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They call for human rights at the center of the post-2015 development plan

They call for human rights at the center of the post-2015 development plan

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Over 300 groups call for human rights in core of post-2015 development plan

 

10 December 2013

Over 300 groups call for human rights in core of post-2015 development plan

As governments meet at the United Nations this week to debate aspects of the sustainable development agenda to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015, over 300 civil society organizations from all parts of the world have come together to demand human rights be integrated into every aspect of the new framework.

Published on International Human Rights Day, the joint statement “Human Rights for All Post-2015” (below) will be presented to the Open Working Group (OWG) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its 6th session later this week. It sets out 10 practical, baseline implications of embedding existing human rights standards into the core of the sustainable development agenda.

The joint statement, advanced by a caucus of human rights organizations convened by the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR), Amnesty International and the Association for Women's Rights in Development, is part of a series of advocacy activities in New York and across the globe to ensure that human rights are not marginalized from the operational aspects of the sustainable development agenda.

For example, the caucus will hold a side event at the UN on Friday 13 December around the OWG official session on human rights, the right to development and global governance. “Human Rights at the Core of Sustainable and Just Development” will examine the concrete implications of anchoring the four dimensions of sustainable development in existing human rights norms.  The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will also convene a special session on Wednesday 11th, “More than a Vision: How to Integrate Human Rights into the Post-2015 Agenda”.


The joint statement, together with the range of events this week, are evidence of the unprecedented momentum around human rights in development debates. This year's Human Rights Day marks twenty years since the Vienna World Conference affirmed the interconnections between human rights and development.  Two decades on, the practical, substantive proposals for integrating human rights into all aspects of the future development agenda can no longer be ignored. 

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JOINT STATEMENT Human Rights for All Post-2015 10 December 2013

This statement can be downloaded in pdf format here

 

Human rights have surged to the forefront of the debate about what will succeed the Millennium Development Goals in 2015. As human rights and social justice organizations worldwide, we feel compelled to lay out some of the baseline implications of embedding human rights into the core of the sustainable development agenda this time around.

At its essence, a post-2015 framework anchored in human rights moves from a model of charity to one of justice, based on the inherent dignity of people as human rights-holders, domestic governments as primary duty-bearers, and all development actors sharing common but differentiated responsibilities. Accordingly, the post-2015 framework should be designed as a tool to empower and enable people—individually and collectively—to monitor and hold their governments, other governments, businesses, international institutions and other development actors to account for their conduct as it affects people’s lives within and beyond borders. A sustainable development framework founded in human rights can serve as an instrument for people and countries to help unseat the structural obstacles to sustainable, inclusive and just development, prevent conflict and stimulate implementation and enforcement of all human rights—civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, the right to development,  and to a healthy environment.

The post-2015 framework must then at the very least respect and reflect pre-existing human rights legal norms, standards and political commitments to which governments have already voluntarily agreed. International human rights, environmental and humanitarian law, the Millennium Declaration, as well as related international consensus documents agreed in Rio, Vienna, Cairo, Beijing, Monterrey and Copenhagen and their follow-up agreements must form its non-negotiable normative base.

If it is going to incentivize progress while also preventing backsliding and violations, human rights principles and standards must go beyond the rhetorical, and have real operational significance this time around. Among other things, anchoring the post-2015 agenda in human rights for current and future generations implies that the framework:

  1. Upholds all human rights for all. The framework should stimulate improved human rights process and outcomes for all people, especially the most vulnerable, in all countries global North and global South. Along with economic, social, cultural and environmental rights, any successor framework must include commitments to protect freedom of association, expression, assembly and political participation if it is to ensure an enabling environment for an empowered civil society, and protect human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, as central agents translating international political commitments into lived realities.

  2. Stimulates transparency and genuine participation in decision-making at all levels, throughout all policies including budget, financial, and tax policies. Access to information and meaningful and effective participation are not only fundamental human rights, but will also be critical to developing, implementing, and monitoring an effective and responsive post-2015 framework.

