You can engage with the Human Rights Council in different ways - including delivering an oral statement, planning a side event, meeting with States, negotiating resolutions, and pushing for government statements. This section focuses on planning a side event.
You can organise side (or parallel) events on issues that are relevant to the work of the Human Rights Council.
Side event at the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in China (September 2022) (53 min)
During the 36th regular session of the Human Rights Council in September 2017 member States were negotiating a resolution on reprisals.
During this session, ISHR organised a side event inviting human rights defenders, UN experts and States to discuss the issue. Holding a side event on a topic that was being discussed during the same session of the Council generated interest and ensured good participation by States and NGOs. During the side event, three human rights defenders spoke very passionately about their personal experiences and the situation in their communities and countries.
The side event was able to achieve much more than merely highlight the fact that reprisals exist and that they are a problem. By presenting testimonies and relevant experiences, the side event was able to connect the HRC negotiations on the resolution to the reality of the ground, and motivated diplomats to engage in a more committed way with the resolution.
Side event on Applying a Woman Centred Approach to Access to Justice (September 2018) (49 min)
Side event at the Human Rights Council on South Africa focusing on challenges faced by human rights defenders in the exercise of their rights to land and housing. This event was organised in September 2022 by Habitat International Coalition and co-sponsored by the Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, Abahlali baseMjondolo, Civicus, and ISHR.
A side event can:
Consider:
