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17 civil society organisations presented a joint statement urging UN Member States to ensure the General Assembly's Third Committee improves quality, accessibility and effectiveness of its human rights work
A quart of a century after its launch, civil society continues to mobilise around the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
At the 63rd Human Rights Council session, civil society organisations shared reflections on key outcomes and highlighted gaps in addressing crucial issues and situations.
The Human Rights Council renewed the mandates of its Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela and of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to monitor human rights in the country, at a time when global scrutiny is more needed than ever to ensure reforms respect and protect human rights.
This briefing highlights ISHR’s key priorities at the Third Committee of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA81). At UNGA81, States must defend the integrity and effectiveness of the international human rights system amid growing political and financial pressures. ISHR’s priorities for the Third Committee include strengthening protection for human rights defenders, countering reprisals and transnational repression, resisting rollbacks on gender equality, SRHR and SOGI, and safeguarding adequately resourced UN human rights mechanisms. The briefing also highlights country situations requiring principled action, including China and Nicaragua, and opportunities for civil society engagement throughout the session.
In March 2025, the GANHRI accreditation body gave India's National Human Rights Commission one year to comply with the Paris Principles. Meanwhile, police still investigate police, appointments lack transparency and pluralism, civil society is sidelined, and serious violations go unaddressed. As such, ISHR urges a downgrade at November's review.
At the Human Rights Council’s 63rd session (HRC63), Hong Kong human rights defenders Carmen Lau and Anna Kwok brought their testimony of transnational repression before the Council, as States renewed scrutiny of China’s human rights record.
At the Human Rights Council, ISHR and CONTIOCAP warned that environmental destruction threatens Indigenous Peoples’ lives including natural and cultural heritage. States must respect their right to self-determination and end the criminalisation of Indigenous defenders.
The public session of the 89th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) will be held in Dakar, Senegal, from 12 to 21 October. The public session will be preceded by a training session organised jointly by ISHR, Front Line Defenders and Defend Defenders on 6, 7 and 11 October, and the NGO Forum, organised by ACDHRS from 8 to 10 October.
On 28 September, a delegation from the Government of Sierra Leone presented its fourth report under the Universal Periodic Review to the Human Rights Council. Of the 310 recommendations received, Sierra Leone 'took note' of 39 and accepted 271, of which 19 on the protection of human rights defenders and their working environment.
On 28 September, a delegation from Seychelles presented its fourth report under the Universal Periodic Review to the Human Rights Council. Of the 199 recommendations received, Seychelles 'took note' of 12 and accepted 186 of which four on the protection of human rights defenders and their working environment.
On 25 September, a delegation from the Government of Niger presented its report to the Human Rights Council as part of the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. Of the 265 recommendations received, Niger took note of 11 and accepted 254, including 23 relating to the protection of human rights defenders and their working environment.
