HRC ELECTIONS: 14 MEMBERS WITH MIXED RECORDS JOIN THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

The UN General Assembly voted to elect 14 new members of the Human Rights Council for a term from 2023 to 2025. Critically, seven States who gained a seat have been cited for carrying out reprisals against human rights defenders engaging with the UN.

TOO MANY HRC MEMBERS, CANDIDATES FLAGGED FOR REPRISALS

Ahead of yesterday’s elections at the Human Rights Council, 12 of its members and nine of this year’s candidates had previously been cited by a UN Secretary-General report for carrying out reprisals against human rights defenders.

BRAZIL MUST BASE PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY ON THE PRICINPLE OF LIFE, RIGHTS PROTECTION

On 4 October 2022 during the General Debate Item 9 of HRC51, ISHR and LabJaca delivered a joint statement highlighting the disproportionate killing of Brazil's Black population, in particular the massacre in Jacarezinho last year.

SYRIA: INCREASING SUPPORT FOR NEW UN INSTITUTION ON THE FATE OF THE MISSING

During a dialogue with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Taafi initiative and ISHR delivered a joint statement urging States to heed Syrian victims’ call to establish a new UN body to work on revealing the fate and whereabouts of the missing and to provide support for the families.

CIVIL SOCIETY CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE KILLINGS OF DEFENDERS IN SOUTH AFRICA

During HRC51 General Debate Item 8, ISHR, and Abahlali baseMjondolo, delivered a joint statement supported by 47 organisations, denouncing the killings of human rights defenders in South Africa, particularly those working to defend land, housing and environmental rights, as well as activists fighting corruption.

VENEZUELAN DEFENDERS TO CONTINUE TO RELY ON SUPPORT OF UN MISSION

States at the UN Human Rights Council have voted to renew the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Venezuela (FFM) for another two years, ensuring the continuation of a mechanism that has become central to the work of human rights defenders.

CALLING ON BURUNDI TO COOPERATE WITH SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR, FIGHT SELECTIVE IMPUNITY

Fortuné Gaetan Zongo presented his first written report, in accordance with resolution 48/16, which established his mandate as UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Burundi. He stressed the dire situation of defenders who have at times been forced into exile where they live in great precariousness.

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR TO MONITOR ABUSES, CIVIL SOCIETY CRACKDOWN IN RUSSIA

States at the UN Human Rights Council have voted to establish a dedicated Special Rapporteur to monitor the dire and deteriorating human rights situation in Russia and report on violations committed against civil society.

AFGHAN CIVIL SOCIETY CONTINUES TO CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY - HRC MUST LISTEN, ACT NOW!

Civil society welcomed the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan. This is a key communication channel between defenders and survivors inside Afghanistan and intergovernmental decision-making spaces.

DESPITE STATES' FAILURE, UYGHURS, RIGHTS GROUPS WON'T GIVE UP EFFORTS TO HOLD CHINA ACCOUNTABLE AT THE UN

A group of States at the United Nations Human Rights Council betrayed principles of human rights, non-discrimination and accountability in opposing a historic resolution in response to a UN report finding possible crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese government against Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples.

#ENDREPRISALS CAMPAIGN: WE DID IT!

HRC RENEWS FACT-FINDING MISSION ON VENEZUELA

REFUSING TO TURN AWAY (UN HEADQUARTERS (NY), 12 OCT., 1:15pm EST)

The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, together with the Governments of Ireland, Norway, and the United States, CIVICUS, Front Line Defenders, ICNL, ISHR and The Solidarity Center will hold a side event to launch the Special Rapporteur's thematic report to the Third Committee: "Refusing to turn away: Human rights defenders working on the rights of refugees, migrants and asylum-seekers."

Not in New York? Watch the livestream here.

THINKING 'GLOCALLY': FROM THEORY TO ACTION ON SYSTEMIC RACISM

On 29 September, the UN Anti-Racism Coalition (UNARC) organised a virtual side event aiming to break down the silos surrounding efforts to move towards resolving systemic and structural racism, and to open pathways to concrete solutions that are informed both by the academic research and also by empirical research happening in impacted communities.

DEFENDING LAND AND PROTECTING RIGHTS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOUTH AFRICA'S UPR

Ahead of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process for South Africa, this HRC51 side event, held on 30 September, addressed the human rights situation in the country, focusing on challenges faced by human rights defenders in the exercise of their rights to land and housing.