UN: Special Rapporteurs call for input on intersectional issues of universal concern
In accordance with their respective expert mandates, three United Nations (“UN”) Special Rapporteurs have issued invitations for stakeholder input on a range of important human rights issues. A brief description of each of the calls for input and timeframes for submissions are provided below.
UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights: Call for inputs on Gender and Toxics
The UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights is preparing a thematic report that will explore how human rights can be safeguarded for people who face heightened risks due to their gender when exposed to harmful substances. Exposure to toxics and hazardous substances is a major and growing problem worldwide, and one that can have a severe impact on various aspects of life, including cultural practices, work, income, health — including sexual and reproductive health — and individual and community wellbeing. The work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights has revealed that harms resulting from exposure to hazardous substances is not equally distributed among people and places.
An invitation has been issued to interested individuals and organisations to provide inputs that will inform the development of this report, which will be presented to the UN General Assembly in September 2024.
The call for input can be accessed here.
Inputs should be e-mailed to [email protected] by 29 March 2024.
UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People: Call for input on Mobile Indigenous People
The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is preparing a report titled “The Situation of Mobile Indigenous People”, which will examine the difficulties faced by Indigenous Peoples and the actions taken by various parties to uphold their rights. The report will address the needs and challenged faced by pastoralists, hunters, gatherers, and others who identify as Indigenous under international law, like the Sami reindeer herders, Bedouins, and Maasai pastoralists. Despite their unique lifestyles deeply rooted in culture and environment, some states fail to acknowledge their Indigenous status, leading to challenges in accessing basic rights like education and healthcare.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples has issued a call for information on several aspects, including land and resource rights, political representation, access to basic services, and the impact of conflicts on mobile Indigenous Peoples. Examples of good practices and measures taken by states and international organisations to support these communities are also welcome.
The call for inputs can be accessed here.
Inputs should be e-mailed to [email protected] by 15 March 2024.
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing: Call for inputs on resettlement as a human rights issue
During the course of 2024, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing will present further reports to the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly on issues surrounding human rights violations due to eviction and displacement without adequate resettlement. This will build on earlier research in which the Special Rapporteur on the Right to adequate Housing pointed to the urgent need to develop a set of guidelines at the international level to ensure that resettlement and relocation are carried out in compliance with the international human rights framework and are consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals.
In preparation for the forthcoming reports, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing has invited stakeholders to provide input. These reports are intended to identify key human rights challenges posed by resettlement, review relevant laws, regulations, and safeguard policies of States and international institutions, and analyse what is needed to ensure that legal protections and safeguards related to resettlement are not only protected on paper, but are respected in practice. Based on further consultation in 2024, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing will also develop international guiding principles for resettlement to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2025.
The call for input can be accessed here.
Inputs should be e-mailed to [email protected] by 31 March 2024.
Please note: The information contained in this note is for general guidance on matters of interest and does not constitute legal advice. For any enquiries, please contact us at [email protected].
