Geneva

Featured

A clean and safe environment is a human right

Joint statement by Earthjustice, Greenpeace, AIDA, Amnesty Internationa, CIEL, CIVICUS, CRIN, Human Rights Watch, The Global Initiative We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s report which usefully identifies a wealth of governmental good practices in recognizing and implementing a right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
Featured

India: The UN must condemn crimes against peaceful protesters

Joint statement at the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council by Amnesty International India, CIVCUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, FORUM-ASIA and FIDH As the UN Human Rights Council meets in Geneva to discuss human rights developments globally, we urge states to speak up against serious human rights violations being committed in India against peaceful protesters and other civilians.

Sri Lanka: Concerns about missing persons and possible changes to the Constitution

Joint statement at the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council CIVICUS, IMADR, International Service on Human Rights, Franciscans International, Human Rights Watch, Forum Asia, Minority rights group international We are deeply concerned by indicators of a significant backsliding on human rights in Sri Lanka, underscored by the government using their address to the Council this week to go back on the important commitments made by Sri Lanka through HRC resolution 30/1.

Human rights in Eritrea: Press restrictions persist

Statement at the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council CIVICUS and Eritrean partner organisations welcome the work of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Eritrea and thank you for your update.
Featured

Advocacy priorities at 43rd Session of UN Human Rights Council

The four-week human rights council will sit from 24 February to 20 March, and there are a number of critical human rights resolutions up for debate, and for the 47 Council members to address.
Featured

The climate emergency is a threat to human rights and human life

Statement at the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Watch statement delivered by youth climate activist, Paloma Costa: My name is Paloma Costa and I am from a region where the Amazon is threatened and human rights seem to mean nothing.

South Sudan: UN must extend mandate of reporting mission

To: Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council Re: The UN Human Rights Council should extend the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan Excellencies, We, the undersigned national, regional, and international non-governmental organisations, write to call on your delegation to actively support the extension of the mandate of the United Nations (UN) Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (“the CoHR”) during the upco- ming 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council (“the Council” or “the HRC”), which will take place from 24 February-20 March 2020.
Featured

Laos: Letter to UN Member States ahead of human rights review

Open Letter: UN member states must highlight Laos’s severely restrictive civic space environment at its upcoming UN human rights review Your Excellency, As you will be aware, Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) will face its third review under the UN’s UPR mechanism on 21 January 2020.

UN must condemn systematic violations of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong

The UN’s highest official principally responsible for human rights, High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, should publicly denounce the Hong Kong Government for its systematic violations of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and condemn the unnecessary and disproportionate use of force by police in Hong Kong.
Featured

Civil Society calls on Fiji to address civic space concerns

On 6 November 2019, Fiji’s human rights record will be reviewed by UN member states as part of the 34th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

Maldives: Civil society groups call for better respect for civic freedoms in report to the UN

Joint statement on Maldives ahead of human rights review in 2020 Civil society groups CIVICUS and FORUM-ASIA have submitted information to the UN Human Rights Council on civic freedoms in the country ahead of its review in 2020.
Featured

Country recommendations on civic space for Universal Periodic Review

CIVICUS makes joint UN Universal Periodic Review submissions on civil society space in Honduras, Malawi and Maldives CIVICUS and its partners have made joint and stand-alone UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on 3 countries in advance of the 36th UPR session (May 2020).

Reaction to human rights resolution on Cambodia

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Response to resolution on Cambodia CIVICUS welcomes the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Cambodia in a resolution which was passed by consensus today.

Reaction to human rights resolution on Sudan

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Response to resolution on Sudan CIVICUS welcomes the resolution on Sudan passed by the Human Rights Council this afternoon.

Reaction to human rights resolution on reprisals

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Response to resolution on reprisals CIVICUS welcomes the new resolution on reprisals, passed by the Human Rights Council this afternoon, which detailed trends and patterns in reprisals and identified the increased risk for those most marginalized.

Reaction to human rights resolution on Burundi

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Response to resolution on Burundi CIVICUS and members welcome the renewal of the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi.

Sudan: Excessive force of protests continues under transitional government

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Statement on the situation of human rights in Sudan CIVICUS and the Sudanese Development Initiative are encouraged by the agreement reached between the Forces for Freedom and Change and the Transitional Military Council on 5 July 2019.

