14th Meeting - 62nd Session of Human Rights Council

Good afternoon, participants.
I hereby declare open the 14th meeting of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.
We will now continue with the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
That discussion was suspended this morning, so we will continue with the list of speakers, and I give the floor to Sinc representative Finland.
Mr.
President.
I speak today as Finland's youth delegate.
For my generation, civic space is not divided into online and offline life.
We learn, organize, share ideas, and participate in society through digital spaces.
That is why digital surveillance affects whether young people feel safe to participate at all.
As the report highlights, constant monitoring does not need to silence everyone to have an impact.
It is enough for people to become afraid of speaking up.
This also affects young people's trust in the future.
If young people do not feel safe to participate or speak up, it becomes harder for our generation to shape the future of our societies.
A society cannot be socially sustainable if participation becomes a risk.
The right to freedom of peaceful assembly must be protected both offline and online.
States and companies must ensure that human rights remains at the center of digital technologies and that civic space remains safe and open for all.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now I give the floor to distinguished representative of North Macedonia.
Mr.
Vice President, North Macedonia reaffirms its strong support for the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and thanks for her latest report, particularly her analysis of the threats posed by digital surveillance.
We reiterate that the rights of freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of associations are fundamental to human rights dignity and indispensable for protection and advancement of all human rights.
We are concerned by the growing use of intrusive and high risk digital systems that are often incompatible with the human rights obligations.
As highlighted in the report, broad justification based on national security, sovereignty, public safety or combating hate crimes, narrow civic space and restrict legitimate civic and political activism.
Such measures can also suppress grassroots movements, civil society organizations, and peaceful assemblies with a disproportionate impact on marginalized group.
Taken together, these practices risk creating a chilling effect and discouragements for individuals for participating in freely in public life.
North Macedonia in close cooperation with DCA in the phase of implementing intelligence and security sector reforms aimed to minimizing the possibilities of infringement of rights, while at the same time ensuring both national security and the protection of individual rights and privacy.
Madam Special Rapporteur, referring to your call for a unified global response.
What should be the foremost priority in addressing the chilling effects creating by digital facilitated and AI powered surveillance techniques.
Thank you.
G.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of Austria.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Austria lies with the EU statement and welcomes the timely topic of the report presented today.
Given the enabling and interconnected nature of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, unjustified interference diminishes the ability to advocate for all human rights.
While new and emerging technologies offer many ways to connect people and facilitate communication, digital surveillance and stigmatization may impact only the public visibility of civil society actors, associations, assemblies, journalists and human rights defenders, directly limiting their ability to connect, act, and communicate freely.
Concerns about the consequences of actual suggested or perceived monitoring is not only changing the behavior of individuals as real or perceived targets of surveillance, but it's also impacting family members, whole communities, social movements and society and can have long lasting negative effect.
Public space surveillance has the potential to erode socio cultural life and interpersonal connections or nurture a climate of mistrust.
Whereas digital technology and surveillance can have chilling effects on every person, they can affect women and girls disproportionately.
As outlined in the report, surveillance of any form must comply with the necessity and proportionality applicable to limitations on freedom of peaceful assembly association.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Mr.
Vice President, UR remains committed to upholding the rights and freedom guaranteed under the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977, as well as its obligation under applicable international and regional Human Rights Instruments.
Any form of intimidation, harassment, unlawful surveillance, surveillance or coercion intended to discourage individuals from enjoying their rights and freedoms should be addressed through appropriate legal and institution mechanism.
In this regard, Tanzania has adopted a comprehensive data protection framework, including the enactment of the Personal Data Protection Act in 2022, and the establishment of Personal Data Protection Commission in 2023 to safeguard the privacy and personal information.
These measures are intended to ensure that personal data is collected, processed, stored, and shared in accordance with the law and international acceptance principle of data protection.
The Tanzania affirmed that all individuals should be able to communicate, exchange ideas, and participate in civic, social and political activities without fear of retaliation against themselves of all their family members.
Protection privacy and freedom of expression is essential in promoting democratic participation in human dignity and the effective enjoyment of other human rights.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor.
The distinguished representative of UNDP.
Mr.
President, UNDP welcomes this timely report.
As in the important online civic space grows, the risks identified are not abstract.
They directly shape whether people feel safe to organize, express themselves, and participate in public life.
At UNDP, our work on civic engagement in the digital age is grounded in a simple principle.
Technology, including AI must strengthen, not undermine human rights.
This requires not only safeguards, but also meaningful public oversight.
Decisions about how digital technologies are designed and governed should not happen behind closed doors.
They benefit from being informed by people's experiences, concerns, and aspirations.
Participatory technology assessment offer one practical way forward.
As an approach, UNDP is advancing.
They bring citizens, experts, and policymakers into dialogue.
They help make governance more inclusive, transparent, and accountable.
This approach is being put into practice through national dialogues supported by UNDP on frontier technology.
For example, in Morocco, Bangladesh, and Paragay, these dialogues bring diverse public perspective into conservation on AI governance.
In context where surveillance risks eroding trust and participant participation, such approach can help strengthen legitimacy and ensure that digital governance frameworks.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative Guatemala.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President Guadalo.
I'd like to thank the Special Rapporteur for introducing her report.
We agree that democratic societies require an open and safe civic space.
We share the concerns about the deterrent effects that digital surveillance has on freedoms of peaceful assembly and association.
Weakening collective action and eroding trust institutions.
My country recognizes the fundamental role played by human rights defenders, journalists, community leaders, indigenous authorities, private sector academic circles, and civil society organizations in building a more inclusive society.
Mr.
Vice President for Guatemala, the adoption of the public policy for the protection of human rights defenders 2025 2035 represents an important step forward in strengthening risk prevention, comprehensive protection, and access to justice.
Also, recent processes of the renewal of authorities in the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the Constitutional Court represent an opportunity to strengthen judicial independence, combat impunity, and promote a more favorable environment for the exercise of fundamental freedoms.
In light of the findings of the report, what measures do you consider to be priorities to build the trust of defenders, journalists, and civil society organizations in contexts where surveillance, stigmatization, or criminalization have generated Fear and reduced participation in public life.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to Distinguished Representative Burkina Faso.
Mr.
Vice President, my delegation aligned itself with a statement made by the African group and would like to add the following in our national capacity.
We agree with Special Rapporteur that all digital technologies that may undermine rights should respect the principle of legality, proportionality, and necessity.
Their use should be based on an accessible and specific legal framework that defines the objectives that are authorized and cover all the targeted groups.
A relevant law for the protection of persons related to the treatment of public data exists in Burkina.
Article 6 says that digital information technologies are in the service of human beings.
They should not undermine the human identity or the private life or individual freedoms or collective freedoms or human rights in general.
This is a fundamental principle that makes it possible to protect the freedom of association and assembly that is guaranteed by the Constitution in Article 7 and 21.
Madam Special Reporter, your report states that digital surveillance may have a deterrent effect on the rights to assembly and association.
At the same time, surveillance is also implemented in order to protect public security and safety.
How can we reconcile these two aspects? Thank you.
Now, I'd like to give the floor to Indy, but I do not believe that the representative is in the room.
Then we give the floor to our next speaker, Sings Representative Sudan.
That is.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We take note.
They report on the deterrent effects and the ecosystem of digital surveillance technologies, and we take note of the recommendations in our country.
We have a framework that protects the freedom of assembly and association, just like the right to privacy and we agree with the Special Rapporteur in terms of that digital surveillance should not be used to violate human rights.
Challenges that journalists and those who work in the public space will face are very serious.
These groups play an important role in society and the uh We see that the activities of rapid deployment forces have been involved in arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances and executions, and information technologies, we believe facilitated and organized crime and to spread false and fake information and to call for violence and terrorism and undermine the rights to property and the restrictive measures taken by some countries in order to protect the public order is something that is very important from human rights perspective.
I now give the floor to C.
The Czech Republic aligns itself with the EU statement.
We once again welcome the Special Reporter Gina Romero and thank her for her report analyzing the chilling effects of digital surveillance and the erosion of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
We strongly support her mandate and its vital role in countering the growing attacks on the freedoms worldwide.
We wish to express our concern about the deepening restrictions on civil and political rights, including freedoms of assembly and association in Nicaragua.
In May 2026, the group of independent human rights experts, including Special Reporter Romero, highlighted the grave human rights situation in Nicaragua and condemned the death in detention of the human rights defender, Mr.
Brook Lynn Rivera.
We call on the government of Nicaragua to uphold its international human rights obligations and protect the fundamental freedoms.
Madam Sci Reporter, we welcome the focus of your current report, Chilling Effects clearly undermine participation in public life.
You share some best practices, ensuring surveillance in time bound subject to compulsory prior judicial authorization and effective independent oversight, Gratias.
Thank you.
I give the floor to Distinguished Representative of Switzerland.
Mr.
Vice President, Switzerland would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for her report and we share her concerns related to the deterrent effects of digital surveillance on the exercise of the rights to peaceful association and assembly.
We note the disproportionate effect on those persons who already exposed intersectional forms of discrimination, women, LGBTQI persons, ethnic and religious minorities that see their access to civic space further reduced.
Switzerland supports your call to submit the use of all technologies related to digital surveillance to an in depth public impact analysis on human rights based on principles of legality and nesitypiality.
This is why Switzerland supports the model protocol for law enforcement officials to promote and protect human rights in the context of peaceful protests.
This protocol established clear lines.
Surveillance based on belonging to a particular group and the targeted use of spy software are incompatible with international human rights law, any use of digital technologies should be strictly limited to facilitate the XR right to peaceful assembly and not to be used for surveillance purposes by law enforcement agencies.
Madam Scaler, what mechanisms of responsibility are the most effective one to guarantee that law enforcement agencies respect these rules.
I give the floor to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
My delegation takes note of the reference made in the report concerning the restriction on online association.
In this regard, it is important to emphasize that such references must be assessed with full regard to the specific national and security context of each situation and should not be based on broad conclusion and isolated cases.
Madam Sci Reporteer, during the recent military aggression against Iran, peaceful assemblies and public gatherings were sevely disrupted.
In practice, people were deprived on their ability to exercise their right to peaceful assembly and civilian gathering and public space were exposed by bombardment and military attacks.
In some instance, this resulted in casualties, including deaths and injuries among civilian prison in or near source gathering.
The impact of military operation and the effective enjoyment, the right to peaceful assembly must therefore be carefully examined.
Any meaningful assessment should take into account How armed conflict and the use of force against civilian areas fundamentally undermine the ability of individual to gather safely and fairly.
Without addressing these consequences, analysis of restriction of assembly risk overlooking the most decisive factors affecting the realization of this right in context of armed aggression.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of China.
Vice President, China knows the report by the Special Rapporteur and firmly opposes it unfounded allegations about digital surveillance in China.
China is a country under the rule of law where citizens lawful rights and freedoms are fully protected.
Our Constitution clearly provides that citizens enjoy freedom of speech of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration.
In recent years, the government has adopted and implemented a series of regulations, including one on the administration of network data security to strengthen the framework for data governance, clarify the obligations of data processes, protect personal privacy and information, and prevent cross border data security risks.
