.png)
Human rights institutions are under growing strain. Repressive governments are increasingly using multilateral forums to advance authoritarian agendas, while deepening geopolitical divides are making consensus-building more difficult. At the same time, shrinking civic space and limited resources are constraining the ability of civil society to participate meaningfully in global governance processes.
Drawing on ENSURED's report "The UN Human Rights Council: Challenges and Opportunities for Reform," this webinar brought together civil society practitioners and researchers to examine whether the UN Human Rights Council can still fulfil its mandate and what prospects exist for institutional reform. It also highlighted practical strategies for civil society to defend and strengthen human rights institutions.
The panellists included:
- Fabiana Leibl, Program Manager at the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), leading institutional advocacy with the Human Rights Council and working on women's rights and anti-rights movements.
- Nicolas Agostini, DefendDefenders' representative to the UN and Senior Advocate, with expertise in civic space, Council elections, and African state participation.
- Samuel King, researcher at CIVICUS and co-author of the ENSURED report on the UN Human Rights Council.
The conversation was moderated by Inés Pousadela, Senior Research Specialist at CIVICUS, Professor of Comparative Politics and Global Civil Society at Universidad ORT Uruguay and co-author of the ENSURED report on the UN Human Rights Council.
Initial Points
Samuel King presented findings from the ENSURED research report, outlining four critical challenges facing the UN Human Rights Council. These included the non-enforceability of human rights norms, as the Council cannot compel states to act, and Universal Periodic Review recommendations can simply be "noted" rather than accepted. Second, the presence of rights-violating states as Council members, often elected unopposed despite Resolution 60/251, which states that countries responsible for widespread violations should not qualify. Third, shrinking civil society access, which is funnelled through the dysfunctional ECOSOC accreditation process. And lastly, severe resource constraints, as human rights receives only 5% of the overall UN budget despite being a key pillar.
"If you look back three decades ago, having the Human Rights Council is really something, and it is a big improvement to what we had before."
Nicolas Agostini offered a crucial perspective: "If you look back three decades ago, having the Human Rights Council is really something, and it is a big improvement to what we had before." While acknowledging the fact that we are in an unprecedented crisis, he emphasised that meaningful resolutions can still be passed, investigative mechanisms still expose violations, and the Council remains functional. However, he warned of an erosion of multilateral norms, attacks on special procedure mandate holders, and the open challenging of "agreed language" that had been accepted for years.
Fabiana Leibl described the current situation as "a full-blown crisis of multilateralism and the rules-based international order" but also stressed that the Council continues to be a lifeline for many human rights defenders. She identified a triple crisis: accountability, funding, and legitimacy affecting the entire UN system. The solution requires moving beyond reliance on specific regional groups to build a broader politically diverse coalition of different states from different regions willing to address shortcomings. She also highlighted the "persistent disconnect" between the UN spaces in New York and Geneva, where states adopt markedly different positions on human rights and reform.
The Crisis Facing Civil Society
Fabiana detailed how the ECOSOC NGO Committee blocks civil society access. With 19 members elected by regional blocks with almost no competitive races, "the Committee is highly politicised and routinely uses its role to block critical voices." At the last session, over 600 applications were reviewed, with more than half deferred from previous years through repetitive questions, trivial questioning, and requests for complex documentation. There have also been many cases of intimidation and reprisals by states against those engaging with the Council.
Nicolas described how uncompetitive elections worsen the situation. The African Union, for instance, endorses exactly the number of candidates as seats available each year, meaning "states like Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, or Egypt can be elected, because there is simply no competition." He advocated for calling on UN General Assembly members to not vote for all candidates and putting maximum pressure on states that are elected once they are members.
The UN's funding crisis compounds everything.
The UN's funding crisis compounds everything. Fabiana outlined this: the 2026 budget led to 117 staff cuts at the Office of the High Commissioner, leaving new mandates unable to function. Special procedures' country visits were reduced by half, and working group sessions cut by a third. "Violations go undocumented and perpetrators go unpunished," Samuel noted.
Nicolas described the complex reality of meaningful participation for organisations under severe restrictions. "The system has become so complex that it is extremely challenging for organisations that are remote to meaningfully engage." DefendDefenders provides accreditation and facilitates access, but visa restrictions have multiplied, while intimidation and reprisals continue. He warned about the growing influence of GONGOs (government-organised NGOs) that are "well-funded, benefit from state resources, occupy the space,and are increasingly good at influencing outcomes." Fabiana explained how anti-rights movements work to roll back established international human rights norms and standards, particularly in areas such as LGBTQI+ rights, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Strategies and the Path Forward
Samuel emphasised that successful coalitions require consistency and credibility, and "Global North states need to apply the same standards to their own allies." He cited recent Middle East discussions where European states condemned Iran's repression but did not mention U.S. attacks. This can be jarring when criticisms aired at the Human Rights Council are not reflective of what is happening, making coalition building very difficult on those issues.
Nicolas stressed addressing double standards as key to "rehabilitating multilateralism." He pointed to the fact that some states receive a "free pass" at the Human Rights Council, such as Ethiopia and Egypt. He also noted that Orban's electoral defeat in Hungary might make the EU more united.
Successful coalitions require consistency and credibility, and "Global North states need to apply the same standards to their own allies."
Fabiana suggested that the Special Procedures needed reform, noting that they remain "one of the most agile and autonomous parts of the Council." Key improvements would include developing objective criteria to measure impact, ensuring adequate funding and staffing, enabling remote engagement, and standardising follow-up procedures across all mandates.
On a final note, the panellists offered advice for grassroots activists. Fabiana noted the Council's limitations: "The Council and its mechanisms are a toolbox, with each tool serving a different purpose, and they work effectively when used to complement national advocacy strategies." She stressed assessing the risks of reprisals but insisted that progressive voices need to occupy this space more than ever. Nicolas highlighted the Council's unique advantage: "No one has veto powers at the Council, so no one can oppose a resolution and block it from being adopted. Not even China, not even the U.S." Samuel noted that authoritarian states' efforts to control the Council prove its continued relevance: "They are scared of it." The webinar concluded with calls to strategically engage with existing mechanisms while building diverse coalitions to defend human rights multilateralism.
Missed the webinar? Watch it here:
About the ENSURED Webinar Series
In Conversation with Civil Society is a year-long webinar series exploring how global governance institutions can become more effective, robust, and democratic. Each session brings together ENSURED researchers, policymakers, and civil society leaders to discuss practical reform pathways across key policy areas. Through a conversational format, the series connects analytical research with civil society experience, identifying political opportunities for institutional change and highlighting where advocacy can have the greatest impact across fragmented governance landscapes and persistent global divides.
The series is coordinated and facilitated by CIVICUS.
Photo: UN Photo / Flickr
.jpg)
.png)
