The up-coming United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference 2023, also known as Conference of Parties (COP28), taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) should prioritise the rights of communities and people most affected by climate change. It should set a positive trend for future climate conferences by allowing full and inclusive participation in its decision making processes for indigenous peoples, activists, and civil society.
The UAE as the host of COP 28, should lead by example and lift all restrictions that have been in place for years on the rights of Emiratis to express themselves, associate and assemble in line with international human rights frameworks. We ask the UAE to release all human rights defenders (HRDs), activists and journalists currently in detention.
Create an enabling environment for inclusive participation and decision making
A successful COP requires all participants including those from civil society and under-represented groups to have full access to decision-making sessions. The conference must ensure that they can express their views, including about the state of human rights in the UAE without fear of intimidation. We are concerned that months before the start of COP, UAE officials made utterances urging participants not to criticise the UAE, corporations, individuals or protest the restrictions on civic space.
Speakers from a pre-COP climate health Summit held in Abu Dhabi, reported that conference organisers advised speakers not to be critical of Islam, government, corporations and not to protest while in the UAE. These pre-conditions reflect the abysmal state of civic space in the UAE and the attacks on HRDs, activists and journalists who have spoken about human rights issues. The statement defeats the purpose and intent of COP and may force some participants to self censor.
We remind the government of the UAE, the United Nations and all participating states of the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan by the Parties related to civil society and civic space. They committed to consider respective obligations to human rights and recognise the roles of civil society, indigenous communities and youth when responding to climate change. Vigorous and inclusive climate action depends on the full and meaningful participation of all stakeholders including civil society, states, activists and indigenous communities.
Concerns over continued detention of HRDs in the UAE
Planning for the forthcoming COP is being done against a backdrop of an ongoing human rights crisis and heightened civic space restrictions in the UAE. The UAE is listed in the worst category -”closed” - on the CIVICUS Monitor, a participatory research platform that maps civic space globally. Currently, scores of human rights defenders and activists are still in detention for their peaceful human rights activities and for calling for democratic reforms. Those in detention include prominent human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor who is currently serving a ten-year prison sentence and has been in solitary confinement since he was arrested in March 2017 for his human rights activities.
More than 60 other activists who are part of a group known as the UAE94 were arrested in 2012 for their pro-democracy activities and sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven years to 15 years. They were prosecuted and sentenced in violation of their fair trial rights including pre-trial violations. Most have served their full sentences but no one has been released.They and other activists continue to be held in Munasaha (Counselling) Centres, in the same prison citing them as a threat to security and in need of rehabilitation. Activists including Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Helou, Abdulslaam Darwish, Ahmed Ghaith Al-Suwaidi and Dr Mohammed Al-Roken and many others continue to be detained after their prison sentences expired.
Protests often held alongside COPs are critical in highlighting concerns over restrictions faced by the most vulnerable people and call for more accountability for parties attending these gatherings. In the UAE, though the constitution guarantees the right to protest, in reality demonstrations are effectively banned as the authorities require prior notification before any protests. Restrictive legislation including the Federal Crime and Punishment Law, the Law Combating Rumours and Cyber Crimes (2021) and the Criminal Code impose harsh penalties including life sentences for those who lead or promote gatherings in public spaces with the intention of causing riots or endangering public security. These laws also restrict the ability of Emiratis to organise or plan protests online and criminalise public declarations of dissent to the state or governance system or disloyalty to the leadership.
The successful organisation of COP28 may be compromised if the government of the UAE does not urgently address these restrictions and create an enabling environment in which all stakeholders at COP are able to express their views including during peaceful protests without fear of intimidation, arrests or detention. Civil society has a crucial role to play in providing information, community perspectives, and advocating on climate issues to states, policy makers and the media.
Prioritise concerns of excluded groups including indigenous communities
Over the last two months, more than 500 representatives of indigenous communities from at least 20 countries had pre-COP consultations and raised concerns about the lack of participation of indigenous groups in COP decision making processes. Indigenous communities already face discrimination , often excluded from decision-making processes at national level, denied access to justice and forcefully removed from their ancestral lands to make way for projects. As a community most affected by climate change, indigenous groups often have to contend with large corporations who collude with governments to construct large-scale and often environmentally-harmful projects on the ancestral lands of these communities.
Deliberate efforts need to be made to guarantee the inclusion and full participation of indigenous persons in official and unofficial events leading to, during and after COP 28. While indigenous communities acknowledge the unprecedented participation in side events during last year’s COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh, this participation did not extend to key spaces where resolutions were discussed resulting in the omission of key concerns of indigenous communities in the major outcomes from the Conference.