  3. Integrates meaningful institutions and systems to ensure human rights accountability of all development actors. Lofty aspirations for a post-2015 agenda will surely fail if proper citizen-led systems of monitoring and human rights accountability are not built into the very DNA of the framework, with clear and time-bound commitments of all relevant actors. While states must remain the primary duty-holder in development, all development actors, including third-party states, the private sector and international financial institutions should be made responsive and accountable for achieving and not undermining global goals. Integrating substantive human rights criteria into assessments of progress towards development goals and commitments means monitoring both the policy and budgetary efforts of governments alongside development outcomes. Any post-2015 monitoring mechanism should complement and reinforce the Universal Periodic Review process for all states. A framework for ensuring accountability would benefit from constructive interaction with the existing human rights protection regime, as well as other relevant accountability mechanisms. In this context, we call for an accountability framework with binding commitments, supported by effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, to be agreed at the global level. This framework should reaffirm the spirit of the 1986 Declaration on the Right to Development and it should be based on three fundamental principles: mutual accountability (donors and partners are equally accountable for development progress); democratic ownership of partner countries (alignment of donor countries to policy objectives set by developing countries, through inclusive and democratic processes); and inclusive partnerships (participation of different varieties of development stakeholders, State and non-State actors).

  4. Is backed by national mechanisms of accountability, such as judiciaries, parliaments, national human rights institutions, reinforced by regional and international human rights mechanisms such as the treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, so as to ensure the implementation of the post-2015 commitments. The post-2015 development agenda is well-placed to encourage governments to improve access to justice for people living currently in poverty by monitoring measures to eradicate existing barriers.

  5. Ensures that the private sector, at the very least, does no harm. The post-2015 framework must reflect current international consensus that governments have a duty to protect human rights through the proper oversight and regulation of private actors, especially of business and private financial actors, to guarantee in practice that they respect human rights and the environment, including in their cross-border activities. At the very least, no governments should allow their territory to be used for illegal or criminal activities elsewhere, such as tax evasion, depositing assets obtained through corruption, environmental crimes or involvement in human rights violations, no matter the perpetrator.

  6. Eliminates all forms of discrimination and diminishes inequalities, including socioeconomic inequalities. Human rights can only be realised within socio-economic and environmental boundaries if we also reduce inequalities of wealth, power and resources. Governments have a particular obligation under human rights law to protect the rights of the most marginalized and excluded, and to take additional measures to ensure that they enjoy their rights on an equal basis with others. Protecting decent work, and diminishing unfair wage disparities is also fundamental to reducing socio-economic inequality, as is reforming tax and fiscal policy and promoting human rights alternatives to austerity nationally and globally to unleash the resources necessary to finance human rights fulfillment. The timely collection and disaggregation of data on the basis of various grounds of compound discrimination is essential to identify, make visible and respond to inequalities and violations of human rights and to increase accountability. At a national level, data should be collected and disaggregated based on country-relevant factors as defined by rights-holders.

  7. Specifically and comprehensively supports women's rights. Addressing gender-based violence, guaranteeing sexual and reproductive rights, ensuring women’s rights to and control over land, property and productive resources and their economic independence, recognizing the care economy and ensuring women’s rights to social protection and the equal distribution of paid and unpaid work, and their rights to participation in decision-making are critical, not only to realize women's human rights and achieve gender equality, but for enabling women’s full and active participation in economic, political and social life.

  8. Enables the currently disadvantaged and commonly discriminated against and excluded groups to be effective agents of their own development by drawing on the provisions of human rights standards aimed at eliminating discrimination on grounds such as race, disability, migrant or indigenous status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.

  9. Upholds the legal obligation to fulfill the minimum essential levels of economic, social, and cultural rights, without retrogression. This would imply a focus on universal or “zero” targets, such as the provision of comprehensive social protection floors, universal health coverage, minimum food security guarantees, and other floors below which no one anywhere will be allowed to fall.

  10. Tackles structural drivers of inequality, poverty and ecological devastation at the global level. A genuine and balanced global partnership then would enable people and institutions to monitor the common but differentiated responsibilities of all actors to eliminate rather than perpetuate these global obstacles. To be good-faith partners then, governments, business and international institutions must assess the human rights impact beyond their borders of their policies and agreements in areas such as corporate accountability, environment, trade, investment, aid, tax, migration, intellectual property, debt, weapons trade and military cooperation, monetary policies and financial regulation. Existing human rights norms can provide a common set of standards and useful yardstick to assess policy coherence for sustainable development.

At a time of great uncertainty, multiple crises and increasing insecurity and conflict, let us not found the 21st century sustainable development framework on 'bracketed rights’ and broken promises, but instead on a bold reaffirmation of human rights for all.

 * For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact CESR Communications Coordinator Luke Holland atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This joint statement is supported by the following organizations:

1.    Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD), Canada 2.    Active Remedy LTD, UK 3.    ADD International, United Kingdom 4.    ADRA Germany, Germany 5.    Adventist Development and Relief Agency, International 6.    Global Afluentes SC, México 7.    African Foundation for Environment and Development  (AFED), Nigeria 8.    African Indigenous Women's Organization, Eastern and Southern Africa 9.    African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), Kenya 10.    Age International, United Kingdom 11.    Centro de Estudios para la Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Fundamentales y Generacionales (AGORA), Peru 12.    Agricultural Missions, USA 13.    Alianza Democratica de Organizaciones Civiles ADOC, México 14.    Alliance contre la Pauvreté au Mali, Mali 15.    Alliance Sud, Switzerland 16.    Amnesty International, International 17.    Antalya Kadin Danisma Merkezi ve Dayanisma Dernegi, Turkey 18.    Anti Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU), Uganda 19.    Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), International 20.    ARCA, Costa Rica 21.    Article 19 (Global Campaign for Free Expression), UK/International 22.    ASCA, España 23.    Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reprodustive Health and Rights (APA), Thailand 24.    Asociación Nacional de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil (SINERGIA), Venezuela 25.    Asosacion Gestion Salud Poblacion (AGSP), Peru 26.    Associação Brasileira de Direitos e Bens Comuns  (Abong), Brazil 27.    Association Camerounaise pour la prise en charge des Personnes Agées (ACAMAGE), Cameroon 28.    Association Démocratique des Femmes du Maroc, Morocco 29.    Association for emancipation, solidarity and equality of women in Macedonia (ESE), Macedonia 30.    Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), International 31.    Association pour le développement et de la promotion des droits humains, Mauritanie 32.    ASTRA Network, International 33.    Atasehir Kent Konseyi, Turkey 34.    Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health, the University of Queensland, Australia 35.    Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF), Belgium 36.    AWAZ Foundation Pakistan: Centre for Development Services (AWAZCDS-Pakistan), Pakistan 37.    Ayvalık Bağımsız kadın İnisiyatifi, Türkiye 38.    Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud, México 39.    BOHP, Turkey 40.    Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP), Cameroon 41.    Canadian Council for International Co-operation (CCIC), Canada 42.    Católicas por el derecho a decidir, México 43.    Centro de Justicia Internacional (CDJI), México 44.    Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR), International 45.    Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), USA 46.    Center for International Human Rights (CIHR), USA 47.    Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), International 48.    Center for Women Policy Studies, USA 49.    Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University (CWGL), USA 50.    Center for Youth Development & Sustainable Democracy (CEYDESUD), Liberia 51.    Center of Concern, USA 52.    Centre For 21st Century Issues (C21st), Nigeria 53.    Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur (CRAM), India 54.    Centre tricontinental – CETRI, Belgium 55.    Centro de Documentacion en Derechos Humanos "Segundo Montes Mozo S. J." (CSMM), Ecuador 56.    Centro de Estudios Sociales y Culturales Antonio de Montesinos AC (CAM), Mexico 57.    Centro de Información y Desarrollo de la Mujer – CIDEM, Bolivia 58.    Centro de Investigación para la Acción Femenina (CIPAF), Dominican Republic 59.    Centro de Investigación y Educación Sexual (CIES-ÑEPYRU), Paraguay 60.    Centro Juana Azurduy, Bolivia 61.    Challenging Heights (CH), Ghana 62.    CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality, The Netherlands 63.    Christian Aid, UK 64.    Church of Sweden, Sweden 65.    CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, International 66.    Civil Society MDG Campaign/GCAP Zambia (CSMDGC/GCAP Zambia), Zambia 67.    Climate Change & Development NGO Alliance, International 68.    Closet de Sor Juana, Mexico 69.    Colectivo Feminista Panteras Rosas, Nicaragua 70.    Collective For Research and Training on Development-Action (CRTD-A), Lebanon 71.    Colour of Poverty - Colour of Change, Canada 72.    Comision Ecumenica de Derechos Humanos (CEDHU), Ecuador 73.    Commonwealth Medical Trust (Commat),  UK 74.    Community And Family Aid Foundation, Ghana 75.    CONCORD, Sweden 76.    Confederación Colombiana de ONG, Colombia 77.    CONGCOOP, Guatemala 78.    Constitution Research Fund NGO, Azerbaijan 79.    COUP DE POUCE ONGD (COUPDEPOUCE/ONGD), Democratic Republic of Congo 80.    Colectivo Regional De Adolescentes Y Jóvenes Por La Prevención Del Embarazo En Adolescentes (CRAJPEA), Peru 81.    Centre for Research, Communication and Gender in Early Childhood Education (CRECHE), Kenya 82.    CYINDEP, Cyprus 83.    Defensores PROCDN, Puerto Rico 84.    Desarrollo, Educación y Cultura Autogestionarios Equipo Pueblo (DECA Equipo Pueblo), Mexico 85.    Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), International 86.    Dharti Development Foundation Sindh, Pakistan 87.    DIGNITY - Danish Institute Against Torture, Denmark 88.    Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW), Germany 89.    Ecological Society of the Philippines, Philippines 90.    Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), Egypt 91.    Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), Egypt 92.    ELDER KDM, Turkey 93.    End Water Poverty (EWP), UK 94.    ENDA Tiers Monde, Sénégal 95.    EOTO World, USA 96.    Equality Monitoring Women's Group (ESITIZ), Turkey 97.    Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia (Equidad), Mexico 98.    Equilibres & Populations (EquiPop), France 99.    Espacio de Coordinación de Organizaciones Civiles sobre Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales (Espacio DESC), Mexico 100.    European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW), Belgium 101.    European NGOs for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Population and Development (EuroNGOs), International 102.    European Womens Lobby Coordination for Turkey (EWL Turkey), Turkey 103.    Ev Eksenli Calisan Kadinlar Calisma Grubu, Turkey 104.    Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO), Belgium 105.    Fairtrade Sweden, Sweden 106.    FANCA, Costa Rica 107.    Federacion de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica 108.    Federation for Women and Family Planning, Poland 109.    Feminist Atolye (FEMA), Cyprus 110.    FemLINKPACIFIC, Fiji 111.    FIAN International, International 112.    FIDA, International 113.    FIFCJ, Argentina 114.    Finnish NGDO platform to the EU Kehys, Finland 115.    Forest Peoples Programme, UK 116.    Forum for Women and Development (FOKUS), Norway 117.    Four Freedoms Forum, USA 118.    Fundacion Arcoiris, Mexico 119.    Fundacion Construir, Bolivia 120.    Fundación de Desarrollo Integral Causana, Ecuador 121.    Fundación Diversencia, Bolivia 122.    Fundación para Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer –FEIM, Argentina 123.    Fundación Reflejos de Venezuela (FRV), Venezuela 124.    FUNETAP, Colombia 125.    Future Worlds Center, Cyprus 126.    GCAP China, China 127.    GCAP Pakistan, Pakistan 128.    Gender at Work (G@W), International 129.    Género, Etica y Salud Sexual AC (GESS), Mexico 130.    Gestos-Hiv, Communication and Gender, Brazil 131.    Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW), International Secretariat 132.    Thailand 133.    Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP)-Kenya, Kenya 134.    Global Campaign for Education (GCE), International 135.    Global Fund for Women (GFW), USA 136.    Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International 137.    Global Resposibility Platform, Austria 138.    Good Energies Alliance Ireland (GEAI), Ireland 139.    Gram Bharati Samiti (GBS), India 140.    Gray Panthers, USA 141.    Green Earth Zambia (GEZ), Zambia 142.    Greentreen, Bangladesh 143.    Grupo Artemisa Honduras, Honduras 144.    Grupo De Mujeres de San Cristobal Las Casas, AC – Colem, Mexico 145.    Grupo de Trabajo Cambio Climático y Justicia (GTCCJ), Bolivia 146.    Grupo Diver Radio, Honduras 147.    Grupo Safo, Nicaragua 148.    Habitat International Coalition - Housing and Land Rights Network, Egypt 149.    Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights, Hawaii (USA) 150.    Help and Development Organization (HDO), Pakistan 151.    HelpAge International, UK 152.    HERA - Health Education and Research Association, Macedonia 153.    Hope for the Needy, Internatiaonal 154.    Human Development Society- HDS, Pakistan 155.    IBON International, International 156.    Instituto de Investigación Cultural para Educación Popular (INDICEP), Bolivia 157.    Indigenous Information Network, Kenya 158.    Indigenous Peoples' Rights Activists Network (IPRAN), Nepal 159.    Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA)-Benin, Benin 160.    Instituto Mexicano de Derechos Humanos y Democracia A.C., Mexico 161.    Instituto Qualivida, Brasil 162.    Integrated Regional Support Programme (IRSP), Pakistan 163.    Interculturalidad, Salud y Derechos AC (INSADE), Mexico 164.    International AIDS Women Caucus (IAWC), International 165.    International Alliance Of Women, Greece 166.    International Associattion of Religious Freedom  South Asia (IARF SACC), India 167.    Centre International de Droit Comparé de l'Environnement (CIDCE), International 168.    International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), Netherlands 169.    International HIV/AIDS Alliance, UK 170.    International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), USA 171.    International Planned Parenthood Federation, International 172.    International Planned Parenthood, East & South East Asia & Oceania Region, Malaysia 173.    International Presentation Association of the Sisters of the Presentation, International 174.    International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), International 175.    International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC), International 176.    Ipas, International 177.    IRIS Esitlik Gozlem Grubu, Turkey 178.    Isis International, Philippines 179.    İstanbul University, Turkey 180.    Jeunes Volontaires pour l'Environment Nepal (JVE-NEPAL), Nepal 181.    Jeunes Volontaires pour l'Environnement, Togo 182.    Jeunesse Active de Guinee (JAG), Guinea 183.    Juventud Frente Amplio, Costa Rica 184.    Kadin Calismalari Dernegi, Turkey 185.    Kadin Partisi Girisimi, Turkey 186.    Kadın Adayları Destekleme Derneği (KA.DER), Turkey 187.    KAMER Vakfi, Turkey 188.    Karadeniz İlleri Kadın Platformu Trabzon derneği KİKAP TRABZON, Turkey 189.    Karadeniz Kadın Dayanışma Derneği (KARKAD-DER), Turkey 190.    Keig Platform (Women's Labor and Employment in Turkey), Turkey 191.    Kejibaus, Nigeria 192.    Kenya Debt Relief Network (KENDREN), Kenya 193.    Kepa, Finland 194.    Kikandwa Environmental Association (KEA), Uganda 195.    Kikap  Trabzon, Turkey 196.    Kirmizi Biber Dernegi, Turkey 197.    Kolectiva Rebeldías Lésbicas, Peru 198.    KULU-Women and Development, Denmark 199.    Fundación Red Nicaraguense de Comercio Comunitario (RENICC), Nicaragua 200.    Red Latinoamericana de Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (CDD-AL), International 201.    Landesa, USA 202.    Latin-American Campaign for the Right to Education (CLADE), International 203.    Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD), UK 204.    Liga Brasileira de Lésbicas, Brazil 205.    Lithuanian National Non-Governmental Development Cooperation Organisations' Platform, Lithuania 206.    National Council of Swedish Youth Organizations (LSU), Swedish 207.    Manodiversa Asociacion Civil, Bolivia 208.    Mavigöl Kadin Dernegi, Turkey 209.    MCP Bolivia Fondo Mundial, Bolivia 210.    Mercy Sisters, Ireland 211.    MGLT, Peru 212.    Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), Italy 213.    Model Mission of Assistance in Africa (MOMI AFRICA), Nigeria 214.    Mor Salkim Kadin Dayanisma Dernegi, Turkey 215.    Mother Child with AIDS Support Organisaton (MOCASO), Kenya 216.    Mother of Hope Cameroon-MOHCAM, Cameroon 217.    Mouvement Français pour le Planning Familial (MFPF), France 218.    Mujer Y Salud – MYSU, Uruguay 219.    MujeresMundi,  Belgium 220.    Mus kadin Dernegi – MUKADDER, Turkey 221.    MyRight, Sweden 222.    Nagle Community, Ireland 223.    National Coalition Against Racial Discrimination (NCARD), Nepal 224.    National Council for Research on Women, USA 225.    National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, Sri Lanka 226.    National Indigenous Women Federation (NIWF), Nepal 227.    Neighbourhood Community Network, India 228.    NGO Committee on Ageing , USA 229.    NGO Federation of Nepal (NFN), Nepal 230.    Niger Delta Women's Movement for Peace and Development, Nigeria 231.    NOMREK Legal Consultants and Advocates, Uganda 232.    OceaniaHR, USA 233.    Ohaha Family Foundation (TTOFF), Nigeria 234.    One Million Voices for Nicaragua- ANSC, Nicaragua 235.    One Small Voice, USA 236.    Organisation pour la Promotion du Tourisme de l'Education et de l'Environnement (OPTEE/ONG), Madagascar 237.    Oxfam Interantional, International 238.    Parahita Foundation, Indonesia 239.    Participatory Research Action Network (PRAN), Bangladesh 240.    Peace Movement Aotearoa (PMA), New Zealand 241.    People's Health Movement, International 242.    Personas, Sexualidades y Generos (PSG), Costa Rica 243.    Peruvian American Medical Society (PAMS), USA-Peru 244.    Plan International International/UK 245.    Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand (PPAT), Thailand 246.    Plataforma Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Desarrollo (PIDHDD), International 247.    Population Matters, UK 248.    Portuguese NGDO Platform, Portugal 249.    Presentation Ireland, Ireland 250.    Presentation Justice Network Ireland (PJNI), Ireland 251.    Presentation Sisters South East, Ireland 252.    Presentation Sisters Western Australia, Australia 253.    Presentation Sisters, Northern Province PBVM, Ireland 254.    Presentation Sisters, Wagga Wagga PBVM, Australia 255.    Profamilia, Puerto Rico 256.    Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice (RESURJ), International 257.    Red Departamental de Mujeres Chocoanas RDMUCHO, Colombia 258.    Red Multicultural de Mujeres Trans de Guatemala (REDMMUTRANS), Guatemala 259.    Red Nicaraguense de Comercio Comunitario (RENICC), Nicaragua 260.    Research Institute Without Walls (RIWW), USA 261.    Réseau des Organisations de Développement et Associations de Défense des Droits de l'Homme et de la Démocratie (RODADDHD), Niger 262.    Ruah Community Services, Australia 263.    Rwanda Union Of The Youth And Children With Disabilities, Rwanda 264.    Sampark Trust, India 265.    Sedane Labour Resource Center (Lips), Indonesia 266.    Seeds India, India 267.    Service de Renforcement et d'Appuis Aux Communautés de Base et aux organisations de la Société Civile en Afrique Centrale (SERACOB), Democratic Republic of Congo 268.    République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) 269.    Servicios Ecumenicos Para Reconciliacion Y Reconstruccuion (SERR), USA 270.    Shelter and Settlements Alternatives:Uganda Human Settlements Network (SSA:UHSNET), Uganda 271.    Sisters of Mercy, Ireland 272.    Slow Food Tanganyika, Democratic Republic of Congo 273.    Social Watch, International 274.    Menschen fuer Solidaritaet, Oekologie und Lebensstil (SOL), Austria 275.    Soroptimist International, International 276.    Southern Africa Human Rights NGO Network (SAHRINGON), Tanzania 277.    Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute (SAFCEI), South Africa 278.    Sri Lanka United Nations Friendship Organisation (SUNFO), Sri Lanka 279.    Stand Up For Your Rights, The Netherlands 280.    Stop AIDS Alliance, Belgium 281.    Study Center for Gobernability and Democracy (CEGODEM), Nicaragua 282.    Support for Women in Agriculture and Environment (SWAGEN), Uganda 283.    Sustainable Environment Development Watch (SusWatch-Kenya), Kenya 284.    Taller Salud, Puerto Rico 285.    TANGO, The Gambia 286.    Teatro Cabaret Reinas Chulas, AC, Mexico 287.    Terre Des Hommes, International 288.    The Atlas Alliance, Norway 289.    The Center for Gender Research and Study, Satya Wacana Christian University, Indonesia 290.    The Coexist Initiative, Kenya 291.    The Equal Rights Trust (ERT), UK 292.    The LO-TCO Secretariat of International Trade Union Development Cooperation, Sweden 293.    The National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations (LSU), Sweden 294.    The Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand (PPAT), Thailand 295.    The Swedish IPPF Member Association (RFSU), Sweden 296.    Third World Network, International 297.    Tobacco - Free Association Of Zambia, Zambia 298.    Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development (UCSD), Uganda 299.    UNA Sweden, Sweden 300.    Unión Nacional de Instituciones para el Trabajo de Acción Social – UNITAS, Bolivia 301.    Union of Sisters of the Presentation of the B.V.M. - US Province, USA 302.    United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Uganda 303.    University of Puerto Rico School of Public Health, Puerto Rico 304.    Väestöliitto - Family Federation of Finland, Finland 305.    Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund (VGIF), USA 306.    WASH United, Germany 307.    WaterAid, UK 308.    WaterAid Sweden, Sweden 309.    Network for Women´s Rights and Feminist Perspectives in Development (WIDE), Austria 310.    Witness, International 311.    Women for Women's Human Rights - New Ways (WWHR), Turkey 312.    Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF), International Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF/FeDDAF-WASRO/BSRAO), International 313.    Women Peacemakers Program (WPP), The Netherlands 314.    Women Won't Wait Campaign, International 315.    Womens Advocates Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone 316.    Women's Coalition Turkey, Turkey 317.    Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), International 318.    World Federation of United Nations Association, Sweden 319.    World Young Women's Christian Association (World YWCA), Switzerland 320.    Worldwide Filipino Alliance –WFA, Philippines 321.    YAKA Kadin Kooperatifi, Turkey 322.    Yasam Evi Kadin Dayanisma Dernegi, Turkey 323.    Youth Coalition for Education in Liberia (YOCEL), Liberia 324.    Zambia Asthma Association (ZAA), Zambia 325.    Zambia Heart And Stroke Foundation, Zambia 326.    Zi Teng, Hong Kong

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Climate and Environmental Justice

We have advanced rights-based and gender-transformative transition frameworks through research that centres the lived experiences of women and marginalised communities on the frontlines of extractive energy policies, promoting climate and energy frameworks attentive to the social and care-related impacts of transition pathways. We have developed a clear vision for a gender-just transition, firmly rooted in gender and human rights norms, establishing both the legal basis and the direction for the transformative changes our planet and societies urgently need. In particular, the ‘Guiding Principles for Gender Equality and Human Rights in the Energy Transition’, a collective effort built through online consultations, an in-person workshop and multiple rounds of revision with activists, practitioners and experts from around the world, outline a transformative vision for reshaping global energy systems through a human rights and gender equality lens.

Our work recognises that the climate emergency is both an existential threat and an opportunity to reimagine societies built on social, gender, economic and environmental justice. We ground our advocacy in feminist and intersectional principles, prioritising the agency and perspectives of communities in the Global South who have contributed the least to the climate emergency yet face its most devastating consequences. Central to our approach is the understanding that energy is not merely a commodity but a fundamental human right; essential for dignity, health, education, work and the realisation of countless other rights. We challenge approaches to the energy transition that risk replicating the harmful patterns of fossil fuel extraction and, instead, advocate for transformative policies that ensure human rights and gender equality as central to building climate-resilient societies rooted in dignity, justice and planetary well-being.

What's next?

We will continue to challenge approaches that treat energy transition as merely a technical shift, instead positioning it as an opportunity to reimagine economies and societies rooted in dignity for all, with particular attention to communities in the Global South who have contributed least to the climate emergency yet are most exposed to its worst effects.

We will connect community-level evidence and the lived experiences of those on the frontlines of extractive policies to national reform and global norm-setting, breaking down silos between human rights, gender, and climate movements, and advancing a shared vision that recognises just transitions as not only fundamental to achieving climate-resilient and sustainable societies, but as transformative pathways that advance social and gender equality, redistribute power and resources equitably, and ensure that energy systems serve the public good rather than profit.

We will mainstream rights-based and genderjust transition priorities in key multilateral spaces (particularly, within the Just Transition Work Programme and the to-be-developed Just Transition Mechanism, within the UNFCCC) to guarantee that just transitions are advanced at all levels.

We will also translate our work, through strategic advocacy, into at least two concrete policy wins, whether promoted, adopted, implemented, or scaled, in priority countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa, or Kenya), ensuring these policies align with human rights standards, centre gender equality, and reflect the needs and views of affected communities.

We will build momentum for the progressive recognition of the right to sustainable energy to shift dominant narratives away from purely extractive solutions that sideline gendered impacts, community participation, and Global South perspectives.

Economic Justice and Climate Finance

Our work has transformed the global discussion on fiscal policy in a more just, emancipatory and sustainable direction. Our approach has combined both high-level, expert contributions within decisionmaking circles, with bold, impactful work on narrative change with the general public.

We have been instrumental in the inclusion of human rights as a guiding principle of the future United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation, a multilateral instrument with the potential of raising approx. USD 492 billion per year in public revenues currently foregone to global tax abuse. In the process leading to the ‘Compromiso de Sevilla’ decided at FfD4, we proposed and succeeded in creating a specific human rights workstream within the Civil Society Financing for Development Mechanism, which was critical to ensure that explicit commitments on the matter were included in the negotiating outcome. In a context of cutbacks in multilateral institutions, we have amplified the capacities of technical experts, providing rigorous technical support and leveraging our influence to ensure the enactments of groundbreaking standard-setting instruments, such as the 2025 UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Statement on Fiscal Policy and Human Rights, and the first ex oficio hearing on the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights on Fiscal and Economic Policies to Address Poverty and Structural Inequality, leading to an upcoming thematic resolution on the matter. We have also bridged the silos between multilateral tax discussions and climate finance debates, promoting ambitious financing commitments to increase international and domestic resource mobilisation during COP 28, 29 and 30.

At the regional level, our engagement with fiscal cooperation platforms such as the Platform for Fiscal Cooperation of Latin America and the Caribbean (PTLAC), where we are member of its Civil Society Consultative Council, and the African Anti-IFFs Policy Tracker, for which we participated in the pilot mission in Ivory Coast together with Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), have been critical in cementing a growing engagement between tax administrations and ministries of finance with international legal experts, exploring actionable and transformative initiatives, such as the taxation of high-net-worth individuals, beneficial ownership registries and corporate countryby-country reports, to be implemented at the international level.

