AFTERNOON - Special Rapporteur Tells Human Rights Council How Governments Have Implemented Restrictive Laws and Intense Stigmatising Campaigns to Silence Civic Activism
Over 10 Per Cent of Women Globally Are Trapped in a Cycle of Extreme Poverty, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Tells the Council
The Human Rights Council this afternoon held the second part of its annual discussion on the human rights of women with a panel discussion on human rights economy and women’s human rights. It also started an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, said that, since the establishment of the mandate, significant progress had been made to advance the understanding of these rights and strengthen the normative framework at international, regional, and national levels. However, these gains were at severe risk. Authoritarianism, populism and anti-rights narratives were rising, while democracies were being blacklisted. Civil society, activists and social movements faced violence, attacks, criminalisation, and arbitrary detention, and hundreds had been killed or coerced into exile.
Ms. Romero said the report outlined how Governments had implemented restrictive laws and intense stigmatising campaigns to silence civic activism. States needed to take urgent action to counter growing stigmatisation and hostile narratives; ensure effective implementation and compliance by all States of their international obligations to respect and protect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; and ensure that counter terrorism and other measures of national security did not undermine civic space.
The Special Rapporteur presented the reports of the previous mandate holder, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, on his official country visits to Algeria and Peru, and those countries spoke as countries concerned.
In the discussion, some speakers, among other things, supported the mandate that had offered important guidance on policing civil society protests. A number of speakers said the former Special Rapporteur had flouted the code of conduct for Special Procedures mandate holders and had not paid due attention to information provided to him by States, calling on the current Special Rapporteur to use the information provided to her by States and treat relevant issues objectively and impartially. Some speakers expressed concerns about the report’s observations of growing attacks on civic space and the rights to freedom of expression and of association, with rising authoritarianism globally. There needed to be urgent, unified action to protect the rights of human rights defenders and civil society.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Council held the second part of its annual discussion on the human rights of women with a panel discussion on human rights economy and women’s human rights. The first part of the annual discussion was held in the previous meeting and a summary can be found here.
Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said global inequality and poverty were growing. Currently, more than 10 per cent of women globally were trapped in a cycle of extreme poverty, and as many as 342 million women (8 per cent) would still be living in extreme poverty by 2030. The lack of the recognition and the unequal distribution of care and support work deprived women and girls of equal opportunities to education, work, and participation in public life. It was time to re-evaluate the concepts of unlimited economic growth, based on deeply embedded gender and other inequalities within and across countries, unsustainable exploitation of environment, and the disregard for States’ obligations to realise economic, social, and cultural rights. There needed to be an economic paradigm shift towards a human rights economy which dismantled structural barriers and prioritised investments in human rights.
Hyshyama Hamin, Campaign Manager of the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law and panellist, said women and girls globally were affected by discriminatory family laws and practices, which consequently had multiple intersecting impacts in all other areas of their lives. The positive impacts of equal family laws and practices on women’s economic rights were far-reaching. To accelerate progress, the international community needed to prioritise and promote egalitarian family laws and practices. Accelerated progress toward gender equality could result in huge economic gains for a country.
Emanuela Pozzan, Senior Gender Specialist at the International Labour Organization and panellist, said the recently concluded International Labour Conference in Geneva adopted a resolution which focused on decent work and the care economy, and affirmed that care work was fundamental to human, social, economic and environmental well-being, as well as to sustainable development. For the first time, the international community shared a common understanding of the care economy and acknowledged that a well-functioning and robust care economy was critical for building resilience to crises, and for achieving gender equality and inclusion while addressing other inequalities.
Savitri Bisnath, Senior Director of Global Policy, the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School and panellist, said economic policies could help ensure that the root causes of, and structural barriers to, poverty and inequalities experienced by women and girls were intentionally addressed and redressed for equitable and inclusive economies and societies. There was consensus that the current economic model was failing to deliver economic prosperity for all. There was an urgent need for reform of the global debt architecture. Economic policies needed to be aligned with human rights and environmental justice goals.
In the discussion, some speakers, among other things, said current macroeconomic systems still contained structural barriers that prevented the realisation of gender equality and the full enjoyment of all human rights for all women and girls. The current system completely ignored unpaid care work, which was at the heart of gender inequalities, one speaker said. The current global economic architecture often perpetuated gender disparities. States must strive to reform the international financial architecture, speakers said, and to end all practices which perpetrated gender inequality. Many speakers called for all discriminatory practices which limited women’s economic rights to be eliminated.
