Event information

30 June 2023, 15:30-17:00
Register start 15 June 2023
Register end 30 June 2023

Breaking the Cycle of Repression Against Activists and Protesters Through Accountability

Event

Riot police in Chile Riot police in Chile

On 28 June 2023, our Researcher the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association Clément Nyaletsossi Voule will present to the 53rd session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) his report Advancing Accountability and Ending Impunity for Serious Human Rights Violations Related to the Exercise of Peaceful Assembly and Association.

The report was prepared based on contributions and consultations with Member States, national human rights institutions, civil society, and victims’ groups and representatives. In the report, the Special Rapporteur examines through a victim-centred approach, the gaps in accountability for serious crimes committed against activists and protesters. He recalls that ensuring accountability for violations related to the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association is an integral part of the responsibility of States to respect, protect and enable those rights.

The side event to the HRC 53rd session – co-organized with the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights InstituteCIVICUS and the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica– aims to further the exchange of views among civil society, State representatives and UN bodies on avenues to advance accountability and end impunity for serious abuses committed in the context of exercising the rights to peaceful assembly and association. It will highlight specific challenges related to ensuring accountability for serious abuses against those exercising their fundamental freedoms and will explore the role of the international community, including regional bodies and the UN to close the accountability gap. It will also explore the role of civil society in monitoring civic space violations to advance accountability and the specific challenges they face. Finally, it will expand on the recommendations outlined by the Un Special Rapporteur in the report.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

News

New Working Paper Explores AI for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

30 January 2025

A new working paper, 'AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring', has been published by the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

Read more

GHRP EU News News

Bridging Geneva and Europe: advancing human rights in the digital age

2 June 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform has taken its work on strengthening the international human rights system to the heart of European policymaking.

Read more

AI for Good Event Event

AI for human rights: Smarter, faster, fairer monitoring

8 July 2025, 14:00-16:00

The event, as part of the AI for Good Summit 2025 will explore how AI tools can support faster data analysis, help uncover patterns in large datasets, and expand the reach of human rights work.

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

Read more

George Floyd protest in Washington D.C. Project

Promoting and Protecting the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association and Civic Space Worldwide

Started in June 2020

This project aims at providing support to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Clément Voulé by addressing emerging issues affecting civic space and eveloping tools and materials allowing various stakeholders to promote and defend civic space.

Read more

Sign: National Human Rights Commission of Nepal Project

Local Implementation of Global Human Rights

Started in May 2020

The Geneva Human Rights Platform collaborates with a series of actors to reflect on the implementation of international human rights norms at the local level and propose solutions to improve uptake of recommendations and decisions taken by Geneva-based human rights bodies at the local level.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more