Yusuf Baluch (born 2004 in kech, Balochistan) is an indigenous Climate justice and Human Rights activist.[1] He started activism after experiencing the first hand impacts of the climate crisis in his community. [2] He is an organizer with School Strike for Climate[3] where he organizes with the regional chapter of Fridays For Future Balochistan.[4]
Yusuf Baluch | |
|---|---|
| یوسف بلوچ | |
 | |
| Born | 2004 (age 19–20) |
| Occupation | Human rights activist |
| Years active | 2020-present |
| Movement | School Strike for Climate |
Activism
editYusuf has been campaigning against the fossil fuels companies and banks such as standard chartered.[5] He has also been vocal against the multi billion project between China and Pakistan CPEC due to its huge environmental impacts on indigenous communities in Balochistan.[6] He attended COP26 along with other youth activists from MAPA (most affected people and areas) to make sure the most marginalised voices are at the table.[7][8][9] He spoke at the overheated event, a six-day climate event in London presented by Billie Eillish during her Happier Than Ever World Tour.[10][11]
He participated in the UNFCCC SB58 as a youth activist in Bonn,Germany. His presence aimed to drive impactful change by urging influential leaders to take urgent action. He advocated for a complete and urgent transition away from the fossil fuel industry. Through his advocacy, he highlighted the pressing need to address climate and related issues. He participated in the people's forum held in Basel, Switzerland, where numerous activists convened to advocate for an improved financial regulation system and to voice their protest against the Bank for International Settlements.[12]
Yusuf Baluch, together with Maria Reyes and Eric Njuguna, organised various workshops discussing climate narratives and the decolonization of the climate movement in the global north, held across Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
In September 2024, Yusuf participated in the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where he spoke at a side event, calling on states to take urgent action. Additionally, he addressed an event organized by the Baloch National Movement, highlighting the deep connections between the climate crisis and broader social injustices. Yusuf also pointed out that the climate crisis is a consequence of colonialism, leading to human rights violations like enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other abuses in Balochistan.[13][14]
Personal life
editYusuf grew up in a small village in southern Balochistan and then later moved to Gwadar. He lived in Gwadar before moving to United Kingdom in 2021.[15][16]
Threats
editYusuf's family lost their home in a flood when he was a child and they were forced to evacuate in the middle of the night, becoming one of the thousands of untold stories in Balochistan.[17] In 2020, Baluch started Fridays For Future Balochistan and began organising weekly protests.[18] However, after few months of peaceful protests, the Frontier Corps began pressuring the youth activist to stop. Baluch and the other Fridays for Future Activists were interrogated and threatened, forcing them to stop protesting publicly within Balochistan.
[19] Later when Baluch started protesting weekly alone was reached out by the military again and threatened of abduction if he continues advocating for the climate and human rights.
Yusuf has been harassed and threatened several times for peacefully protesting and advocating for his rights.
Yusuf currently organises from London where he is able to speak and advocate for Climate Justice and human rights.[2][15]
References
edit- ^ "Yusuf Baluch: The flood in Balochistan destroyed our home [Climate Generation-17] - Yeşil Gazete" (in Turkish). 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- ^ a b "Gen Z on how to save the world: young climate activists speak out". The Guardian. 2021-10-17. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- ^ "Yusuf Baluch". Yusuf Baluch. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- ^ "Learning from Indigenous communities' can drive sustainability amid the climate crisis". Harbingers' Magazine. 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ "7 Young Activists Share What Made Them Join the Climate Movement". Global Citizen. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
- ^ "Yusuf Baluch: The flood in Balochistan destroyed our home [Climate Generation-17] - Yeşil Gazete" (in Turkish). 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
- ^ "'ہم ماحولیاتی بحران کے حل کا حصہ ہیں': کوپ 26 میں پاکستانی نوجوان". Independent Urdu (in Urdu). 2021-11-12. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ Abnett, Kate (2021-09-25). "World's youth take to the streets again to battle climate change". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "How Fridays for Future keeps the climate relevant as other crises rage | DW | 25.03.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- ^ "Overheated". Overheated. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
- ^ "Climat : le Royaume-Uni promet une COP26 « en présentiel », malgré la pression des ONG pour le report de la conférence". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- ^ "«Intensive Gespräche» nach Eklat – Beat Jans trifft Greta Thunberg doch noch". Basler Zeitung (in German). 2023-06-24. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
- ^ ""Struggle in Balochistan is deeply tied to climate crisis": Baloch activist". ANI News. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
- ^ "Balochistan's Struggle for Freedom in the Face of Global Crises". Devdiscourse. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
- ^ a b Post, The Sunday. "Cop26: From every continent in the world, meet the delegates who have come to Scotland to raise a voice for change". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ Jones, Ros Wynne; Donnelly, Claire; Qaiser, Maryam (2023-06-24). "Poignant pictures show refugees with one item they couldn't bear to leave behind". The Mirror. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ "How Pakistan floods are linked to climate change". BBC News. 2022-09-02. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ Collins, Katie (11 January 2022). "Heartbreaking loss: Climate crisis spurs push for compensation in 2022". CNET.
- ^ Redação (2021-09-24). "Jovens de todo mundo voltam às ruas contra a mudança climática". Forbes Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- "How Pakistan floods are linked to climate change". BBC News. 2022-09-02. Retrieved 2022-12-07.