OHCHR | Guidelines on the effective implementation of the right to participate in public affairs

Guidelines on the right to participate in public affairs

Guidelines on the right to participate in public affairs - © UN Photo © UN Photo

The Guidelines on the effective implementation on the right to participate in public affairs provide directions for States on how to ensure participation. The Guidelines include recommendations on different dimensions of the right to participate, for example on participation in electoral processes, on direct participation in non-electoral contexts and on participation at the international level.

OHCHR prepared the Guidelines as requested by resolution 33/22 of the Human Rights Council. The Council, in resolution 39/11 adopted by consensus, took note with interest of the Guidelines and presented them as a set of orientations for States and others.

Guidelines

Briefer on the Guidelines

French and Spanish versions coming soon.

Please see document A/HRC/39/28 for text in all UN languages.

Consultative drafting process

The Human Rights Council, requested OHCHR to ensure the elaboration of the Guidelines was open, transparent and inclusive and to widely consult with all relevant stakeholders.

OHCHR organized five regional consultations for two days in each of the following regions:

i. The Americas
ii. Africa
iii. Asia Pacific
iv. Middle East and North Africa
v. Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Others

Regional consultation for the Americas, Santiago, Chile, 13-14 June 2017

Concept note [English], [Spanish]
Background paper, by Fabián Salvioli, Professor of Public International Law, Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences, and Director of the Human Rights Institute, La Plata National University (Argentina). Former member and Chairperson of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, Spanish only
Provisional Agenda [English], [Spanish]
Registration form [English], [Spanish]
Logistics note for participants [English], [Spanish]
Final list of participants
Click here to watch the short video of the regional consultation for the Americas
Summary of the discussions [English]

Regional consultation for Sub-Saharan Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 6- 7 September 2017

Concept note [English], [French]
Background paper by Mr Christof Heyns (South Africa), Director of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa, Professor of Human Rights Law at the University of Pretoria and Member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee
Annex A: Human Rights Committee Concluding observations and views on the right to political participation under the ICCPR in African States; Annex B: The African Charter system and the right to political participation; Annex C: African Sub-regional human rights systems and the right to political participation;Annex D: The constitutions of African States and the right to political participation; Annex E: African electoral laws.
Registration form [English], [French]
Logistics note for participants [English], [French]
Provisional Agenda [English], [French]
Final list of participants
Photo of the event
Summary of the discussions [English]

Regional consultation for the Asia and Pacific region, Bangkok, Thailand, 2-3 October 2017

Concept note [English]
OHCHR Compilation of jurisprudence from United Nations human rights mechanisms [English]
Registration form [English]
Logistics note for participants [English]
Provisional Agenda [English]
Final list of participants
Summary of the discussions [English]

Regional consultation for the Middle East and North Africa region, Beirut, Lebanon, 21-22 December 2017

Concept note [English] [Arabic]
Background paper by Mr Fateh Azzam, Human Rights consultant [English] Annexe: Compilation of jurisprudence from United Nations human rights mechanisms [English]
Registration form [English] [Arabic]
Logistics note for participants [English]
Provisional Agenda [English]
Final list of participants [English]
Summary of the discussions [English]

Regional consultation for Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Others, Geneva, Switzerland, 9-10 April 2018.

Concept note [English], [French], [Russian]
Background paper by Mr Olivier de Frouville, Professor at University Paris II Panthéon-Assas, Director of the Paris Human Rights Center and Member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee and annexes: Bibliography, compilation of relevant jurisprudence from UN Human Rights Mechanisms, compilation of relevant jurisprudence and reports from European Mechanisms, documents by country
Logistics note for participants [English]
Provisional Agenda [English]
Final list of participants [English]
Summary of the discussions [English]

OHCHR also invited written submissions. All submission received are available below.

Written Submissions

Member States

Intergovernmental organizations

Regional human rights mechanisms

United Nations mechanisms, bodies and specialized agencies, funds and programmes

National Human Rights Institutions

NGOs

Academics and experts

Lilija Alijeva, Human Rights Consortium, School of Advanced Study, University of London