Samoa’s Youth Speak to the World: Marist Students Contribute to UN Human Rights Review

Students from St Joseph’s College, Alafua, Samoa, have helped bring the voices of young people in Samoa to the global stage through a formal submission to the United Nations' Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a key international process that assesses the human rights record of UN member states.

The submission was facilitated by the Star of the Sea Province through their Secretariat of Solidarity and their international NGO, Fondazione Marista per la Solidarietà Internazionale (FMSI), which works to amplify grassroots voices within global human rights platforms.

Form 6 students from St Joseph's, worked in small groups, guided by Br Sefo Une, to identify the issues most affecting young people in Samoa today. Among the key concerns raised were access to quality education, youth safety and wellbeing, and the impact of poverty on families and communities.

Their reflections were compiled into a set of recommendations directed at both government and community leaders, forming part of Samoa’s civil society contributions to the UN review process.

The initiative reflects the Marist commitment to listening to young people and encouraging them to engage with real-world issues that shape their lives. By participating in the submission, students were able to contribute directly to a global accountability process that may influence national policy discussions.

What is UPR?

The United Nations Human Rights Council oversees the Universal Periodic Review, a process in which the human rights record of every UN member state is examined approximately every four to five years. Governments, civil society organisations, and community groups are invited to submit reports, which are then reviewed by a working group in Geneva. The process concludes with recommendations that governments are expected to consider and implement.

For the Marists, the initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure that the experiences of young people and local communities are heard within international decision-making forums. Through FMSI, the Marist network regularly supports grassroots contributions to UN processes, particularly from communities that are often underrepresented.

Based in Rome, FMSI holds special consultative status with the UN’s Economic and Social Council, enabling it to participate formally in processes such as the Universal Periodic Review.

A similar initiative took place in 2024 in Kiribati, where FMSI partnered with local students to gather firsthand insights into the challenges young people face, ensuring that the concerns presented to the UN reflected the lived realities of local communities.

For the students of St Joseph’s College, the experience offered more than a classroom exercise. It provided a rare opportunity to contribute their voices to a global conversation on human rights.

Words - Mark Pauschmann, Executive Director of Province Ministries

Pics - Br Sefo Une, Samoa

Also read - Empowering the Next Generation: Marist Collaboration Brings Kiribati Youth Concerns to UN Spotlight