We welcome the decisions taken in the previous COPs that created a Loss and Damage Fund to provide financing for vulnerable countries most affected by climate disasters but once again indigenous communities risk being ignored when the fund is operationalised. Current climate finance mechanisms do not prioritise indigenous communities and if the current model of financing stays the same, the actions on loss and damage will be ineffective.
To guarantee an inclusive, robust and accountable COP, we, the undersigned civil society organisations and members of indigenous communities across the world, urge the UAE, state parties and UN to:
- Guarantee the inclusive participation of all groups without any discrimination prior to and during COP. This includes granting all participants travel documents and allowing access to key decision making forums.
- Allow the freedom of peaceful assembly before, during and after COP28. Recognise Protests as a critical means for the civil society to articulate their concerns and proposals, especially for communities excluded in decision processes of the state parties during the conference.
- Take meaningful steps to address the human rights crisis in the UAE, lift restrictions on civic space and respect the right of freedom of expression, association and assembly.
- Comply with all recommendations made to the UAE under its Universal Periodic Review this year.
- Release all human rights defenders, activists and prisoners of conscience currently in detention, including Ahmed Mansoor and all members of the UAE 94, and drop all charges against them.
- End impunity for human rights violations by holding to account government representatives who work to restrict the ability of civil society and COP participants from expressing themselves without fear of intimidation and harassment.
- Place indigenous people at the centre of climate finance decisions and include specific language recognising the rights of indigenous communities in major decisions and actions that will be taken in COP 28.
- Create an indigenous peoples technical working group to serve as a formal standing mechanism for negotiations during COP 28 which will ensure the concerns of indigenous people are factored into solutions and actions from the negotiation
Endorsed by:
- A world without chemical and biological weapons-www
- J.E.P.D (Action des Jeunes Engagés pour la Paix et le Développement Durable)
- ACEDH RDC
- ACODES
- Acohof Rural Investment Bank
- Act Fathers Foundation
- Action Contre la Pauvreté, ACP
- Action for Climate and Environmental Justice (ACEJ) _ Uganda
- Action for Humanity & Social Progress
- Action for the Batwa Empowerment Group (ABEG) - Uganda
- Action Sociale pour le Bien ETRE et développement
- ACTIONS KUSAIDIA
- Advocate for Community Development and Environmental Protection
- ADWORE FOUNDATION LIMITED
- Afghanmal
- African Network Youth Policy Expert
- African Resource Centre for Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic Minorities - Africa
- African youth for community empowerment
- Afridep projet pour tous
- Agrovision She Farmers
- Aid Organization
- AIF-without Borders
- AIPDGL
- AJESH
- Akila Dignidad
- Alliance des Défenseurs des Droits Humains et de l'environnement au Tchad
- Allied Source Network Uganda
- Alpha Action for Social and Economic Development -AASED
- Amani CBO
- Amplifying Impact
- APPUI SOLIDAIRE POUR LE RENFORCEMENT DE L AIDE AU DEVELOPPEMENT
- Arapai Rural Initiative for Development
- Arjon Foundation
- Arladi Environmental and Human rights Organization - AEHRO
- AROHI
- Asia Pacific Network of Environment Defenders (APNED)
- Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network (AYIPN) - Asia
- ASOCIACION DESPLAZADA NUEVO RENACER
- ASPADI
- Assistance aux Laissés Pour Compte (ALPC) - Cameroun
- Association BIOWA - Burkina Faso
- Association de Lutte Contre Toute Forme de Violence (ALUCuOV) -Cameroun
- ASSOCIATION DES AMIS DE LA NATURE AAN
- Association for Farmers Rights Defense, AFRD
- ASSOCIATION JEUNESSE ACTIVE POUR L’INTEGRATION ET L’EDUCATION (JAIE) - Togo
- Association kaani assistance
- Association Nationale des Conseils d'Enfants du Bénin ANACEB
- Association pour Assistance Humanitaire (AAH) - Cameroun
- Association pour la Defense des Droits Humains et Développement Humain (ADDHF-DUKUNDANE)
- Association Pour la Promotion du Développement Durable et des Activités Sociales (APRODDAS) - Cameroun
- Association pour le Développement Social et Culturel des Mbororo du Cameroun. (MBOSCUDA) - Cameroun
- Association pour les victimes du monde
- Autoridades Indígenas tradicionales - Bolivia
- AVID-DRC
- Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication
- Banlieues Du Monde Mauritanie
- Baringo Women and Youth Organization (BWYO)- Baringo, Kenya
- Batwa Community Development Organisation (BCDO) - Uganda
- Batwa Development Organisation (BDO) - Uganda
- Batwa Indigenous Community
- Batwa Indigenous Empowerment Organisation (BIEO) - Uganda
- Beneco Enecia
- Benet Lobby Group
- Benet Mosop Indigenous Community Association (BMCA) - Uganda
- Biba Transformations LBG
- BINNADANG Amianan!
