un geneva

• CIVICUS welcomes the new Special Rapporteur on FoAA

  On 23 March 2011, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, President of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), gabled the appointment of Maina Kiai to become the new Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association (SR on FoAA). Almost at the end of the 16th   session of the HRC, this appointment crowned CIVICUS’ and our partners’ efforts, begun more than a year ago. They had intensified during the last 6 months and were finalized at a moment in history when we saw a new dawn promising freedom and dignity, but also so many attempts to brutally suppress these hopes.

  ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association’. This Article 20 of the UDHR had so far no official mechanism to monitor this right. Earlier attempts to create a Special Procedure were always doomed because a large number of States utterly opposed it. When the United States under the Obama Administration embraced the Council and was elected in 2009, one of her priorities was to establish such a mechanism. They provided leadership in a new broad based cross-regional approach to create a mandate for a SR on FoAA.

• CIVICUS' statement to the 24th HRC on Syria

  CIVICUS urges the Syrian government to give finally access to the Commission to hold perpetrators of crimes against humanity to account.

  CIVICUS, in reading the abhorrent 10th update of the commission of inquiry on Syria, wishes in response to quote Mazen Darwish, head of Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression. He speaks from the prison of Damascus, where he has been detained since February 2012 by Syrian Security Forces. His words came when receiving the Bruno Kreisky award in June 2013, and his friends had asked CIVICUS to make them known. I quote:

  "I asked myself why a firm fighter and a statesman pushed his nation to permanent neutrality leaving voluntarily the ecstasy of victory and the joy of winning, till I have realized that there is no winner in wars, everybody is a loser, and there is nothing good in war except its ending.
  From Baghdad to Budapest, Lebanon to Prague and from Vietnam to the two Koreas, I have learnt that there is nothing good in war except its ending, and from the victims of wars .. to the victims of tyranny in our Arab world... I have learnt that the road to democracy is as far from the path of extremism and terrorism as it is from dictatorships and tyranny.
  Yes .. we want freedom and dignity and justice and yes we deserve it, but it surely is not the freedom of dying under torture or slaughtered, it is not to be killed by a shell from a jet or a by car bomb, it is the freedom of life on the basis of sharing and coalition between the universality of human rights values and the privacy of local social relations in order to reshape global human sphere that makes life itself a moral human experience and we look at it as more owned by others than us...."

  Read the full statement

• Civil Society letter on Bahrain to the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay

  We are writing to encourage your office to make the conclusions of its mission public and to clearly identify key human rights concerns that should be addressed in priority by your office and by the Government of Bahrain. We also call on you to urge the Government of Bahrain to immediately release individuals arrested and imprisoned solely for the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly and to swiftly set up dates for the visits of Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council.

  Read the letter here.

• Civil society presents key takeaways from the 49th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

  Civil society organisations presented key takeaways of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council in a joint statement^[1]delivered on 01 April 2022. The statement also draws attention on the missed opportunities to address key issues and situations.

• Civil Society Responses to US Withdrawal From UN Human Rights Council

  Following the announcement of the United States withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a number of civil society organisations with offices in Geneva, the headquarters of UNHRC, offer their opinions on the resulting impact on the work of the Human Rights Council. For media enquiries, please contact

  CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance

  “The USA did not engage in the Human Rights Council under the Bush administration and only returned under the Obama Administration. The Council survived then and it will survive now. The worrying part is that global power dynamics have shifted significantly since then and with the US withdrawal, the vacuum will certainly be filled by Russia and China who have not demonstrated commitment to advancing the human rights discourse. This could negatively impact on Council priorities. Democratic states committed to protecting and promoting human rights will need to show increased commitment to safeguarding human rights norms.”

  • Susan Wilding, Head of Geneva office, CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance

  Amnesty International

   “Once again President Trump is showing his complete disregard for the fundamental rights and freedoms the US claims to uphold. While the Human Rights Council is by no means perfect and its membership is frequently under scrutiny, it remains an important force for accountability and justice.

  “The US should urgently reverse this decision, which places it squarely on the wrong side of history. It is wilfully choosing to undermine the human rights of all people everywhere, and their struggles for justice.”

  • Salil Shetty, Secretary General, Amnesty International

   International Commission of Jurists

  "The withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council is unlikely in itself to have much impact on the Council, or human rights in the world. The real issue is the Trump administration's broader rejection of multilateralism and rule of law (international or otherwise), and how it acts in practice, both at home and abroad.”

  • Matt Pollard, Senior Legal Adviser, International Commission of Jurists

   International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

  "The withdrawal of the US is deeply regrettable. The constructive engagement of States with a genuine commitment to human rights and the rule of law is essential for peace, security and sustainable development."

  ‘While the Human Rights Council is far from perfect, it makes a significant contribution to protecting human rights, providing justice to victims, and promoting accountability for perpetrators."

