Join ILGA World and other 14 organisations for a side event at the 58th UN Human Rights Councilan inter-governmental body within the United Nations which has the responsibility to promote and protect human rights. It is comprised of 47 member States, each elected to 3-year terms by the 193 member States of the United Nations. More to discuss the reality and the challenges that human rights defenders face in the context of new and emerging technologies.

Location: Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
Event language(s): English
Date: Friday 7 March 2025
Time: in Geneva: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Central European Time (time where you are based: see here)
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New and emerging technologies have become a fundamental tool for human rights defenders to conduct their activities, boost solidarity among movements and reach different audiences.

Unfortunately, these positive aspects have been overshadowed by negative impacts on the enjoyment of human rights, including increased threats and risks for human rights defenders.

While we see the increased negative impacts of new technologies, we do not see that governments are addressing these impacts comprehensively.

Furthermore, States and their law enforcement agencies (often through the help of non-State actors, including business enterprises) often take down or censor the information shared by defenders on social media and other platforms. In other cases, we have seen that businesses are also complicit in attacks and violations against human right defenders.

Conversely, lack of access to the internet and the digital gaps in many countries and regions, or affecting specific groups, limits the potential of digital technologies for activism and movement building, as well as access to information.

The Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted in 1998, does not consider these challenges, which have largely arisen with the rapid evolution of technology.

In this context, and, as part of activities to mark the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on human rights defenders, a coalition of NGOs launched a consultative initiative to identify the key issues faced by human rights defenders that are insufficiently addressed by the UN Declaration, including on the area of digital and new technologies.

These issues are also reflected in the open letter to States on the draft resolution on human rights defenders that will be considered during HRC58.

This side event will be an opportunity to continue discussing the reality and the challenges that human rights defenders face in the context of new and emerging technologies.

It will also be an opportunity to hear directly from those who, on a daily basis, work with defenders in the field of digital rights while highlighting their specific protection needs.

Finally, the event will also help remind States about the range of obligations in this field that can contribute to inform the consultations on the HRC58 resolution on human rights defenders.

Panelists:

• Opening remarks: Ambassador Tormod C. Endresen, Permanent Representative of Norway

• Carla Vitoria, Association for Progressive Communications

• Nancy Awad, Front Line Defenders

Moderator: Ulises Quero, Programme Manager, Land, Environment and Business & Human Rights (ISHR)

This event is co-sponsored by Access Now, Asian Forum for Human Rights & Development (FORUM-ASIA), Association for Progressive Communications (APC), Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC), DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa HRD Project), Front Line Defenders, Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), Huridocs, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), International Lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves. More, Gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves. More, Bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders. More, Transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. More and Intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population are born with such traits; yet, because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings - and discriminated against. More Association (ILGA World), International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), Peace Brigades International, Privacy International, Protection International, Regional Coalition of WHRDs in Southwest Asia and North Africa (WHRD MENA Coalition).