On Monday, I was at Amnesty International’s offices, meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
It was an opportunity for directors from several civil society organisations to ensure he heard about the most urgent human rights issues before his meeting with the UK government.
(Picture: Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (centre) with Dr Layla Aitlhadj, Prevent Watch and represntatives from Amnesty UK, Liberty, Just Fair, Human Rights Watch, Children’s Rights Alliance, Together and others.)
For us at Prevent Watch, this meant making sure the voices of those harmed by Prevent were loud and clear.
I didn’t get much notice to prepare, and I was told I would only have five minutes to speak.
So, rather than trying to summarize 20 years of damage in a few rushed minutes, I brought with me a toy train. Not just any toy train, but a Thomas the Tank Engine – universally known and loved across childhood generations.
Using this train, I shared the story of an 11-year-old autistic boy who was referred to Prevent simply for his love of trains, with his autism seen as a “crucial risk factor”.
I told Mr Türk about a university student who lost his place at university and his housing after the data from a past Prevent referral was shared, despite the referral having not been taken further.
And I spoke about the wider societal impact of Prevent, how it has silenced people from engaging in activism – from BLM to pro-Palestine to climate justice.
I made sure to pack as many of Prevent Watch cases as I could into my five minutes, because these stories matter. They have the power to make an impact.
Without Prevent Watch, these stories wouldn’t be heard at all.
We need your support to continue fighting for those affected by Prevent, to expose the harm of the policy, and to push for real change and accountability from a UK government that has repeatedly ignored UN concerns and, most recently, its recommendation to suspend Prevent.
As always, we are grateful for your continued support. With your donation, whether a one-time gift or a monthly contribution, we can keep the train of change moving forward by ensuring these stories travel to those who can make a difference.
You can download the following formal submissions made in 2024 and 2025 by Prevent Watch to the UN:
- How Prevent in the UK undermines children’s right to a safe education.
- How Prevent violates the UN treaty to eliminate racism and discrimination.
- How Prevent violates children’s rights.
Related…
The People’s Review of Prevent (Report, 2023)
