With so many youth either jobless or “working poor,” more investment is needed to empower them through skills development, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on World Youth Skills Day on 15 July.

Development banks should respect human rights in their investments around the world and ensure their activities are not putting human rights defenders at risk, the Coalition on Human Rights in Development said on 14 July in a joint petition signed by 154 development, human rights, and environment groups.

Local justice organisations and the American Civil Liberties Union sued local and state officials and law enforcement agencies in federal court on Wednesday, accusing them of abusing peaceful protesters and violating their constitutional rights.

Egypt's security services had forcibly made hundreds of people disappear and tortured them in the past year to try to tackle dissent, Amnesty International said on 13 July.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called on the Thai authorities to withdraw all charges against Taweesak Kerdpoka, a reporter for the independent news website Prachatai, who was arrested on 10 July while covering the activities of members of the opposition New Democracy Movement (NDM) and was released on bail on 11 July.

“I welcome the government’s efforts to combat racism and homophobia in Greece. The 2014 anti-racism law has consolidated the legislative framework and provided useful tools to prosecutors and police officers. However, much more is needed in order to bring this law to life and to further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of justice and law enforcement,” said Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, at the end of his five-day visit to Greece on 8 July.

On 7 July, German parliament has passed the so-called No means No law. Consequently this law brings Germany in line with the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention to end violence against women.

On 7 July, Amnesty International called on the Chinese authorities to end their ruthless assault against human rights lawyers and activists ahead of the first anniversary of the start of an unprecedented crackdown.

On 5 July, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) published a report that points out to the fact that despite the significant progress that has been made in providing assistance for the Syrian refugees the number of migrants living in poverty continues to rise in host countries and access to basic services remains a critical challenge.

The Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in an Opinion on the Czech Republic, concludes that, despite the authorities’ efforts, the plans to eradicate the segregation of Roma children in schools have so far been unsuccessful. It also points out that discrimination of the Roma persists in many fields, and there has been an increase in the manifestations of xenophobia and intolerance.