So you have decided that the Human Rights Council is the right mechanism to support your work. Now what?
This Chapter gives you information on the opportunities that exist for civil society to engage with the Human Rights Council. It also offers some tools for you to engage effectively and strategically.
You can engage with the Human Rights Council in several ways, and the method you choose will be dependent on the outcome you wish to achieve.
You can also engage with the Human Rights Council without coming to Geneva.
Oral statements – Present a 1.5-2 minute statement on your issue to the Council members and observers
Side events – Organise a 1 hour public event highlighting an issue that runs parallel to the official sessions of the Council
Meetings with States – Approach diplomats from different States to build your network, brief them on the issues you advocate on, and lobby them to take action
Resolutions – Work with States and other NGOs to try to shape the text of resolutions to suit your advocacy need
Government statements – Engage with diplomats to convince them to make an oral statement to the Council on a particular issue or country situation. A State can do this alone or on behalf of several countries to show greater support for what is said in the statement
In the next sections, you'll find information on why these opportunities might be useful to you, as well as tips on how to take advantage of them most effectively.
