CIVICUS makes UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on civil society space in Australia, Nepal and Rwanda.
The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review is a unique process that reviews the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States every 4.5 years.
CIVICUS and its partners have submitted UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on three countries (Australia, Nepal, and Rwanda) in advance of the 51st UPR session, scheduled to take place from 27 January to 7 February 2026, as part of the 4th UPR cycle. The submissions evaluate the state of civil society in each country, with a focus on the promotion and protection of the rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and expression (including media freedom), as well as the broader environment for human rights defenders. They also highlight key concerns regarding unwarranted restrictions imposed on civic actors. Each submission includes an assessment of how the respective State has implemented civic space-related recommendations received during the 3rd UPR cycle, which concluded over four years ago. In addition, the submissions offer a series of concrete follow-up recommendations to strengthen civic space and ensure alignment with international human rights obligations.
Australia - CIVICUS and Melbourne Activist Legal Support (MALS) assess Australia’s compliance with its international human rights obligations to ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society, focusing on freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, and expression. We highlight the ongoing restrictions on human rights defenders, activists, and journalists since the previous cycle. Of the seven civic space-related recommendations Australia received during the 3rd UPR cycle, only one was accepted and implementation overall remains partial, with significant legal and practical barriers persisting. Australia still lacks a comprehensive federal human rights instrument to protect civic freedoms, and although the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights recommended adopting a federal Human Rights Act in May 2024, no such legislation has been enacted. Restrictive laws and provisions remain unrepealed, while harassment and targeting of climate and human rights activists continue, leaving Australia’s civic space rated as ‘narrowed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor, indicating serious ongoing challenges for civil society.
Nepal - CIVICUS and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) evaluate Nepal’s adherence to its international human rights obligations, particularly in fostering a safe and enabling environment for civil society. Our submission focuses on the rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and expression, and highlights the government’s failure to implement most civic space-related recommendations since the previous cycle. Despite accepting 11 out of 13 recommendations, Nepal has not fully implemented any, with seven entirely unaddressed and six only partially fulfilled. The submission documents a troubling pattern of state and non-state actors targeting journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society activists with harassment, arbitrary arrests, and violence. It also raises alarm over the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters and the introduction of restrictive laws that curtail media freedom and digital rights. Civic space in Nepal is rated as 'obstructed' by the CIVICUS Monitor.
Rwanda - CIVICUS and the Centre for Minority Rights Development assess Rwanda’s compliance with human rights obligations related to civic space since its 2021 review. While Rwanda accepted 18 of 39 relevant recommendations, implementation has been limited. Key concerns include the 2018 Cybercrimes Law, which fosters self-censorship through vague provisions, and the 2024 NGO Law, which grants the Rwanda Governance Board sweeping powers over civil society organisations. We also highlighted continued harassment of human rights defenders, restrictions on media freedom, and barriers to peaceful assembly. As a result, Rwanda’s civic space is classified as 'repressed' by the CIVICUS Monitor.