To date, we have worked with members to make 23 UPR interventions at the UN. Members engagement with the UN Special Procedures and Human Rights Council Earlier this year, we worked with a member in India to make a detailed submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, which described how Dalits and other Scheduled Castes in India are at much greater risk of modern slavery practices, as a result of centuries of caste and gender-based discrimination. At the Council in March, we then raised growing concerns over the issue of reprisals against anti-slavery and anti-caste activists in India, where a draconian anti-terrorism law known as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) is being used to stifle dissent. “Efforts to abolish modern slavery in India are stalling because the act of challenging caste discrimination is now considered 'terrorism'”
During another session at the Council - a dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Myanmar - we delivered a message from our Myanmar associate, Burmese Atheists, whose members are involved in the pro-democracy movement. During the 49th Council session, Member States also adopted - by consensus - a resolution which reiterated the Council’s “full support for the people of Myanmar and their aspirations for democracy and civilian government”, and called on States to cease the “illicit” transfer of arms to Myanmar. “We want the military to face consequences for the atrocities they have inflicted, and the futures they have stolen from us” - Burmese Atheists
Notably, with both these Council statements, due to fear of reprisals, our members could not deliver the statement themselves, so we did so on their behalf. We are immensely grateful to all of our members and associates who we have worked with recently, especially those who continue to speak out despite the challenges associated with publicly criticizing their government. Not only do your insights and authentic voices enrich and strengthen our advocacy program, more importantly, they also serve as a reminder to world leaders that humanists and humanist values will prevail, and continue to call out injustices, even in the most trying of circumstances. UN advocacy opportunities for members and associates Finally, we also want to highlight some upcoming opportunities for our members and associates to engage with the UN on human rights issues of concern: - The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions is preparing a report on “the imposition and the enforcement of the death penalty”. Civil society organizations are invited to provide input by 29 April 2022.
- The UN Secretary General will present a report “highlighting actions taken within the last three years to eliminate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance” at the next session of the UN General Assembly. Civil society organizations are invited to make submissions by 16 May 2022.
- The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is inviting young people ages 17 and under to participate in an online consultation sharing their views and experiences on human rights and climate change. Their responses will help to shape the content of General Comment No. 26. The deadline for responding to the online consultation is 30 June 2022.
If you would like to discuss any of the above opportunities further, please feel free to reach out to [email protected]. With thanks for your continued support, |