Cambodian civil society needs international support

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement during interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Cambodia CIVICUS and the Cambodian Center for Human Rights welcome the Special Rapporteur’s report.
Featured

Joint statement calling on Saudi Arabia to improve its human rights record

ARABIC 42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and the Free Saudi WHRDs Coalition* praise the significant joint statement which was delivered  by Australia on behalf of a cross-regional group States expressing their concern over the persecution and intimidation of activists, including women human rights defenders, as well as in relation to reports of torture, extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearances, unfair trials, arbitrary detention and impunity.

Statement: Ethiopia's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on Ethiopia's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights Mr President, CIVICUS and Association for Human Rights in Ethiopia (AHRE) welcome the government of Ethiopia’s engagement with the UPR process and particularly for accepting 131 out of 327 UPR recommendations.

Statement: Qatar's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on Qatar's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights CIVICUS and the Gulf Centre for Human Rights note that since its 2nd UPR cycle in 2014, Qatar acceded to the ICCPR and the ICESCR as a major step towards realizing human rights in the country.

Statement: Equatorial Guinea's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on Equatorial Guinea's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights Mr President, EG Justice, Centro de Estudios e Iniciativas para el Desarrollo, ONG – Cooperación y Desarrollo, and CIVICUS welcome the government of Equatorial Guinea’s engagement with the UPR process and particularly for accepting 202 of 221 UPR recommendations.

Statement: Nicaragua not implementing human rights recommendations

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on Nicaragua's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights Red Local and CIVICUS welcome the government of Nicaragua's engagement with the UPR process.

Strengthen the work of UN Special Procedures that can protect human rights

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Joint Statement: 20 NGOs express support for the Coordination Committee’s process to strengthen the work of the Special Procedures We deliver this statement on behalf of 20 NGOs.

Côte d’Ivoire: Activists being arrested and concerns ahead of 2020 elections

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Statement during Adoption of the UPR report of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire Mr President, CIVICUS welcomes the government of Côte d’Ivoire’s engagement with the UPR process.

Reprisals are calculated steps by states to prevent activists from exposing human rights violations

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Statement during interactive dialogue with the Assistant Secretary General on Reprisals We thank the Assistant Secretary General for presenting this essential report which shows that acts of reprisals are not aberrative, but rather are calculated steps taken to prevent human rights defenders from exposing human rights violations.
Featured

Countries of concern at the Human Rights Council

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Countries of concern Civic space restrictions often precede wider human rights abuses.

DRC: 500 political prisoners released under new administration but concerns persist

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Statement during Adoption of the Universal Periodic Review report of the Democratic Republic of Congo The Ligue des Droits de la personne dans la région des Grands Lacs (LDGL) and CIVICUS welcome the government of DRC's engagement with the UPR process.
Featured

Burundi: Human rights continue to worsen ahead of 2020 elections

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi CIVICUS and independent Burundian civil society organisations welcome the important work of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, and specifically this report which provides critical oversight of the human rights situation in the country.
Featured

Reprisals on UN premises must be addressed urgently

ARABIC NGOs: Alarming trend of intimidation and reprisals on UN premises must be addressed urgently Joint Letter On August 23, 2019, 23 NGOs wrote to the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights (ASG), the President of the Human Rights Council (HRC), and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, to raise concerns over an alarming pattern of intimidation and reprisals faced by members of civil society during sessions of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Bodies.
Featured

Detention and disappearance of activists is widespread

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council -Statement on report of Working Group on Arbitrary Detention CIVICUS thanks the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for their report.
Featured

Nicaragua: Violence and repression continue

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council -Interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Nicaragua -Joint statement from CIVICUS & RedLad It has been more than a year since the crisis began in Nicaragua, and violence and repression continue unabated.
Featured

Response to the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights global update

42nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council -General Debate on the oral update by the High Commissioner CIVICUS thanks the High Commissioner for your oral update, and especially the attention given to the risks faced by those exercising their rights to participation and freedom of peaceful assembly.
Featured

Advocacy priorities at 42nd Session of UN Human Rights Council (September)

The forty-second Session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from 9 to 27 September.
Featured

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights must take action on Nicaragua

As UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet prepares to present her report on Nicaragua on September 10th, in compliance with the March 21st Human Rights Council resolution “Promotion and protection of human rights in Nicaragua” (A/HRC/40/L.
Featured

Country recommendations on civic space for Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

All UN member states have their human rights records reviewed every 4.
Featured

Outcomes & reflections from the UN Human Rights Council

Joint statement at the end of the 41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council By renewing the mandate of the Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), the Council has sent a clear message that violence and discrimination against people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities cannot be tolerated.
Featured

Sudan: More than 100 people were killed when paramilitary forces dispersed peaceful protests

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive dialogue on Sudan CIVICUS notes the efforts that have been made by the Sudanese authorities and Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) towards establishment of an OHCHR country office in Sudan in line with resolution 39/22 of the Human Rights Council.

DRC: No steps taken to end impunity enjoyed by state actors for human rights violations

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive dialogue on the Democratic Republic of the Congo CIVICUS welcomes some positive first steps with regards to civic space taken by President Felix Tshisekedi during his first six months in office, including his commitment to release more than 500 political prisoners.

Nicaragua: Over 100 political prisoners remain detained

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council -Interactive dialogue on the report from the High Commissioner on Nicaragua -Joint statement from CIVICUS & Red Local We note that the government of Nicaragua has yet to comply with some of the agreements reached with the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy during negotiations earlier this year.

Renew mandate of Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity

Over 1300 civil society organisations from across the globe call for the renewal of the mandate of the Independent Expert on violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Statement: Eritrea's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council The Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (EMDHR), Eritrea Focus, and CIVICUS welcome the government of Eritrea’s engagement with the UPR process and for its acceptance of 131 UPR recommendations.

Statement: Cambodia's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council CIVICUS, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) and IFEX welcome the Royal Government of Cambodia's engagement with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.

Statement: Mass arrests and killings of protesters in Venezuela

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on Venezuela  CIVICUS thanks the High Commissioner for her report, which shows how deeply the human rights situation has deteriorated in Venezuela.

Statement: Reprisals at the national level against experts who report back to the Human Rights Council

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Our organisations are gravely concerned by the proliferation of reprisals against Special Procedures mandate holders and members of Expert Mechanisms and Commissions of Inquiry (COI) by States, including members of the Council, as well as threats against the Special Procedures system as a whole.

Statement: Afghanistan's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Afghanistan Human Rights Organisation (AHRO) and CIVICUS welcome the government of Afghanistan's engagement with the UPR process.

Statement: Macedonia's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN), The Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation (MCIC) and CIVICUS welcome the government of North Macedonia's engagement with the UPR process.

Statement: Chile's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Pro Acceso and CIVICUS welcome the government of Chile's engagement with the UPR process.

Statement: Vietnam's adoption of Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Mr President, VOICE, CIVICUS and FORUM-ASIA welcome the government of Vietnam's engagement with the UPR process including its decision to accept 241 recommendations on a range of human rights issues.
Featured

Statement: Countries of concern at the UN Human Rights Council

41st Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue on Countries of Concern CIVICUS is deeply concerned by the grave situation in Sudan, and we call once again on the Council to take immediate steps to address this crisis, at the very least by establishing a fact-finding mission to monitor, verify and report on the situation to prevent further bloodshed and ensure that the perpetrators of these atrocities are held to account.

Sign up for our newsletters

Our Newsletters

civicus logo white

CIVICUS is a global alliance that champions the power of civil society to create positive change.

brand x FacebookLogo YoutubeLogo InstagramLogo LinkedinLogo TikTokLogo BlueSkyLogo

Headquarters

25  Owl Street, 6th Floor

Johannesburg
South Africa
2092

Tel: +27 (0)11 833 5959


Fax: +27 (0)11 833 7997

UN Hub: New York

CIVICUS, c/o We Work

450 Lexington Ave

New York
NY
10017

United States

UN Hub: Geneva

11 Avenue de la Paix

Geneva

Switzerland
CH-1202

Tel: +41 (0)79 910 3428