united nations campaign
From the United Nations Secretary General through to the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, there is opportunity to do more at the United Nations to strengthen the response to the deteriorating situation in Hong Kong.
The importance of mobilising action at the United Nations lies in the fact that the United Nations is the most important multilateral forum, which provides accountability tools, particularly for violations of international human rights law, and plays a significant role in writing the historical narrative.
The UN’s independent experts, from Special Rapporteurs to Committee members, also play a significant role in raising international alarms and analysing specific developments and issues in Hong Kong.
Hong Kongers and Hong Kong organisations can also do more to engage with the United Nations, so that the human rights situation in Hong Kong is continually raised. Hong Kong Watch works on United Nations advocacy ourselves and offers training and collaboration to empower Hong Kongers to do the same.
Hong Kong Watch has been leading international calls for the creation of an international contact group to coordinate a global response to the impending crisis in Hong Kong, and the establishment of a United Nations Special Envoy and a Special Rapporteur for human rights in Hong Kong, since 2020.
Hong Kong Watch has made submissions and joint submissions about Hong Kong to the Human Rights Committee in 2022, the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women in 2023, and the Universal Periodic Review of January 2024.
Hong Kong Watch regularly meets with diplomats and governments at the United Nations level to speak about human rights violations and international legal violations in Hong Kong, as well as with the Special Procedures and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Hong Kong Watch has also organised and circulated joint letters and statements related to the United Nations, and members of our team have written op-eds and provided comments to the press about the importance of raising Hong Kong issues at the United Nations.
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