Video statement by Zeid to the World Federation of United Nations Associations

41st Plenary Assembly of the World Federation of United Nations Associations
18 November 2015

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I’m delighted to address you for the first time as High Commissioner for Human Rights on the occasion of this plenary assembly.

With a network of over 100 associations around the world, UN Associations are a vital link between people and the work of the United Nations, raising awareness of our work, championing our causes and mobilising support for what we do. You are among our greatest advocates. And with such a huge membership of youth, United Nations Associations are important agents for the changes we all desire for our world.

I am especially heartened that human rights advocacy continues to be central to the work you do: building capacity of civil society to engage with UN human rights mechanisms; helping young people with community-based human rights work; and engaging with Governments on their human rights obligations.

All of this, our work, is rooted in the exercise of public freedoms – the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and the right to participate in public life. They enable people to share their ideas and join with others to make informed decisions, in order to build societies that are safe, resilient and thriving. They enable people to address profound inequalities and discrimination - which are at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Increasingly, we are seeing governments cracking down on precisely the vital public freedoms. Measures to block or limit the democratic space are deadly steps backward. They undermine the basic building blocks of healthy, resilient societies: civil society.

Together, we need to build a broad coalition of actors to protect and hold the line against shrinking arenas for public participation. And we need to seek out people who are coming together to induce change, and champion their work.

The ability of civil society actors to operate freely and safely underpins every activity of the United Nations. Our work to protect fundamental freedoms, and deepen civic space, is one of the most meaningful tasks we can take on.

It is my conviction that the continued support of United Nations Associations to my Office and its mission will help realise the promise of human rights.

I wish you a successful Plenary Assembly.

Thank you.