From ‘media deserts’ to the invisibility of women, rights experts spotlight latest trends
“UN special rapporteurs, along with other parts of the human rights ecosystem, address, by their nature, sensitive and often divisive issues, that are of international concern,” UN rights chief Volker Türk said when the United States imposed sanctions in 2025 on Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory.Council-appointed and mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations, special rapporteurs and independent experts are not UN staff and do not receive a salary, but their work is unique, insightful and a window to the world. They also provide a sharp focus on pressing issues of global or national concern, and as of November 2025, there are 46 thematic and 13 country Council-approved mandates.Here are highlights of rights in the spotlight on Thursday:‘Media deserts’ amid shrinking public spacesDigital technology has become the most disruptive factor affecting freedom of expression in centuries, leading to “media deserts” and dangerously shrinking public spaces, warned Irene Khan, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.Delivering a sharp critique of both corporate tech giants and sovereign States, without naming names, she said many nations are leveraging digital tools to suppress dissent.At the same time, tech “oligarchs” manipulate online spaces for profit, creating environments “polluted by hate”, where women, children and journalists bear the brunt of online attacks.Read the full report here.Dangerous asymmetry of powerUnderscoring an asymmetry of power that challenges traditional human rights frameworks, the report revealed massive financial gains whereby a single digital company can generate more revenue than the gross domestic product (GDP) of 130 national governments.Meanwhile, unprecedented reach has seen individual platforms boasting over three billion monthly users, exceeding the population of any single nation.Watch an interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur Khan below:
