
Egypt: Reform unjust vice laws, guarantee open civic space
During Egypt's UPR adoption at HRC59, Nora Noralla delivered a joint statement on behalf of ISHR, Cairo 52 and Middle East Democracy Center. Watch and read the full statement below.
Photo: UN Photo/Mark Garten
The promotion, protection and realisation of human rights should be a paramount priority for all UN agencies, ISHR says in response to the UN Secretary-General’s new ‘Call to Action for Human Rights’ launched in Geneva.
‘The promotion of human rights, and the participation and protection of human rights defenders, are essential to peace, security and sustainable and inclusive development,’ says ISHR Director Phil Lynch.
In this regard, ISHR welcomes key commitments made by the Secretary General in the Call to Action, including that the UN will:
ISHR also welcomes the Secretary-General’s recognition that ‘the shrinking of civic space is frequently a prelude to a more general deterioration in human rights’ and that, particularly ‘in the face of persistent disregard for human rights’, there is ‘a time when speaking out is essential’.
‘Restrictions, threats and attacks against human rights defenders and journalists are often an early warning sign of more widespread human rights violations,’ says ISHR Programme Manager Salma El Hosseiny.
‘We call on the Secretary General, the High Commissioner and other senior UN officials to speak out more strongly and consistently when human rights defenders are systematically repressed, as is currently the case in China, India, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, among others’ says El Hosseiny. ‘This would increase the political cost of such repressive policies and practices, as well as show solidarity with the brave human rights defenders working for a better humanity.’
Together with a group of international NGOs and regional NGOs from the Global South, ISHR was pleased to meet with the Secretary-General immediately following the launch of the Call for Action, stating that it is imperative that the broad commitments therein are followed up on with a clear implementation plan.
‘If the Secretary General’s Call to Action is to be effective and he is prepared to be held accountable, the commitments need to identify who is responsible for implementation and to be concrete, measurable, time bound and adequately resourced,’ Lynch says.
The full Call to Action for Human Rights is available here in English and in French.
During Egypt's UPR adoption at HRC59, Nora Noralla delivered a joint statement on behalf of ISHR, Cairo 52 and Middle East Democracy Center. Watch and read the full statement below.
At the Human Rights Council, Belgium delivered a statement on behalf of over 60 States that 'pays tribute to the numerous achievements and meaningful progress made by women and girls human rights defenders, and emphasises the continued need for their voices to be heard and supported'.
The 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council (16 June to 9 July 2025) will consider issues including civil society space, climate change, sexual orientation and gender identity, violence and discrimination against women and girls, poverty, peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of expression, among others. It will also present an opportunity to address grave human rights situations including in Afghanistan, Belarus, China, Eritrea, Israel and oPt, Sudan, Syria and Venezuela, among many others. Here’s an overview of some of the key issues on the agenda.