Youth Activists Leading the Fight for Human Rights and Justice

According to Amnesty International reports published for International Youth Day, young activists across Guatemala, Sweden, and Kenya are mobilizing digital platforms, peer support groups, and public campaigns to combat systemic discrimination, gun violence, and digital doxxing.

Around the world, youth populations are responding to growing inequality and exclusion by creating grassroots solutions, according to international project updates from Amnesty International. Three prominent activists—Pablo Mendoza, Dina Alami, and Christopher Arunga—are leading regional initiatives supported by Amnesty International’s Digital Disruptors project, addressing human rights threats that directly impact their communities.

Creating LGBTIQ+ Support Networks in Guatemala

In Guatemala, 24-year-old activist Pablo Mendoza is tackling a lack of resources for queer youth through an initiative called Disruptorxs, according to Amnesty International. Mendoza came out at age 15 and faced severe rejection, a period during which he experienced suicidal ideation due to a lack of local support networks and inclusive information.

Over the past year, 14 young people from across Guatemala collaborated to build a Care Platform for the Community targeting LGBTIQ+ youth living on city outskirts, as reported by Amnesty International. The digital space provides accessible mental health guidance, sexual health resources, and authentic stories that counter heteronormative stereotypes prevalent in the region.

“If even one young person finds in Disruptorxs the information, support or hope I did not have at 15, then this project will already have changed a life—and that motivates me to keep going,” Mendoza said, according to Amnesty International.

Challenging Gun Violence Through Collective Grief in Sweden

In Sweden, 30-year-old activist Dina Alami leads Kollectiv Sorg, or Collective Grief, an Amnesty youth movement that emerged from an open letter addressing gun violence and street crime, according to Amnesty International. The initiative presses politicians and decision-makers to view violence through human experiences rather than isolated statistical headlines.

Alami’s involvement stems from personal loss after a close acquaintance was killed by violence, which transformed her perspective on social justice. The group established Collective Talks, a peer support network meeting multiple times a month for relatives of victims, alongside public art exhibitions in Stockholm galleries and churches to spark dialogue around community safety and mental health.

“Grief doesn’t have to end in silence. It can become action, and compassion can become leadership,” Alami stated, as reported by Amnesty International.

Defending Digital Rights in Kenya

In Kenya, 28-year-old Christopher Arunga co-founded Linda Data after discovering his personal details, photographs, and home address published online without his consent, according to Amnesty International. Linda Data, which translates to Protect Data in Kiswahili, was launched by five young activists following a workshop convened by Digital Disruptors.

Following surveys of hundreds of young Kenyans regarding unauthorized data access, the campaign launched campus visits and online advocacy to educate users on digital privacy, informed consent, and legal protections against cyberbullying and surveillance. Arunga notes that digital rights remain deeply tied to personal safety, mental health, and civic expression in one of the region’s most digitally connected nations.

“For me, the goal has never just been protecting data. It’s about helping young people move from being passive users of technology to becoming informed, empowered individuals who can shape the digital world around them,” Arunga said, according to Amnesty International.