HRC43 Side Event: Intimidation and its impact on engagement with the UN human rights system
Channel: ISHRGlobal
Date: 03/04/2020

HRC43 Side Event - Intimidation and its impact on engagement with the UN human rights system: Methodological challenges and opportunities

On 12 March, in the context of its ongoing work to prevent and address reprisals and intimidation against defenders engaging with the UN system, ISHR launched a new study, ‘Intimidation and its Impact on Engagement with the UN Human Rights System: Methodological challenges and opportunities’.

In recent Secretary-General reports and statements by the Assistant Secretary-General, there has been increased concern raised about the issue of self-censorship, i.e. the phenomenon of engagement with the UN being inhibited due to severe intimidation occurring in highly restrictive environments. This phenomenon is deeply concerning in and of itself but an additional concern is the difficulties inherent in monitoring it, documenting it, and thus seeking accountability for it.

The study responds to this challenge and proposes methodological approaches to strengthen the future capacity to measure and understand how intimidation tactics – both blunt and subtle – effectively inhibit human rights reporting and action, thus reinforcing impunity for States’ abuses.

Panellists:
Peggy Hicks
Director, Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures, and Right to Development Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Azadeh Pourzand
Human Rights Researcher, Impact Iran

Susan Wilding
Head of Geneva Office, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation

Salma El Hosseiny
Programme Manager (Human Rights Council), International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

Moderator: 
Phil Lynch
Director of the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR