“Every day, environmental human rights defenders face abuse, threats and harassment for their work addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and nature loss,” said Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, during a high-level virtual event co-organized by Sweden and UN Human Rights.

“Accountability and appropriate sanctions for perpetrators are essential conditions for a peaceful and sustainable transition,” says Fabián Salvioli, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.

In his latest report, the Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Olivier De Schutter, said the millions of people thrown into extreme poverty due to the COVID-19 pandemic should be a warning sign. He pushed for the creation of a Global Fund for Social Protection to improve long-term social protection measures and the universalization of social protection floors for low-income countries.

While commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, panellists at the Human Rights Council urge Governments and the UN to step up efforts to address the structural racism and racial discrimination revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic that disproportionally affect racial and ethnic minorities.

In his last report, the UN independent expert on the Sudan, Aristide Nononsi, urges continued international support and engagement with the Sudan to help guide the country through a challenging transition period.