CIVICUS makes UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on civil society space in Mongolia, Malawi and Maldives.
The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States once every 4.5 years.
CIVICUS and its partners have submitted UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on three countries in advance of the 50th UPR review session scheduled from 03 - 14 November 2025, in the context of the 4th UPR cycle. The submissions examine the state of civil society in each country, including the promotion and protection of the rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression (including media freedom), and the environment for human rights defenders as well as related unwarranted restrictions. We further provide an assessment of the States’ domestic implementation of civic space recommendations received during the 3rd UPR cycle over 4 years ago and provide a number of targeted follow-up recommendations in relation to core civil society space issues.
Mongolia – CIVICUS, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the Asia Democracy Network expressed concerns over Mongolia’s failure to fully implement civic space recommendations from its 3rd UPR cycle. We are deeply concerned over draft NGO laws that are inconsistent with international standards, ongoing harassment and criminalisation of HRDs and journalists, proposed legislation aimed at controlling online spaces, and restrictions on peaceful protests, including arbitrary arrests and the use of excessive force.
Malawi – CIVICUS, Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and the Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) highlighted serious civic space restrictions in Malawi, including limited implementation of recommendations on access to information and NGO Act on institutional and legal reforms recommendations. We raised concerns over persistent gaps in protecting freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly, and the safety of HRDs. We noted failure to reform the Penal Code to align with ICCPR standards, ongoing harassment of HRDs , including activists and journalists, as well as violent crackdowns on peaceful protests, judicial harassment, and growing impunity.
Maldives – CIVICUS and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) noted that while the Maldives accepted 16 out of 18 UPR recommendations on civic space, the majority remain unimplemented and only four recommendations have been partly implemented. We highlighted the ongoing restrictions on peaceful assembly, excessive use of police force, and impunity for violations. Additionally, we are further alarmed over slow progress in reforming laws to protect HRDs and the right to peaceful protest.
