Site search

Civil society mobilises, calls for support to at-risk defenders in China

A series of harsh convictions and new detentions, coming on the heels of high-level EU visits, demonstrate that despite its rhetoric, rule of law and universal rights remain anathema to the Chinese Communist Party. The international community needs to back words with action to prevent further violations.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women: Review of China, Hong Kong and Macao

Ahead of China, Hong Kong and Macao's review by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in May 2023, ISHR has prepared an explainer summarising the Committee's work to oversee the implementation of women’s rights, and opportunities for civil society engagement in its review process. Civil society plays a vital role in informing the Committee's assessment, and pointing to key areas of concern.

China and the UN Treaty Body System

In this briefing paper, ISHR looks at the powerful role of China over the UN human rights treaty bodies (UNTBs), identifying the ways in which China deploys influence, from an official discourse that consistently focuses on restricting their scope of work to direct threats to independent NGOs who wish to engage with the UN experts.

China must release Uyghurs, end grave violations, rules UN committee

In landmark ruling, the UN’s committee on racial discrimination has strongly condemned China’s persecution of Uyghurs, and decided, for the first time ever, to refer the situation to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. Reiterating the most serious concerns expressed by the UN’s Human Rights Office and UN independent experts, the committee reminded governments of their obligation to put an end to the most serious human rights violations wherever they occur, in particular racial discrimination.