CIVICUS was active at the 21st session of the UN Human Rights Council, which came to an end in Geneva on 28 September. During the Council’s session we brought together different civil society organisations to raise awareness of challenging conditions for civil society across a range of countries, and working with our members, made a number of inputs into Council processes. Above all, we gave our support to and provided a platform for civil society partners and members experiencing threats and intimidation.
Among the highlights was an event we convened with Russian civil society organisations. The meeting enabled Russian human rights defenders and people from different forms of civil society, including youth movements and organisations that promote voters’ rights, to meet with representatives of governments and UN human rights staff in a spirit of constructive dialogue.
One of the main focuses of the discussion was the new legislation that requires that all CSOs receiving funds from outside Russia to be registered as ‘foreign agents’, and to indicate this on any activities they undertake. This move was identified as a clear attempt to undermine people’s trust in CSOs.
It was agreed at the meeting that there is a need for closer cooperation and usage of all existing UN human rights mechanisms, and for other governments to challenge Russia about why its current legislation is not line with international standards and the obligations Russia has agreed to undertake before the Council. In the words of one participant, “It is time for international community to look openly and objectively at the alarming situation with human rights in Russia.”
In a second important meeting, along with the International Federation for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, the Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture, Bahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-Violence Organisation and Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, we organised a side event on Bahrain.
The panellists in this meeting were prominent human rights activists from Bahrain who have witnessed violations on the ground, with some themselves the victims of attacks. Human rights violations against doctors, protesters and children were highlighted. Speakers expressed concern about failures to implement the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, and they also raised the critical issue of the reprisals they experienced on returning home after the Human Rights Council’s session on Bahrain in May 2012. Indeed, they continued to be threatened and harassed during the September session, such that the joint organisers of the meeting had to bring in security in order to keep peace in the room.
In addition, we spoke at an Irish government meeting on civil society space, and along with our partners made a number of interventions during the session, particularly in the context of the climate of fear and reprisals against Bahraini activists, and on other issues such as the need for a more enabling environment for civil society, and the situation for civil society in Cambodia, Ethiopia and the Philippines. All our interventions are available below.
- Panel discussion on intimidation and reprisals
- An enabling environment for civil society
- Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention
- Universal Periodic Review - Bahrain
- Universal Periodic Review - The Philippines
- Universal Periodic Review process
- Panel on Nelson Mandela Day
- Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on Cambodia