A fundamental principle of the rule of law is the equal protection of the rights of all.
No freedom is absolute.
Its exercise must comply with the constitution and the law and must not harm the interests of the state, society, or the collective, nor be pursued through illegal means to disrupt or cause damage.
China urges the SR to respect facts and authoritative information provided by the Chinese government.
Avoid selective or biased reliance on sources and carry out a mandate in an impartial and objective manner, thereby earning the trust of all countries.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of Nigeria.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Nigeria, thanks Speci Rapporteur for our report.
Nigeria recognizes that the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association are important pillars of democratic governance.
These rights are guaranteed by our constitution and reinforced by the African Charter and the ICCPR.
We agree that surveillance measures must be conducted in accordance with international ma rights law.
Digital technologies should not be misused to arbitrarily restrict civic space or fundamental freedoms.
Nigeria, efforts continue to strengthen legal and institutional safeguards in the digital space, including through the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the amendments of the Cybercrimes Act of 2024, which further aligns our domestic frameworks with Nigeria's international obligations.
At the same time, we believe it is important to maintain a balanced approach.
While recognizing the risks associated with misuse of digital tools, states also face legitimate security challenges including terrorism, violent extremism, cybercrime, and transnational organized crime.
In such context, lawful and proportionate security measures conducted under strict judicial and legal oversight constitute a necessary tool for protecting lives and maintaining public order.
Finally, discussions on surveillance technologies should also address the responsibility of technology vendors and exporting states in preventing misuse, including through appropriate accountability and oversight mechanisms.
I thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ireland.
Ireland lines with the statement of the EU and thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report.
We are deeply concerned by this report's findings regarding the toll that digital surveillance takes on civil society actors, particularly the implications for their ability to organize, both online and offline.
The rights to free assembly and association are essential to ensuring the full enjoyment of the civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights of all individuals.
Invocation by states of security concerns, including terrorism, cybercrime, and transnational crime used as justification for the deployment of intrusive digital surveillance measures is a threat to fundamental human rights.
Ireland recognizes that freedom of peaceful assembly and association may be subject to certain restrictions.
These must accord with states obligations under international human rights law and abide by the principles of necessity and proportionality.
We have consistently called on states to maintain a safe and enabling environment for civil society in law and in practice.
The protection of civil society space is a priority for Ireland, including as part of our campaign for membership of the Human Rights Council.
Special I operator, can you share any thoughts on the structure, complaint and remedy mechanism for unlawful or arbitrary surveillance could take? Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the representative of Belarus.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President.
Once again, we note the attempt by the Special Rapporteur to interpret the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association in a way that goes beyond the definition agreed by states in Articles 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The covenant establishes that this right is not absolute and may be limited in line with the law when it is in the interest of national and public security, public order, the protection of public health or morals, or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
These provisions apply to the exercise of this right, both in real life and in digital formats, the use of which is becoming more and more widespread and regulated in accordance with the law.
In Belarus, the right to peaceful assembly and association is guaranteed provided that the relevant requirements of the law are met.
Statements to the contrary do not correspond to reality and are broadcast for politicized purposes.
We call on the Special Operator not to make generalizations and conclusions based on private opinions received from 152 individuals.
This cannot be representative of a comprehensive study.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the delegation of Lichtenstein, but I do not see them in the root.
Yes, they are indeed.
I give the floor to the representative of Lichtenstein.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President, Lichtenstein, thanks to Special Rapporteur for her report.
We share the concerns about the normalization of intrusive digital surveillance practices which are often justified by security narratives and which may undermine the principles of necessity and proportionality applicable to limitations on the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, as well as the right to privacy.
Moreover, people subjected to surveillance or the threat of surveillance often face serious consequences, including stigmatization, intimidation, criminalization, arbitrary detention, or threats to life.
Mr.
Vice President, surveillance induced chilling effects include the influence of surveillance practices on people's behavior, for instance, whether they participate in public or private events or whether they engage in democratic processes.
This is unacceptable.
Democracy depends on an open civic space in accordance with international human rights law.
We support the Special Rapporteur's recommendation that states must refrain from stigmatizing and criminalizing civil society actors and from using surveillance and digital technologies to suppress political dissent and civil society action, including abroad.
The use of digital technology for these objectives must be prohibited and human rights law must be upheld.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to Distined Representative Indonesia.
Mr.
Fries President, Indonesia takes note of the Special Report report and its analysis.
Indonesia recognized that freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association are essential for meaningful public participation and democratic governance.
For Indonesia, these strikes are not only political commitments, but also constitutional guarantees.
Discussion on the digital surveillance should also acknowledge the legitimate responsibility of states to address risk in the digital environment.
Rapid technological development have created serious challenges, including online gambling, child exploitation, cybercrime, disinformation, and other harmful online content.
In Indonesia, regulatory and monitoring measures are aimed at addressing this risk, strengthening platform accountability and protecting people in vulnerable situation, particularly children.
Reason policies including legal protection on the use of technology by underage users and evos to combat illegal online content reflect a targeted and risk based approach intended to protect user and promote responsible digital governance rather than indiscriminate monitoring of civic activities.
Indonesia believes that the protection of human rights, therefore, we support continued dialogue on harnessing technology for public welfare while preserving fundamental freedom and offer safe represent.
Give the floor to the representative Zombie.
Vice President.
Zambia acknowledges the growing role that digital technologies play in shaping how individuals associate, organize, and participate in public life.
Technologies have expanded opportunities for civic engagement, access to information, and participation, particularly among young people.
At the same time, the rapid evolution of digital technologies presents important governance challenges relating to privacy, transparency, accountability, and public trust.
Like many countries, Zambia continues to adapt the legal and institutional frameworks to address emerging cybersecurity risks and cybercrime while fostering a secure and enabling digital environment.
We believe that efforts to strengthen digital governance should be accompanied by continued dialogue, capacity building, and sharing of experiences to ensure that technological innovation remains supportive of human rights, participation and inclusion.
Special Rapporteur, what practical guidance would you offer developing countries seeking to strengthen cybersecurity and digital governance frameworks while ensuring that digital technologies continue to support the exercise of the rights to peaceful assembly and association.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of the Maldives.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
The Malice thank the Special Rapporteur for her comprehensive report, which highlights the effects of digital surveillance on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
The Malice reaffirms its commitment to the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association which are enshrined in our constitution alongside the right to privacy in private communication with Article 16 ensuring that any restriction on these rights, including through surveillance is permissible only where are lawful, necessary, and proportionate.
The malice concurs with SSO that digital surveillance poses a serious threat to the exercise of this right.
In this regard, initiatives are underway to strengthen protection, including amending the Freedom of Fiscal Assembly Act in line with our constitutional commitments and developing a personal data protection bill and the National Cybersecurity bill to further consolidate these protections.
Malice also notes that existing legal safeguards under the Criminal Procedure Act ensures protection of journalists from unjustified electronic surveillance.
The government of Malice remains committed to creating a conducive environment for civic engagement and to ensuring that right to peaceful of assembly and association are exercised within the framework of the law.
A is co founders of this mandate, we remain steadft in our commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, the rule of law and democratic principles without any discrimination.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Cuba.
Vice President, developing new IT and telecommunications technologies bring significant challenges for social development and support of human rights.
Cuba advocates for the sustainable use of artificial intelligence based on a transparent, equitable framework that allows for development whilst duly taking into account the interests of users.
Cuba's Constitution recognizes the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the policies that govern the exercise of these rights are drawn up by a diverse network of civil society organizations with broad membership and representation.
In the country, we have more than 2,251 such associations.
There is also a broad spectrum of social movements, community networks, and other projects that enrich the Cuban civil society.
Cuba reaffirms its commitment to the right freedom of peaceful assembly and association and will continue to strive to ensure its full enjoyment along with our Constitution and human rights standards.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Ethiopia.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Ethiopia recognizes the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association as enshrined in its constitution and in the international human rights instruments to which it is a party.
These rights shall be exercised in accordance with international laws and in a manner consistent with public order, safety, and the rights of others.
In this regard, Etopia supports approaches that ensure status retain adequate policy space to effectively address evolving security challenges, including cyber threats and online harms in a manner consistent with their national legal frameworks and international obligations.
Ethiopia supports continued dialogue on enhancing international institutional capacity and promoting responsible use of digital technologies, including through capacity building and international cooperation, particularly for developing countries.
However, Ethiopia emphasized that regulatory frameworks in this area must be adapted to national contex and development priorities and should avoid one size fits all approaches that do not reflect different legal systems, levels of technological capacity, and security realities.
In closing, Ethiopia reaffirms its commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights, including the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
I thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Mr.
Raps.
Thank you very much.
I recognize the distinguished representative of the state of Palestine.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We thank the Special Reporte for her important report, which demonstrates how surveillance, stigmatization, and criminalization can operate together to discourage participation and shrink civic space.
Mr.
Vice President, over the past 2.5 years, we have witnessed a troubling pattern in which peaceful protesters, students, academics, journalists, human rights defenders and civil society organizations have faced stigmatization, restrictions, disciplinary measures, sanctions, intimidation, reprisals for expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people or calling for accountability.
Advocacy for Palestinian rights has too often been treated as exceptional.
Criticism of Israeli policies and at times even of Zionism as an Racist ideology has increasingly been conflicted with extremism, terrorism, or anti Semitism.
Palestinian flags, coffs and expressions of solidarity have became grounds for suspicion.
The result is precisely the chilling effect identified in that report.
The concern extends beyond those directly targeted.
When expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people carries consequences, many chose silence over participation.
Civic space shrinks, public debate narrows and societies become less capable of confronting injustices and demanding accountability.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you very much.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Jordan.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Jordan takes note of the report of the Special Rapporteur and the effects of the digital space on exercising the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
The digital space has become an important part of life of expression, communication, and participation, and therefore protecting rights and freedoms in the digital space.
An essential element to enhance trust.
Technology must be a way to increase participation, not limited.
The digital space is an opportunity but also causes risks such as misinformation, hate speech, digital crime, and defamation campaigns.
Jordan continues to work on digital transformation and building trust in digitalization, as well as working on a track of a policy that aims to increase participation, especially amongst youth and women.
Question to the SR, what are the practical guarantees that could help states enhance trust in the digital space while dealing with the challenges linked to them and protecting the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished Representative Costa Rica.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President, Costa Rica, would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for her report, which documents how the ecosystem of digital surveillance has an impact on peaceful assembly and of association.
We are concerned to see the constant impact on activists and human rights defenders and the impact on their mental health, where we've seen reports of insomnia and stress in some areas.
There are also complaints from other organizations The low public representation and the breakdown of support is because often of the surveillance.
Often, we're seeing intersecting damage that can exacerbate existing inequalities.
Companies that are developing AI technology must ensure there's some safeguards for human rights.
Costa Rica would recall that the guidelines on business and human rights, particularly underscore the business a responsibility to respect these guidelines throughout the life cycle.
Special Rapporteur, what recommendations would you put to states to try to prevent the impact on mental health for those who are involved in defending these rights within civil society.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished ambassador of Afghanistan.
