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

Based in Geneva, the Human Rights Council (HRC) is the main body responsible for human rights at the UN. It oversees and coordinates several mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Both tools are predictable as HRC sessions and UPR sessions happen throughout each calendar year. Here's how they can be leveraged for the defence of the environment.

The Human Rights Council

The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body composed of 47 States rotating through elections. Have a look at its features:

Can't watch the video? Read a transcript with the main takeaways here.

_{Source: ISHR}

At the Council, whether in person in Geneva or sometimes online, environmental human rights defenders can:

• Deliver an oral statement - Example: A woman human rights defender from Panama urges the international community to ensure that solutions to climate issues include the participation of affected communities and denounces State inaction on harmful business activities.
• Organise a side event - Example: Side-event on women, girls and the right to a healthy environment in light of a Special Rapporteur's report.
• Hold a meeting with States - Example: Indigenous organisations contact Geneva permanent missions of States sensitive to their cause to expose the risks they face when defending their land rights and request support through informal diplomacy.
• Contribute to HRC resolutions - Example: Defenders were at the forefront of a groundbreaking resolution on emerging technologies risks and the need for protection in the digital age by proposing specific recommendations that were included in the resolution.
• Influence government statements - Example: Joint statement on behalf of a group of States calling for protecting environmental human rights defenders.

Tip!

Understand the role of the Council and explore opportunities for engagement at the HRC in our dedicated module.

In addition, we that recommend you build and maintain relationships with organisations based in Geneva working on environmental issues for general support in navigating negotiations or participating in the HRC activities mentioned above. They have insider knowledge! You can find a list here.

The environmental dimension of the HRC

The HRC regularly discusses the right to a clean, healthy environment, including the situation of EHRDs. To plan a visit, a statement or a side-event, it is always advisable to check the Council's programme of work, or ask Geneva-based allies. In addition, it is useful to know that resolutions are regularly negotiated.

• For instance, every year, the HRC issues a resolution on climate change. You can find a summary of these resolutions here.

The HRC has incorporated the environment through various cross-cutting issues, including: The human rights of Indigenous Peoples, climate financing, and the impact of climate change on displacement and migration, women's rights, the rights of people with disabilities, those of people in vulnerable situations, and on the right to food and food security.

• The HRC also issues bi-annual and triennial resolutions on human rights and the environment. These resolutions have underscored various topics, including the explicit recognition of the right to a healthy environment (see Section 1.3), the integration of business responsibility and environmental finance safeguards, or the ocean and human rights.
• There are also resolutions that are presented only once. These resolutions mean the HRC examines a situation and issues recommendations on specific topics that contribute to a better understanding of the situation of the protection of the environment, the full enjoyment of human rights and the right to a healthy environment. Example: Biodiversity and human rights.

You can use those resolutions in your advocacy and reference them with different stakeholders to build legitimacy and accountability. Even if the scope of the resolution reflects global issues, they can be used for specific situations. Which one can you list that could be of importance for you?

Finally, it is always important to ask those States who present these resolutions (known as penholders), to reflect the realities on the ground in these resolutions and work together towards a strong resolution.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

The UPR is a country-specific, cyclical, and implementation-oriented mechanism under the auspices of the HRC. It is a peer-review process, meaning that UN Member States review each other on their human rights records, commitments and obligations.

Can't watch the video? Read a transcript with the main takeaways here.

_{Source: ISHR}

_{Source: OHCHR}

UPR sessions are an opportunity to turn the HRC's resolutions and standards into a reality at the national level. It is a powerful entry point to advancing understanding of the right to a healthy environment, other interconnected human rights, and the situation of EHRDs, as you can choose to focus your advocacy on these matters rather than on the general human rights situation in a country.

In addition, if transnational corporations are linked to a harm you are denouncing, you can submit reports to the the State in which they are based, using the principle of extraterritoriality. See this example for China, coordinated by the International Federation of Human Rights, including cases from Latin American countries.

Tip!

Browse through UPR-info's website to see when the next review is scheduled for any State you might be interested in so you can plan your activities, before, during and after the process.

Some tips to maximise your engagement

Before the review, you can:

• Push your government to present information in its National Report via parliamentary bodies, or through ministries.
• Contact your national human rights institution to encourage it to submit information.
• Participate in State-led consultations when available.
• Organise a 'shadow' or alternative report consultation with organisations working on the environment.
• Propose concrete recommendations using the 'SMART' approach - make them specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. You can also propose advanced questions on environmental issues to make sure your government responds to them during the review. Organise meetings with State delegates or attend diplomatic briefings to follow-up on previous recommendations from the last cycle and influence their positions for the next review. Having an idea of the ones with strong environmental and EHRD stands in the past can help you pave your way towards them.

During the review, you can:

• Watch the review and monitor statements to check which States make recommendations aligned with your priorities.
• Organise side events to further discuss environmental issues and raise awareness of the situation in your country.

After the review, once the UPR outcome has been adopted by the HRC, you can:

• Encourage your government to accept and implement its recommendations.
• Raise awareness about the results and monitor implementation of the recommendations.
• Link the UPR recommendations with the work of other UN mechanisms.
• Gather evidence on recommendations breaches ahead of mid-term reporting.

Tip!

The UPR-Info site has also a recommendations database where you can identify previous recommendations made to your State, as well as tools to make your plan easier to structure.

Tip!

For more details on how to engage with the UPR, you can learn from UPR Info's work.

Defender Story

Egypt - Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) submitted an alternative report on economic and social rights

Economic and social rights in Egypt have worsened significantly, especially for groups like women, rural populations, and people living in poverty. Ahead of Egypt’s fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR), several human rights organisations submitted a report highlighting key concerns. They argue that austerity policies have reduced spending on health and education, lowered the quality of services, and limited access to housing and food—hitting marginalised groups the hardest. Additionally, government actions against prisoners and human rights defenders have further harmed their rights.

• Download the report (The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy)

Now, let’s review some experts-based mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, starting with the Special Procedures.