Recommendations

To governments:

• Take measures to foster a safe, respectful and enabling environment in which civil society activists and journalists can operate freely without fear of attacks, harassment, intimidation, or reprisals, in line with international human rights commitments.
• Work with civil society to establish effective national protection mechanisms that respond to the needs of those at risk, recognising the distinct needs of diverse HRDs such as women and young people, among others.
• Repeal any legislation that hinders the work of civil society and criminalises HRDs, journalists, protesters and members of excluded groups such as Indigenous people, LGBTQI+ people, women and young people, among others.
• Ensure that adequate consultations are carried out with the public and civil society and that their input is taken into account before drafting laws that impact on freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly.
• Carry out impartial, independent, prompt and transparent investigations into all cases of attacks on and killings of HRDs and journalists and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
• Desist from using excessive force against peaceful protesters, stop pre-empting and preventing protests and adopt best practices on freedom of peaceful assembly, ensuring that any restrictions on assemblies comply with international human rights standards.
• Review and update human rights training for police and security forces, with the assistance of independent CSOs, to foster the consistent application of international human rights law and standards during protests, including the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms.
• Establish fully independent and effective investigations into the excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies and officers during protests and bring to justice those suspected of criminal responsibility.
• Ensure freedom of expression is safeguarded in all forms by bringing all national legislation into line with international law and standards and refrain from censoring conventional and social media. Ensure that any restrictions are subject to oversight by an independent and impartial judicial authority and in accordance with due process and standards of legality, necessity and legitimacy.
• Maintain reliable and unfettered internet access and cease internet shutdowns that prevent people obtaining and sharing essential information.
• Repeal any legislation that criminalises expression based on vague concepts such as ‘fake news’ or disinformation, as such laws are not compatible with the requirements of proportionality.
• Publicly condemn defamatory remarks, threats, acts of intimidation, stigmatisation and attacks on HRDs, civil society groups and excluded communities.
• Take appropriate measures to fully implement all recommendations accepted by states made by UN Special Rapporteurs, Working Groups and the Universal Periodic Review process of the UN Human Rights Council.
• Ensure and invest in the effectiveness of national and human rights mechanisms that seek to address human rights violations and protect HRDs.
• Hold impartial, transparent and prompt investigations into the growing trend of attacks and reprisals against climate justice advocates, environmental human rights defenders and Indigenous and land rights activists, and ensure that those responsible are held to account. Ensure that policies and mechanisms are in place to protect them, consistent with international human rights standards.
• Institute mechanisms and policies on transparency and accountability in governance, and support and work with groups that work against corruption and promote good governance.
• Respect the right of people to protest in solidarity with people in the OPT and refrain from arrests and vilification of and violence towards protesters and HRDs. Cease conflating legitimate criticism of the state of Israel with antisemitism and extremism.

To the United Nations and international bodies:

• Provide access for communities and civil society to engage in UN decision-making processes and work closely with states to ensure that laws, travel restrictions and technologies do not limit access to the UN. Introduce reforms to enable civil society’s participation, starting with the appointment of a UN civil society envoy to mainstream civil society participation in UN processes.
• Urge states to repeal or substantially amend restrictive legislation that is not in accordance with international law and standards on freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly.
• Strengthen existing mechanisms and implement new ones to address reprisals against HRDs, particularly the persistence of attacks against environmental HRDs, gender equality advocates, young people and activists and groups in solidarity with Palestinians, among others.
• Take the necessary measures to ensure that activists and civil society personnel are not put at risk because of the information they provide, and publicly call out states that impose restrictions on civil society participation.
• Support the work of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders against stigmatisation of HRDs, and the promotion of positive narratives about human rights and the work of HRDs.
• Achieve a proper balance between the UN’s three pillars – human rights, peace and security and sustainable development – by evening out budgetary allocations and expanding civil society’s role across the system.

To the private sector:

• Align business policies with international human rights standards, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and resist being complicit in human rights violations perpetrated by governments.

To donors:

• Provide long-term, unrestricted and core support for civil society in countries where civil society is facing increasing restrictions from states.
• Provide specific support to groups conducting advocacy in countries with rapidly closing civic space.
• Adopt participatory approaches to grant-making. As part of this, include human rights organisations in designing schemes and conduct situation assessments with CSOs. Maintain engagement at every stage, including when funding has been granted, to create adaptation and reallocation strategies with grantees in response to difficult working environments.
• Prioritise security. In sensitive cases, this means balancing transparency and security needs. Where civil society and human rights work is criminalised or HRDs are under surveillance or facing harassment, key information such as the identity, operations, activities and location of those receiving funds may need to remain undisclosed.
• Support programmes to ensure HRDs have appropriate training, skills and equipment to conduct their work safely.
• Adapt grant-making modalities to the evolution of social movements and youth activists, among other key elements of contemporary civil society.