The laureates

Jonathan Hernández Méndez is a human rights and environmental advocate with more than a decade of experience promoting social justice and youth participation in climate action. Since the beginning of his career, he has led initiatives targeting vulnerable communities affected by violence, expanding access to psychosocial care and, more broadly, building the capacity of young people in El Salvador. In 2016, he founded the NGO “Red Vision Juvenil,” which focuses on promoting human rights, social justice, and climate action among young citizens, as well as supporting communities and schools affected by gang violence.

He has led regional meetings and training sessions for young people in Central America, raising awareness of their concerns and strengthening advocacy efforts. In 2023, as a human rights officer for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, he participated in a project aimed at strengthening peace and human rights through transitional justice, the fight against corruption, and the promotion of transparency within institutions. Furthermore, his leadership played a key role in consolidating the “National Youth Platform on Climate Change” (PNJCC), promoting advocacy for socio-environmental justice and environmental protection in El Salvador. As El Salvador’s representative at COP26 in Glasgow, he denounced his country’s arbitrary government decisions on environmental matters, despite the risk of reprisals.