Speaking in the panel discussion on the rights of women were Spain, Iran, Qatar on behalf of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, European Union, Luxembourg on behalf of a group of countries, Iceland on behalf of a group of countries, Chile on behalf of a group of countries, Venezuela, Ecuador, United Nations Development Programme, Honduras, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Malaysia, Viet Nam, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, France, Qatar, Costa Rica, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Belarus, Bulgaria, United Nations Population Fund, and International Development Law Organization.
Also speaking were Make Mothers Matter, Action Canada for Population and Development, Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII, Plan International, Inc., International Planned Parenthood Federation, Women Deliver, Inc., Alsalam Foundation, Geledés - Instituto da Mulher Negra, Rajasthan Samgrah Kalyan Sansthan and Promotion du Développement Economique et Social – PDES.
Speaking in the discussion with the Special Rapporteur were Czechia on behalf of a group of countries, Lithuania on behalf of a group of countries, Canada on behalf of a group of countries, European Union, United States on behalf of a group of countries, Belgium on behalf of a group of countries, Liechtenstein, Ireland, Costa Rica, United Nations Children’s Fund, Iran, Egypt, Armenia, Maldives, Indonesia, Iraq, United States, Colombia, Russian Federation, Malaysia, Lesotho, Georgia, China, Tunisia, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Holy See, Togo, Cameroon, Cuba and Paraguay.
Speaking in right of reply at the end of the meeting were Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Israel and Armenia.
The webcast of the Human Rights Council meetings can be found here. All meeting summaries can be found here. Documents and reports related to the Human Rights Council’s fifty-sixth regular session can be found here.
The Council will next meet on Monday, 1 July at 10 a.m. to hold the quadrennial panel on promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal, followed by the continuation of the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
Annual Full-Day Discussion on the Human Rights of Women: Human Rights Economy and Women’s Human Rights
Opening Statement
NADA AL-NASHIF, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said global inequality and poverty were growing. Around 4.8 billion people, more likely to be women, were poorer than they were pre-COVID19 pandemic. Currently, more than 10 per cent of women globally were trapped in a cycle of extreme poverty, and as many as 342 million women (8 per cent) would still be living in extreme poverty by 2030. Current economic, legal and policy frameworks hindered the achievement of gender equality. The existence of gender discriminatory laws and practices had a severe impact on women’s and girls’ enjoyment of economic rights, including the right to work and the right to social protection. A study showed that in 102 countries, women’s rights to inherit their husband’s property were denied under customary, religious, or traditional laws and practices. Even when laws granted women equal economic rights as men, these were often not implemented.
Women and girls were still perceived as the primary caregivers, meaning globally on average, they spent 2.4 hours a day more on such work than men. The lack of the recognition and the unequal distribution of care and support work deprived women and girls of equal opportunities to education, work, and participation in public life. Furthermore, unsustainable and unprecedented levels of global public debt, combined with conditionalities of foreign financial assistance, were constraining the fiscal space of States and leading to drastic cuts in public services and denials of economic, social and cultural rights. Women would likely disproportionately face the brunt of such cuts, as they were over-represented in the public services’ workforce.
It was time to re-evaluate the concepts of unlimited economic growth, based on deeply embedded gender and other inequalities within and across countries, unsustainable exploitation of the environment, and the disregard for States’ obligations to realise economic, social, and cultural rights. There needed to be an economic paradigm shift towards a human rights economy which dismantled structural barriers and prioritised investments in human rights.
Statements by Panellists
HYSHYAMA HAMIN, Campaign Manager of the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law, said no country worldwide had achieved full legal equality between women and men, according to the World Bank. Inequality often started in the family. Women and girls globally were affected by discriminatory family laws and practices, which consequently had multiple intersecting impacts in all other areas of their lives. Inequality in family law limited women’s and girls’ right to education, employment, economic independence, and full participation in society. It further increased their risk of facing gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices, such as child and forced marriage. The Global Campaign had noted from multiple contexts that unequal family laws and practices impacted the financial rights of women.
