ISHR is pleased to launch its new guide to the UN Special Procedures, an essential tool for human rights defenders seeking to engage more strategically with these experts, for greater impact on the ground.
In a report launched on 28 April 2025, ISHR examines China’s efforts to restrict access for independent civil society actors and human rights defenders in UN human rights bodies. The report provides an analysis of China’s membership of the UN Committee on NGOs, the growing presence of Chinese Government-Organised NGOs (GONGOs), and patterns of intimidation and reprisals by the Chinese government.
ISHR and its partners call for a transparent and merits-based selection of UN independent experts – one that considers diversity, lived experience, independence, and geographic balance.
On 9-10 April, ISHR coorganised a consultation meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, in partnership with the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), to revitalise the process towards the adoption of a national law to promote and protect defenders.
