The Special Rapporteur's factsheet summarizing the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the context of multilateral organization, presented in an easy-to use "yes/no" format, with hyperlinks to source materials. This factsheet draws heavily from the Special Rapporteur's 2014 report to the UN General Assembly and features guidance on: • Multilateral organizations' obligations to uphold assembly and association rights - and what that means in practice • Multilaterals' responsibilities when member states police assemblies targeted at the multilateral institution itself • The status of private multilaterals, such as the International Olympic Committee • Comparative access for business and civil society • And more The factsheet also summarizes the report's recommendations and highlights key statistics in a "by the numbers" feature. For the Special Rapporteur's full factsheet series, please see:... Continue reading →
The Special Rapporteur's factsheet summarizing best practices on the right to freedom of association, presented in an easy-to use "yes/no" format, with hyperlinks to source materials. This factsheet draws heavily from the Special Rapporteur's 2012 report to the Human Rights Council and features guidance on: • Registration of NGOs and other civil society organizations • State obligations to uphold the right to freedom of association • Permissible limitations on the right • The issue of equitable treatment between businesses and civil society • Civil society's ability to access resources (discussed in further detail in this factsheet) • Association rights during election periods • Remedies for the violation of association rights • The right to freedom of association online • And more For the Special Rapporteur's full factsheet series, please see:... Continue reading →
The Special Rapporteur's factsheet summarizing best practices on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, presented in an easy-to use "yes/no" format, with hyperlinks to source materials. This factsheet draws heavily from the Special Rapporteur's 2012 report to the Human Rights Council and features guidance on: • Permits and notification procedures for peaceful assemblies • State obligations to uphold the right to freedom of peaceful assembly • Permissible limitations on the right • The role of third-party monitors and journalists at peaceful assemblies • The status of spontaneous assemblies • Assembly rights during election periods • Remedies for the violation of assembly rights • Use of force and what authorities should do in response to violence • And more For the Special Rapporteur's full factsheet series, please see:... Continue reading →
United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai has released a concise, easy-to-use fact sheet on the right to freedom of association, which summarizes key principles in international law and best practices for promotion of the right. A companion fact sheet for the right to freedom of peaceful assembly was released earlier this month. Both fact sheets, which each fit on a single page front and back, draw heavily from the Special Rapporteur’s 2012 report on best practices to promote and protect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. They are presented in an accessible Q&A format, with each question hitting on major assembly and association rights themes. The fact sheets also provide references to core international standards on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, with links. The fact sheet is currently available in the following languages: English • Azərbaycan • 漢語 • 中文 • বাংলা • ру́сский • Кыргыз • Türkmen dilinde • Ўзбек • Қазақ • Тоҷикӣ * all non-English versions are unofficial; translations not verified by the UNSR If you or your organization are interested in translating the fact sheet into another language, please contact us at info@freeassembly.net See also: The Right to Freedom of... Continue reading →
United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai has released a concise, easy-to-use fact sheet on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, which summarizes key principles in international law and best practices for promotion of the right. (Nov. 21, 2014 update: Click here for the companion fact sheet on the right to freedom of association) The fact sheet, which fits on a single page front and back, draws heavily from the Special Rapporteur's 2012 report on best practices to promote and protect the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. It is presented in an accessible Q&A format, with each question hitting on major assembly rights themes. The fact sheet also provides references to core international standards on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, with links. "The protection of rights starts with people knowing their rights," Kiai said. "I hope that this fact sheet is useful and I encourage people to share it widely." If you or your organization are interested in translating the fact sheet into another language, please contact us at info@freeassembly.net The document is currently available in the following languages: English • Հայերեն • 漢語 • 中文 • বাংলা • ру́сский * all non-English versions are unofficial; translations not... Continue reading →
NEW YORK – United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai will appear before the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly on October 28 to present his latest report, which focuses on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association at the multilateral level. Kiai, who is the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, is scheduled to present at the General Assembly’s 69th Session session on October 28, which begins at 10 a.m. local (EST) time. The session will be broadcast live on http://webtv.un.org/. Kiai’s thematic report examines how the rights to freedom of peacefully assembly and of association are exercised, promoted and limited in the context of multilateral organizations. The report asserts that these rights are equally fundamental and protected at the national and international levels, but that they are not always upheld at the multilateral level. “Multilateral organizations have a profound impact on the lives of ordinary people across the globe,” the Special Rapporteur said. “They institute development projects, spur economic and political reform, help shape international law, and more. Yet much of this occurs without the substantive and effective input of ordinary people.” Kiai said that assembly and association... Continue reading →
