In a written submission made to the UN, Humanists International joined the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), Amnesty International, and Civicus, in outlining some of the key barriers to multilateralism and civil society’s ongoing participation in UN processes, many of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, before proposing solutions to overcoming these obstacles.
Some specific recommendations include, amongst others, stressing the responsibility of governments to lift emergency laws restricting the work of human rights defenders, mainstreaming and strengthening video-based participation to incorporate a greater diversity of civil society voices, and addressing inequalities in vaccine access.
The submission also gave input on proposals for a new international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response, emphasizing that any such treaty should be strongly grounded in human rights, science and evidence-based decision-making.
The submission was made to the UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, Mr Livingstone Sewanyana, to inform his next report on the impact of COVID-19 on multilateralism.