Ensuring virtual participation in UN rights mechanisms

In International Advocacy Program, International and Regional System of human rights protection by CIHRS

His Excellency, Mr António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

Her Excellency, Ms Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UN Geneva)

His Excellency, Ambassador Omar Zniber, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations Office in Geneva and President of the Human Rights Council

cc: His Excellency, Mr Mahamane Cissé-Gouro, Director of the Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Re: Ensuring live online modalities of participation for UN human rights bodies and mechanisms

 

Excellencies,

The undersigned civil society organisations are writing to express our great concern regarding issues of access and participation at the UN Human Rights Council, Treaty Bodies and related mechanisms. We recall the letter signed by 40 civil society organisations on 23 June 2023 welcoming the agreement between the Secretary-General and the President of the Human Rights Council for the 17th cycle to maintain hybrid modalities of participation throughout 2023 and urging the competent bodies to create a mandate that would allow for the consolidation of said modalities.

We deeply regret, however, that the 5th Committee of the General Assembly and its relevant subsidiary bodies in New York failed to provide the required mandate and legislative framework upon which such modalities could have been permanently adopted for 2024. We regret further that, in the recent UPR 45th session, the United Nations Offices at Geneva (UNOG) did not provide modalities for live online participation, as it maintained that it has no mandate for providing hybrid services. Similarly, we are extremely concerned by the negative impact that these measures are having on the functioning of those Treaty Bodies that are currently in session or that will soon begin their sessions, as the online participation of numerous civil society representatives that were scheduled to interact with Treaty Bodies have been cancelled, while hybrid and online meetings are still allowed for States upon request.

We join States in Geneva in expressing our deep concern about the significant negative impact of the lack of provision for live online participation tools on the inclusivity and universality of all UN human rights bodies and mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council, UPR and Treaty Bodies. Civil society organisations have long demanded effective means for remote participation, due to the glaring obstacles faced by rights holders and victims and survivors of violations, as well as people from marginalised and vulnerable communities, in accessing multilateral spaces, including, but not limited to, denial of visas,

resource challenges, travel costs, environmental considerations, security concerns and accessibility for people with disabilities.

For the past four years, the Human Rights Council and other human rights mechanisms in Geneva have set an excellent example for the UN-wide system and strengthened their work through live online interventions and pre-recorded videos, coupled with in-person interventions. These interventions have improved diversity and accessibility and brought defenders and victims of violations closer to the UN human rights system, in turn making the UN more relevant to rights holders. It is disheartening that we now face discontinuation of best practices rather than adoption across the UN mechanisms.

As illustrated by the High Commissioner’s landmark report A/HRC/51/13, “the recipe for effective crisis response and for trust and resilience is a more systematic investment in meaningful, safe and inclusive participation at all levels, coupled with effective measures to protect access to information and an enabling environment for debate as well as the security and holistic protection of those who speak up”.

Additionally, as we have emphasised on different occasions, Geneva is the central hub for human rights conferences at the UN level, and urgent action should be taken to mitigate its contributions to the climate crisis. While in-person meetings are necessary, the possibility of intervention through online participation allows the UN to align its practices with the urgency of reducing carbon emissions. With the HRC sessions getting longer, and the unmitigated planetary crisis, sustainability must be a priority. Ensuring modalities for remote participation also contributes to building greater engagement and ownership of norms and standards.

The undersigned organisations respectfully urge you to:

  • Similarly to 2023, ensure that the necessary provisional arrangements are put in place to allow the UN human rights bodies and mechanisms, including the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms as well as the Treaty Bodies and other mechanisms, to continue to make live online participation available through Zoom, WebEx or other tools in all in-person meetings, both formal and informal, in all its sessions throughout 2024, until mandated otherwise, following the good practices consolidated during the business continuity scheme and the previous arrangements between the Council’s Presidency and the Secretary-General.
  • Ensure that UNOG and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have the budget and mandate to provide all stakeholders engaging with the UN human rights bodies, including the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms, as well as the Treaty Bodies and other mechanisms, with the necessary channels to participate in meetings via Zoom, WebEx or other relevant platforms.
  • Insofar as is necessary and appropriate, address these challenges with the 5th Committee and relevant subsidiary bodies to ensure that the framework and technical requirements for hybrid and virtual services are put in place permanently for the effective participation of all stakeholders, in particular the beneficiaries of the UN system, including human rights defenders, and civil society organisations.

Please accept, Excellencies, the assurances of our highest consideration.

  1. ABC Nepal (Agro- Forestry Basic Health and cooperative Nepal)
  2. ABC TAMIL OLI
  3. Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
  4. ACTION SRI LANKA
  5. ADALAH- The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel
  6. AJIS Association Jeunesse Insertion Solidarite
  7. Akahata – Equipo de trabajo en sexualidades y géneros
  8. Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
  9. Albinism Society of Eswatini ASESWA
  10. Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man
  11. All Survivors Project
  12. Amnesty International
  13. Anti-Slavery International
  14. APLE Cambodia
  15. Aquarius Supervivientes
  16. ARARTEKO. OMBUDS OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY
  17. Arisa
  18. ASSOCIATION BHARATHI CENTRE CULTUREL FRANCO-TAMOUL
  19. Association caritative étudiante pour la jeunesse
  20. ASSOCIATION CULTURELLE DES TAMOULS EN France
  21. Association de Défense et de Promotion des Droits de l’Homme (ADEAGE)
  22. Association de Developpement et de la promotion de Droit de l’Homme
  23. Association des étudiants tamouls de France
  24. ASSOCIATION DROIT ET TALENTS DE FEMMES
  25. Association for emancipation solidarity and equality of women – ESE
  26. Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
  27. Association Humaniste de France
  28. ASSOCIATION LUTTE CONTRE LA VIOLENCE FAITE AUX FEMMES
  29. Association Pour La Diffusion Des Droits De L’homme Dans L’universite De Lyon
  30. Association Pour la Solidarité Internationale
  31. Association pour le Droit de l’Homme et Le Développement Durable
  32. ASSOCIATION POUR LE DROIT DE L’HOMME ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT DURABLE
  33. ASSOCIATION THENDRAL
  34. AsyLex
  35. ATD Fourth World
  36. Austrian League for Human Rights
  37. AYTAÇ VISUAL IMPAIRED VILLAGE
  38. Boutokaan Inaomataia ao Mauriia Binabinaine Association (BIMBA)
  39. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
  40. Caribbean Association for Youth Development (CAYD)
  41. Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice
  42. Central Union for Child Welfare, Finland
  43. Centre for Child Law
  44. Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR-Centre)
  45. Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDD)
  46. Centre for Human Rights and Development
  47. Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia)
  48. Child Rights Connect
  49. Child Rights International Network (CRIN)
  50. Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town
  51. CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality
  52. CIVICUS
  53. Civil Liberties Union for Europe
  54. CNAPE
  55. Colectivo Artesana
  56. Collectif des Ligues et Associations de Defense des Droits de l’Homme au Rwanda ”CLADHO”
  57. Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP)
  58. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)
  59. Conectas Direitos Humanos
  60. Conscience and Peace Tax International (CPTI)
  61. Convention Against Enforced Disappearances Initiative (CEDI)
  62. Corporación Programa La Caleta
  63. Defence for Children International
  64. Défenseurs plus
  65. Derechos Digitales · América Latina
  66. Državljan D / Citizen D
  67. Edmund Rice International
  68. Enfants Solidaires d’Afrique et du Monde (ESAM)
  69. Equipo Decenio Afrodescendiente- España
  70. ETUDIANTS POUR UNE SOCIETE DURABLE PARIS
  71. European Network on Statelessness
  72. EuSouEu A Ferrugem
  73. FEED
  74. FIAN International
  75. FIAN Norway
  76. FIDH
  77. Fondation « Zanmi Timoun
  78. Freer Press Unlimited
  79. Fundación Cónclave Investigativo de las Ciencias Jurídicas Y Sociales (CIJYS)
  80. Fundacion Nuevas Bandas
  81. Geledés – Instituto da Mulher Negra
  82. Global Alliance against Traffic in Women
  83. Global Detention Project
  84. Globe International Center
  85. Greek Helsinki Monitor
  86. Haïti débout pour les droits des enfants
  87. Hivos
  88. “Hope For Children” CRC Policy Center
  89. Hochstrittig.org
  90. Human Rights Center for Citizens of Mongolia, NGO
  91. Human Rights Watch
  92. Humanists International
  93. Hungarian Helsinki Committee
  94. IFEX
  95. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
  96. ILGA World
  97. IMPETUS
  98. International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
  99. International Catholic Child Bureau
  100. International Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents
  101. International Commission of Jurists
  102. International Disability Alliance
  103. International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights
  104. International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA)
  105. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
  106. International Social Service – General Secretariat
  107. International Tibet Network
  108. International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW AP)
  109. Irish Council for Civil Liberties
  110. JEUNESSE ETUDIANTE TAMOULE
  111. Justiça Global
  112. Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children
  113. LE CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL POUR LES DROITS DE L’HOMME
  114. LE PONT
  115. Les Caribous Libérés
  116. LGBT CENTRE MONGOLIA
  117. Make Mothers Matter (MMM)
  118. Methoria
  119. Molo Songololo
  120. Mongolian Women’s Employment Supporting Federation NGO
  121. MOSCTHA
  122. MOVIMIENTO MOVILIZANDONOS por una cultura de DERECHOS DE NIÑOS, NIÑAS Y ADOLESCENTES EN CHILE
  123. National Secular Society
  124. Netherlands Helsinki Committee
  125. NGO for Children Confederation
  126. Norwegian Helsinki Committee
  127. Norwegian Peoples Aid
  128. Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund – SAIH
  129. Oyu Tolgoi Watch
  130. Paradigm Initiative
  131. Peace Brigades International
  132. People Forum for Human Rights (people Forum)
  133. Plan International
  134. Plataforma de Infancia
  135. Polish Foster Care Coalition (in Polish: Koalicja na rzecz Rodzinnej Opieki Zastępczej)
  136. POURAKHI Nepal
  137. Privacy International
  138. QADER for Community Development
  139. Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice
  140. Red para la Infancia y la Familia – Peru
  141. REDE DE MULHERES NEGRAS DE PRNAMBUCO
  142. Réseau des Organisations de la Société Civile pour l’Observation et le Suivi des Elections en Guinée – ROSE
  143. Rivers without Boundaries Coalition
  144. Rural Reconstruction Nepal
  145. SAMAAP
  146. Save the Children
  147. Sexual Rights Initiative
  148. Shakti Samuha
  149. Sisters Trust
  150. Steps Without Borders NGO
  151. StopIGM.org / Zwischengeschlecht.org
  152. TAMIL UZHAGAM
  153. Tamil-Style
  154. Tanzania Child Rights Forum
  155. TB-Net
  156. Terre des Hommes International Federation
  157. The Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  158. The Norwegian Forum for Development and Environment (ForUM Norway)
  159. The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara
  160. Tibet Justice Center
  161. TOURNER LA PAGE
  162. Transbantu Association Zambia
  163. Transitional Justice Institute, Ulster University
  164. UN Program, Occidental College
  165. UNICEF Ireland
  166. Vicaría de Derechos Humanos de la Arquidiócesis de Caracas
  167. WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform
  168. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
  169. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
  170. World Uyghur Congress

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