UN Secretary General responds to concerns about withdrawal of online participation

Date: 17th May 2024
Category: General measures of implementation, General principles

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In February, over 300 organisations sent a joint letter to UN representatives calling on them to  preserve onlineparticipation for UN human rights bodies and meetings (including those held by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child).

As set out in a previous edition of Together’s newsletter, civil society organisations expressed grave concerns that removing the option for live, online participation in UN human rights sessions would restrict the direct participation of civil society, children and young people. This is because participation would be limited only to those who could afford to travel to Geneva to attend in person.

In his response, the Secretary-General expressed gratitude for the engagement, highlighting the essential role of civil society in advancing human rights. The Secretary-General reiterated the benefits of remote online participation introduced during the pandemic, which enhanced inclusivity.

However, the response notes that due to procedural, technical, and budgetary constraints, the General Assembly has not provided a mandate for the continuation of hybrid meetings beyond the pandemic measures. Despite efforts to explore alternatives, the response notes that the Secretariat lacks the authority to sustain these remote participation options without explicit approval from UN Member States. The Secretary-General ends by giving assurances that the Secretariat “will continue to make every effort to facilitate the decision-making of Members States on this important matter”.

• Download the UN Secretary General’s response HERE.