According to the World Bank, Women, Business and the Law 2024 report, of 190 economies, 76 countries restricted women's property rights; 19 countries had laws that allowed husbands to legally prevent their wives from working; 43 countries did not grant widows the same inheritance rights as widowers, and 41 countries prevented daughters from inheriting the same proportion of assets as sons. Women performed 2.5 times more unpaid care work than men, which was largely invisible and unaccounted for in national economies.
The positive impacts of equal family laws and practices on women’s economic rights were far-reaching. Accelerated progress toward gender equality could result in huge economic gains for a country. To accelerate progress, the international community needed to prioritise and promote egalitarian family laws and practices; and all States needed to ensure their family laws and practices were aligned with article 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. All actors needed to support family law reform as a priority.
EMANUELA POZZAN, Senior Gender Specialist at the International Labour Organization, said care needed to be part of a just transition. The recently concluded International Labour Conference in Geneva adopted a resolution which focused on decent work and the care economy, and affirmed that care work was fundamental to human, social, economic and environmental well-being, as well as to sustainable development. This care work, paid and unpaid, was essential to all other work. For the first time, the international community shared a common understanding of the care economy and acknowledged that a well-functioning and robust care economy was critical for building resilience to crises, and for achieving gender equality and inclusion while addressing other inequalities.
The current social organization of care placed a disproportionate share of unpaid care work on women, which hindered women’s economic inclusion and effective labour market participation, widening gender gaps in the world of work, and leaving many without adequate access to social protection. The distribution of unpaid care work was highly feminised. Women performed 76.2 per cent of the total amount of unpaid care work: 16 billion hours per day – 3.2 times more than men. While such care could be rewarding, its excessive intensity and arduousness could undermine the economic opportunities, well-being, and enjoyment of rights for unpaid care providers. Over 600 million women remained outside the labour force because of family responsibilities. Over 380 million care workers, two thirds of whom were women, made up the global paid care workforce, where they were less well paid and less protected.
Recent years had brought a worldwide improvement in maternity protection policies, leave and care services, thanks to social dialogue. However, the existing challenges and gaps in care leave policies and services could not be ignored. The resolution was clear: action needed to be taken. Investing in the care economy was an added value for all countries, societies and people.
SAVITRI BISNATH, Senior Director of Global Policy, the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at The New School, said that the role of the economy was in part to facilitate human flourishing. The material realities of women and girls were linked to many sectors and policies: from health care, education, employment, sovereign debt burdens, taxation, and climate change. Economic policies could help ensure that the root causes of, and structural barriers to, poverty and inequalities experienced by women and girls were intentionally addressed and redressed for equitable and inclusive economies and societies. There was consensus that the current economic model was failing to deliver economic prosperity for all. For example, it was common knowledge that women were often paid less than men for the same work and that within countries women were also discriminated against based on race, age and geographic location.
The United Nations Secretary-General had pointed to the many challenges facing the world community, including geopolitical and economic fragmentation with growing inequalities mostly affecting women and girls, the cost-of-living crisis, and the poorest countries on debt row facing insolvency and default, all of which led down the path of deepening instability. There was an urgent need for reform of the global debt architecture. The ideal of free human beings enjoying freedom from fear and want could only be achieved if conditions were created whereby everyone could enjoy their economic, social and cultural rights, as well as their civil and political rights. Economic policies needed to be aligned with human rights and environmental justice goals. An economy grounded in human rights principles and standards would facilitate transparency and accountability, as well as space for social dialogue, scrutiny and participation. It was essential for increasing trust, cohesion and inclusion within societies.
Discussion
In the discussion, some speakers among other things, welcomed the fact that the Human Rights Council had dedicated its annual debate on women to discussing how to transform macroeconomic systems to advance women's rights. This was an important matter; women played a crucial role in economic development.
Current macroeconomic systems still contained structural barriers that prevented the realisation of gender equality and the full enjoyment of all human rights for all women and girls. Macroeconomic systems were not gender neutral and were key to not leaving women behind. Moreover, unsustainable and unprecedented levels of global public debt, along with lack of sustainable development, disproportionately affected women and girls both directly and indirectly.
The current system completely ignored unpaid care work, which was at the heart of gender inequalities, one speaker said. It was time to turn this around, and to repurpose and redesign systems, institutions and policymaking, so that they served the long-term wellbeing of people and the planet, not the other way around. It was vital to have a human rights economy which sought to prioritise investment in economic, social and cultural rights, as well as the right to development. Integral to a human rights economy was taking steps towards eliminating gender-based discrimination and reducing gender inequalities by taking a human rights-based approach.
