This month, we look at some of the highlights from the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council so far: from a public tribute to Cao Shunli in Room XX - ten years after China disrupted our first attempt to do so -, to efforts to push for accountability in Sudan and Afghanistan, as well news from human rights defenders working on Guatemala, Venezuela, Nicaragua and the Philippines. Read on for more!
Despite protests from China and its allies, human rights organisations paid tribute to the late activist Cao Shunli by holding a moment of silence and applauding her nameduring a debate at the UN Human Rights Council, ten years after her death.READ MORE >
ISHR supported Sudanese woman human rights defender Tahani Abbas' engagement at the Council's debate on the High Commissioner's report detailing horrific violations and abuses by warring parties in Sudan. Read her full joint statement and key messages here. READ MORE>
ISHR's Executive Director Phil Lynch joined a panel of State representatives, UN experts, and civil society actors in discussing transnational repression, delving into its definition, forms, and vital recommendations for States and experts in moving forward. READ MORE >
Amid increased repression in Venezuela, UN officials, experts and States call for respect for human rights defenders, the release of those arbitrarily detained, fair elections and the unconditional return of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.READ MORE >
Guatemalan Indigenous defenders spoke before the Human Rights Council, emphasising the 'historic opportunity' their country is experiencing, but also highlighting the deep, enduring and systemic problems that must be urgently addressed. READ MORE >
At the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council, ISHR supported human rights defender Ricardo Lamour, from the organisation Bout du Monde, in engaging with the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report on Canada.READ MORE >
During an interactive dialogue with States at the Human Rights Council, the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN) once again expressed its frustration at the lack of cooperation from Nicaraguan authorities.READ MORE >
Speaking at the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur (SR) on human rights defenders, former Senator Leila de Lima welcomed the focus of the SR's report on gender-based threats and attacks against young defenders.READ MORE >
Nazifa Jalali, along with ISHR, called on States to establish an investigative mechanism to contribute towards accountability for the Taliban's human rights violations and to continue to support Afghanistan’s human rights movement.READ MORE >
Ten years after her death, we are campaigning for authorities in Geneva to place a bust of Cao Shunli in an emblematic location of their city, near the international institutions she sought to cooperate with. Join us in paying tribute to her and all human rights defenders seeking truth and justice at the UN, despite real and serious risks: sign our petition now!READ MORE >
'My passion is the defence of the right to land and territory,' says Lourdes Gómez, a land rights defender and professor working on issues affecting Indigenous women defenders and the impacts of palm oil production.READ MORE >
