2. Advocating at the international level - UN human rights mechanisms

First, let’s have a look at what we call the ‘UN human rights system’ and its mechanisms. Those mechanisms can be used by any human rights defender and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including those working on environmental and climate justice, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, corporate accountability in the context of environmental protection, etc.

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We have identified 5 key mechanisms that might be relevant for your advocacy (explained throughout all this chapter):

1. The Human Rights Council (HRC): Composed of 47 States, it is responsible for monitoring and reviewing human rights issues at the UN, notably through resolutions, based on the votes of its Member States.
2. The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous People: Composed of seven experts, it provides the HRC with expertise and advice on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. It assists Member States in achieving the goals of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
3. The Special Procedures: These working groups or individual experts who monitor, report, and advise on various human rights topics globally or in specific countries depending on their mandate.
4. The Universal Periodic Review: A State peer-review process that examines every UN Member State's national human rights record every 5,5 years.
5. The Treaty Bodies: These are committees of independent experts responsible for monitoring State's implementation of specific treaties that they have ratified or acceded to.

EHRDs can also engage with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) (Section 2.11).

International mechanisms are not isolated tools, they are parts of a living ecosystem. Their true power lies in complementarity: How different mandates, levels of authority, and procedures reinforce each other over time.

How it works:

• Cross-referencing and follow-up: A Treaty Body may refer to findings and recommendations from a Special Procedure’s visit during a State review.
• Amplification: Recommendations from the Universal Periodic Review can be used as evidence in national litigation or policy reform.
• Accumulation: Over time, these overlapping findings create a dense web of accountability that makes it impossible for States to claim ignorance or deny patterns of abuse.

Environmental cases are complex and multifaceted, often linked to poor governance, lack of appropriate regulations, corporate influence, and shrinking civic space. No single mechanism can solve everything. By using different mechanisms together, you can put together all the pieces of the puzzle.

Defender Story

Philippines - Protecting Indigenous land from mining

Indigenous Tuwali communities and environmental defenders in the Philippines opposed the operations of the Australian-Canadian mining company Oceanagold, arguing that the mine threatened their ancestral lands, environment, and rights, and operated without free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) from affected Indigenous communities.

After years of national advocacy, defenders strategically engaged with UN mechanisms — including Special Procedures, the Human Rights Council, and the Universal Periodic Review — while building alliances with international NGOs and Indigenous networks. UN experts publicly raised concerns about environmental destruction, militarisation, and attacks against defenders, increasing international scrutiny on both the Philippine government and the company. The pressure contributed to a provincial restraining order against the mine and strengthened protection, visibility, and legitimacy for defenders on the ground.

• Case-study (ISHR)

TIP! Regional mechanisms can also have an impact worldwide. For example, the Aarhus Convention has extraterritorial scope when companies from a State Party commit human rights and environmental abuses in other countries or territories. In this scenario, the Aarhus mechanism could be used by environmental defenders, even if they are not in the territory of a State Party. If you want to learn more about opportunities to implement the Aarhus Convention worldwide, please see Chapter 3.

Chapter 3 also offers an overview of the regional human rights mechanism available for EHRDs which needs to be complementary with your international advocacy.

Before engaging, it is always good to ask yourself critical questions on the added-value and risks of international engagement - more on this in the next section.