OHCHR | Call for input to the report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders to the Human Rights Council on the positive change achieved by human rights defenders

call for input | Special Procedures

Call for input to the report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders to the Human Rights Council on the positive change achieved by human rights defenders

Issued by

Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders

Deadline

20 October 2022

Purpose: Submissions received will inform the thematic report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of positive change achieved by or contributed to by human rights defenders in your country since the publication of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in 1998. The report will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2023.

Background

Human rights defenders are persons, who individually, or in association with others, work peacefully to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental
freedoms, in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.

In 2023, we will mark the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which for the first time recognised the specific right to defend human rights. Since then however, human rights defenders have frequently been subjected to attack, criminalisation, threats, smear campaigns and discrimination because of their peaceful work on behalf of others. Despite these challenges, human rights defenders have achieved significant successes over the past 25 years in bringing about more equitable and just societies.

Objectives

This report hopes to capture some of those successes and demonstrate why human rights defenders are essential actors in securing rights.

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

The questionnaires can be downloaded below in English (original language), Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish (unofficial translations).

Input/comments may be sent by e-mail. They must be received by 20 October 2022.

How inputs will be used

Contributors can remain anonymous. They can provide their contact details in case we need to contact them in connection with this survey. However, note that this is optional.

Media inquiries

For any media inquiries, please contact hrc-sr-defenders@un.org

Next Steps

Input/comments may be sent by e-mail/fax/postal mail. They must be received by 20 October 2022.

Email address:
hrc-sr-defenders@un.org

Email subject line:
Input for report on the positive change achieved by human rights defenders

Word limit:
2000 words

File formats:
Word, PDF

Accepted languages:
English, Spanish, French

Postal address:
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland