LocationsYouth voices shaping justice, memory, and democratic futures
UNDP Bangladesh supported ‘Archive & Resist Conclave 2026’ to advance youth dialogue on justice and healing
January 29, 2026
Participants engage in a panel discussion at the Archive & Resist Conclave 2026, held at BRAC University, bringing together youth, human rights practitioners, and experts to explore ethical documentation, justice, and collective healing.
©UNDP Bangladesh
UNDP Bangladesh supported the Archive & Resist Conclave 2026, a two-day gathering that brought together human rights practitioners, archivists, journalists, researchers, and national and international youth activists and experts to exchange knowledge, build solidarity, and share strategies for justice and societal healing.
Held on 26–27 January 2026 at BRAC University, the Conclave explored how documentation, archiving, and community-led investigations can contribute to truth, accountability, and democratic futures. Through interactive sessions and workshops, participants examined approaches to preserving evidence, protecting collective memory, and strengthening coordinated responses to human rights challenges. Experts from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, and India shared experiences from documenting youth movements across the region.
©UNDP Bangladesh
An earlier edition of the Conclave took place on 24 January 2026 in Cox’s Bazar, with a focus on engaging grassroots groups outside Dhaka and strengthening community understanding of the role of human rights documentation in transitional justice and reform. The discussions highlighted proactive preservation, ethical advocacy, particularly in contexts linked to the Rohingya community, and connections between local experiences and global democratic movements.
Under the theme, “Collaborative Future for Community-led Human Rights Documentation and Transitional Justice,” the Conclave addressed ethical documentation, evidence-ready archiving, and community-led investigations, including OSINT (open source intelligence), while also highlighting safety, journalist protection, and well-being. The discussions emphasised cross-border collaboration and resource-sharing to support sustained engagement beyond the event.
©UNDP Bangladesh
The Conclave featured a diverse group of speakers, including Romana Schweiger from UNDP Bangladesh; Dr Saira Rahman Khan from BRAC University; Ms Sadaf Saaz from Naripokkho; Mr Diepak Elmer from the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh; representatives from OHCHR, UNICEF, UNWOMEN and UNFPA. The programme also included contributions from researchers and journalists such as Ms Ammarah Nilafdeen of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate and Tasneem Khalil of Netra News, alongside international human rights activists Yvonne Ng and Arul Prakkash, reflecting a wide range of expertise across human rights, media, and research.
It was co-convened by Activate Rights, the Bangladesh Protest Archive, and WITNESS, with support from UNDP Bangladesh, the Archive & Resist Fund, and Netra News. The event was organised in collaboration with Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM), HURIDOCS, and SURGE Bangladesh, in partnership with BRAC University.
UNDP’s support for the Conclave reflects its broader commitment to rule of law, access to justice, human rights, youth and democratic governance. Strengthening the capacity of civil society, media, and youth-led initiatives to responsibly document and preserve evidence remains critical to promoting transparency, accountability, and trust in public institutions.
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