effectively in a culture of democracy, and to live peacefully together with others in culturally diverse societies. The RFCDC provides a systematic approach to designing the teaching, the learning and the assessment of competences for democratic culture.

Transformative-Emancipatory Pedagogy (TEP)  to Reimagine Education. Tackling Controversies in Diverse Settings. Teresa M. Cappiali, Springer Nature, 2025. Open Access.
This book calls for a paradigm shift in education through Transformative-Emancipatory Pedagogy (TEP), a dynamic approach rooted in humanistic, humanizing, and decolonial philosophies. TEP promotes holistic, relational, and experiential learning to support both personal and societal transformation. More than a framework for inclusion, it reimagines education as a space for justice oriented inquiry, empathy, and agency. Drawing on empirical evidence, it shows that we need not compromise between academic rigor, ethical purpose, and broad educational goals. By valuing learners’ diverse knowledge and lived experiences, TEP cultivates critical thinking, relational awareness, a sense of interconnectedness, well-being, active citizenship, and other key skills needed for today’s complex world—preparing learners to tackle challenges and contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable future. Initially developed to engage with sensitive and controversial topics in diverse social science classrooms, TEP aspires to become a bold and widely applicable approach. As such, TEP is presented as one way forward to support the broader shift unfolding in education today.

Reflexivities and Knowledge Production in Migration Studies. Janine Dahinden & Andreas Pott (Eds), Springer, Open Access, 2026. Open Access.
While there is broad consensus that reflexivity is essential for producing more nuanced, insightful, and socially responsible research, the ways in which we conceptualise and implement it in our everyday work as social scientists are far from straightforward. We begin by drawing on key understandings of reflexivity in the broader social sciences and humanities to highlight fundamental issues of knowledge production. We then examine how and why reflexivity has gained prominence in migration studies, addressing problematic epistemological underpinnings and specific challenges the field faces. Finally, we discuss how this volume contributes to debates on reflexivity and consider the work that remains to be done. In doing so, this chapter offers a programmatic approach to reflexivity and knowledge production, engaging with migration studies as a whole.

Emma Bellamy, Podcasts presenting stories of Australia-based immigrants and refugees, along with insights from migration experts and professionals.

UPCOMING EVENTS

18th EUROPEAN PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE
Helsinki, Finland
PRE-CONFERENCES 11 NOVEMBER 2025 MAIN CONFERENCE 12 – 14 NOVEMBER 2025

Virtual Global Launch of the WHO Guidance on Policy and Strategic Actions to Protect and Promote Mental Health Across Government Sectors

Tuesday, 25 November 2025 (13:00 to 14:30 CET)
For the first time, WHO has set out concrete policy directives and strategic actions to protect and promote mental health across government sectors. The guidance covers 10 sectors — from education, justice and employment to housing, environment and interior — helping countries embed mental health in national policies and plans of these sectors, address the social and structural drivers that shape mental health, and put participation, equity and human rights at the centre of government policy and strategies.
The 90-minute event will include:

• An introduction to the guidance and its rationale
• Reflections from senior government representatives and stakeholders across sectors
• Discussion on how each sector — and government as a whole — can apply the guidance to advance effective, equitable, and sustainable approaches to mental health

“Weaponized Psychology: From Serving the Russian Regime to Coerced Adoption of Ukrainian Children”
December 9, 2025, at 11:00-12:45 EST / 16:00 – 17:45 UTC / 17:00-18:45 CET
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1017636481272/WN_9h_thEGyQK6z-ftpqjejcA

Reflecting on progress and charting the future. Global Refugee Forum Progress Review 2025
The Global Refugee Forum Progress Review 2025, the second high-level officials meeting, will take place from 15-17 December 2025, at the International Conference Centre (CICG) in Geneva, Switzerland, following on from the Global Refugee Forum 2023.
Priorities for the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review 2025 include:

• Expanding support for refugees and the countries who receive them;
• Advancing implementation of pledges made as part of the Global Refugee Forums including through the multi-stakeholder pledge framework;
• Directing efforts to the areas in need of further support.

The roadmap is available online, and the programme will be available soon.

EMPOWERING EDUCATION FOR A CHANGING WORLD. A Global Summit on Children’s Rights and Education, 2026
An Urgent Call to Act Now—For the Future of Life. We are at an unprecedented turning point. Across the globe, children are growing up amid a whirlwind of promise and peril. Advancements in artificial intelligence and biotechnology, the realities of climate change, mass displacement, rising tribalism, and global conflict are not distant specters—they are immediate and defining forces of our time.
Children’s lives, rights, and potential are at risk of being swept aside by the speed and scale of change. The time to react is not tomorrow—it is now. This Global Summit on Children’s Rights and Education, set for 2026 in the Netherlands, is not just an event. It is a moral imperative. It is a strategic platform. It is a bold move to recalibrate how the world educates its youngest citizens—how we empower them to shape, survive, and thrive in the coming decades.
Summit Details

• Location: Leiden University, The Netherlands
• Date: Fall 2026
• Format: Hybrid (In-person and Virtual
• Participants: 100 global experts; 100+ education and child development stakeholders; open virtual access
• Organized/Managed by: The International Children’s Rights Program of Leiden University’s Law School and Aflatoun International

International Network for Peace Psychology (INPP) Conference, March 23 to 27, 2026 (Manila, Philippines)

Pacifism and Non-Violence Workshop, April 2026, Loughborough University (online event)

ENDNOTES

CONTACTS: Published by the Global Network of Psychologists for Human Rights – www.humanrightspsychology.org

Disclaimer: The website of the Global Network of Psychologists for Human Rights (GNPHR) contains articles, events and news about the domain where psychology and human rights intersect. The information presented in this Bulletin, does not imply that the GNPHR shares the views and beliefs in the articles.

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Ways to Participate in Global Network Activities

• Share Your Experiences and Examples
  One of the best ways to illustrate the intersection of psychology and human rights is through example. We are looking for examples of your encounters with human rights issues in your professional life. You might describe a time when you protected (or failed to protect) human rights, or advocated for what you saw as a human rights issue. The events might be in your clinical, research, academic, applied, or volunteer work. Please send your narrative / story (500-1000 words) to Marlena Plavšić (marlena_plavsic@hotmail.com). We will compile these for publication in the GNPHR Bulletin and on the website. Please also indicate if you would like your stories to remain anonymous.
• Share your Expertise and Opinions
  We invite you to contribute a blog or opinion piece on general human rights issues; human rights education or strategies for raising the profile of human rights within psychology or your professional life. Students are welcome to contribute, including on student needs for learning about and addressing human rights. Please contact the GNPHR Blog editor (blogeditor@humanrightspsychology.org) with ideas for the article you would like to write!
• Send articles/news/events
  If you come across a human rights article or news, or know of an upcoming human rights event, please send for publication in the Bulletin. Send to the Bulletin editor Polli Hagenaars (polli.hagenaars@gmail.com).