The current global economic architecture often perpetuated gender disparities.
States must strive to reform the international financial architecture, speakers said, and to end all practices which perpetrated gender inequality. The transformative potential of a human rights economy would remain hollow without addressing the global financial architecture as a colonial structure, one speaker noted. Reforms of the international financial architecture needed to be guided by human rights standards and gender perspectives.
A number of speakers called for all discriminatory practices which limited women’s economic rights to be eliminated. States should cultivate an enabling economic environment which embraced women in all their diversity. Men and boys needed to be involved as agents of change and strategic allies. The international community needed to introduce inclusive policies, considering the gender perspective, and placing people and human rights first.
There was a need to focus more on women’s leadership positions to encourage women to participate in economic life, one speaker said. The international community should adopt a macroeconomic policy based on human rights. Investing in financial resources for women was crucial when it came to fostering equal societies.
Some speakers emphasised their commitment to real equality between men and women, and to a feminist foreign policy. They outlined national measures taken to empower women and ensure their participation and development. These included allocating investment to maintaining social programmes which empowered women’s rights; establishing a department on women’s empowerment; implementing electoral and business quotas for women; investing in building the capacities of women and in women’s education; recognising the value of care; equal access to education and the job market; increased compulsory paid maternity leave; and increasing women’s participation in leadership positions, among other measures.
Some speakers raised questions including: how could it be ensured that macroeconomic policies effectively incorporated a gender perspective? How could further cooperation be enhanced to ensure women’s and girls’ rights were being integrated into Member States’ economic policies?
Concluding Remarks
HYSHYAMA HAMIN, Campaign Manager of the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law, in closing remarks, said the world was in the midst of multiple global crises and the global financial architecture was mired in inequalities. Women and girls were faced with inequalities at a family level and were further pressured by economic institutions and discriminatory macroeconomic policies. It was commendable that Governments were taking measures to promote women’s access to employment, but inequalities would persist if there continued to be discrimination in the family. Reforming family laws was essential, as was the implementation of positive laws and good practices promoting women’s economic rights. The international community needed to recognise this as a priority issue. States with reservations to article 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women needed to lift them. Family laws needed to promote equal inheritance rights. Financial contributions from States were needed to account for unpaid care work. The global community needed to push forward with the reform of family laws to promote the rights of women and girls.
EMANUELA POZZAN, Senior Gender Specialist at the International Labour Organization, said the International Labour Organization resolution on the care economy and decent work referred to the “Five Rs framework”; recognise, reduce, redistribute, reward, and represent. This framework provided an integrated and coherent strategy to achieve gender equality and deficits within the care economy. To recognise, meant to measure unpaid care work, and advances were being made in this regard. It was important to invest in quality care policies and services, which would allow women and men and the State to redistribute unpaid care work. As the care sector was highly feminised, there received lower wages. This was why it was important to reward care workers. This could be done through measures, including transparency wage legislation. It was important for care workers to be represented and to have a seat at the table. The Five R’s framework represented a way to address structural barriers and build a more equal world of work.
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association
Reports
The Council has before it the report of Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association on preserving the gains and pushing back against the global attack on civic space and growing authoritarianism (A/HRC/56/50) and the reports of the previous mandate holder, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, on his visit to Peru (A/HRC/56/50/Add.1) and his visit to Algeria (A/HRC/56/50/Add.2).
Presentation of Reports
GINA ROMERO, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, said that, since the establishment of the mandate, significant progress had been made to advance the understanding of these rights and strengthen the normative framework at international, regional, and national levels. The mandate had been instrumental in this progress.
However, these gains were at severe risk. The world was witnessing a widespread, systematic, and concerted global attack. Authoritarianism, populism and anti-rights narratives were rising, while democracies were being blacklisted. Civil society, activists and social movements faced violence, attacks, criminalisation, and arbitrary detention, while hundreds had been killed or coerced into exile. The report outlined how Governments had implemented restrictive laws and intense stigmatising campaigns to silence civic activism. So-called “foreign agent” laws had been widely instrumentalised by States to clamp down on dissent and public participation. The misuse of such laws endangered the existence of civil society because they undermined the legitimate work of civil society and access to resources and created a climate of hostility for anyone exercising their rights to public participation and expression. The report also highlighted how armed conflicts, the environmental crisis, flawed electoral processes, and lack of regulation of digital technologies severely impacted these rights.
