Resources and Tools

This joint civil society statement was presented to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions at the 39th Session of the Human Rights Council. It expresses appreciation for the continued attention to the issue of arbitrary detention in Venezuela, including against human rights defenders. They also ask the Working group to visit Venezuela, and ask the Venezuelan government to accept and facilitate that visit.

This joint civil society statement was presented at the general debate on country reports and oral briefings at the 37th Session of the Council. It focuses on human rights violations in Honduras and the necessity to implement recommendations made by OHCHR; as well as the grave situation faced by human rights defenders in Colombia.

This civil society statement was delivered during an interactive dialogue at the Human Rights Council, and highlights cases of reprisals against human rights defenders in countries which are members of the Human Rights Council.

This resource provides guidance and a checklist on how to prepare and deliver an oral statement at the Human Rights Council. ISHR Tips & Tricks are a series of guides aimed to support human rights defenders in their advocacy with international and regional human rights mechanisms.

This document suggests elements for voluntary pledges and commitments by candidate member States for election to the Human Rights Council.

This guide explores ways in which advocates can make effective use of the UN special procedures. It shares successful examples and offers recommendations for how to increase the effectiveness of domestic advocacy efforts.

To mark the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur examines the cultural rights approach to the universality of human rights, and the close interrelationship between universality and cultural diversity. She enumerates current threats to universality, calling for foundational renewal and vigorous defence of this principle.

In this report, the Special Rapporteur reviews the situation of women human rights defenders, focusing on the additional gendered risks women human rights defenders face, and recognizes their important role in the promotion of human rights. The report contains recommendations and examples of good practices to support the building of diverse, inclusive and strong movements of women human rights defenders, and to ensure that women defenders are supported and strengthened to promote and protect human rights.

In this report, the Special Rapporteur observes that the policies of the Government: do not duly respect the rights to self-determination and effective participation; contribute to the failure to deliver in the areas of health, education and employment; and fuel the escalating incarceration and child removal rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. He recommends revision of policies, and acknowledgement and addressal of the consequences and prevalence of intergenerational trauma and racism.

A joint statement of Special Procedures, focusing on six individuals facing imminent execution as a result of the criminalization of the exercise of fundamental rights exercised when they were under the age of 18.