  • Phil Lynch, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) Director 

   DefendDefenders

  "The Trump administration decision to turn its back on the UN's top human rights body is childish, hypocritical, and self-defeating. Today, only the enemies of human rights, some of whom sit on the Council, are pleased. 

  “Nature abhors a vacuum, and the same goes for multilateral fora. While the US will lose voice and influence, China, Russia, Egypt will likely try and assert greater control over the Human Rights Council's agenda and dynamics." 

  • Nicolas Agostini, Representative to the UN for DefendDefenders 

   Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

  "By withdrawing the US put appeasement of Israel before the need to protect and support those struggling for human rights and democracy around the world."  

  • Jeremie Smith, Director, Geneva Office, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
• Enhancing the Effectiveness of the UN Universal Periodic Review: A Civil Society Perspective

  In a new report released today, “Enhancing the effectiveness of the UN Universal Periodic Review: A civil society perspective,” CIVICUS examines the experiences of civil society groups from across the world in engaging with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The report, based on interviews with civil society leaders operating in diverse regions of the globe, provides a number of substantive recommendations to strengthen the UPR process to support the creation of a safe and enabling environment for civil society to promote and protect human rights.

• Equal participation in political and public affairs - CIVICUS Statement at Human Rights Council

  33nd session of the Human Rights Council

  CIVICUS welcomes this opportunity to address the High Commissioner and the Council on the evolving discussion to develop a more robust guiding framework to protect and promote the right to participate in political and public affairs. We applaud the High Commissioner and Council for facilitating an inclusive process, including the recent expert working group meeting, to enable wide engagement among a diverse range of stakeholders.

• Eritrea: Under International Scrutiny, Allow Independent Human Rights Monitoring

  4th February 2014 

  The  Government  of  Eritrea  should  accept  recommendations  to  cooperate fully with the United Nations human rights system, said Human  Rights  ConcernFEritrea,  the East  and  Horn of  Africa 

  Human Rights Defenders Project and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, following its examination at the Universal Periodic Review yesterday. 

  Under the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, the human rights record of each UN member state is reviewed every four and a half years. Given the situation of widespread and systematic human rights violations in Eritrea, the UPR process is an important opportunity for scrutiny and dialogue.

  During the three and a half hour working group session in Geneva, the delegation of Eritrea, headed by Ambassador Tesfamichael Gerahtu, stated its commitment to human rights and to engagement, dialogue and cooperation, and  was commended for its participation in the review. However, Eritrea simultaneously continues to refuse  to  cooperate  or allow access to the country to  the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Eritrea.

  Eritrea: Under International Scrutiny, Allow Independent Human Rights Monitoring 

• Ethiopia after UPR: What is next for Freedom of Expression?
  In the lead up to Ethiopia’s second examination under the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 6 May 2014, PEN International, ARTICLE 19, Freedom Now and CIVICUS are hosting a panel discussion, at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland to examine the latest human rights developments in the country. The side event, “Ethiopia: What next for freedom of expression?” will scrutinize the government’s recent escalation in targeting journalists, human rights defenders and civil society groups.
• Ethiopia: EU must raise treatment of Human Rights Defenders with Prime Minister

  

  Dear President, High Representative, Dear Commissioners,

  The Prime Minister of  Ethiopia will be visiting Brussels for the 2016 European Development Days. We urge you to express serious concerns about the Ethiopian Government’s violent repression of the Oromo protests, and its escalating crackdown on human rights defenders, independent media, peaceful protesters, and members of the political opposition under the 2009 Ethiopian Anti-Terrorism Proclamation (ATP). Since December 2015, Ethiopian security forces have routinely used excessive, unnecessary and lethal force to disperse and suppress peaceful protests in the Oromia region. The protesters, who have been advocating against the dispossession of land without adequate compensation under the government’s Integrated Development Master Plan, have been subjected to widespread rights violations. According to international and national human rights groups, at least 200 demonstrators, including children and university students, have been killed during the protests. It is also widely reported that hundreds of people have suffered bullet wounds and beatings by the police and military.

• EU Statement: Follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

  This June, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the World Conference on Human Rights and the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action (VDPA). After twenty years, it remains as relevant as ever in guiding or efforts in responding to global human rights challenges. The European Union looks forward to celebrating this event by taking stock of the advances – and where necessary, the current difficulties – in the promotion and protection of human rights for all persons.

  Read more

• Event (19 January): Post-2015 Development Agenda and Accountability - A Data Revolution Anchored in Human Rights to Make the SDGs a Reality for All

  The objective of the event organised by CIVICUS, in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was to share information and discuss the potential roles of data revolution and the work of human rights mechanisms in the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs.

• Event (23 Nov): Working towards an enabling environment for the promotion and protection of the rights to water, land and food – Linking Global Advocacy with Local Action

  When: November 23, 2015, 4 - 6pm, followed by a light reception

  Where: Right Livelihood Award Geneva Office,Maison de la Paix, Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2E, 1202 Geneva

  Organisers: The Right Livelihood Award, The World Future Council, CIVICUS, IBFAN

  Register: RSVP before 20 November to 

  “The dramatic increase in demand for natural resources has brought with it a plethora of concerns relating to the sustainability of economic growth and its impact on the climate, the environment, and, more generally, on human rights.” – Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, April 2015 report to the UN Human Rights Council

  The event will consist of a panel discussion with Laureates of the “Alternative Nobel Prize" on the topic of a human rights based approach to indispensable natural resources.

• Event at Human Rights Council (19 June): Civil Society Space in Central Asia

  When: Friday, 19 June 2015, 11:00-13:00

  Where: Geneva, Palais Des Nations, Room XII

  Organisers: CIVICUS, ICNL, World Movement for Democracy, ECNL, Article 19, fidh, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch

• Event at the Human Rights Council (18 June-Geneva): Overcoming Restrictions on Women Human Rights Defenders in the Middle East and North Africa Region

  When: 18 June, 10:00-11:30 am
  Where: Palais des Nations, Room XXII
  Organisers: CIVICUS, International Service for Human Rights, Gulf Center for Human Rights

• Follow up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

  23rd session of the
  Human Rights Council
  Item 8

  Follow up to and implementation of the
  Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

  Delivered by Renate Bloem

  Thank you Mr. President,

  During this year of the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Conference, CIVICUS wishes to reiterate the mile stone achievements and fundamental agreements reached in consensus by the 171 participating UN member States during this Conference. The legacy still shapes the human rights agenda of today:

  • Universality and indivisibility of human rights: the freedom from want and fear
  • Women’s Rights are Human Rights
  • Civil Society as crucial to the framework of human rights
  • Establishment of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights
    

• Fundamental freedoms being violated in Sudan - CIVICUS Statement at the Human Rights Council

  33rd session of the Human Rights Council

  CIVICUS welcomes the report of the Independent Expert and recognizes the Council’s continued vigilance in addressing the human rights situation in Sudan.  

  The report presented today clearly articulates that the Government has failed to take adequate and swift measures to realize its human rights obligations under international law.

  Indicative of the Government’s unwillingness to seriously address persistent human violations is its resistance to launching an independent judicial investigation into the killings, excessive use of force and arbitrary arrests of scores of peaceful protestors in September 2013 in response to oil-subsidies imposed by the State. The codification of impunity for the National Intelligence and Security Services under the 2010 National Security act presents a nearly insurmountable barrier to ensuring accountability for the gross human rights violations committed by security forces in response to the exercise of the right to freedom of assembly.

• General debate on human rights situations that require the council’s attention

  23nd session of the
  Human Rights Council
  Item4    

  Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention, General Debate
  Dr. Nada Dhaif
  

  Thank you Mr. President,

  I speak here on  behalf of CIVICUS.  I am  Dr. Nada Dhaif, chairperson of BRAVO, and am here to draw your attention to 3 problems in Bahrain

  1. Absence of Medical Neutrality
  2. Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders
  3. The use of Toxic Chemicals against civilians

  Firstly, on the absence of Medical Neutrality: There are still 4 health care workers remaining in prison today and the Bahraini health system is largely under the occupation of the Bahraini Defence Forces.

  Secondly, Reprisals against Human rights defenders and their families. During the last session of the HRC in March, I specifically asked that there be protection for Human Rights Defender Ali Fakhrawi.

  Mr. Fakhrawi, who is part of the exiled Bahraini diaspora, lives out of a suitcase, en-route to various destinations to speak about his experiences, and of his father who was tortured to death. A month after his participation in a side event during the HRC session, his brother was detained. Others like him continue to live under restrictive conditions, as the case of Nabeel Rajab demonstrates.

• High-Level Panel on the 10th Anniversary of the Human Rights Council

  CIVICUS welcomes this extraordinary panel on the 10th anniversary of the Council and salutes all its Presidents.

  Since its establishment, the Council has emerged as a principled leader in supporting and expanding space for civil society both within its corridors and at the national level. In the last year alone it has adopted several landmark resolutions and reports articulating specific protections for human rights defenders, freedom of assembly and civil society space, while vigilantly protecting NGOs’ right to contribute to each of these initiatives. 

• HRC 32: Interactive Dialogue on South Sudan

  Human Rights Council: 32nd Session

  The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project and CIVICUS welcome this enhanced interactive dialogue with national, regional and international stakeholders on the grave situation in South Sudan.

  Mr President, the establishment of a Commission on human rights in South Sudan at the 31st Session of the Council and the appointment of Commissioners last week represent a welcome step towards accountability for the victims of grave human rights violations in Africa’s newest nation. The Commission represents an important opportunity for regional and international cooperation in response to one of the most brutal conflicts happening in the world today.