At the local level, our interventions in fiscal reform debates in Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Nigeria have contributed to shaping legislative outcomes in a more progressive, rights-compliant direction.

As for our leadership in narrative change, we have a measurable track record in delivering tailored, innovative campaigns which have decisively expanded economic justice constituencies by appealing to a broader tent. In Latin America and the Caribbean, we created the ‘Date Cuenta’ campaign, coordinating over 40 organisations across civil society to deliver plain language, innovative messaging connecting progressive fiscal reforms to the financing of health, education and social protection. ‘Date Cuenta’ generated over 55 original campaign messages that were tailored to the realities of seven priority countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Honduras) and disseminated in Spanish, Portuguese and English. In doing so, we convened more than 65 online co-creation workshops with partners, coordinating a unified communications strategy which combined digital outreach, press and media coverage, and collaboration with influencers. Ultimately, ‘Date Cuenta’ resulted in more than 60,000 interactions on social media, coverage in major regional and international media outlets, including El País, Deutsche Welle, Bloomberg and France 24, and the participation of at least 63 social media influencers through 58 dedicated publications. In collaboration with Fundación Gabo and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, we also organised a two-day workshop in Bogota with 20 journalists from 13 countries, building a regional network trained in a human rights-based approach to fiscal policy that has since generated published media coverage on outlets such as La Diaria, Ciper, El Diario Ar and Milenio. Through ‘Date Cuenta’ and our regional advocacy, we strengthened civil society engagement in key processes, including the Financing for Development track and FfD4, co-organised highlevel dialogues with states and civil society from Latin America and Africa.

What's next?

We will shape the UN Tax Convention and its Protocols so they embed human rights principles, and we will stay engaged through follow-up processes (including the expected Conference of the Parties) to support effective implementation. We will keep linking tax and climate finance so that new resources mobilised through fiscal cooperation are channelled to adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage, in line with UNFCCC commitments.

Public Services for Care Societies

We have translated participatory research into accountability and policy outcomes.

In Ivory Coast, our work with Mouvement Ivoirien des Droits Humains and affected communities since 2023 exposed how privatisation and lack of accountability restrict access to quality healthcare. It contributed to the closure of 1,022 illegal private health centres, an executive instrument strengthening the regulation of private hospitals across the country, and the creation of a permanent complaints management committee in healthcare through a bylaw issued by the prefect of Gagnoa. Partners engaged through this process also advanced concrete improvements at facility level: members of the Gagnoa Midwives Association who took part in the participatory action research pooled resources to renovate the neonatal unit of the Regional Hospital, and the Director of the Gagnoa General Hospital launched an action plan to expand services and improve patient reception, with the facility receiving the award for best hospital in the country in 2025.

In Kenya, our research with the Mathare Education Taskforce documented the absence of public schools and the expansion of private provision, evidencing impacts on households and caregivers and strengthening demands for free, quality public education. This work contributed to stronger community agency and collective organisation, alongside ongoing strategies ranging from communications to litigation to secure a public school in the area, some involving GI-ESCR and others led independently.

Across Africa, this work is complemented by a multi-country study examining the human rights implications of austerity in education and health, including how regressive fiscal policies, rising debt burdens and persistent underinvestment undermine the financing and delivery of public services.

In Latin America, from 29 November to 2 December 2021, over a thousand representatives from over one hundred countries, from grassroots movements, advocacy, human rights, and development organisations, feminist movements, trade unions, and other civil society organisations, met in Santiago, Chile, and virtually, to discuss the critical role of public services for our future. Following the meeting, the Santiago Declaration on Public Services was adopted to demand universal access to quality, gender-transformative and equitable public services as the foundation of a fair and just society.

We are currently advancing work on care systems, linking public services and fiscal justice through integrated research, advocacy and communications, including a regional campaign framing care as a collective responsibility requiring sustained public investment.

What's next?

In Ivory Coast, we will evaluate and strengthen the complaints management committee and position it as a replicable model for other health facilities. In Kenya, we will support the Mathare community to co-design a model public school for Mabatini and Ngei wards, grounded in human rights standards. Building on our multi-country austerity study, we will drive national advocacy on financing for education and health: advancing reforms in Ghana; launching a fiscal policy and public services financing agenda in Kenya through the CESCR process and targeted coalition work; and, in Nigeria, using the new tax acts in force since 1 January 2026 to catalyse a national accountability campaign for adequately funded, quality public services. In Latin America, we will amplify locally led care pilots across 8 countries and turn lessons into influence—advancing care policies that strengthen care organisations, protect care workers’ rights, support unpaid caregivers, include disability and family networks, and redistribute care more equitably.