Geneva , 3 March 2026
As escalating violence across the Middle East dominates global headlines following a weekend of regional military strikes, including the bombing of a girls’ primary school in southern Iran that reportedly killed more than 100 children, an extraordinary gathering at the United Nations Human Rights Council has placed the protection of children in conflict at the centre of diplomatic debate.
Two years after the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab, the Oscar-nominated film The Voice of Hind Rajab reached a defining moment in its impact journey this week, as seventeen Member States united at the UN in Geneva to call for urgent medical access for children in Gaza, transforming a work of cinema into a focal point for international humanitarian discussion at a moment when civilian casualties are again reshaping the global conversation.
The UN screening event marked one of the most high-profile examples in recent years of a contemporary film directly shaping multilateral policy discussions. Co-organised by Spain and Palestine and backed by fifteen additional Member States across four continents (Algeria, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Slovenia, South Africa, Tunisia and Türkiye), the screening unfolded against a rapidly deteriorating regional backdrop, where images of destroyed schools and injured children have once again become the dominant visual language of war coverage.
Within the framework of the Council’s ongoing work on children’s rights and protection in armed conflict, Hind’s story entered the UN chamber with renewed urgency, reframing diplomatic debate through the lived experience of a single child whose plea for rescue was heard around the world.
Speakers at the event, including Hind’s mother Wesam Hamada, collectively called for protected humanitarian and medical corridors, and stronger safeguards for healthcare workers. The gathering signalled rare multilateral alignment around a crisis shaping global discourse, highlighting The Voice of Hind Rajab as both a powerful cultural work and a catalyst for collective action and international dialogue.
From Festival Acclaim to Global Advocacy
Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, The Voice of Hind Rajab has followed an unusually expansive trajectory since its September 2025 world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a historic 23-minute standing ovation.
The film went on to win the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize and secure nominations at the Golden Globes, Academy Awards and BAFTA, while simultaneously evolving into a recurring cultural reference point within a growing international campaign that is rarely seen for an awards contender.
Inspired by the film, a global open letter signed by 67 artists, humanitarian leaders and medical professionals called for protected aid corridors, safeguards for medical personnel and investigations into attacks on healthcare infrastructure. Policy screenings previously took place across the US Congress, UK Parliament and European institutions.
But this United Nations Human Rights Council screening comes at a moment that has deepened the film’s urgency. As civilian casualties rise across conflict zones – including the reported destruction of a girls’ school in Iran during the latest regional escalation – The Voice of Hind Rajab has grown from testimonial cinema to a shared reference point for diplomats, humanitarians, and artists seeking language capable of humanising policy debates often defined by abstraction.
The screening marks a moment where one child’s story intersects with a global reckoning on the protection of children in war.
Bringing Hind’s Story into the UN Chamber
During the Geneva screening, the importance of ensuring humanitarian access in armed conflicts became paramount.
Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif, H.E. Ambassador Marcos Gómez, Permanent Representative of Spain to the UN in Geneva, and H.E. Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi, Permanent Representative of Palestine to the UN in Geneva, gave remarks to the room in support of the film and the need to protect children and medical workers.
The emotional centre of the event came from testimony by Hind’s mother, Wesam Hamada, whose address to delegates transformed diplomatic discussion into personal reckoning: “To me the film is not just the voice of Hind, but the voice of all the children in Palestine.” She described Geneva as “a city of conventions, a city of rights. A city of big words – justice, protection, human dignity. But if words don’t turn into action they become witnesses against us. I am not a legal expert, but I have come to know about law because my daughter was killed. The question is not ‘is there a law?’, because law does exist. The question is – who has the courage to apply it?”
Wesam’s advocacy has elsewhere drawn support from public figures including children’s content creator Ms. Rachel, as part of her wider efforts for Gazan children.
Alfonso Cuarón Issues Public Statement Supporting the Film
In a notable industry moment, executive producer Alfonso Cuarón delivered a virtual message in support of the film, highlighting the creative solidarity around the film as it leads many to take up the call for humanitarian accountability. His video can be found here.
Cuarón said: “By carrying Hind’s voice with you, you uphold the inalienable Right to Truth, refusing the role of the silent bystander, to become active agents of international justice – demanding the absolute accountability our shared humanity requires.”
His remarks highlighted how filmmakers are increasingly engaging beyond traditional promotional cycles, positioning cinema as a participant in global civic discourse.
A Shared Narrative for Collective Action
Amid growing scrutiny of states’ obligations to protect civilians, The Voice of Hind Rajab has become a bridge between filmmakers, humanitarians, and diplomats. The UN screening underscores how one child’s story reflects wider concerns over blocked aid, delayed medical evacuations, and attacks on healthcare affecting thousands of children.
Produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha (Four Daughters), Odessa Rae (Navalny) and Jim Wilson (The Zone of Interest), The Voice of Hind Rajab was created in cooperation with the Palestine Red Crescent Society and Wesam Hamada, Hind’s mother. The film’s policy impact screenings have been convened in collaboration with the film’s producers, distributor WILLA, and impact producers Rania Batrice, Fourth Act and Think-Film Impact Production. Currently in theatres in the Czech republic and Lithuania, with further releases to follow, and now available on VOD in the US, the film continues its rollout as its policy and cultural impact expands beyond the traditional awards corridor.
Ends.
Photo L-R: Marie-Aure Perreaut Revial, Humanitarian Access Advisor at Médecins Sans Frontières; H.E. Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi, Permanent Representative of Palestine to the UN in Geneva; Wesam Hamada, mother of Hind Rajab; H.E. Ambassador Marcos Gómez, Permanent Representative of Spain to the UN in Geneva; Clara Khoury, actor in The Voice of Hind Rajab; James Wilson, Producer of The Voice of Hind Rajab.
Contact : mercy.brewer@tfip.org
