Background

The UN Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity, Ms. Cecilia Bailliet, will conduct an official country visit to Suriname, which has been scheduled to take place from 20 to 29 January 2025. 

During her visit, and as a means of gathering as much information as possible to inform her visit, she intends to convene meetings with all relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to: Government officials; parliamentarians; members of the judiciary; lawyers; journalists; civil society organizations; human rights defenders; Indigenous Peoples, representatives from the private sector; and academia. 

At the end of her visit, the Independent Expert will hold a press conference to present her preliminary findings. The full visit report will be presented to the 59th session of the Human Rights Council in June 2025.

Objectives

The Human Rights Council in its resolution 53/5, broadly defines the mandate of the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity as the promotion of “the realization of the right of peoples and individuals to international solidarity.” In order to pursue this goal, the Independent Expert is authorized inter alia “to seek views and contributions from Governments, United Nations agencies, other relevant international organizations and non-governmental organizations.” As per the same resolution, the Human Rights Council requested that all States, United Nations agencies, other relevant international organizations and non-governmental organizations mainstream the right of peoples and individuals to international solidarity into their activities, cooperate with the Independent Expert in his or her mandate, and supply all necessary information requested by the mandate holder, and requested that States give serious consideration to responding favourably to the requests of the Independent Expert to visit their countries to enable the Independent Expert to fulfil his or her mandate effectively.

Country visits are an important method of promoting the Independent Expert’s mandate. They focus on the collection of information, study and observation regarding the policies and actual practices of States that are relevant to the Independent Expert’s mandate. Country visits are conducted in a spirit of cooperation and dialogue with the concerned Government. The general objective for the Independent Expert is to gain first-hand understanding of issues related to the experience and practice of human rights and international solidarity, including efforts made and challenges remaining, and in particular:

1. To examine and report on the nature and scope of development cooperation and other solidarity activities, policies, and mechanisms in Suriname.
2. To engage in dialogue with the Government, civil society, development agencies, and others, on their efforts to implement cooperation and solidarity at the international and national levels.
3. To identify practical solutions and good practices in international cooperation conducive to the realization of human rights, including economic, social, and cultural rights, as well as civil and political rights in Suriname.

In accordance with the established practice of mandate holders of the Human Rights Council, the Independent Expert welcomes all relevant submissions that Indigenous organisations, States and other relevant stakeholders may wish to transmit for her consideration in advance of the visit. She is particularly interested in receiving inputs on any or all of the following issues, including recent case studies and specific examples of best practice:

• Good practices in relation to the realization of the right and duty of international solidarity, including development cooperation, support for gender equality, and non-discrimination policies. Is solidarity taught within the school system?
• Challenges in the implementation of the right and duty of international solidarity (including expression of international solidarity), whether abroad, in the digital sphere, or within the country.  Are groups subject to surveillance, harassment, defunding, restriction, limitation, or penalization for their engagement in solidarity activities? Or does the state empower civil society engagement in solidarity actions and expressions?
• Scope of enjoyment of solidarity by and with women’s groups, youth groups/students, Indigenous Peoples, minorities, migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, peace activists, LGBTQ activists, environmental/climate change activists, etc. Which mechanisms exist for civil society to present solidarity demands to State and non-State actors (such as corporations)?
• Identification of emerging issues affecting the realization of international solidarity rights, to discuss or seek clarification from the Government.

The Independent Experts also seeks information on the following questions:

• Please describe whether Indigenous Peoples or ethnic minority groups are able to engage in international solidarity networks in regional or international forums? Please provide the names of any such networks or forums and describe what type of mechanism is available for participation?  Are Indigenous Peoples able to access digital media and social media?
• Please indicate whether Indigenous Peoples are able to present solidarity claims to international corporations that have operations in their territories?  If so, please provide information on whether there are transparent, accessible mechanisms within business mechanisms or the State?
• What mechanisms are in place to ensure that State obligations are upheld in order to guarantee that Indigenous Peoples enjoy the right to free, prior and informed consent in relation to activities in their territories? Have domestic and international court decisions had any impact in such cases in practice? 
• Please indicate how Indigenous Peoples perceive international solidarity initiatives pursued by the State in the context of South-to-South cooperation- such as CARICOM, Belt and Road, and bilateral agreements?
• Please provide information as to whether Indigenous persons express international solidarity with non-Indigenous, marginalized groups or vulnerable groups in situations of vulnerability, for example minority ethnic, religious, or political groups, and if so, please name them and explain where this solidarity is expressed (e.g. through digital media, political forums, etc.). Does the group express international solidarity with the environment? 
• Please indicate whether Indigenous People experience hate speech, stereotyping, and discrimination within the society?
• Please indicate whether the State respects the right of Indigenous Peoples to express international solidarity in the form of public protests, or is participation in such protests penalized?
• Are there groups that express international solidarity for women or LGBTI persons?

Treatment of inputs received

Submissions will be considered during the country visit and will inform the Independent Expert’s final report to the Human Rights Council in 2025.

All inputs will be treated confidentially by the Independent Expert and for the purpose of preparing the county visit and the report to the Human Rights Council.

For more on information on the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity and the activities of the mandate please see: Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity | OHCHR