President, we thank the Special Rapporteur for her report and the important focus on the coercive effects of digital surveillance on civic space.
In Afghanistan, these principles are being systematically violated.
Since the Taliban takeover, peaceful assembly has been criminalized and those who dare to gather or met with intimidation or veary detentions and lethal force.
On ninth June this year in Heat province, residents who peacefully protested the detention of women and girls were fired upon with live ammunition.
These violations extend deep into the digital affair, Internet shutdowns are deployed as a systematic tool for control, cutting millions off from another.
From one another and from the outside world.
Online space are equally weaponized against journalists and activists who face surveillance, intimidation, reprisal, and reaching their families.
In this light, we welcome special Reeurs continued engagement with Afghanistan civil society and we emphasize the systematic repression of the rights of peaceful assembly, association, and freedom of expression constitute a clear violation of binding international human rights obligation and must be met with accountability, not incentivization of violations, and in the case of Afghanistan, not with a creeping normalization with the Taliban.
I thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you very much.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Bulgaria.
Vice President, Bulgaria aligns itself with the EU statement.
We thank the Special porteur for her comprehensive report and highlight her recommendation for ensuring a human rights compliant legal framework to regulate all digitally facilitated surveillance activities in line with the requirements of legality, necessity, proportionality, and non discrimination.
As an EU member state, Bulgaria adheres to the body of law accumulated by the EU regarding the use of surveillance technologies and ensuring safeguards against possible violations of human rights, including the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Bulgaria undertook a major legislative reform that replaced the judicial registration on NGOs by permission with a significantly simplified administrative procedure by notification.
The registration officials are regularly trained and clear instructions, including video tutorials, are available for the potential applications for NGO registration.
In addition, in June 2025, new guidelines for applicants were introduced further making the registration procedure user friendly, transparent, predictable, and consistent.
The current registration procedure for NGOs is one of the most liberal, user friendly, and predictable within the EU member states.
The registration of NGOs is functioning smoothly.
Citizens of all ethnicities and religious affiliations are successfully registering their NGOs.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh, Bangladesh is not in the room.
We move on to the next speaker in the list.
I recognize.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We take note of the report of the SR.
Tunisia calls our commitment to human rights and freedoms, especially rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in accordance with our international obligations.
The law in Tunisia guarantees the exercise of these rights and freedoms and prevent any violations in real life or the digital space.
Also, emerging technologies cannot be used to target any civilians or to use illegal digital surveillance systems.
This is consecrated in Chapter 40 of the Constitution that guarantees the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and all parties and trade unions must abide by all the provisions of the law.
The Constitution also guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and demonstration.
These rights must abide by the laws of the state as well as the rights of the others.
Otherwise, they could become a way for abuse and serious crimes.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative.
Of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
President Vice President, the Democratic Republic of the Congo aligns itself with the statement from the African group and thanks to the Special Rapporteur for the presentation of this thematic reports.
We commend her for her analysis of the digital world and its impact on freedom of peaceful assembly and Association.
We see how non regulated environment threatens the civic space and this hampers liberties in virtual spaces as well as in physical spaces.
We need to ensure public debate, but In spite of our exceptional security situation, we know that technological tools are crucial to protect us from threats and ensure the safety of our civilians.
The DRC has adopted a key framework such as the Act on Telecommunications and the Digital code.
These protect our citizens and we also collaborate with international partners to try to secure the digital environment and combat disinformation.
We would call on additional technical assistance and cooperation because developing countries need to be able to build a robust digital arena without this having an impact on security.
Thank you very much.
Next, I recognize the distinguished representative of Iraq.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
The delegation of Iraq welcomes the special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and the association.
We thank her for her report The right to peaceful assembly and association is enshrined in the Constitution of Iraq and a main pillar of democratic construction in my country.
We give high importance to the protection of rights and freedoms in the digital space.
To strike a balance between protection of human rights and to preserve peace and security, while enhancing the responsible use of technologies and protecting privacy.
We reaffirm the importance of a constructive dialogue and experience sharing in the responsible use of digital technologies, while respecting national characteristics.
We must prevent technology ever being used for spreading hate or hatred or extremism.
Iraq reiterates its commitment to work on providing an environment that is conducive to respect all rights.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Morocco.
President.
My delegation thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report and takes note of his findings.
Morocco recognizes that digital transformation presents serious challenges for the protection of fundamental freedoms.
The right to peaceful assembly and association is enshrined in our 2011 constitution and Morocco remains committed to ensuring it is upheld in digital spaces.
Concretely, the National Commission for Personal Data Protection has significantly intensified its oversight activities since 2024, supporting both public institution and civil society in their compliance efforts.
Morocco is equally engaged in broader open government reforms.
Our national action plan 2024, 2028 provides for the elaboration of a legal framework governing the functioning of civil society and public consultation mechanisms as well as reforms to strengthen media freedom and access to information, including in the Azir language.
These commitments reflect Morocal recognition for a vibrant society is indispensable for democratic governance.
In this period, my delegation would like to ask, how does the Special Rapporteur consider strengthening the accountability of private technology companies that develop and market surveillance tools given the documented limitations of existence due diligence frameworks.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Cambodia.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
My delegation thanks a Special Reporter for the report.
Cambodia recognized the importance of ensuring that security measures and digital technologies are used in accordance with the law and with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
We continue to foster an enabling environment for civic participation.
The growing number of associations, NTOs and professional organizations operating in the country reflects the active engagement of citizens in public life and national development.
Cambodia is also strengthening digital governance through the development of its national AI strategy 2025 to 2013, participation in UniCs AI readiness assessment and engagement in Aseans AI governance and ethics initiatives.
This initiative reflect our commitment to ensuring that emerging technologies are developed and deployed in a responsible, ethical and human centered manner while promoting innovation, public trust, and the protection of fundamental rights.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of charge.
A Is representative of Chad in the room? If not, we'll move on to the next speaker in the list, which is the distinguished representative of France.
Yes.
Thank you, Vice President, Madam Special Rapporteur, France hails your report and reaffirms its commitment to the right to peaceful assembly.
This is a pillar of democratic society.
This right enshrined in Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is crucial to respect freedom of expression.
France supports your recommendations, in particular on the protection of demonstrators from violence and arbitrary arrests and on the establishment of legal frameworks that respect human rights to govern surveillance activities.
Or to regulate surveillance activities.
We encourage states to cooperate with your mandate to reinforce and bolster protection for human rights defenders.
In France, freedom of association is legally recognized since 1901 and since 1971 as part of the Constitution.
Our legal framework is regularly assessed internally by European jurisdiction or within the h Treaties.
We are vigilant in the face of any disproportionate restrictions.
Anywhere in the world where we see this happening, we call on states to guarantee this right without discrimination.
Finally, we would underscore the importance of training security forces and law enforcement in keeping with international standards and France remains committed to promoting these principles.
I now recognize the distinguished representative of Malawi.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Malawi thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report on the threats posed by digital surveillance to the rights of freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and for documenting the chilling effects of such surveillance imposes on civic space.
Malawi shares the report's concern that surveillance technologies deployed without adequate legal safeguards risk discouraging civic participation.
Malawi reaffirms that the rights to peaceful assembly and to personal privacy are constitutionally guaranteed by Sections 38 and 21 of the Constitution respectively, and that the Data Protection Act of 2024 establishes safeguards for lawful processing of personal data, including by public authorities.
Malawi underscores that legal frameworks governing surveillance must comply with principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality, taking into account resource restraints many developing countries face in building independent oversight capacity.
In conclusion, Malawi asked the Special Rapporteur, what practical low cost measures would she recommend to developing states seeking to establish independent oversight of surveillance technologies where institutional capacity and resource remain limited.
I thank you.
Thank you very much.
I now recognize the final representative this afternoon that we can accommodate, and that's the distinguished representative of Algeria.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
The Algerian delegation takes note of the report of the Special Rapporteur and would like to make the following comments.
Measuring the chilling impact of digital surveillance is inherently difficult.
It relies on self reporting methods and personal assertions on how an individual perceives the risk of surveillance, regardless of whether surveillance is actually happening or merely perceived by the user.
Therefore, any assessment of chilling impact of digital surveillance implies subjectivity and lack of objective empirical metrics.
The report tackles the broader issue of the impact of digital technologies on the enjoyment of human rights, recognizing the dichotomy between the immense potential of digital technologies and the risk of human rights violations in using them.
In this regard, Aldrea has made important progress in responding to digital transformation through the adoption of a national digitalization strategy and the launch of digital citizenship.
Algrea has also strengthened in 2025 its data protection legislation, which establishes strict guidelines for how public and private organizations collect, store, and transfer personal data.
Finally, while recalling that freedom of association and peaceful assembly are recognized as fundamental rights in the Aldreian Constitution, we reiterate our readiness to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur on this important issue, and I thank you.
Thank you very much.
As I said, this is the last speaker that we could include in our dialogue.
I'll now give the floor to the National Human Rights Institution of Chile because we were not able to listen to them this morning.
You have 3 minutes.
Since it was founded, the INDH has had the main goal to look at its concerns and surrounding oversight and the policing in terms of public order and its compatibility with the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association.
We do this through directly observing police activities during demonstration and also through submitting reports and recommendations to the government authorities and the police forces.
To remind them how they ought to act and adhere to applicable human rights standards.
Against this background with the concerns and the goals of the National Institute of Human Rights, the rapporteur's visit is particularly important.
It It means that we see the insights from the International System of Human Rights.
It's always relevant to try to support the work of institutions like ours in trying to ensure respect for human rights.
Currently, the INDH is trying to oversee police activity and last year, We saw the introduction of Act 21560, known as the Nin Retamal Act.
This is an act that in spite of criticism and reports that we have submitted during its drafting, it means that it's difficult to credit and corroborate when police officials or forces are taking action and violating human rights.
Thus, The Act establishes a new scenario of legitimate defense and the presumption of innocence that is strengthened for police officers and eradicates some important elements of protection.
We've also had reports about the situation, so we're following up on the reports that we have received.
We'll now continue with the list of speakers for NGOs and the first speaker is the Representative from Burundi President.
Freedom of peaceful assembly and association are guaranteed in the Constitution of Burundi in Articles 32 37 for trade unions.
Any demonstration in public are conditioned with a prior authorization to the local administration and The CNDH encourages prevention measures to be taken to prevent any restrictions on the right to freedom, peaceful assembly and association and this would work to hamper this right in any way, the CNDH also encourages the continuation of constructive dialogue between stakeholders to promote a place for democratic, inclusive, peaceful expression in keeping with international and national standards to serve stability in Burunzi, the CNH encourages continuing constructive dialogue and advocacy for the promotion of its freedoms.
Thank you very much, Vice President.
Thank you.
We're now going to hear a joint statement from Lawyers Rights Watch Canada and the International Bar Association by video.
Canada and the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute and other NGOs listed on the extranet version of this statement share the Special rapporteurs concerns about the chilling effects of digital surveillance.
Human rights defenders, including women defenders face particular dangers.
Authorities in Iran use surveillance cameras to target women defenders resisting compulsory hijab laws.
In Afghanistan, Taliban authorities use digital surveillance to track down peaceful activists, to arrest or threaten them or their families.
Russia has falsely identified several human rights NGOs as extremist organizations, including memorial and OBD info, blocking their right of association with lawyers and defenders within and outside Russia.
Even to repost these NGOs social media messages can result in criminal charges punishable by up to six years imprisonment.
Palestinian defenders are subjected to digital surveillance by Israeli authorities.
Unlawful sanctions by the United States against three Palestinian rights NGOs, International Criminal Court judges and prosecutors, and the Special Rapporteur on occupied Palestinian territories feature reported surveillance along with denial of access to online services and social media.
We call for urgent adoption of international and national legal frameworks to ensure protection of defenders and for a binding international instrument on digital surveillance technologies.
Thank you.
The next speaker on our list video.
I am a second generation member of the Unification Church in Japan.
For me, the church is not just a place I go.
It is where my life happened.
It is where I learned my values, where I found my husband and raised my children and found a community that welcomed me like family wherever I lived.
On March 4th of this year, all that was taken away after the Tokyo High Court upheld the dissolution order against our church.
Liquidators arrived at all churches across Japan within hours.
I was at my local church when lawyers entered and told us to leave immediately.
Without warning, we lost our place of worship, our community, and the support system that had shaped our lives.
We were deprived of our right of assembly and association all at once and of our right to pray together in a place of worship.
Also, what hurts me most is what this has done to my children.
Our church has been portrayed in the media as if it were some criminal organization.
Please help protect families and faith communities like mine so that we may live according to our faith and please protect other peaceful associations from arbitrary dismantling by the Japanese government.
The next speaker on my last joint statement to the World Organization Against Torture and International Service for Human Rights.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We welcome and thank the Special Rapporteur on the present report.
We wish to stress that surveillance should not be viewed in isolation from broader patterns of repression against protesters and human rights defenders.
Across regions, we increasingly see excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, and torture and other ill treatment operating as interconnected tools aimed at deterring dissent and shrinking civic space.
Before, during, and after assemblies, digital surveillance facilitates these violations by enabling the identification, tracking, and targeting of protesters, organizers, monitors, and defenders.
This extends far beyond those targeted directly, undermining solidarity, collective action, and democratic participation.
In addition, digital surveillance restricts its monitoring by civil society and threatens the safe communication and storage of information by monitors.
These trends are particularly concerning for young activists who increasingly rely on digital technologies to organize and mobilize.
Too often, they are among the first to experience both online and offline forms of repression.
Madam Special Reporter, what additional measures would you recommend to better protect young activists from the combined impact of digital surveillance, protest related violence, and other forms of intimidation designed to deter their participation in public life? Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I give the floor to Peace Brigades International represent very much.
In Guatemala, representative niche people defend democracies and the rule of law against corrupt actors are facing threats in Nicaragua, civic space is entirely closed.
5,660 organizations shut down and confiscated since 2008.
Human rights defenders have been displaced and digital surveillance tools have been used.
In Mexico, judicial harassment is constant against journalists and human rights defenders and more than 300 organizations of civil society.
Have been seen their authorization revoked.
Now, decree eight oh four may criminalize protests in Canada, Indigenous land defenders resisting extractive projects have experienced digital surveillance or open source intelligence Now, we share the concern of the Special Are situation in Kenya, the use of digital that led to enforced disappearance in 2024.
In Colombia, there's still gaps in legislations and it is essential to implement the recommendations of the Ad hoc Committee of Experts before its mandate concludes before July 31st, states should protect peaceful assembly associates and not criminalize it.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I give the floor to the representative of the Cason de Rima.
Thank you, Vice President.
Across our network, we see how surveillance, spyware, and the threat of AI assisted surveillance alter the way civil society participates in public life.
In Azerbijan, digital surveillance has been used ruthlessly against civil society partners and especially targeting women human rights defenders.
In Georgia, both those participating in demonstrations and those monitoring them are treated as a security threat rather than the actors exercising their rights.
We're particularly concerned by the situation in Serbia ahead of possible elections.
Civil society partners have documented the use of spyware, police filming, and public disclosure of information to intimidate students, activists, journalists, and domestic election observers.
Vice President, in the Russian Federation, the recent designation of Memorial OVD InFO and more than 30 other organizations as extremist represents a further escalation in the criminalization of human rights work.
Is absurd to label the documentation and legal assistance provided by those organizations as akin to acts of terrorism when they are essential public interest activities.
Special Rapporteur, how can states better protect civil society organizations, peaceful protesters and legal aid providers when surveillance and restrictive legislation are used together to dismantle the very foundation of peaceful assembly and association.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the representative of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies.
Mr.
President, we thank the Special Rapporteur for a report that precisely names what we are witnessing across the Mina region.
Egypt SIRS and partners repeatedly sounding the alarm alarm about the 2018 cyber crime law instituizing mass surveillance and granting national security bodies warrantless access.
We supported a criminal complaint filed in France against a European company that sold surveillance technology to Egyptian authorities, a direct illustration of the public private complicity that the Special Rapporteur identifies.
In Algeria, our 2024 report documented 21 cases of Kross border targeted of exiled activists through surveillance, confirming that digital monitoring enables transnational repression that reaches defenders even in countries of asylum.
The 2021 abduction of a UNHCR recognized refugee from Tunis shows how security cooperation between states can weaponize asylum spaces.
In Palestine, CSOs confirmed Pegas spyware was used against six Palestinian civil society defenders, three from organizations whose terrorist designations by Israel were publicly condemned before this council.
We call on all states to ban transfer of surveillance technology to governments with a record of violations, embed assembly rights in all cybercrime frameworks, and close the legal gap on transnational digital repression.
Thank you.
Okay.
Thank you very much.
I give the floor to video statement of Freedom Now.
Welcome to the Special Reperto's timely report and echo a concern about the role of malicious digital surveillance in shrinking civic space.
We are especially troubled by governments wrongly imprisoning individuals because of their digital expression.
A few examples include Del Pedro Marhan, the Executive Director of a non profit in Indonesia.
He was detained for six months on charges of incitement to online hatred because his organization used its Instagram account to offer legal services to protesters in August 2025.
He was acquitted earlier this year, but the government has appealed that decision.
Rita Karstova, a human rights activist from Kyrgyzstan, she was arrested in April 2025 for posting a letter from a political activist on Facebook.
She spent six months in detention before being sentenced to five years probation, which places her under police surveillance and a travel ban.
Finally, in 2018, Kazakhstan arrested eight members of a religion focused WhatsApp group and sentenced them to prison sentences of up to eight years.
Six of these men were released, but because they were sentenced under terrorism charges, they remain on a financial blacklist, making it nearly impossible for them to successfully reintegrate into society.
In these cases, as in many, authorities misuse anti extremism laws to shut down peaceful expression and association they perceive as threats to their power.
Freedom now calls for governments to ensure their laws related to digital expression comply with international human rights law and are fairly applied and to protect both physical and digital spaces for peaceful assembly and association.
Thank you.
The next speaker on my list, video statement, Amnesty International.
Mr.
President, Madam Raporteur, Amnesty International welcomes the recommendation to strictly prohibit the use and transfer of intrusive digital tools that do not respect human rights safeguards, including highly invasive spyware and to prohibit arbitrary indiscriminate mass surveillance, including the use of biometric and artificial intelligence technologies for facial recognition, social scoring, profiling, and predictive surveillance.
We urge states to put an end to these practices without delay.
Madam Rapporteur, Chile still lacks a comprehensive law on peaceful assembly and maintains enforce a decree from the dictatorship that grants broad discretion to restrict this right.
In addition, laws such as the Usurpation Act and the anti barricade Act and the N Datamal Act have been criticized for criminalizing protests and hindering accountability.
It's also concerning that the draft bill on rules governing the use of force does not incorporate safeguards in line with international standards.
With regard to the social unrest, obstacles to access to justice persist.
Of the 11,506 complaints of institutional violence, only a tiny fraction have led to formal charges or convictions.
Furthermore, there are concerns about the use of illegitimate coercion in place of torture and the lack of comprehensive reparations for victim.
The situation in La Kana remains a cause for concern due to militarization, drone surveillance, and their impact on Mapuchi communities, especially on children and adolescents.
I thank you.
Next speaker is Joint State Act Alliance.
Thank you, Vice President.
States have the obligation to protect human rights in the context of surveillance by ensuring that any interference is justified under international human rights law, not arbitrary or open ended.
In practice, states need to provide transparency and evidence based justification.
Governments should explain the nature and extent of surveillance and provide a detailed public account of benefits.
Establish oversight bodies which are strong and independent before the programs are applied.
Ban mass digital surveillance, including facial recognition and protect the right to autonomy in peaceful protests where indiscriminate and untargeted surveillance need to be prohibited.
Ensure that individuals have the right to seek an effective remedy if their rights are violated.
Treat marginalized groups such as LGBTQIA plus and women human rights defenders as high risk and build safeguards around any surveillance affecting them.
Assess risks regarding vulnerable groups in advance, design tailed protection measures, and ensure surveillance does not silence participation in public life.
Most importantly, states need to cro surveillance in legality, necessity, and proportionality.
It must be legally authorized, necessary for the legitimate aim, and proportionate to that aim.
States should collaborate on a rights based global framework that treats surveillance as exceptional, tightly bound, and independently controlled with cross border legal limits for states and companies.
Thank you very much says the president.
So we conclude with that statement now a joint statement redress, trust.
Special Repporter the United Against Torture Consortium thanks you for your report on the chilling effects of digital surveillance.
These patterns are unfolding within a broader global crackdown on protests.
We are witnessing a growing diversification and sophistication of less lethal weapons, leading to widespread allegations of excessive force, torture, and other ill treatment.
The use of less lethal weapons has led to serious injuries, including permanent disabilities like vision loss, respiratory distress, and severe psychological trauma.
This regard, we draw the council's attention to the first global meeting of survivors of ocular violence in March 2026, during which they called for a survivor centered approach, the recognition of rehabilitation as a core component of reparation and demanded accountability.
They further proposed recognizing March 18th as the International Day against ocular violence.
The right to monitor protests is essential to prevent violations and ensure accountability, yet this work is increasingly impeded by the digital surveillance you highlighted.
We would like to ask you what concrete measures must states take to formally recognize the rights of monitors and ensure their protection, including from digital surveillance.
Redress in particular, would also like to draw your attention to concerns over India's disproportionate and lethal use of force against protesters, preventative detention of organizers and journalists, digital surveillance against activists and suppression of online platforms under national security provisions being carried out with impunity.
Thank you.
Now, with this, we con list of speakers that we could accommodate for this dog dialogue and I'll give the floor to the Special Aer for concluding remarks.
You have 8 minutes, 30 seconds.
President.
First of all, I need to say that I'm really pleased that many states and civil society had agreed that the use of digital surveillance has to be addressed as it erodes fundamental freedoms, especially assembly association and the other rights that are mentioned in the compound harm.
Portion that the report has.
One of the main points here is that the report doesn't question the lawful use of technology to ensure public safety and security.
But as it was mentioned, also surveillance results in serious interferences with freedom of assembly and association.
States have the legal responsibility and the burden to ensure their rights are protected.
This obligation starts from the decision making process together with the obligation of transparency and accountability.
Um, and therefore, the report evidences the complex and compound harms that arise and are aggravated from new forms of digital technologies.
And then the report marks the case that all potential harms must be addressed alongside the potential benefits, so Many of you asked about good practices of what can be done.
First, to ensure the necessity tests, this include both the chilling effects and the compound harms.
Then the chilling effects are clearly evidence in the report, but I'm going to mention some of the comments about the chilling effects in a little while.
Also, it is important to establish a clear legal framework that transparently sets out how surveillance is enacted and on what basis is essential and that is important.
Precise and narrow definitions of crime and relevant crimes must be sufficiently serious, no broad surveillance powers to use it actually.
No broad definitions can be used to actually enact or use technology for surveil.
It's also the state responsibility to present clear and compelling evidence demonstrating the need for surveillance, and then the test of necessity, it's actually very important.
Perhaps you remember that my predecessor presented a model protocol for the policing of protests.
Then some of the best practices that are included in the report in that model protocol and especially in the portion of digital surveillance of digital technology can actually be used for this discussion.
Then going back to the questions about the oversight, the oversight that needs to be used is a process that is independent and empowered.
This is important to ensure the compliance with international human rights laws and norms for all the use of surveillance, but also the key of the effective oversight is that it is independent.
It's supported by appropriate technical expertise and has capacity not only to investigate after the fact of following complaints, but also to monitor operations and to conduct spot checks.
I Also about the remedy mechanisms for unlawful or arbitrary surveillance.
These mechanisms must be accessible with adequate capacity and resources and trained to understand chilling effects where a complex interdisciplinary perspective is important, but it cannot be left to victims of surveillance themselves.
Then here the point of how difficult it is to measure the chilling effects, it becomes more relevant because as it is difficult, the states need to do a bigger effort to try to actually measure those chilling effects in all your countries.
This needs also proper independent oversight alongside robust accountability mechanisms.
The victims themselves don't need to have the burden to prove themselves that they are victim of chilling effects because sometimes they don't even know.
Um, states have a duty to prevent the harm that is occurring and to actually assess and be accountable for that harm.
The investigation and prosecution for those who order and carried out unlawful surveillance resulting in human rights violations, and harms due to chilling effect needs to be ensured.
Because as you know, when accountability and justice is guaranteed, also victims have, um, uh, a portion of the, um, of the remedy.
Also reparations and remedies should include compensation, restorations of rights, which is especially tricky in the sense of chilling effects because at the end, what these remedies needs to ensure is that the people start doing again what they stopped doing.
That is a process that needs to be completely followed up in the process of guaranteeing remedy.
Um Also another important point is that all states needs to ensure that there are clear policies that prevent using protests and other assemblies as surveillance opportunities, which is something that is happening worldwide, even in the so called more established democracies.
There were some questions about transnational repression.
And then I think that this is a very, it's a very important topic that I will be also working on my reports for next year presentation to the Assembly, the General Assembly and also the Human Rights Council.
So this is a topic that I will be working more in the future.
But then just in a nutshell, transnational uses of tech for surveillance underlines the global importance of strengthening standards and regulations of the surveillance itself.
And So it is important to call for an adoption of global human rights centered abiding legal standards and global governance mechanisms, and then also for international and regional cooperation and collaboration with regional bodies, tech companies, civil society, academics, and others for early warning and systematic monitoring and responses.
There were many questions impossible to reply to all of them, but let me I want to take a little minute to Go back to the question posted by the ambassador of Argentina because he said that the information that was portrayed in the report for the Argentina was from a different countries.
Then sometimes I feel that when you mention the information of your own countries when you are talking to me in the in this space.
All the information that was shared about China, Iran, Cuba, and Belarus, sometimes I feel that you are talking to a different country or perhaps you don't know whether your citizens are living in Europe soil.
But then at some point, I feel the same with this very specific topic on chilling effects and the compound harms.
I feel that this is something that is also happening in other countries and especially in countries that are democracies.
I think that perhaps because of how difficult it is to actually measure and to see the chilling effects that are there, even if we cannot see easily, that perhaps many of you are not aware of that countries, on that people that is silence on all these associations that are not being able to exercise their missions because of the perceived or the real surveillance.
You all of you need to figure out how to collect that information, how to describe the phenomenon in your own countries and how to do a remedy to put a stop on the chilling effects.
For that, perhaps at some point, I could try to figure out a more practical way or guide to identify chilling effects and the cumulative harps, and then also how to do some remedies.
On all the other questions, I just don't have enough time, perhaps in another moment I can do some other responses.
Thank you.
I thank the special rapporteur, and this dialogue can be continued in other formats.
This brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue and I wish to thank the rapporteur for her participation and also for her work.
We'll take a short break now before holding the interactive dialogue with the working group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises.
That'll take a few minutes.
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished participants, we will continue with our session.
We shall now begin the interactive dialogue with the working group on the issue on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises would like to welcome the chair of the working group, Mr.
Damolola Alawyi.
The list of speakers for this dialogue will close in 15 minutes.
I now give the floor to Mr.
Alawyi to present the reports.
You have the floor.
Mr.
President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I'm honored to present the four reports of the working group on Business and Human Rights to the Human Rights Council in my capacity as chairperson.
First is the thematic report.
The working group dedicated its thematic report to the issue of agribusiness, food security, and human rights.
In this report, it considers how states, businesses, investors and other stakeholders in the food and agribusiness sector can best design and implement sustainable and right based food security programs that address food fraud and advance food justice in line with the UN guiding principles on business and human rights.
With more than 2 billion of the world's population still affected by moderate to severe food insecurity, the need for coherent and effective food security programs that enhance food availability, affordability and accessibility remain pressing and urgent.
Despite the continued importance of these efforts, however, food security programs have been linked or have contributed to serious human rights abuses, such as land grabbing, forced displacement, modern slavery, child labor, and environmental pollution.
Concerns have also emerged as to how economically motivated adulteration of food, misleading food labeling, fraudulent packaging, seed theft, abuse of food assistance programs, and illicit trade in food products, amongst other issues may further exacerbate human rights violations and abuses related to the agribusiness sector.
Food fraud practices and the manipulation of food security programs pose profound threats to human rights affecting every aspect of people's lives.
Human rights must therefore be urgently placed at the heart of global efforts to advance food security and sustainable food systems.
This report provides insights on current challenges, emerging positive practices, as well as costs of action to ensure that all existing and future food security programs are compatible with international human rights norms and standards, including the guiding principles.
Report offers action oriented recommendations to states, businesses, and other stakeholders on how to infuse food security programs with human rights safeguards to address food fraud and enhance food justice.
For example, states are recommended to penalize and discourage food fraud practices, greenwashing, and misleading claims or labels by requiring businesses to verify and disclose in a transparent manner all claims about how agri products were cultivated, grown, processed, and packaged, and to establish and enforce a robust legal framework to guarantee and actualize the right to food and nutrition and right based labor policies in the agribusiness sector.
These recommendations can inform wider reforms aimed at integrating and promoting human rights based and responsible food value chain, including business conduct across the entire sector.
Agribusinesses, on the other hand, have the responsibility to conduct ongoing human rights due diligence, prioritize meaningful stakeholder engagement, and promote access to remedy in alignment with the guiding principles.
They must indeed place risk for people and the planet at the center of their decision making to fulfill their responsibility to respect human rights.
This includes by embedding human rights into our policies and strategies and undertaking ongoing human rights due diligence, as well as supporting human rights education and capacity building for their workers and for those at the base of the production chain.
We thank all stakeholders who contributed to the consultation process culminating in this report.
Excellencies, I will now turn to our country visit to Serbia.
The working group's visit to Serbia took place 6-15 October 2025.
The working group thanks the government for the excellent support during the preparation and conduct of the visit and its openness to discuss experiences, challenges, and the ways to overcome them.
The working group expresses its gratitude to civil society representatives, including journalists, academics, trade unions, workers, and to businesses and other stakeholders who shared their experiences with us.
The report finds that despite a strong human rights framework and government commitments to the UNGPs, implementation remains weak.
Gaps in oversight, transparency, access to information and accountability limit effective protection against business related arms.
These shortcomings are particularly evident in large scale projects in mining, manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure where abuses affecting workers and communities persist.
Recurring issues include inadequate environmental and human right impact assessments, weak public participation, and limited accountability for arm with strategic projects often proceeding without proper permits or oversight.
Land rights violations are a major concern.
Especially the reclassification of agricultural lands under urgent procedures leading to displacement, livelihood loss, and insufficient compensation often affecting minorities.
Serious concern is expressed regarding shrinking space for civil society, including attacks, arbitrary arrest, surveillance against journalists, and human rights defenders reporting or denouncing environmental damage, corruption, or land abuses.
Discrimination in employment persists against women, Roma, LGBTIQ plus persons, and persons with disabilities.
Migrant workers face severe exploitation, including trafficking, wage withholding, and passport confiscation.
Accountability remains weak with minimal corporate sanctions and ineffective grievance mechanisms.
Adré the root causes of such challenges including strengthening effective oversight, guaranteeing the independence of the judiciary, fighting against corruption, and ensuring transparency and corporate accountability will be particularly important.
As international investors increasingly scrutinize how businesses address their impact on people and the planet, and in the context of Serbia's accession process to the EU, the creation of an enabling environment for responsible business conduct and corporate accountability has become even more urgent.
Excellencies, I will turn to our guidance on indigenous peoples, free prior, informed consent, business and human rights.
Our working group as part of our report, has released a guidance on indigenous peoples FP in the context of business and human rights, which is presented as an addendum.
Report.
This guidance situates FP within international human rights law and clarifies the respective state obligations and business responsibilities under the three pillars of the UNGPs.
It reaffirms that FP is grounded in a manifestation of indigenous people's right to self determination and underscores the importance of FPC as an essential safeguard to guarantee the protection and respect of indigenous people's rights and to build trust between states, businesses and right holders, ensuring right, respecting and sustainable development.
The ANACS provides detailed practical guidance for operationalizing FP across the entire project life cycle.
It outlines step by step FPC requirements, including early engagement, identifying legitimate representatives, providing accessible information, ensuring safe and inclusive participation, respecting indigenous decision making processes, and accepting outcomes, including refusal.
It also stresses that FP must be ongoing, monitored, and supported by grievance and remedy mechanisms.
Excellencies.
Finally, I am pleased to present the report on the 14th session of the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, which was held 2024-26 November 2025 here in Geneva, under the theme Accelerating Action on Business and Human Rights am crises and Transformation.
The forum drew its largest audience to date with more than 4,600 participants from Presenting a broad spectrum of stakeholder groups.
Participants considered how states and businesses are fulfilling their respective duties and responsibilities under the guiding principles on business and human rights at a time marked by geopolitical tensions, conflict widening inequalities, rapid technological developments, climate change, environmental degradation, and increasingly complex global value chains.
Central to the conversations was the evolving understanding of the smart mix of measures required now and in the years ahead.
Participants reflected on what has proven to be effective, where gaps persist, and how promising regulatory and policy approaches can more effectively advance business respect for human rights and corporate accountability.
