University Youth Against Organised Crime

The project “University Students Against Organized Crime” was an initiative launched by the Baltasar Garzón International Foundation (FIBGAR) and the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), aimed at strengthening critical thinking, youth leadership, and the defense of human rights in the face of the challenges posed by organized crime, through an innovative and multidisciplinary approach among university students.

In Spain, the fight against organized crime tends to focus on criminal prosecution, pushing support for and reparations to victims into the background. This project sought to broaden that perspective by promoting a space for critical education, collective reflection, and transformative action that would place victims at the center of the debate and foster youth engagement in addressing this complex phenomenon.

Over several months (October 2025–March 2026), a select group of students participated in a series of five thematic seminars led by specialists from Spain, Europe, and Latin America. Through debates, participatory activities, and group work, the participants developed an action document that outlined concrete proposals to contribute to the public debate on organized crime from a human rights perspective.

The project offered an interdisciplinary experience, open to students of law, criminology, political science, philosophy, labor relations, business administration, and other fields interested in contributing complementary perspectives.

The process culminated in a public event to present the final document in March 2026, where the participating group’s conclusions and proposals were shared. Those selected received a certificate of participation issued by FIBGAR and the UCM.

Through this initiative, FIBGAR reinforced its commitment to promoting an active, critical, and engaged university community dedicated to justice and human rights, fostering youth leadership in developing alternatives to organized crime.