@ Frontline Defenders
The Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council are independent human rights experts, appointed to monitor and report on human rights violations and to advise and assist in promoting and protecting rights.
ISHR works closely with a wide range of Special Procedures experts whose mandates are directly related to the creation of an enabling environment for the defence of rights – such as those focused on human rights defenders, freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of assembly and association – as well as with mandate holders whose work is seen by our human rights defender partners as critical at key moments in their own context.
ISHR also works to safeguard the independent and effective functioning of the Special Procedures mechanism as a whole, including by advocating for the appointment of highly qualified, independent experts; closely monitoring efforts to hamper these experts’ independence or limit their methods of work; and by working with human rights defenders and civil society groups to encourage States to implement the recommendations of Special Procedures.
During the annual Panel on the adverse effects of climate change on human rights, woman human rights defender Yannia Visuetti gave a strong statement about the situation in Latin America.
At the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism called for a second International Decade for People of African Descent, exchanging with States and defenders on ways promote racial equity.
At the 56th Human Rights Council session, civil society organisations share reflections on key outcomes and highlight gaps in addressing crucial issues and situations. Full written version below.
The United Nations Human Rights Council extended the mandate of the Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement (EMLER) for a second period of three years.
At the 56th session of the Human Rights Council, during the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report of Chad, ISHR and the Ligue Tchadienne des Droits de l'Homme (LTDH) delivered a statement calling on Chad to strengthen the protection of civic space and ensure that freedom of peaceful assembly is protected.
During the 56th session of the Human Rights Council, the outcome of the 4th cycle UPR of the Republic of Congo was adopted. A joint statement by Christian Mounzeo on behalf of ISHR and the Rencontre pour la Paix et les Droits de l’Homme (RPDH) called on the government to adopt a national law to protect and promote the rights of defenders.
Explore the purpose and mandates of the Special Procedures and how you can work with them to strengthen your advocacy
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On April 15 2024, ISHR submitted its annual submission to the UN Secretary General on intimidation and reprisals against defenders engaging or seeking to engage with the UN and its human rights mechanisms.
This page compiles all recommendations issued by UN human rights bodies - including the UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups, the UN Treaty Bodies, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - on the human rights situation in Macao since 2018. Recommendations are sorted by topic and community affected.
This page compiles all recommendations issued by UN human rights bodies - including the UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups, the UN Treaty Bodies, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - on the human rights situation in Hong Kong since 2018. Recommendations are sorted by topic and community affected.
This page compiles all recommendations issued by UN human rights bodies - including the UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups, the UN Treaty Bodies, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - on the human rights situation in China since 2018. Recommendations are sorted by topic and community affected.
This briefing paper summarises the position of UN experts that RSDL constitutes enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and could amount to torture, and includes a repository of all UN documents referring to RSDL since August 2018.
Following an earlier version of this submission of the same title in May 2022, this new ISHR report continues to document trends of reprisals in China in 2022-2023 with an analysis of extant cases, and further summarises the way in which it has portrayed civil society’s cooperation with the UN as a ‘criminal act’.