- BISAP
- BOLCRIS INTERNATIONAL
- Botswana Khwedom Council- Botswana
- Build Peace and Development
- Bulala fm
- BW Nama Development Trust
- Cabildo Indigena Universitario Resguardo de Muellamues (CIURM) - Colombia
- Caldwell youth group for climate action
- Caleidoscopio Humano
- Camkwoki Grassroot Initiative For Development Limited
- Canada-Afghanistan Civil Society Forums-organization
- Canard Dechaine Media - Niger
- CENSODEV
- Center for Enlightenment and Development
- Center for Peace and Community Development
- Center for Women and Girls Empowerment
- Centre for Empowerment and Transformation of Young People
- Centre for Minority Rights Development (CEMIRIDE) - Kenya
- Centre for Peace and Development organization
- Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur (CRAM) - Manipur Northeast India
- Centre for Social Policy Development
- Centro de Apoyo Rural - CEAR
- Centro de Estudios Multidisciplinarios Aymara (CEM-Aymara) - Bolivia
- Cercle des oeuvres pour les initiatives de
- Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Program (CIPDP) - Kenya
- Children Resource Centre
- Chittagong Hill Tracts Headmen Network - Bangladesh
- Civil society coalition on Sustainable development
- Coalition des Volontaires pour la Paix et le Développement, CVPD
- Coalition Nationale des Volontaires pour le Développement Durable (CNVD) - Cameroun
- COEL -WOMEN EDLERS LEARNING INITIATIVES
- Community Aid for Humanitarian Organization
- Community Democratization Initiative
- Community Health Education Sports Initiative Zambia
- Community Improvement & Development Myanmar
- Community initiative action group Kenya
- Community Resource Centre - Thailand
- Community Transformation Foundation Network (COTFONE)
- Comunidad Campesina de Pichccachuri - Puquio
- CONCRET/Human Rights
- Confederación MEIS internacional
- Confraternity of Patients Kenya (COFPAK)
- Consejo Indigena Mayas Ch'orti Olopa, Chiquimula - Guatemala
- Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations
- Coordinating Assembly of NGOs
- Coordination Nationale des Conviviums de Slow Food en RD Congo, CNC-SF/RDC en sigle
- Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) - Philippines
- Cordilleran Youth Center
- Corporación Cambio Sostenible
- Crisis Resolving Centre
- CSYM HUDUMA -MBUENET MTANDAO COALITIONS TZ 🇹🇿
- DABY Foundation
- Developpement africaine (COIDAF) - Cameroun
- East Africa Campuses and colleges green network - EACCGN
- East African Crude Oil Pipeline Host Communities
- Ecumenical Center for Promotion of the Rural World
- Egbema Voice of Freedom - Nigeria
- Endorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (EIWEN)
- Endorois Welfare Council (EWC)- Kenya
- English Development Centre EDC Praia
- Equality Rights Africa Organization
- Estudiantes de la Universidad de Pública de El Alto (UPEA) - Bolivia
- Euphrates Institute Peace Practice Alliance
- Eventity Hub
- Ewang’an Foundation - Kenya
- Fagnanko
- Faith and Hope Association
- FAMILY RESCUE INITIATAVES UGANDA
- Family Rescue Initiatives Uganda
- Femmes et Développement Communautaire (FEDEC)
- Forum for Indigenous Resource Management(F.I.R.M)-Kenya
- Forum for Peace and Development Initiatives (FOPEDI). KENYA
- Foundation for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue Initiatives (FIIDI)
- Foyer d’Accueil Pour Jeune Fille Mère (FAJEFIM) - Cameroun
- Fridays for Future Morelia
- Front Nasional Mahasiswa Permuda Papua (FNMP) - West Papua
- FUNDACION DE DERECHOS HUMANOS KAROL LIZETH
- Fundacion Ixcanul
- Fundacion Manos Amigas Transformando Corazones
- Fundación Victimas Vulnerables Mujeres Afro Independientes (FUNVIMUFROIN)
- Future Focus Foundation
- GHANA ASSOCIATION OF PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN DEVELOPMENT (GAPVOD)
- GIC DDH
- Girls Connect Uganda
- Giving Hopes to the Hopeless Organization
- GLIHD
- Global Advancement Initiative(GAI) - Nigeria
- Global Alliance for a Healthy Society (GAHSO)
- Global Leadership Initiative
- Global Redistribution Advocates
- Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) Indonesia
- Globalcare Cameroun (G2C)
- Globe Watch Foundation