The forum comprised two plenary sessions and 20 parallel sessions organized by the working group in cooperation with the OHCHR partner organizations and other stakeholders following an open call for proposals which generated more than 300 proposals.
The forum's agenda further included six informal dialogues designed to encourage direct structured thematic exchange and networking amongst diverse participants as well as two consultations, one on agribusiness, food security, and human rights, and the other on corporate governance, business and human rights to support the working group thematic report to the Human Rights Council and to the General Assembly respectively.
The report on the forum will be presented to the council on 29th June.
I thank you for your attention and I look forward to a fruitful discussion.
Thank you very much for the presentation of these reports.
In keeping with our practice, I'll give the floor to the concerned country.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Serbia.
You 5 minutes.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
The Republic of Serbia attaches great importance to the UN guiding principles on business and human rights and the work of the working group.
In that spirit, we accepted the visit of Serbia conducted in October last year.
By the members of the working group.
The report which is in front of us today, however, does not fully reflect the place of human rights protection within the conduct of activities in the business environment, nor does it reflect the efforts invested by the relevant institution in providing conditions required by internationally accepted standards.
Therefore, within the time limit, I would like to make following remarks while the complete statement will be uploaded at the extranet of the HRC.
Following a thorough assessment of the report, we are of the general opinion that findings and conclusions presented do not fully reflect the views and positions expressed by the based on the verifiable information and opinions independently collected by the working group.
We also note that certain parts of the report appear and rely on outdated data and information, which may lead to inaccurate conclusions and incomplete understanding of the current situation.
This is particularly evident in the parts of the report dealing with the mining sector, which is addressed specifically with great attention in the report.
As regards public engagement on projects of national interest, Serbia discusses issues with the relevant actors on the basis of its commitments stemming from internationally respected norms and practices, as well as in keeping its perspective of membership in the EU.
To illustrate the above mentioned, I would like to quote two examples.
In para 35, remarks concerning mechanism to ensure effective monitoring clearly indicate an insufficiently precise understanding of the procedures prescribed by the legislation of Serbia.
In para 39, response can only be that such statements are individually assessment that are not based on verified the results of official procedures.
We particularly hold to the opinion that the perception of local residents are an important element in understanding the social context.
Regarding environmental governance, we underline that convention has been fully incorporated in the legislation framework of Serbia.
We support further strengthening of the operational and administrative capacities of the Environmental Protection Agency and public health institutes in order to improve environmental monitoring, data collection, and coordination among the relevant institutions.
As in case of the mining sector, as mentioned earlier, the allegations set out of the report clearly point to reliance on outdated data and information leading to incorrect conclusions.
Mr.
Vice President, in conclusion, let me state that we consider it of utmost importance that all relevant reports, including this one, present a complete, objective, and balanced picture of the situation on the ground, taking into account all relevant facts and perspectives.
It is crucial that assessment be based on comprehensive, verifiable, and institutionally relevant information.
Serbia remains committed to further strengthening its regulatory framework and institutions capacities while fully respecting internationally and EU standards.
I wish to reiterate that Serbia remains open for further collaboration and discussion on this matter.
I thank you for your attention.
Thank you.
The list of speakers is now closed.
I now invite interested delegations to ask questions to the working group and make comments on its reports.
The speaking time is as usual, 1 minute 30 seconds for all.
I'd like to recall that the duration of interactive dialogue is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
However, if time permits, additional delegations will be able to speak.
First, I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Finland on behalf of a group of countries.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Nordic Baltic countries.
We thank the working group for its report, and we welcome indigenous people's right to full, meaningful and effective participation through their own representative institutions.
Consultations and cooperation with the aim of achieving free, prior and informed consent in Key is key for ensuring that the rights of indigenous peoples are respected in all situations.
Ensuring a human rights lens to food security is likewise important.
This also affects indigenous peoples whose lands, waters, livelihoods, and knowledge systems can be directly affected by agribusiness or other business activities.
Indigenous women face specific risk from business activities affecting lands and resources, but they are also key actors in sustaining food systems and traditional knowledge.
Members of the working group, how can states, investors, and businesses better integrate the knowledge, leadership, and participation of indigenous women into human rights due diligence and food systems governance, while ensuring effective implementation of the right to be consulted in order to obtain free, prior, and informed consent? I thank you.
Thank you very much.
I recognize the distinguished representative of the European Union.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
The European Union would like to thank the working group for presenting the report.
The EU also thanks the working group for the organization of the Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights that remains the biggest multi stakeholder forum on human rights due diligence.
The EU's policy on food security is rooted in a rights based approach that integrates sustainability from farm to fork.
We view adequate food as a fundamental human right rather than a mere commodity and enforce strict corporate responsibility and sustainability targets for the food industry.
EU's farm to fork strategy serves as the blueprint for transforming EU food systems aiming to reduce the environmental and climate footprint while ensuring food security and fair economic returns for primary producers.
The EU's policy on food fraud mandates that member states enforce strict risk based controls across the entire agri food chain to detect, deter, and penalize intentional misrepresentation or adulteration of food for financial gain.
Members of the working group, how can participatory governance be enhanced to include the most food insecure, including migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons to shape agri food policies to ensure that no one is left behind.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I recognize the representative of the Russian Federation on behalf of a group of countries.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of a group of countries.
On 16th June, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the UN guidance principles on Business and human rights, the landmark document that balanced states duties with corporate responsibilities.
However, the aspirations of the UNGPs still haven't been achieved.
While they are of non binding nature, this set of principles provides a valuable guidance for the development and implementation of national frameworks to regulate the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises in the context of human rights.
We firmly believe that at national level, the UNGPs need to be enacted through appropriate means, bearing in mind domestic legal frameworks, national realities, priorities, and levels of development of respective states while avoiding the one size fits all approach.
We oppose any attempts to turn the business and human rights agenda into a tool for geopolitical pressure or selective political targeting of specific states.
The constant increase in number of UCMs against TNCs and OBs disrupts global supply chains, restricts corporate access to markets and undermines the very spirit of the UNGPs.
They negatively affect the economic and social rights of ordinary citizens worldwide.
We believe that a genuine progress in ensuring the respect and promotion of human rights by TCs and OBs relies on constructive dialogue and mutually respectful cooperation.
I thank you.
Thank you.
Hi.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Kenya on behalf of the Group African states.
Mr.
Vice President, the Africa Group thanks the members of the working group for the presentation of their report.
Africa attaches particular importance to the issues under consideration this year.
For our countries, agriculture remains one of the main source of livelihood for millions of people and key pillar of food security, rural development, and poverty eradication.
The Africa group shares the concern that certain agro industrial activities may have adverse impacts on human rights when they undermine access to land, natural resources, livelihoods, or adequate food.
We are also concerned about food fraud practices which undermine consumer confidence, compromise food security, and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations.
Local communities, including women and youth, smallholder farmers, and indigenous people should not bear a disproportionate share of the cost of economic development.
We stress the importance of ensuring their meaningful participation in decision making processes relating to agro industrial projects that may affect their rights and livelihoods as well as the need to guarantee effective access to the remedy when they are adversely affected.
We recall that businesses, including transnational corporations have a responsibility to respect human rights throughout their value chains in accordance with the guiding principles on business and human rights.
The Africa Group further underlines that global food security cannot be achieved without food systems that are more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive.
The promotion and food justice must remain at the heart of agricultural and trade policies.
We take note of these recommendations.
Thank you very much.
I recognize the distinguished ambassador of Guatemala.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
My delegation is grateful for the presentation of the report from the working group, which is addresses an issue that concerns all of us.
Access to safe, nutritional and sufficient food is a sane qune condition to live with dignity.
However, millions of people continue to suffer hunger and food insecurity, which obviously means we need more efficient responses and urgently.
We see with concern the issue of food fraud that is addressed in the report.
Adulteration of food, misleading labeling or the sale of falsified products put the health of millions of people at risk.
We agree with the view that we need to build food systems that are based on human rights that are transparent and people are held to account so that people can have access to truthful information on the food that they eat.
We underscore the importance of the active participation of indigenous communities and of free prior informed consent.
For indigenous communities in programs of food security and guaranteeing equitable benefits in connection with traditional knowledge and genetic resources.
Vice President Guatemala values the work of the human rights mechanisms and is looking forward to the visit of the working group in August and we reiterate the commitment of the state and the government of the President Bernardo Arevalo, with the promotion Protection of Human rights for all Guatemalans without any discrimination.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Ecuador.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
My delegation thanks the expert in the working group for the reports and particularly underscores the legal gaps and challenges in connection with food fraud, greenwashing, misleading advertising, and other violations and human rights abuses connected with land grabbing, enforced displacement, forced labor, child labor, and environmental contamination.
For Ecuador, the state's obligations and the responsibilities of business to promote sustainable food based on human rights should be understood beyond just the legitimate concerns on health.
Rather, it is a crucial condition to exercise and enjoy other human rights and to achieve true sustainable development and food justice.
Therefore, as the report recommends, it's crucial that we fill the legal gaps and adopt measures of due diligence in terms of human rights and internal complaint mechanisms, comprehensive reparation systems and safeguards for human rights.
Ecuador is continuing to make headway with drafting its nation action plan on B and Human Rights, as well as participating in the Project for Responsible Business conduct in Latin America and the Caribbean with a view to identifying gaps, strengthening capacities, exchanging experience, and improving the business sector, bearing in mind the size, sector capacity, and context of each business.
I now recognize the distinguished representative of Zambia.
Vice President Zambia thanks the working group and welcomes the reports focus on agribusiness, food security, and human rights.
We align ourselves with a statement on behalf of the African group.
For Zambia, agriculture remains central to livelihoods, employment, and sustainable development.
While transparency, accountability, and responsible business conduct are essential, we believe greater attention should also be given to the structure of factors that create vulnerabilities within global food systems.
Concentrated market power in agricultural value chains often leaves smallholder producers with limited bargaining power and a reduced share of the value they create.
These challenges are compounded by a longstanding imbalance whereby many developing countries remain exporters of raw agricultural commodities while importing higher value processed products.
This limits domestic value capture, reduces oversight across supply chains, and increases vulnerabilities relating to food quality.
Ibity and food security.
Climate related shocks further exacerbate these challenges.
We believe that addressing these underlying conditions requires support for local value addition, resilient food systems, responsible investment, and greater participation of developing countries in higher segments of agricultural value chains.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished ambassador of Thailand.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President, Thailand thanks the working group for its report.
We take note in particular of the report on agribusiness, food security, and human rights.
As an agricultural country, Thailand attaches great importance to ensuring that food system contribute to economic development and food security while protecting human rights throughout the value chain.
In this regard, Thailand's Second National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights recognizes the importance of responsible business conduct in the areas such as labor, communities and the environment, and six to strengthen respect for human rights across business activities and supply chains.
The report is a timely reminder that efforts to enhance agricultural productivity and food security must be accompanied by safeguards against adverse human rights impacts, particularly to small scale farmers and rural communities.
Many developing countries face the dual challenge of strengthening food security while remaining competitive in global agricultural markets.
