Photo by Ibrahim Boran on Pexels, edited with Procreate, with additional imagery generated with the help of ChatGPT for ISHR 2024.
A coalition of 25 civil society organisations urges the Human Rights Council to pursue long-term, well-resourced reforms that strengthen—rather than shrink—its ability to respond to human rights crises.
A group of civil society organisations led by ISHR has submitted contributions to the discussions on improving the Human Rights Council’s efficiency.
The letter stresses that efficiency cannot be separated from the UN’s wider financial crisis. States must pay their dues and safeguard the human rights pillar from further cuts. Short-term ‘time-saving’ fixes have reached their limits, and a shift toward long-term, strategic reforms that enhance—not reduce—the Council’s ability to respond to crises is what is needed.
The organisations warned against equating efficiency with ‘doing less’, noting that fewer resolutions, merged mandates, or reduced reporting are not in themselves indicators of effectiveness, especially amid genocide, global unrest and human rights emergencies. They highlight that any mandate consolidation should be guided by clear, objective criteria and carried out only after consulting mandate holders, civil society, and affected communities. Impact should be measured through long-term outcomes in consultations with local communities, not just outputs.
The organisations also call for stronger coordination between Geneva and New York, improved hybrid participation, and better access to UN information systems—especially for human rights defenders. Finally, they urge that any adopted reform include impact assessments and remain grounded in core human rights principles.
Read the full letter here
In their interactive dialogues with the General Assembly’s Third Committee, treaty body chairs focused on critical obstacles preventing mandate fulfilment, including severely strained or non-existent financial and human resources leading to significant case backlogs.
During the 38th Human Rights Council special session on the human rights situation in and around El Fasher, in the context of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, ISHR delivered a joint statement with Sudanese Women’s Rights Action, and the Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa.
A big thanks to everyone who is getting behind our fundraising appeal and investing in a better world by supporting human rights defenders!
