27th Annual Meeting of Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts and Chairs of Working Groups

The 27^th Annual Meeting of Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts and Chairs of Working Groups will take place in Geneva from 31^st August to 3^rd September 2021, following a gap in 2020 due to COVID 19 pandemic. The Annual Meeting offers mandate holders the opportunity to discuss issues of common interest, coordinate their work and meet with a range of stakeholders, including States and civil society organizations.

This years' meeting will focus on strategic issues as well as on working methods. Attention will be given to the following related topics:

• In terms of working methods, the discussions will cover issues such as the update of the Manual of Operations, communications, reprisals, security-related issues, or good practice in engaging with former mandate holders.
• In terms of strategic issues, mandate holders will engage with UN agencies on the prevention role of special procedures. They will also have a discussion with high-level UN officials on the Call to Action for Human Rights and what could be the contribution of special procedures in this context. They will have a discussion on implementing their mandates in time of COVID and beyond. They will also share experiences on the impact of the work of special procedures and their engagement with stakeholders on follow-up. Mandate holders will also discuss the current financial and COVID-19 related situations and the Dignity at Work.
• During the week, they will also meet with key stakeholders, including the High Commissioner, the President of the Human Rights Council, the Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, the Assistant Secretary General for strategic coordination in the Executive Office of the Secretary General, UN agencies, regional mechanisms, States, and civil society.