Member of the working group How can states best integrate human rights safeguards into agribusiness policies without creating undue burdens for small producers? Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Japan.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the working group for its continued efforts to advance the business and human rights agenda.
Japan is committed to promoting respect for human rights, including in the food industry.
For example, in 2023, we created a guidebook for the food industry outlining specific examples of how to conduct human rights due diligence.
Furthermore, in 2025, we established the sustainable food system platform to facilitate public private collaboration on sustainability.
Via this platform in March of this year, We published a collection of five company case studies categorized according to key human rights initiatives such as policy formulation, due diligence implementation, access to remedy, and stakeholder dialogue.
In addition, we have organized seminars on business and human rights tailored for the food industry and dispatch experts to support industry association study groups and training sessions on the topic.
At the broader level, we have revised our national action plan to more effectively promote respect for human rights in corporate activities.
Japan will continue to contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights in the context of business activities, both domestically and internationally in cooperation with relevant stakeholders and other countries.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of the United Nations Environment Program.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
UNEP welcomes the working groups reports, in particular, the AAC guidance on the rights of indigenous peoples to free prior and informed consent in the context of business activities.
UNEPs engagement with EPC is most direct in the environmental context where EPC serves as a fundamental safeguard against environmental harm, dispossession and exclusion.
UNEP has developed the core human rights principles for private conservation organizations and funders, benefiting from the advice of members of the working group.
Grounded in the UN guiding principles, the core principles include a dedicated principle on respect for indigenous peoples right to EPC.
UNEP is developing further materials to operationalize them and to build capacity among indigenous peoples, conservation organizations, and funders.
This experience also informs UNEPs wider work on the human rights dimensions of the energy transition, including the governance of critical energy transition minerals, where EPC is equally central.
The core principles demonstrate that human rights safeguards, including EPC, can be made operational in the conservation finance space.
UNEP looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the working group in support of its mandate.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of Uruguay.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President, Uruguay, I'd like to thank the working group for presenting its reports.
As far as the thematic report is concerned, we share the importance of addressing food system from a comprehensive approach that includes food security, sustainability, safety, transparency, consumer protection, and respect for human rights.
As a food producing exporting country, Uruguay believes that the agri food sector plays an essential role for sustainable development, food security, as well as both for producers and the rural populations at national level when promoting policies related to traceability, food safety, front of pack labeling and consumer protection, as well as measures aimed at promoting agroecology, family farming, and climate adaptation for the agricultural sector.
At the same time, we recognize the challenges related to climate resistance of producers, the expansion of traceability and consumer information tools.
Finally, I would like to ask the working group House can states strengthen traceability, transparency, and access to mobile information in food chains in order to protect consumers without generating disproportionate burdens for small producers and family producers.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of Cameroon.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President, Cameron Silho State made by the African group and I'd like to thank the members of the working group for their report, and we share most of their recommendations.
My country attaches particular importance to the links between agri industry, food security, and human rights.
In Caeron, just like in many developing countries, agriculture remains not only an engine of economic growth, but also a key factor in social stability and resilience of rural populations.
Cameron notes with interest, the concerns raised in the report regarding food fraud.
This phenomenon poses a growing threat to public health, consumer rights, confidence in markets, and the right to adequate food.
It calls for increased vigilance on the part of public authorities and greater responsibility on the part of economic actors involving everyone in the supply chain.
Cameeron also believes that agricultural investments can only produce sustainable results when they are accompanied by continuous dialogue with concerned communities and adequate consideration of local realities, particularly in terms of land use and preservation of livelihoods.
In this respect, my country continues its efforts with a view of reconciling economic development, food security, and protection of the rights of local communities including indigenous peoples and Corn Swan National Legal Framework.
Cameron takes note of the recommendations formulated by the working group and remains committed to a balanced implementation of the guiding principles on business and human rights.
Thank you.
Yes.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President.
We would like to thank the working group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporation and other business enterprises for their report on agri industry and the agricultural sector.
The right to sufficient food is a fundamental human right.
This means that agricultural investments should be in line with the norms of international human rights law.
And business enterprises should ensure that there's due diligence throughout the entire supply chain with a view of protection of human rights, small businessmen and the subten of a man believes that all of this is aimed at ensuring the relevant legal institutional frameworks to make sure that businesses are responsible in terms of human rights while ensuring the possibilities for remedies in cases of damage.
Now, we should not simply focus on growing food production.
We should ensure we have a focus on human rights on the basis of principle of non discrimination and environmental sustainability.
We are in favor of better cooperation between governments and civil society and businesses and other stakeholders in order to ensure that agricultural investments will lead to the putting an end to hunger throughout the world while respecting human rights.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to Distinguished Representative Angola.
Mr.
President, welcomes the working groups report, which highlights that access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food.
Please, could you interrupt the video? I give the floor to the representative Angola.
I'm going to align with the statement of the African group.
Thanks to the working group for the presentation of this important report.
We welcome your focus on the right to adequate food as a fundamental human rights.
We share the concern raised regarding food fraud practices including food adulteration, misleading labeling, and manipulation of access to food.
Such practice undermines consumer trust, negatively affects health and weakened efforts to achieve food security, particularly for vulnerable population.
For developing countries, especially in Africa, these challenges are compounded by climate change, recurrent droughts, economic rushes and limited influence of global food value chains.
The economic and social costs of food fraud and irresponsible business conduct can therefore have serious multiplier effects, further aggravating poverty, and food insecurity.
Angola remains committed to advancing food security and nutrition as a national priority.
Through the recent adopted national food and nutrition security strategy, we are strengthening domestic food production, supporting local producers, enhancing resilience to climate shock, and promoting sustainable food system.
We agreed that human rights must be at the center of our food security initiative and that greater corporate accountability and international cooperation are needed to address food fraud and promote food justice.
In this regard, What practical measures does the working group recommend to help developing countries address food fraud and strengthen accountability of transnational agribusiness corporations while advancing the right to food and food security.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to Distinguished Representative of Ghana.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Ghana aligns with the statement of the African group.
We thank the working group for his report on agrbusiness, food security, and human rights.
We recognize that food security, environmental sustainability, and economic growth are mutually reinforcing objectives.
We note the working group's call to states to establish and enforce a robust legal framework to guarantee and give effect to the right to food and nutrition.
In this regard, Ghana is implementing the Fed Ghana program to enhance agricultural productivity, strengthen value chains, and advanced agro industrialization.
We have also launched the Agriconnet compact in June 2026, which is a national framework aimed at expanding value addition, job creation, and improved food security.
Mr.
Vice President, we have adopted a national stakeholder framework that facilitates our active engagement in the open ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises.
Through this process, we contribute to a development of a legally binding international instrument to promote responsible business conduct, particularly in the agribusiness sector with the aim of strengthening food security and ensuring respect for human rights.
We therefore wish to call on all businesses, including transnational corporations to uphold their responsibility to respect human rights throughout their value chains in accordance with the guiding principles on business and human rights.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to Distinguished representative of Cotivir.
Mr.
Vice President, Corivir aligns itself with a statement made by the African group and we congratulate the working group on the presentation of the Report of 14 session of the Forum on Business and Human Rights that took place 24 26 November 2025.
My delegation welcomes the relevance of the theme of this session, which emphasizes the need to integrate human rights into activities of companies.
While focusing on their responsibility and that of states.
For Côte D'ivoire, the relationship between companies including transnational corporations and human rights is an important major issue.
It has legal arsenal under which these companies face increasing human rights responsibilities.
Thus, in the cocoa sector of which my delegation is the world's leading producer, the chocolate multinationals have a responsibility to ensure that no child works in their supply chain.
By setting up traceability systems to verify where their cocoa beans come from.
In addition, in the mining sector, companies must avoid land grabbing, respecting the property rights of local communities, and guaranteeing the right to health of people living near their industrial sites.
In conclusion, Cor devoir calls on all stakeholders to remove the legal and practical obstacles that prevent the victims from seeking justice and reparation for all violations of human rights.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished ambassador of Colombia.
Thank you very much.
Vice President of Colombia.
I'd like to thank the working group for its report and its valuable work in strengthening temptation of the guiding principles on business and human rights and making visible the challenges and opportunities that business dynamics pose for the effective enjoyment of human rights.
We share the report's approach, namely access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food is a fundamental human right closely linked to life, health and dignity.
We reject the use of hunger as a weapon.
We share the concern about the concentration of food systems, food fraud, corruption, and illicit economies, phenomena that deepen inequalities and potentially affect the most vulnerable populations.
In the face of these challenges, Colombia has been strengthening a human rights based approach to the system for the progressive guarantee of the right to food.
The Zero Hunger program and productive inclusion policies aimed at strengthening local food systems and the capacities of communities.
We welcome the recommendations of the report on corporate due diligence, traceability, community participation, and access to redress mechanisms.
Colombia reaffirms its commitment to the implementation of the guiding principles and to the construction of food systems that respect human rights.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I give the floor to distinguished Representative of Mexico.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President.
Mexico would like to thank the working group for the presentation of the report and the EPIC guide.
Free prior informed consent is essential safeguard to guarantee the rights of indigenous peoples, strengthen their effective participation, and prevent conflicts in the context of business activities.
Constitutional reform in Mexico related to Article 2 represents a historic advance in recognizing indigenous peoples as subjects of public law with legal personality and their own heritage, thus seeking to overcome historic patterns of exclusion and strengthening their rights to self determination and effective participation.
Mexico also recognizes the importance to promote responsible business conduct in agri food chains.
We highlight our general law on adequate and sustainable food and the front warning labeling, which strengthens access to clear information and contributes to informed consumption decisions.
In Mexico, we are conducting consultations to form a national policy on business and human rights.
This is why we ask a question.
What recommendations would you highlight to strengthen the consistency and coherence of public policies aimed at promoting food security, responsible business context, and the rights of indigenous peoples.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of South Africa.
Vice President, we align with the Africa Group statement and thanks the members of the working group on this important report, which focuses on agribusiness, food security, and human rights, transnational business activities create opportunities for growth and development, but they may also give rise to adverse human rights impacts that require coordinated and effective responses across jurisdictions.
We welcome the working group's emphasis on policy coherence, meaningful participation of affected communities, responsible business conduct, and access to effective remedy.
Those elements are critical to ensuring that economic development advances human dignity, social justice, and sustainable development.
South Africa further emphasizes the need for enhanced international cooperation and capacity building to support developing countries in strengthening the regulatory frameworks, improving oversight mechanisms, and facilitating access to justice for victims of business related human rights abuses.
Such cooperation should be guided by the principles of equity, mutual respect and shared responsibility.
In this regard, South Africa will be very interested to hear the working group's views on practical measures that could strengthen international cooperation in ensuring accountability and effective remedies in cases involving transnational business operations.
I thank you.
Raf, thank you.
I give the floor to UNICEF video statement.
UNIC welcomes the working groups report, which highlights that access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food is inextricably linked to all aspects of human life.
All children have a right to good nutrition in a healthy environment, yet current food systems do not support the diets that children need to survive, grow, develop, and learn.
The concentration of corporate power in global food systems undermines access to adequate food, drives the proliferation of ultra processed products, distorts food environments, and constrains democratic participation in food policy.