- Go Green Group - Manipur
- Grassroot Development Support and Rural Enlightenment Initiative
- Greater Benet Apiary Group
- Green Planet
- Hand to Hand Against Nation Apathy
- Hazras Charity Foundation
- Help Alive Humanitarian, Health, Education and Environmental Foundation
- Human rights support
- HUMANITARIAN RESILIENCE CENTER
- HUMANITY FIRST ASSOCIATION OF CLEANERS (HUFAC)
- Ican Kurdistan Network-IKN
- ICODEH Haiti
- iCure Health International
- inclusive humanittarians organization
- Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL) - Global
- Initiative for the Disabled Welfare Association
- INNOVAZING VISION
- International Community of Women living with HIV eSwatini
- International helping for the young
- International Movement for Advancement of Education Culture Social & Economic Development (IMAECSED)
- Ipades
- IRAD
- IYAFP
- Jci Uganda
- JEUNESSE ENGAGEE POUR LA SOLIDARITE LA PAIX ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT (JESPD) - Benin
- Jim Caleb Okwiri/ VOBi+254
- JusticeMakers Bangladesh (JMBD)
- JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)
- Kabataan para sa Tribung Pilipino (KATRIBU) - Philippines
- KAIBANG-CPA - Philippines
- Kalkal Human Rights Development Organization (KAHRDO)
- Kapaeeng Foundation - Bangladesh
- Kaptele youths association
- Kashmir Law and Justice Project
- Kathak academy
- Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (Katribu) - Philippines
- KCHGF
- Kenya Indigenous Youth Network - Kenya
- Kiangure Springs Emvironment Initiative
- Kilusang Magbubukid Ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines)
- Kolektif Peyizan pou Devlopman Ekonomik ak Sosyal-KOPDES
- Korron-Scientific Community Based Care for Social, Health & Human Empowerment Initiative
- Kurdish organizations Network coalition for the International Criminal court (KONCICC)
- Kurdistan without Genocide
- Lanka Fundamental Rights Organization
- Leadership Institute for Transparency and Accountability
- LEAD-KENYA
- Ligue des jeunes de grands lacs
- Lingkod Katribu
- Lita Malawi
- Live for Generation
- LUCHA RDC
- Mbulu Education Network -MBUENET MTANDAO COALITIONS TZ EAST AFRICA
- MEDIA BRAINS
- MenEngage Global Alliance
- Merdeka West Papua Support Network – West Papua
- Micronesia Climate Change Alliance
- Momoh S Kamara
- Moningolig Pogun Tokou (MOPOT) - Sabah
- Moonlight Initiative- Sagana, Kenya
- Mouvement Citoyen Filimbi
- Mouvement Humanitaire des Bâtisseurs Sans Frontières en sigle MHBSF
- Mujeres Indígenas y Jóvenes Indígenas - Bolivia
- Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM)
- Namfumu Conservation Trust
- Namibia Indigenous Peoples Advocacy Platform Trust (NIPAP TRUST - Namibia
- Namuso Community Development Organization
- Network of Indigenous Women-Bai
- NGO Federation of Nepal
- Nonviolent Network of Africa Peace Builders
- North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) - Assam Northeast India
- Northern Recovery Project
- ODASONCORP LTD
- Ogiek Peoples Development Program (OPDP)- Kenya
- OilWatch Africa - Nigeria
- Olabisi Adebawo
- Oltoilo LeMaa CBO {OLM-K}- Kenya
- Omen for Justice and Peace- Sri Lanka
- One Life Count Empowerment Foundation
- One More Percent
- ONG LES BATISSEURS
- Organisation force des femmes
- Organizaciones de Pueblos Indígenas nivel Bolivia - Bolivia
- Organizaciones de Pueblos Indígenas Regionales - Bolivia
- Organization Against Weapons of Mass Destruction in Kurdistan
- Organization of the Justice Campaign- OJC
- Pak Education Society/Pakistan Development Network
- Panaghiusa Philippine Network to Uphold Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
- Pastoralists Indigenous NGOs Forum
- Paula Cabeçadas
- People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty
- PHE Ethiopia Consortium
- Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples' Rights
- Piging Women’s Association – Philippines
- PINGO’s Forum - Tanzania
- Plan For Hope Initiative Uganda-PHIU
- Population and Development Initiative (PDI)
- Practical CBO Development Solutions
- PRASTUTEE
- Prime Initiative for Green Development (PIGD) - Nigeria.
