CIVICUS’ key priorities and recommendations during the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council focussed on the protection of fundamental freedoms and support to civil society where they face grave risk. The 53rd session provided a number of opportunities for the advancement of civic space and the protection of civil, in light of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and of the 25th anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
The Human Rights Council adopted a Civil Society Space Resolution that acknowledges the positive role of civil society, recognises that civil society participation in UN mechanisms is crucial, and asks the High Commissioner, through a wide consultative process, to prepare a report identifying challenges and best practices in regularly assessing civic space trends, which may lead in the long run to the development of indicators and benchmarks.
CIVICUS welcomes, the adoption of the resolution on Belarus, which re-mandates the Special Rapporteur for a further year, as well as the renewal of the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary and of the Working Group on Business and Human Rights for three years, and the adoption of the resolution extending the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers.
On country situations, CIVICUS welcomes the Council’s strengthened action on Eritrea, with a Resolution that addresses violations committed by Eritrean authorities. On Sudan, civil society continues to request the establishment of an investigative mechanism with the aim of thoroughly investigating alleged human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law committed by all parties. For more information see here.
CIVICUS in collaboration with members delivered statements on situations where civil society faces grave risks, in the context of the enhanced Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls; the Interactive dialogue on the situation of human rights in Eritrea; the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar and the interactive dialogue on the written update of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in the country; the enhanced interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, the interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; and the interactive dialogue on the oral update of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi.
CIVICUS and its partners also delivered statements on Peru, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Benin and Zambia, in the context of UPR outcomes.
