Human Rights for Youth: Scientology’s Youth & Community Focus
BRUSSELS — 29 January 2026 — The Church of Scientology-supported human-rights education programmes through United for Human Rights and Youth for Human Rights (YHRI) continue to frame the UDHR as an easy-to-use reference for daily community life, with a focus on youth, schools and community organisations across Europe.
The premise is simple: rights are more likely to be respected when they are widely understood. Approved by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, the UDHR sets out 30 articles describing basic rights and freedoms.
Organisers point to a persistent “knowledge gap”: many people endorse human rights as a principle but have limited familiarity with what the UDHR actually says, including topics such as equal treatment, due process and freedom of conscience.
United for Human Rights describes itself as created on the UDHR’s 60th anniversary, offering educational materials to expand awareness and support implementation. Youth for Human Rights International, founded in 2001 by educator Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, focuses on teaching young people about the UDHR and encouraging tolerance and peace in everyday settings.
Both programmes focus on education and public information, using structured learning that corresponds to the UDHR’s 30 rights. They are established as nonreligious organisations and, with Scientology support, their materials are used by a range of bodies—from schools and civic groups to local partners—depending on context.
A key feature is a toolkit-style approach: short videos, PSAs and teaching materials designed for classrooms, youth groups and community settings. The package includes “The Story of Human Rights” documentary and a series of PSAs aligned to each UDHR right, known as “30 Rights, 30 Ads”. Materials are hosted online across 17 languages, supporting adaptation to local needs and age groups.
Scientology’s support for the programmes is presented within a broader set of social initiatives emphasising prevention and education. Church materials reference L. Ron Hubbard’s writings and the Code of a Scientologist as underscoring support for humanitarian work, including human-rights education.
Ivan Arjona-Pelado, Scientology’s representative to the European Union, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and the United Nations, said:
“Human rights are reinforced when people can recognise them, explain them and apply them in daily life—especially in schools and neighbourhoods where diversity is lived every day. Europe’s democratic culture is strengthened when young people learn the UDHR early and treat respect, equality and non-discrimination as practical responsibilities.”
Looking into 2026, organisers stress practical usability—clear language, short formats and modular content that supports educators and community leaders without specialised legal training. Typical delivery includes educator briefings, youth workshops, community sessions and partnerships with civil-society groups working on inclusion, anti-bullying, equal treatment and intercultural dialogue.
The Church of Scientology, its churches, missions, groups and members are present across the European continent. Scientology Europe reports a continent-wide presence through more than 140 churches, missions and affiliated groups in at least 27 European nations, alongside thousands of community-based social betterment and reform initiatives focused on education, prevention and neighbourhood-level news eu italy budget support, inspired by the work of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Within Europe’s diverse national frameworks for religion, the Church’s recognitions continue to expand, with administrative and judicial authorities in Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany Slovakia and others, as well as the European Court of Human Rights, having addressed and acknowledged Scientology communities as protected by the national and international provisions of Freedom of Religion or belief.
Read the full release here: Human Rights for Youth: Scientology’s Community Focus.