September 20, 2017

STATEMENT

36th session of the Human Rights Council Report of the Secretary General on Cooperation with the United Nations, its

representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

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Mr. PresidentMr. Assistant Secretary General

The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) welcomes the report of the United Nations Secretary General on Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights.

GANHRI is deeply concerned at both the number and the seriousness of reported cases of people who are being subjected to reprisals or intimidation for their work to expose and pursue accountability for human rights violations at the United Nations.

As evidenced in this and previous reports, cases occur in all regions and take different forms, such as laws that criminalise the work of human rights defenders, as well as acts of intimidation against national human rights institutions (NHRIs).

All such acts run contrary to the principle of human dignity and violate numerous human rights. They also show complete contempt and disregard for the United Nations system as a whole.

GANHRIPalais des Nations, 1211 Genève, Switzerlandwww.ganhri.org

Every State has the legal obligation to protect human rights defenders from violations, threats and intimidations and to ensure that defenders enjoy a safe and enabling environment. This encompasses the obligation to prevent, and investigate into, cases of intimidation and reprisals, with perpetrators brought to justice.

GANHRI calls on all States

1. To prevent and refrain from all such acts of intimidation or reprisals; 2. To unequivocally condemn reprisals and ensure accountability for any such

acts; and 3. To establish effective mechanisms for the prevention of cases of reprisals and

protection of human rights defenders, including through early warning mechanisms.

GANHRI welcomes the efforts of the United Nations to strengthen its response to cases of reprisals.

Many NHRIs have established early warning and prevention mechanisms. They are often the first ones to identify warning signs, and to raise alarm.

In line with the Secretary General’s focus on prevention, we call on the UN

1. To handle the issue of reprisals as a priority across the UN system, and to dedicated the Human Rights Council’s next high-level panel on mainstreaming in March 2018 to the issue of reprisals; and

2. To identify ways and means to establish effective prevention and protection mechanisms for those at risk, including identifying ways whereby the UN can maximize the use of the information that NHRIs can offer.

Finally, GANHRI conveys its concern about the threats to reducing the budget of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, an independent national institution mandated by the 1987 Philippine Constitution to protect and promote

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human rights.  We are hopeful that the culmination of the budget process will result in the retention of the Commission’s current budget levels.

As stressed by Human Rights Council resolution 33/15,

“NHRIs and their respective members and staff should not face any form of reprisal or intimidation, including political pressure, physical intimidation, harassment or unjustifiable budgetary limitations, as a result of activities undertaken in accordance with their respective mandates, including when taking up individual cases or when reporting on serious or systematic violations in their countries.”

We call on all states to create the necessary enabling environment for NHRIs, including by upholding the independence of an NHRI and respecting its mandate; and on the Human Rights Council and the broader UN system to remain vigilant and act with firmness when cases of reprisal against NHRIs and human rights defenders occur.

Thank you.

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