Resources and Tools

This Guide considers strategies and tactics that NGOs can use to contribute to the implementation of UN recommendations at the national level. The Guide is intended for a diverse audience, working in different countries and sectors, and with different areas of focus and expertise. It outlines a range of strategies with a view to NGOs identifying those which are most appropriate to their domestic political, legal, economic, and social contexts and their organisation’s goals, resources, and working methods.

This resource outlines a programme through which civil society organisations (CSOs) can maximise their impact while engaging with the African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR). It provides information, describes challenges and shares tips based on concrete experiences by CSOs working with the ACHPR. The Road Map provides a user-friendly step-by-step 'tour' of each phase of the engagement process, including post-implementation follow-up.

English Version. Available in English and French.

This resource aims to enhance understanding of, and sensitivity to, the specific issues and situations confronted by women human rights defenders (WHRD). It was written in response to calls for a documentation system on violations and abuses against WHRD, to develop protection mechanisms of their needs. This guidebook is intended to be of use to WHRD themselves as part of a continuous process of acknowledging, validating, and transforming their practical experiences and insights into a body of knowledge, theories and tools for use by them and by others.

This resource is a practical guide on how States should consult human rights defenders in the development of National Action Plans (NAPs) and ensure that NAPs include protections for human rights defenders. The publication contains a checklist for how States ought to engage defenders in NAP development, as well as a template of questions which States ought to incorporate into their National Baseline Assessments prior to NAP development, in order to assess and develop policies which impact on the protection of human rights defenders.

English Version. Available in English, French, German and Spanish.

This resource explains the important role of the Third Committee, its purpose and how it operates. It is aimed to increase understanding by civil society, especially human rights defenders and activists, of the Third Committee's crucial work for human rights. The Third Committee is a key part of the UN human rights architecture. It suffers from a lack of civil society engagement which could be improved through greater transparency and understanding of its work, procedures and opportunities for inputs.

English Version. Available in English, French and Spanish.

An essential resource for all NGOs looking to obtain UN consultative status as a means to engage effectively with its human rights system. The UN Committee on NGOs is the body through which all NGO applications for Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) accreditation with the UN human rights system must pass. This handbook is a response to a need for information about decision-making in the Committee and the overall process of accreditation.

English Version. Available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.

Global data shows there is a concerted attack on essential freedoms and business and civil law. Defenders and organisations who expose the risk of abuse by companies in their operations and supply chains are particularly vulnerable. This resource outlines a clear and practical guide to realistic actions by responsible companies, investors, industry associates and business leaders. It elaborates on why businesses should be compelled to join civil society and human rights defenders in resisting the crackdown on their work.

Global data shows there is a concerted attack on essential freedoms and business and civil law. Defenders and organisations who expose the risk of abuse by companies in their operations and supply chains are particularly vulnerable. This resource outlines a clear and practical guide to realistic actions by responsible companies, investors, industry associates and business leaders. It elaborates on why businesses should be compelled to join civil society and human rights defenders in resisting the crackdown on their work.

This handbook is aimed at human rights defenders, rights holders, victims and witnesses, and highlights the risks that they may face when interacting with human rights bodies, including the UN human rights system, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), and the Council of Europe (CoE). The handbook also discusses ways in which defenders can leverage the weight of the UN and regional human rights mechanisms to provide some degree of protection against those risks and promote accountability for perpetrators.

English Version. Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.