The urgent need to defend Environmental Human Rights Defenders
This video is a compilation of the voices and personal journeys of brave EHRDs from Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.
URG Insights
Is the Tide Turning? How states vote on Africa-focused resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council
by Nicolas Agostini, Representative to the United Nations for DefendDefenders, Hassan Shire, Executive Director of DefendDefenders (the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project) and the Chairperson of AfricanDefenders (the Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network), based in Kampala, Uganda
Since the opening of DefendDefenders' Geneva office, in 2018, we have engaged in advocacy with the UN human rights system and brought dozens of human rights defenders (HRDs) to the Palais des Nations. We have also made a deliberate effort to produce reports on multilateral dynamics. Many of our mandate countries – including Burundi, Eritrea, South Sudan, and Sudan – are on the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). The research effort behind our latest report originates in the will of our staff and HRD partners to better understand the politics around resolutions on African countries. It also comes from a form…
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Latest policy report
May 2024
Protecting the Frontline: Good practices for Recognising and Supporting Environmental Human Rights Defenders
Across the world, environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) have been catalysing actions to safeguard a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Their work has been crucial…
Download View onlinePrevious policy reports
Understanding human rights related to the environment: exploring their scope and implications
The objective of this document is to provide information about the status and scope of human rights related to the environment to States, United Nations…
Read moreThe emergence and evolution of National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up
Universal Rights Group's groundbreaking new policy report on national mechanisms for implementation, reporting, and follow-up (NMIRFs) addresses head-on, and for the first time, one of…
Read moreThe Human Rights Council in 2023
What were the main developments, achievements and flash-points at the Human Rights Council in 2023? What were the Council’s principle outputs and what kind of…
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future events
past events
Pre-Glion X Policy Dialogue with the Permanent Missions of Thailand and Mexico on the ‘Geneva’s’ contribution to the General Assembly’s 2021-2026 review of the Human Rights Council: an opportunity to reflect on the Council’s effectiveness and on-the-ground impact.’
The Permanent Missions of Thailand and Mexico will host the second of three preparatory Policy Dialogue ahead of the 2024 Glion Human Rights Dialogue (Glion X). The overall theme of this year’s Glion is: ‘Transforming universal norms into local reality...
- June 5, 2024 - 9:00 - 15:45
- Permanent Mission of Thailand / Geneve 1202
- By invitation only
FX 22 - How to operationalise the Human Rights Council’s prevention mandate - the eyes, ears, and outreached hand of the UN system
GA resolution 60/251 founding the Council and setting out its mandate makes clear that it shall ‘contribute, through dialogue and cooperation, towards the prevention of human rights violations and respond promptly to human rights emergencies,’ (operative paragraph 5f). However, for...
- May 31, 2024 - 13:00 - 15:00
- The Danish UN Residence / Chambésy
- By invitation only
Consultations for civil society and other stakeholders in Tanzania to share good practices on leveraging State engagement with the UN human rights mechanisms to advance SRHR
URG proposes to organise a workshop/consultation with Tanzanian civil society, the national human rights institution, and the media, to provide a space for frank dialogue under the Chatham House rule, where participants can share views, good practices and the challenges...
- May 28, 2024 - 9:00 - 14:00
- Seashells Millennium Hotel, Dar es Salaam / Dar es Salaam
- By invitation only
The Istanbul Process is a mechanism for follow-up on the implementation of the Human Rights Council plan to combat religious intolerance.
Impact OSS is a data management tool that helps States manage recommendations received from UN human rights mechanisms.
ALLIED is a network of civil society actors (83 organisations and 180 individuals) working to protect, celebrate, recognise and support ILEDs throughout the world.