This historic election year, power holders had used elections to further restrict fundamental freedoms and undermine democracy. Disinformation and populism had been widely exploited during elections to promote anti-rights agendas and had contributed to attacks and restrictions on civil society, human rights defenders, media, unions and protests. Many of the measures taken by States to restrict civil society and close civic space were done under the guise of preserving national security and fighting crime, terrorism or violent extremism. However, these measures often had the opposite effect: they closed the space for participation, dialogue, and the inclusion of marginalised groups, victims, and citizens to voice their concerns and demands. This led to deepened resentment, fostered conflicts, and strengthened authoritarian regimes that threatened world peace and security. The obstruction of freedom to peaceful assembly and association rights also adversely impacted the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
States needed to take urgent action to counter growing stigmatisation and hostile narratives; ensure effective implementation and compliance, without double standards, by all States of their international obligations to respect and protect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; and ensure that counter-terrorism and other measures of national security and sovereignty did not undermine civic space. States also needed to facilitate environmental activism to promote climate justice and ensure safe access for environmental activists; allow meaningful participation in public affairs by all segments of society, including vulnerable groups; ensure that technology was not used to suppress or repress freedoms; and end impunity and ensure victim-centred accountability to end the cycle of repression against civil society and protesters. The implementation of the Model Protocol presented by the previous mandate holder, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, in March to this Council would be an important step.
Mr. Voule had conducted an official country visit to Algeria in September 2023. He was the first Special Rapporteur to visit Algeria since 2016 and since the Hirak movement, which brought hundreds of thousands of Algerians to the streets, demanding political reform. Several positive initiatives had been undertaken by the Government, including the human rights protections provided in the 2020 Constitution. However, the report on the visit expressed concerns about the continued repression and intimidation of individuals and associations critical of the Government and the continued use of unconstitutional laws and practices from the pre-Hirak era to severely restrict the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. Ms. Romero joined Mr. Voule in calling on the Government of Algeria to treat civil society as a valued partner and urged it to implement the recommendations in the report towards building mutual trust with civil society; meeting the promise of the Hirak; and complying with Algeria’s Constitution and international human rights obligations, through updating domestic legislation. This included repealing article 87 bis of the Criminal Code.
Mr. Voule also conducted an official visit to Peru in May 2023. The report expressed concern about allegations of excessive and indiscriminate use of force, extrajudicial executions, and mass arbitrary detentions by security forces in the context of mostly peaceful protests that began in December 2022. The report highlighted the need to address the root causes of the protests, specifically persistent discrimination of indigenous and rural communities in the social, political and economic spheres. The report urged the Peruvian Government to ensure effective accountability mechanisms, as well as access to justice, and adequate remedies and reparations for all victims, including a public apology from the Presidency of the Republic. Other important steps included measures to restore confidence in democratic institutions, as well as the strengthening of the capacity and resources of the Office of the Ombudsman. Ms. Romero expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, and readiness to continue the dialogue with the Government.
Further, Mr. Voule conducted an official country visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in April 2024. A report on the visit would be presented to the Council next year. Ms. Romero said she would welcome furthering the dialogue with the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to address the preliminary concerns expressed by Mr. Voule and the mandate was available for any technical assistance.
Ms. Romero concluded by paying tribute to the young people around the world who were taking to the streets to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Statements by Countries Concerned
Algeria, speaking as a country concerned, expressed gratitude to the Special Rapporteur for his visit to Algeria and for the comprehensive report he presented following his mission. Algeria was firmly committed to open dialogue and cooperation with mechanisms of the United Nations. The close cooperation between the Government and civil society in Algeria was shown through initiatives such as the creation of the National Observatory of Civil Society. Regarding some specific points raised in the report, Algeria was aware of the challenges and concerns related to freedom of association. However, it was essential to clarify certain additional elements. Concerning the ongoing legislative reforms in Algeria, the process was complex and required time owing to the need for thorough consultations. Nonetheless, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to continue this reform process in a transparent and inclusive manner.
Algeria stressed that freedom of association was fully exercised in conformity with the law and international standards. The restrictions mentioned in the report were necessary to prevent the financing of terrorism and to ensure the autonomy of associations. Freedom of worship was guaranteed by the Constitution. The closure of unauthorised places of worship was carried out for security reasons and in compliance with standards, together with measures to support religious organizations. The classification of terrorist organizations was compliant with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Workers and their trade unions exercised their rights freely without any interference from the Ministry of Labor in Algeria. Algerian legislation clearly defined the conditions for holding demonstrations while respecting public order. Algeria took note of the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur and reiterated Algeria's firm commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights at all levels.
Peru, speaking as a country concerned, said the visit from the Special Rapporteur came as part of the standing invitation to all Special Procedures, showcasing the country’s commitment to human rights. The Government provided cooperation before, during and after the visit and enabled the Special Rapporteur to meet with a diverse range of stakeholders. Peru appreciated the report and the recommendations were being carefully considered. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur was consistent with the rights to freedom and peaceful assembly. Enjoyment of these rights should not be confused with criminal activities and violence that went beyond social existence.
As was detailed in the annex to the report, the State believed there were comments that were out of context. Peru agreed with the Special Rapporteur that States had an obligation to investigate human rights obligations. Peru was committed to respecting human rights and addressing the political crisis in the country. The Peruvian Government continued to work in a coordinated matter with different bodies nationwide to strengthen the mechanisms for all citizens, especially those who were most vulnerable. Peru was firmly committed to respect, promote and guarantee human rights to the whole population, without discrimination.
Discussion
In the ensuing dialogue, some speakers, among other things, supported the mandate that had offered important guidance on policing civil society protests. A number of speakers said that the former Special Rapporteur had flouted the code of conduct for Special Procedures mandate holders and had not paid due attention to information provided to him by States, calling on the current Special Rapporteur to use the information provided to her by States and treat relevant issues objectively and impartially. One speaker also expressed disappointment that the current Special Rapporteur’s report had been submitted late and thus could not be translated into the six official languages of the United Nations.
Some speakers expressed concerns about the report’s observations of growing attacks on civic space and the rights of freedom of expression and association, with rising authoritarianism globally. One speaker said there had been attacks against journalists in at least 111 countries since 2015, mainly perpetrated by police. Vague foreign agent laws, counterterrorism laws and anti-money laundering laws were restricting and victimising civil society. Such legislation was being misused, particularly online, to silence critics of governments and repress civil society. Such legislation was disproportionately affecting vulnerable persons, including women, children, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons.
Some speakers said civil society was the backbone of a healthy democracy. Civil society helped to promote transparency and accountability. Human rights defenders were leaders of social change, shedding light on human rights violations and enabling United Nations entities to carry out their mandates. The voices of the human rights defenders needed to be heard. One speaker commended athletes who used their profiles to speak out about topics related to social justice. They said that athletes’ right to speak out needed to be protected.
Children needed to have a voice in topics affecting their lives, one speaker said. There were concerning barriers to children exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. The abuse of children who spoke out had long-lasting effects on their development and well-being. States needed to protect child human rights defenders.
States needed to work together to ensure civil society’s rights of freedom of peaceful assembly and association, some speakers said. There needed to be urgent, unified action to protect the rights of human rights defenders and civil society. Some speakers presented national legislative and policy measures to protect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association; investigate cases in which these rights were violated by authorities; develop regulations on policing demonstrations; and train law enforcement officials on human rights and international standards on freedom of expression.
Some speakers said that proportionate restrictions, as prescribed by relevant international norms such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, could be applied to freedom of expression and association to protect the rights of individuals. There was a need to balance the right to freedom of expression with the need to protect national security. No freedom was absolute.
A number of speakers raised concerns about the use of force by law enforcement in response to protests and legislation in a number of countries and territories.
Some speakers asked how the Council could encourage States to withdraw activities and policies challenging civil society; how the international community could discourage countries from implementing restrictive foreign agent laws; how States could ensure that civil society engagement was meaningful and safe; and how to counter the spread of harmful narratives about civil society and honour their achievements and successes.
They also asked how States could protect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association in the context of widespread misinformation and disinformation; how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence were affecting the exercise of freedom of expression and association, and how the international community could develop standards to regulate the use of such technologies; how policies could be developed to prevent the degradation of civil space; and how to balance the right to freedom of expression with the rights to security and safety.
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