UN expert calls for declaration on the right to international solidarity

GENEVA (28 June 2023) – International solidarity is a foundational principle in the promotion and protection of human rights across the world, a UN expert said today.

“Embracing international solidarity demands concrete actions and genuine commitment from all of us,” said Obiora C. Okafor, the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity, as he addressed the Human Rights Council today.

“Governments, civil society organisations, individuals have a role to play in fostering a culture of solidarity,” he said.

In his report to the Council, Okafor presented a revised draft Declaration on the right to international solidarity, highlighting the importance of international solidarity in the promotion and protection of human rights globally.

The report sheds light on the link between international solidarity and the achievement of the United Nations sustainable development goals, including the eradication of poverty, provision of quality education and healthcare, achievement of gender equality and protection of the environment.

“The main reason for revising the existing draft Declaration is to update it to respond to important human rights-related developments that have occurred since its preparation,” the expert said.

The adoption of a Declaration on international solidarity would be a significant step towards a more just, equitable and compassionate world, providing a framework for States and all stakeholders to strengthen collective action and cooperation for the protection of human rights.

Okafor called for support from members of the Human Rights Council to advance the adoption of a Declaration based on the revised draft.

The expert also presented a report on his official visit to Costa Rica in 2022 to the Human Rights Council.

ENDS

Mr Obiora C. Okafor was appointed by the Human Rights Council as the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity in June 2017. He is the Edward B. Burling Chair in International Law and Institutions at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, Washington DC, USA. He is also a former Chairperson of the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee.

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity.