Calls for Input from Organizations of Persons with Disabilities

 

When persons with disabilities participate in decision-making processes, it provides strong support towards ensuring that policies, strategies, programs and operations to be more effective in addressing barriers to inclusion and more relevant in supporting their full and equal participation.

Persons with disabilities have first-hand experience of the challenges they face and know better what can be done to enhance their rights and wellbeing. In addition, active participation of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations is a key part of shifting attitudes and dismantling stigma.

—Consultation Guidelines of the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy

Our unique perspectives draw on our own expertise and experiences and can help shape and inform programmes, policies and practices – including beyond disability-specific matters- to strengthen inclusion for everyone.

Let’s put our participation to practice by seizing these opportunities*:

• Safety as an element of the right to education and a precondition for its full realization, 20 December 2024
• Secretary General’s report on just transition and human rights, 30 December 2024
• CESCR calls for written contributions to the draft general comment on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Environmental Dimension of Sustainable Development, 6 January 2025
• EMRIP report on the right of Indigenous Peoples to their traditional economies, 31 January 2025
• EMRIP study on “Indigenous Peoples right to data, including data collection and disaggregation”, 31 January 2025
• Reflections on the “super election” year and its global impact on the protection of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and for ensuring effective and inclusive public participation, 31 January 2025

*Information on this webpage will be updated regularly. Don’t miss out: place a bookmark for easy access to check on the latest calls for contributions.

Safety as an element of the right to education and a precondition for its full realization, deadline 20 December 2024

The Special Rapporteur on the right to education is seeking inputs to infom her annual thematic report to be presented at the 59th session of the Human Rights Council in June 2025. She plans to take stock of the implementation of international standards and guidelines, national legislation and policies, as well as innovative community practices, to ensure physical, digital and psycho-emotional safety in educational settings, within the framework of ensuring the enjoyment of the right to education and human rights for all.

In addition, the Special Rapporteur will analyse the challenges and shortcomings within existing systems, identifying barriers such as inadequate laws and policies, implementation gaps, under-resourced programs and services, all of which may hinder the creation of a safe educational environment. This includes addressing a wide range of school safety issues, such as physical infrastructure (safe buildings, emergency procedures), prevention of violence, bullying, harassment, and protection from external threats (e.g., use of weapons and school shootings, surveillance).

Safety directly affects access, quality and equality in learning environments. Without safety, students face significant barriers to participation, limiting their ability to learn and thrive. The lack of safety also impacts equality, as groups living in vulnerable situations are often exposed to greater threats to their safety, exacerbating educational disparities.

Background

States have an international obligation to take positive measures to ensure that schools provide a secure learning environment, free from threats of violence and discrimination, and to ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn in a safe and supportive environment. This is a fundamental aspect of realizing the full scope of the right to education under international human rights law. Under Art. 26 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR), Art. 19 of the Convention of the Rights of the child (CRC) and Art. 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), quality education is not limited to mere access but includes the environment in which it is provided. International commitments under the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) include ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. This encompasses the provision of safe, non-violent and effective learning environments where safety is seen as integral to achieving quality education and reducing inequalities in education.

The Special Rapporteur is inviting input from States, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, national human rights institutions, academics, educators, business actors, as well as civil society organizations.

Questionnaire : English | Français | Русский | Español

Questions (feel free to respond to those which are most relevant to your work)

1. Please provide examples of national legislation and/or policies governing physical, digital, emotional and psychological safety in education, including measures to address:
   1. Challenges related to building and upgrading educational facilities to be child-, disability-, and gender-sensitive, and that provide safe, non-violent, inclusive, and effective learning environments for all.
   2. Presence of security personnel in schools, including armed police or other law enforcement officials;
   3. Access to schools and safety en route to and from schools, including safe transportation;
   4. School health and safety services, including water and sanitation, school meals, medical support and vaccination requirements to access education;
   5. School violence, including physical and sexual harassment, bullying, weapons, and school shootings, as well as existing reporting mechanisms;
   6. Data privacy and cybersecurity;
   7. Cyberbullying and any form of online violence against students, teachers and staff;
   8. Surveillance in schools and educational environments, including online surveillance, facial recognition and emotional recognition;
   9. Mental health, including sufficient mental health resources, counselling and psychological support for students struggling with stress, anxiety, depression and trauma.
2. How does your country’s education policy address the balance between security measures, like facial recognition, surveillance or school security officers, and the rights of students to privacy and a non-intimidating learning environment?
3. What are the national regulatory approaches to monitoring and ensuring safety? These may include licensing, accreditation, monitoring of compliance with safety requirements and the work of oversight bodies. Are there different safety requirements for public and private educational institutions and safety requirements for homeschooling and private tutoring?
4. Please share recent statistics on safety incidents, violence, bullying and harassment in schools at the national level. Which data collection methods are used to track such incidents, and how is the data used to shape policies? Which indicators are used for measuring safety in education?
5. What at are the legal standards of criminal, civil or administrative liability of students under 18 years old, for harm they caused in an educational context. Please include examples where either their parents (legal guardians) or educational institutions would be held liable for such harm. Please provide reference to available cases.
6. Please share available information on militarization and securitization of public schools, including presence of the military in or around schools, compulsory military training in schools, teaching of military-related subjects or the recruitment of students for the army by either state or non-state entities. Which rules govern the work of specialized military schools?
7. Please provide examples of institutional measures to ensure safety in educational institutions, such as safety protocols, emergency preparedness protocols, teacher trainings, crisis management plans.
8. Please provide examples of community-based measures to ensure safety in education, such as ‘neighbourhood watch’, carpooling or other community projects.

For more information, visit the Special Rapporteur’s dedicated webpage.

CESCR calls for written contributions to the draft general comment on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Environmental Dimension of Sustainable Development, deadline 6 January 2025

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is developing a general comment on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Environmental Dimension of Sustainable Development. The purpose of this general comment is to clarify the specific obligations of States parties relating to the Environmental Dimension of Sustainable Development under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

By way of public consultation, the Committee invites interested individuals and organizations, including States, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, academics, international and regional organizations and experts, to make a written contribution to the draft general comment.

The Committee has prepared the draft general comment available at the link below. Be advised that the current unedited version will be replaced by an edited version on 5 November 2024. French and Spanish versions will be posted as soon as they become available.

Draft General Comment

English | Français | Español (Word)

Contributions of up to 1750 words/5 pages in word format and in English, Spanish or French may be sent by e-mail to [email protected] with the email subject line: Written contributions – GC on SD and ICESCR, by 6 January 2025.

For more information, visit the Committee’s dedicated webpage.

EMRIP report on the right of Indigenous Peoples to their traditional economies, deadline 31 January 2025

Background

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 33/25, during its seventeenth session in 2024, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) confirmed its decision to prepare a report on “The right of Indigenous to their traditional economies.” This report will be presented at the sixtieth session of the Human Rights Council in September 2025.

The report of the Expert Mechanism is meant to provide better understanding of the provisions of the Declaration and propose concrete actions that States, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations, international organizations, national human rights institutions and others can take to further its implementation.

Objectives

The purpose of this report is to promote the recognition and strengthening of Indigenous Peoples’ traditional economies and enhance the capacity of Indigenous Peoples’ institutions to participate in relevant management and decision-making processes regarding traditional economies and related rights.

The report will address efforts to promote and protect Indigenous Peoples rights to freely engage in all their traditional economies as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration in article 20 affirms that Indigenous Peoples have the right to maintain and develop their political, economic and social systems, including the enjoyment of their own means of subsistence and development, and to engage freely on all their traditional and other economic activities. Furthermore, article 25 affirms that Indigenous Peoples have the right to maintain and strengthen their distinctive spiritual relationship with their traditionally owned or otherwise occupied and used lands, territories, waters and coastal seas and other resources and to uphold their responsibilities to future generations in this regard. Article 29 affirms that Indigenous Peoples have the right to the conservation and protection of the environment and the productive capacity of their lands, territories and resources. Article 32 establishes that Indigenous Peoples have the right to determine and develop their own priorities and strategies for development of their lands, territories and resources. Most significantly, States are obligated to consult and cooperate with Indigenous Peoples in good faith, through their own representatives’ institutions, in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent prior to approving projects that affects their lands and territories, and to provide effective mechanisms for just and fair redress and take appropriate measures, to mitigate adverse impacts.

The report also aims to promote Indigenous Peoples’ right to their traditional economies for achieving sustainable development, particularly in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

To assist all parties in contributing to this report, Expert Mechanism sets out below some of the elements it intends to focus on, but is not limited to, in its report.

• Analysis of international legal instruments and standards: Examine the human rights framework and international law concerning the right of Indigenous Peoples rights to their traditional economies and sustainable livelihoods. Provide insights into social development initiatives that empower Indigenous communities in maintaining their traditional economies and analyse the intersection between Indigenous rights and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Review existing national legal frameworks: Analyse the national legal protections for Indigenous Peoples’ traditional economies, identifying gaps and necessary reforms. Strengthening the national legal frameworks is essential to safeguard lands, culture, Indigenous knowledge, and traditional livelihood practices, that reinforce Indigenous economic systems. Consider how these legal frameworks align with the United Nations Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other relevant international standards and commitments.
• Assess governance structure and decision-making processes:Examine the level of engagement of Indigenous institutions in governance and decision-making related to their traditional economies and natural resource management within relevant economic and environmental decision-making processes. Identify barriers to participation and develop strategies for enhancing Indigenous representation and influence in these processes.
• Provide insights into Indigenous traditional economic practices: Gain insights into Indigenous traditional economic activities such as hunting, fishing, and gathering, subsistence farming, and their contributions to the conservation of biodiversity, Indigenous knowledge and cultural identity. Recognizing and promoting these sustainable livelihood practices is vital for strengthening Indigenous economies and sustaining Indigenous culture and Indigenous knowledge systems.
• Importance of Indigenous food systems and sovereignty: Examine the concept of food sovereignty and how Indigenous food systems contribute to food security while preserving the cultural heritage of Indigenous Peoples. Understanding the role of these food systems within traditional economies supports the recognition of Indigenous rights to maintain their traditional livelihoods, access their lands and manage resources sustainably, which in turn strengthens institutional capacity to advocate for and support these rights.
• Highlight examples of good practices: Identify successful case studies where Indigenous peoples use traditional knowledge to navigate challenges and adapt to the impacts of climate change on their economies. These examples can serve as models for promoting and recognising effective strategies in traditional economic management of Indigenous peoples and contribute to sustainability efforts that address environmental challenges.
• Offer concrete recommendations for States and Indigenous Peoples and other stakeholders: Provide concrete actionable suggestions that facilitate the recognition and strengthening of Indigenous traditional economies. Recommendations should include:
• For States: Implement policies for Indigenous Peoples that ensure their right to free, prior, and informed consent; develop and strengthen legal frameworks that protect Indigenous rights to traditional economies; and support capacity-building initiatives that empower Indigenous institutions.
• For Indigenous Peoples: Develop strategies to engage in policy dialogue with governments; strengthen local governance structures to enhance participation in decision-making and management of resources; and share best practices among communities to bolster traditional economic activities.

How inputs will be used?

A draft report will be introduced by the Expert Mechanism at its 18th annual session, due to take place in July 2025, after which it will be finalized and presented to the Human Rights Council at its sixtieth- session in September 2025. The Expert Mechanism hereby requests contributions from Indigenous Peoples, States, National Human Rights Institutions, Academics, and other Stakeholders, including UN agencies, programmes and funds, for this report. Please note whether the submission is confidential and should not be shared publicly.

For more information, visit OHCHR’s dedicated webpage.

EMRIP study on “Indigenous Peoples right to data, including data collection and disaggregation”, deadline 31 January 2025

Background

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 33/25, during its seventeenth session in 2024, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) confirmed its decision to prepare a study on “Indigenous Peoples right to data, including data collection and disaggregation”.

The studies and advice of the Expert Mechanism provide a better understanding of the provisions of the Declaration and propose concrete actions that States, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, national human rights institutions, intergovernmental, international and regional organizations, businesses, and others can take in order to further its implementation.

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to highlight the significant value of data to Indigenous Peoples while analyzing the right to data, including through collection and disaggregation. It draws on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), in accordance with Articles 3, 4, 5, 15(i), 18, 19, 20(i), 23, 31, 32, 33, 38, and 42, which reaffirm the rights of Indigenous Peoples to control data regarding their peoples, lands, and resources. Indigenous data governance enacts those rights through mechanisms grounded in Indigenous rights and interests that promote Indigenous values and equity, while providing a framework for addressing deeper historical issues associated with barriers for underrepresented communities and knowledge systems. Data on indigenous women requires specific attention.

To assist all parties in contributing to this seminar, the EMRIP sets out below some of the elements it intends to focus on in its study.

Analysis of international human rights law and jurisprudence within both regional and international bodies that will serve to gain greater awareness and understanding of the rights of Indigenous Peoples to data.

Challenges to data collection and disaggregation concerning Indigenous Peoples: In all relevant data collection exercises, questions on Indigenous identity with full respect for the right of self-identification have to be included. It is important to develop multiple criteria with local Indigenous Peoples’ active and effective participation to accurately capture identity and socio-economic conditions. variation in the definitions of “Indigenous Peoples” has a direct impact when collecting data.

Data on Indigenous women: Indigenous women suffer compounds forms of discrimination. This has resulted in higher degrees of poverty, limited access to healthcare services, information and communication technology, infrastructure, financial services, education and employment, and higher rates of violence. In order to secure the rights of indigenous girls and women, States must engage in data collection efforts to fully assess the situation of Indigenous women and girls and the forms of discrimination and gender-based violence that they face. States must undertake efforts to collect data, disaggregated by a range of factors, including sex; age; Indigenous origin, status or identity.

Data and sustainable development: This will focus on the role of data in reforming laws, policies, programmes and support measures at the national, subnational and local levels. Data is important for the effective monitoring of State actions, including in the context of consultations with States prior to their periodic reporting to Treaty Bodies and under the Universal Periodic Review. Improving socio-economic conditions, creating development assistance programs, and taking into account the interests of social subgroups in the situation of vulnerability requires reliable and complete statistical data on Indigenous Peoples, obtained both as a result of government censuses and independently obtained, including by Indigenous Peoples themselves.

Data and the right to self-determination: Measures taken by States to implement the Declaration within the context of data collection to comply with the right of self-determination. Indigenous Peoples’ rights of self-determination means that they have the right, in line with evolutions in knowledge, technology, data, and other advancements.

Data and the right to free, prior and informed consent: Data collection concerning Indigenous Peoples should follow the right of free, prior and informed consent at all levels and the human rights of Indigenous Peoples. On the other hand, data collection and disclosure of comprehensive project related information is crucial for the fulfillment of the principle of the right to free, prior and informed consent. Data is an important tool for Indigenous Peoples’ dialogue with States and businesses. For Indigenous Peoples living in voluntary isolation, data collection exercises should not be used as a pretext for establishing forced contact.

Data and participation. Indigenous Peoples should fully participate as equal partners, in all stages of data collection, including planning, implementation, analysis and dissemination, access and return, with appropriate resourcing and capacity-building. Data collection must respond to the priorities and aims of Indigenous Peoples themselves. Participation of Indigenous Peoples in the conceptualization, implementation, reporting, storing, processing, analysis and dissemination of data collected is crucial, at both the country and international levels. Indigenous Peoples should be trained and employed by data-collection institutions and have access to all data concerning them.

Indigenous data governance and sovereignty: This focuses on the aspirations of Indigenous Peoples to extend their inherent right of self-determination over research data, especially in an era of increasing digitization and novel forms of sharing information. Indigenous Peoples should be able to preserve from disclosure data concerning their traditional knowledge and sacred sites. Collection of all Indigenous Peoples related data is subject to ethical standards and respect for human rights. Data and the right of self-determination supports the concept of Indigenous data sovereignty.  Although the concept of Indigenous Data Protection and Data Sovereignty is relatively new it is defined as “the right of Indigenous peoples to own, control, access, and possess data that derive from them, and which pertain to [tribal] membership, knowledge systems, customs or territories.

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

Submissions should be sent by email to [email protected] no later than 31 January 2025, in English, French, Spanish or Russian, in WORD format and no longer than 5 pages. Submissions should focus on the theme contained as above.

How inputs will be used

A draft study will be introduced by the Expert Mechanism at its 18th annual session, due to take place in July 2025, after which it will be finalized and presented to the Human Rights Council at its sixtieth session in September 2025. The Expert Mechanism hereby requests contributions from Indigenous Peoples, States, National Human Rights Institutions, Academics, and other Stakeholders, including UN departments, agencies, programmes and funds, for this report. Please note whether the submission is confidential and should not be shared publicly.

Input/comments of maximum 5 pages in English, French, Russian or Spanish, and in word format may be sent by e-mail to [email protected] with the email subject line: Call for inputs on Indigenous Peoples right to data, including data collection and disaggregation. They must be received by 31 January 2025 18:00 CET.

For more information, visit OHCHR’s dedicated webpage.

Reflections on the “super election” year and its global impact on the protection of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and for ensuring effective and inclusive public participation, deadline 31 January 2025

Purpose: To inform the UN Special Rapporteur’s thematic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council-59th session in June 2025

Background

Reflecting on the apparent trends of crackdown on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the UN Special Rapporteur Ms. Gina Romero will examine the global impact and emerging challenges on the exercise and protection of these rights in the context of the “super election” year (2024). The report will analyse the threats to exercising these rights in the context of general elections (in the run up to, during, and post-election periods) for the period 2023-2025, through highlighting emblematic case studies from different contexts, while examining the contextual environment and the role of different actors contributing to these threats. The Special Rapporteur will further seek to explore the enabling role played by the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association towards ensuring inclusive, participatory and more credible elections, and for the realisation of the right to participate in public affairs of everyone without discrimination, without discrimination, including on grounds of religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity.

This report will build on the report presented to the UN General Assembly by the mandate in 2013 on the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the context of elections (A/68/299). It will further expand on a statement “on strengthening democracy and human rights in a year of worldwide elections” issued by the mandate jointly with other UN experts in April 2024. As highlighted in the statement and observed by the Special Rapporteur, as also reflected in numerous allegations and complaints received by the mandate in the past months, the current electoral environment has been marred by hostility and attacks targeting democratic freedoms and opposition actors, violence and arbitrary arrests of opposition candidates and political leaders, as well as human rights defenders, media workers and election observers, and violent repression of peaceful protests. Often the repression of opposition political actors and civil society has been carried out through instrumentalising legal tools and politicised judicial and prosecutorial institutions. As a result, these acts not only violated the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, but have seriously hampered the right of people to vote and participate freely in elections, and undermined the credibility of elections, in some cases leading to post-election violence or deepening of political instability.

The report will further analyse and provide recommendations to counter the worrying trend of clampdown on public freedoms and closing of civic space in the context of the global “super election year” cycle.

The Special Rapporteur would further seek to identify positive practices, in addition to identifying current gaps, to enable people’s participation in democratic processes and policymaking, and strengthen participatory democratic institutions.

As many protests in the context of the recent elections, especially those voicing dissent and calling for accountable, free, fair and credible elections, have been met with violence and repression, the report will seek also to identify what mechanisms should be put in place by States, including their law enforcement institutions, to de-escalate tension and promote and facilitate dialogue. The report would provide further recommendations concerning how to strengthen democratic institutions and mechanisms to ensure they can act as guardians and guarantors of rights and democratic freedoms for everyone without exclusion or discrimination, and to also strengthen and protect public participation in general in decision-making, in policies development and implementation.

Objectives

The information provided will contribute to the development of the thematic report by the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, which will be presented at the UN Human Rights Council 59^th session in June 2025.

The report aims at identifying and analyzing the trends, challenges, threats and good practices and lessons-learned for the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association in the context of the “super election year” (examining the period 2023-2025). The report will further seek to provide crosscutting analysis with regards to ensuring diversity and inclusion related to gender and sexual diversity, ethnic minorities, and historically marginalized groups.

It will provide recommendations to States, regional and international actors, including the UN, to strengthen democratic institutions and mechanisms to ensure inclusive and participatory elections and an environment fostering political dialogue and meaningful public participation. Recommendations will be also offered to ensure this “super election year” turns into an opportunity to strengthen protection of, and to counter negative impacts of restrictions on these freedoms during the elections, and also for strengthening inclusive public participatory mechanisms.

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

Member States, international and regional organisations, National Human Rights Institutions, Civil Society actors, political parties, and other interested stakeholders and experts are encouraged to submit inputs with regards to the following questions, providing: i) information and analysis of specific examples affecting the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association (in the run-up to, during and post-election periods during 2023- 2025), taking into account the challenges from intersectional perspectives, such as gender and sexual diversity, ethnic, racial, cultural minorities and historically marginalised groups; and ii) concrete examples of good practices, strategies and recommendations of how to strengthen and protect civic freedoms and foster public participation to ensure inclusive elections; and to strengthen democratic processes and institutions to prevent, protect and counter growing global attacks on public freedoms and to foster public participation in general; iii) lessons learned.

A. Questions for Civil Society, NHRIs and political parties:

1. What have been the key trends, challenges and restrictions related to the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association which you have experienced/monitored in the context of the general elections in your country in the period 2023-2025 (before, during and after the elections) – taking into account the intersectional implications (with regards to the rights to people belonging to minorities, marginalised groups, and concerning sexual and gender diversity)?
   • Please provide some concrete examples of measures or actions which you observed/experienced that have directly aimed at, or indirectly restricted the exercise of these rights during the general elections in this period, especially with relation to opposition parties/candidates, political and election rallies, those expressing dissent, voicing concerns about electoral irregularities, or promoting human rights and inclusivity?
   • In comparison with election rallies organized by or in support of the ruling political party in the same period – how do you assess these restrictions? Please provide concrete examples of comparison.
2. Have there been any specific legislative or policy measures adopted during the elections period, impacting these fundamental freedoms (prior, during or after elections)?- If so, what were these measures and what has been their impact on the ability of people to freely and without discrimination participate in the electoral process, including in forming, joining and campaigning for opposition and minorities political parties?
3. If your country experienced any protest related to the electoral process, what has been the reaction and conduct of State authorities, including the law enforcement institutions, with the view of their duty to facilitate the right to peaceful assembly?- What measures (if any) have been taken prior to the elections to guarantee and ensure the right to peaceful assembly throughout the election cycle?- Have there been concrete measures put in place (either by authorities or law enforcement institutions) to ensure everyone can exercise safely their right to peaceful assembly, specifically addressing challenges and barriers faced by the individuals belonging to minorities, women, LGBTQ+ or other minorities historically marginalised and known for facing increased violence during election periods, especially in context of increased polarisation?

   – Have these measures been effective in your view and why? What do you think are the lessons learned?

4. What measures for public and CSOs collaboration and participation in decision-making and policies development exist in your country, including with regards to devising or implementing election-related law and policies? If so, how effective these have been? Please provide some key examples.- If these mechanisms have not been effective, why not?- How do you think the existence or absence of such participatory mechanisms relate to any electoral violence your country may have experienced? Please provide examples.
5. If your country experienced mass protests and repression of freedom of peaceful assembly and association rights in the context of the elections:
   • What has been the role of law enforcement institutions and officials to prevent and de-escalate violence? Please provide any positive examples you may have experienced/documented/observed.
   • Have there been any efforts for establishing mechanisms for facilitating dialogue and if so, how do these look like and how effective have they been to de-escalate and prevent electoral and political violence?- What has been the involvement of protest movements and civil society in any mediation mechanisms set up to address mass protests or political violence in the context of elections?- Please provide examples of good practices of such mechanisms, including any interventions by the international community and regional and international multilateral organizations aimed at restoring dialogue and de-escalating electoral violence in the country.
6. What has been the impact of the use of technology by authorities and other actors on the restriction and undermining or facilitation of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association (online and offline), including of women and people belonging to minorities, LGBTQ+ people, and affiliated with the opposition and minorities parties, in the context of the elections? Please provide some concrete examples of the type of concerned technologies and practices.
7. What in your view has been the impact of the above-mentioned restrictions on ensuring inclusive elections and on the right to public participation, including from intersectional perspectives? Please provide statistical or other qualitative or quantitative information illustrating the impact generally and with regards to particular marginalised and discriminated groups.
8. Please provide actionable recommendations for the following areas:
   1. What measures should be taken (including in the preparation for the elections) to ensure the public, including marginalised groups, the opposition and minority parties can freely exercise the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association to ensure safe, inclusive and participatory elections?
   2. What measures should be put in place to enable and protect civil society to freely and safely carry out their legitimate work, including to: i) documenting, monitoring and reporting on the elections; ii) promoting the elections, electoral education, building of agendas, engaging with candidates and political parties, promoting greater participations (as electors or as candidates) of groups in condition of vulnerability (including women, LGBTQ+)?
   3. How to strengthen democratic institutions and processes to increase public participation without discrimination in the context of elections, including for preventing political instability related to elections, and to foster public dialogue and participation in general in your country?
   4. What other mechanisms should be strengthened to enable and foster inclusive democratic elections and to ensure accountability for violation related to the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association (prior, during and after elections)?
   5. What should other actors do – i) the tech companies; ii) businesses; iii) the international community, iv) the United Nations bodies – to protect and enable civic space in the context of elections, including to prevent and de-escalate political violence in the context of elections, and to counter malicious international interference while protecting these freedoms?
   6. How to strengthen the transparency and independent oversight around the funding and campaign spendings of political parties to protect the integrity of the elections and the right to participation?

