On behalf of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation we thank the Permanent Missions of Ireland and Senegal for their co-facilitation of this important UN Human Rights Council Review (HRC) Process.
We believe that States should work towards elevating the Council to the status of a principal UN organ, with human rights on an equal footing with peace and security and development. This would be appropriate in light of the current environment. Without the full and consistent protection of human rights there can be no peace and security or sustainable development. Disregard for human rights norms and the deep crisis in multilateral human rights cooperation at present call for stronger and sustained Council action to prevent and address violations.
While Resolution 65/281 does not mandate a comprehensive review of the Council’s functioning, 15 years after the last review of the Council, we believe that the review should not be limited to the question of whether the Council should remain a subsidiary body of the UN General Assembly, as there are burning issues that should be dealt with in the context of this discussion, particularly on the commitment of HRC members to uphold the highest standards in the protection and promotion of human rights, a non-negotiable requirement.
The CIVICUS Monitor research collaboration measures conditions for the exercise of civic freedoms enshrined in the International Bill of Rights around the world. Of the 47 members of the HRC, in just 17 states can people exercise basic civic freedoms without well-founded fear of persecution. 6 states are classed as having open civic space. 11 have narrowed civic space. 13 obstructed. 10 have repressed civic space and 7 have completely closed civic space where acts of dissent by civil society can carry deadly consequences.
When members of the UNHRC are unwilling to uphold human rights standards at home, the work and mandate of the HRC suffers.