- Prova Society
- Public Health Research Society Nepal
- Pueblo Originario Kichwa de Sarayaku - Ecuador
- Rainbow Watch and Development Centre
- RAMATAIM Family Development Center
- Reacción Climática
- Reality of Aid-Asia Pacific - Asia-Pacific
- Recherche Sans Frontières RSF RDC
- Red de Jóvenes Indígenas de América Latina y el Caribe in Bolivia
- Red de Jóvenes Indígenas de América Latina y el Caribe in Colombia
- Refugee Protection Association,RPA
- Relief and Development Support Organization (RDSO)
- Renel Ghana Foundation
- Researcher, Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation - Bangladesh
- Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD) - Pan African
- ResistTwo
- RMN Foundation - Equal Opportunity for All to Live and Progress
- Romi's Way
- Rural Resilience Transformation cbo
- Southern Africa Human Rights NGO-Network (SAHRiNGON) - Tanzania Chapter
- SAN YOUTH NETWORK
- Sandiwa Network of Advocates for National Minority Rights
- Sandugo Kilusan ng Moro at Katutubong Mamamayan para sa Sariling Pagpapasya (Sandugo Movement of Moro and Indigenous People for Self Determination)-Philippines
- Sanid Organization for Relief and Development
- Sankalpa Darchula Nepal
- Sauti ya Haki Tanzania (SHTZ)
- SDG Action Alliance Bangladesh
- Secours de femmes et enfants vulnérables(SEFEV RDC)
- Sharing Circles
- Shibganj Integrated Development Society
- SHIKSHIT BANO CHARITABLE TRUST
- Shout-Out Against Gender Based Violence Association
- SIKLAB Philippine Indigenous Youth Network
- Slopb Bangladesh
- Social Action for Development (SAfD)
- Social Movement Technologies
- SOCOODERA
- Somali Awareness and Social Development Organization
- SOS Jeunesse et Enfance en Détresse - SOS JED
- Sourire et Espoir sans frontières (SESF) - Cameroon
- South African Nama Development Association (SANDEVA) SOUTH AFRICA NC.
- Sue Ryder Foundation in Malawi
- Sukaar Welfare Organization
- Survivors in Action Grassroots Women Network
- Synergie pour la protection et le développement communautaires (SYPRODEC)
- Tanggol Magsasaka (Defend Farmers)
- The Adult Learning Forum Western Cape
- The International Children Community Network
- The Outreach Social Care Foundation
- The San Vision Foundation(TSVF)- South Africa
- The Voice of the San People - South Africa
- Tignayan dagiti Agtutubo ti Kordilyera para iti Demokrasya ken Rang-ay (TAKDER)
- TSF-COCAWI
- Tunay na Alyansa ng Bayan Alay sa Katutubo (TABAK)
- Turkana Development Organizations Forum -TuDOF Kenya
- UG Women for Peace- Kenya
- UMOJA PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
- Union des Femmes pour le Développement Rural et Communautaires
- Union desolidarite d'Aide au Developpement Communautaire (USADEC)
- Unissons nous pour la Promotion des Batwa (UNIPROBA) - Burundi
- United Organisation for the Batwa Development in Uganda (UOBDU) - Uganda
- United Voluntary Youth Council - Manipur
- Universidad Pública de El Alto (UPEA). Instituto de Investigaciones de Trabajo Social - Bolivia
- University for Development Studies
- URGENCE CONTRE LA FAIM (UCF)
- UTTHAN
- Village Common Forests Network - Bangladesh
- Volunteer Alliance for Relief and Development
- Volunteers Involving Organisations Network
- Weyone Recycling SL
- Women Empowered
- Women for Green Economy Movement Uganda (WoGEM Uganda) - Uganda
- Women of hope abled differently org WHAD- Kenya
- Yaadol organization
- YARD-Liberia, Inc
- Yiaku Laikipiak Trust (YLT)-Kenya
- YOTA - Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa
- Young Advocates for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future (YASIF) Nigeria
- Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines
- Youth for Community Academic and Development Services
- Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana
- Youth Initiative for Peace and Innovation (YIPI)
- Youth Initiative for Sustainable Development (YISD)
- Youth Network for Positive Change-YOUNETPO
- Youth Parliament of Benin
- Youths Transforming Africa Narrative (YOTAN)
- Zivai Community Empowerment Trust-ZICET