Input/comments may be sent by e-mail in Word format in English, French, Russian or Spanish to [email protected]. They must be received by 31 January 2025 with a word limit of 3000 words. The email subject line should read: Input for HRC-59th FoAA Report on Elections.

For more information, visit OHCHR’s dedicated webpage.

Secretary General’s report on just transition and human rights, 30 December 2024

Underscoring the interlinkage between just transition and human rights, the Human Rights Council has, among other things, affirmed that prioritizing equity, climate justice, social justice, inclusion and just transition processes can enable adaptation and ambitious mitigation actions and climate-resilient development. It has reaffirmed that social security systems can help to support just transitions as well as reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation as an enabler of just transition pathways towards achieving the goals in the Paris Agreement, including through the scaling-up of investment flows and relevant financial support.

Human Rights Council resolution 56/8 of 10 July 2023 (A/HRC/RES/56/8) entitled “Human rights and climate change” requested the Secretary-General to consult Member States and other relevant stakeholders in order to prepare and submit to the sixtieth session of the Human Rights Council a synthesis report on opportunities, best practices, actionable solutions, challenges and barriers relevant to a just transition and the full realization of human rights for all people.

To inform the analytical study, OHCHR transmitted a Note Verbale and Questionnaire [English] [Français] to Member States, NGOs, UN Agencies, IGOs, Academic Institutions and NHRIs, inviting them to respond to the questionnaire and provide input. The inputs received will be made available on this webpage.

Questionnaire in relation to Human Rights Council resolution 56/8 on human rights and climate change (just transition)

1. Please share concrete examples and stories describing opportunities, best practices, actionable solutions, challenges, and barriers relevant to just transition and the full realization of human rights for all people, including but not limited to the rights to health, a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, equality and non-discrimination, decent work, and access to justice and remedies.
2. Please share information on any relevant legislation, policies, strategies, action plans, and practices by your government to promote the enjoyment of human rights in the context of just transition, including with reference to nationally determined contributions and national adaptation plans. Please describe how human rights, in particular the right to work and the right to social security, have been integrated in just transition processes in your country (e.g. with regard to different economic sectors, business human rights responsibility to respect human rights, and social protection systems).
3. Please describe how just transition measures affect and can ensure the rights and/or inclusion of relevant groups, actors, communities and Peoples, including Indigenous Peoples, women and girls, children, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, workers including informal workers, migrants, future generations, environmental human rights defenders, and persons living in situations of vulnerability and poverty, considering also intersectionality.
4. Please describe any relevant mechanisms for ensuring justice, equity, and accountability in the context of just transition, as well as means of implementation and financing.
5. Please describe how the role of social dialogue can ensure a just transition for all, particularly through the participation of employers’ organizations and trade unions in consultations regarding legal and policy frameworks drawing on International Labour Standards and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
6. Please provide recommendations on relevant actions to be taken at local, country, regional, and global levels, including relating to international cooperation. Please identify any specific legal, policy and economic
   transformations that may enable a just transition.
7. Please provide information on any relevant data, analysis, and assessments regarding human rights and just transition.
8. Please provide any additional information you believe would be useful to support a just transition that advances the full enjoyment of human rights.

Inputs/comments in English or French in Word or PDF formats, with a limit of 2000 words, may be sent by e-mail to [email protected], with copy to [email protected] by 30 December 2024 18:00 CEST, with the email subject line as: Input for synthesis report on just transition and human rights.

For further information, please visit OHCHR’s dedicated webpage.