UNICEF calls on states to take effective measures in line with their obligations under international human rights law to prevent undue corporate influence over food systems and ensure that food related laws, policies, and governance structures are designed to serve public health and uphold human rights, particularly the rights of children.
The working groups report provides an important example of exploitative corporate activity that must be regulated, the marketing of breast milk substitutes, which violates the International Code of marketing of breast milk substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions.
When it comes to public private partnerships, it is essential that states ensure that they do not enable commercial interests to undermine child rights.
Human rights must be placed at the heart of efforts to advance food security and sustainable food systems.
We stand ready to support.
Thank you.
The next speaker on my list is distinguished representative of Egypt.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President.
We would like to thank the working group for their work.
We appreciate what is being said in the report, food is directly related to human rights and despite the significant efforts taken by the international community, 2 billion people continue to live in conditions of food insecurity, we condemn the use of famine as a weapon and many studies show that food fud costs of up to 50 billion each year, something that aggravates inequalities In addition, the guiding principles on business and human rights, are they sufficient to overcome the challenges that are mentioned in the report? Or we need an international framework that could be legally binding and could be easily implemented? What is the opinion of the working group? What prevents the implementation of the guiding principles? Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of Brazil.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Brazil welcomes the working group's report about the implementation of sustainable and rights based food security programs to address food fraud and advanced food justice.
Ending hunger and achieving food security are absolute priorities for the government of Brazil as reflected in the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty launched during our G 20 presidency in 2024.
We welcome dimension to some of our good practices such as our food acquisition program, which enables public institutions, including schools and hospitals to purchase food directly from family farmers and smallholder cooperatives at guaranteed prices.
This initiative does serve as a successful model for supporting agri biodiversity.
Brazil supplies food for about 10% of the world's population and our national programs seek to ensure universal access to food while combating fraud and the climate crisis.
Our national school feeding program reaches over 40 million children a day, and at least 75% of its resources are allocated to fresh or minimally processed foods.
The policy mandates spending at least 45% of the total budget on food acquired directly from family farmers, prioritizing procurement from indigenous people as well as ilmboa and other traditional communities.
Aligning with the report's recommendation, what does the working group consider to be the most effective remedies for addressing environmental rights violations by food sector actors? That's the question I posed to the reporter.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of Kenia.
Vice President, Kenya aligns itself with a statement delivered by the Africa Group and thanks the working group for its timely report on agrbusiness, food security, and human rights.
Kenya recognizes that food security is closely linked to the enjoyment of a wide range of human rights, including the right to food, health, and development.
We therefore welcome the report's emphasis on ensuring that efforts to strengthen food systems are grounded in transparency, accountability, and the respect for human rights.
At the national level, Kenya continues to implement measures aimed at enhancing food security while safeguarding the interest of consumers, farmers, and local communities.
Through the bottom up economic transformation agenda, Kenya has prioritized support to smallholder farmers through improved access to quality agricultural inputs, extension services, irrigation and climate smart agricultural practices.
These efforts seek to increase productivity, strengthen resilience, and improve livelihoods.
Kenya also continues to strengthen food safety and consumer protection mechanisms through the relevant regulatory institutions, including measures to combat counterfeit agricultural inputs and ensure compliance with food quality and safety standards.
Kenya underscores that strengthening food security requires not only increased agricultural production, but also effective safeguards that protect consumers, support smallholder farmers, and promote confidence in food systems.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative of the state of Palestine.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
The state of Palestine thanks the working group for its important report.
The discussion on food security cannot be separated from questions of power, accountability, and human rights.
For Palestinians, food insecurity is the result of decades of occupation, restrictions on access to land and water resources, destruction of agricultural livelihoods, and policies that undermine the ability of the Palestinian people to exercise permanent sovereignty over their natural resources and pursue their own development.
Gaza, where Palestinians continue to face starvation as a weapon of warfare as part of Israel's genocidal policies, hunger and deprivation have reached unpreced levels.
The deliberate destruction of agricultural land, food production systems, fisheries and civilian infrastructure demonstrate that food insecurity can be driven by human action and political choices rather than by scarcity alone.
These realities underscore the importance of ensuring that businesses and investors do not contribute directly or indirectly to practices that undermine the right to food or profit from situations of occupation, dispossession and human suffering.
Human rights due divisions must extend to situation where business activities may contribute to violations of international law that lead to food insecurity, environmental degradation, or the denial of fundamental rights.
Mr.
Vice President, could the working group elaborate on how states and businesses should address situations where food insecurity is driven not by market failures, but by policies and practices that systematically restrict a people's access to land, resources, and means of subsistence? Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to distinguished representative Bangladesh.
Mr.
Vice President, Mr.
Vice President Bangladesh takes note of the working groups report.
Mr.
Vice President, for Bangladesh, food security is not only a development priority, but also an essential element of realizing the right to adequate food and achieving the sustainable development goals.
We have made steady progress in enhancing agricultural productivity, strengthening food safety and regulatory oversight, expanding social protection programs, and empowering smallholder farmers and rural communities.
We note that businesses have an important responsibility to respect human rights throughout their operations and supply chains.
At the same time, implementation of the guiding principles should remain practical, balanced, and supportive of sustainable economic growth, particularly in developing countries.
Measures aimed at strengthening corporate accountability should be accompanied by enhanced international cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building, and predictable financing.
In this regard, we also recognize the importance of promoting fair, transparent, and inclusive global food value chains that enable equitable participation of developing countries while preserving excessive market concentration that may adversely affect food security and sustainable development.
Mr.
Chair, how can the working group further support developing countries in implementing the guiding principles in the agribusiness sector through a strengthened international cooperation while preserving national policy space and ensuring equitable participation in global food value chains.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the Distinguished representative of Switzerland.
Mr.
Vice President of Switzerland, I would like to thank the working group for its report.
The effective realization of the right to food requires sustainable resilient systems based on human rights.
Food security is dissociable from the rights of consumer agricultural workers, indigenous peoples, and local communities that play a crucial role in food systems.
Switzerland makes a focus on the prevention of food fraud, transparency throughout the value chain, and the promotion of responsible behavior by businesses through due diligence mechanism.
We stress the importance of an effective participation, inclusive participation of all stakeholders, as well as access to remedies for affected persons in a global context marked by climate change The continued disruptions of supply chains and food insecurity is essential to promote consistent approaches, bringing together food security, environmental sustainability, and respect for humans.
What specific measures can states implement to strengthen transparency and traceability of value change in the agricultural sectors while avoiding extra burdens for small producers and agricultural workers.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We thank the working group for the report.
What is interesting are the recommendations to states, enterprises, and other interested stakeholders in order to development sustainable and human rights based programs aimed at combing food fraud in line with the guiding principles of business and human rights.
We note that Russia is constantly improving its system of regulating these areas.
Protection of consumers includes state measures to ensure that they're legal instruments to punish violators.
15 years have elapsed since the adoption of guiding principles on business and human rights.
Russia was at the very beginning of the discussion of questions of social responsibility of business international for.
We're satisfied to know that since 2018, state Companies have taken significant steps to implement the guiding principles and business structures throughout the world, recognize more and more the responsibility for human rights.
Of course, in the promotion of the guiding principles, both in Russia and in the world, a lot still needs to be done, and we do believe that the implementation of the roadmap of the working group in implementing the guiding principles will help the guiding principles become a universal tool for the promotion of human rights throughout the world.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Togo.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Togo thanks the working group for the report, and we share the findings that food security is a core prerequisite for the enjoyment of the right to food and achieving SDGs.
My delegation is concerned at the challenges around food fraud, the lack of transparency in the value chain, and shortcomings in terms of acceptability of economic actors, notably transnational groups.
Togo places a particular emphasis on strengthening food security and on nutrition.
My country is continuing to modernize its agricultural sector through investments geared at increasing productivity, bolstering the resilience of food systems, and improving revenue for producers, notably for women and young people, all whilst keeping a close eye on the health and safety of food coming from these value chains.
Combating food insecurity requires a human rights based approach, and Togo has advocated for a sustainable agricultural policy that's respectful of the environment and the living environment of the communities concerned whilst bolstering the mechanisms for transparency and responsibility of all parties concerned.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative, Ethiopia.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Ethiopia recognized food security as a fundamental pillar of sustainable development, poverty reduction, economy transformation, and the realization of the right to development.
Ethiopia welcomes the report emphasis on strengthening food system true, inclusive, sustainable and rights based approaches.
We share the view that addressing food insecurity requires coordinated action by government, businesses, development partners, and local communities.
National initiatives aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, expanding irrigation, improving rural infrastructure, enhancing climate resilience and promoting agro processing continue to contribute to improved food security and rural elutes.
Ethiopia underscores the importance of protecting farmers from harmful practices, including counterfeit agricultural inputs, misleading commercial practices, and disruptions in agricultural value chains.
We also recognize the need for strength food security standards, consumer protection measures, and transparent market system.
At the same time, efforts to promote responsible business conduct should take into account national circumstances, development priorities, and capacity constraints, particularly in developing countries, international cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building, and fair trade practice essential to supporting sustainable agriculture businesses.
In conclusion, Ethiopia reaffirms its commitment to advancing sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems that contribute to food security, economic growth, and the well being of all citizens.
Thank you.
I recognize the representative of the Council of Europe.
Honorable Mr.
Vice President, we express our thanks to the working group for the presented reports.
We recognize the importance of the last year's annual Forum on Business and Human Rights, which sets as an effective multi stakeholder platform on human rights due diligence.
With reference to the report presented for the Council of Europe, access to adequate food remains a fundamental human right and for this reason, corporate responsibility and sustainability targets for the food industry are fundamental to ensure right based approach to business activities in agribusiness and beyond.
We would like to emphasize that the Council of Europe's framework provides comprehensive protections for business and human rights and above all in the European Convention on Human Rights.
This includes the protection of the property rights crucial for investment and stability as well as the rights for fair trial, effective remedy, and non discrimination.
Beyond civil and political rights, the Council's social Charter safeguards in a legally binding manner, economic and social protections, including employment, health, education, and social security are essential periods for responsible business contact.
Our standards further include robust mechanisms to improve the business climate, to address cybercrime, protect privacy, and friend the development and use of AI, as well as protect the environment.
These instruments have withstood the test of time and real world challenges.
We are looking forward to continuing our active engagement in the work of the working group, as well as the upcoming Business and Human Rights Forum.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of China.
Mr.
Vice President, the Chinese government attaches great importance to the issue of TNCs and human rights and is actively implementing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights.
China's recent National Human Rights Action Plan 2026 2030 includes provisions on encouraging businesses to fulfill their human rights responsibilities.
It explicitly calls for proceeding from domestic and business circumstances, integrating environmental, social, corporate governance into their global development strategies in compliance with the UN Global Compact and the guiding principles.
China notes that the report of the working group focuses on agribusinesses, food security, and human rights.
China has always been committed to improving global food security through international cooperation in support of global poverty reduction.
Under the FAO South South Cooperation Framework, China is a developing country that has provided the largest amount of funding assistance, the greatest number of experts, and carried out the largest number of projects.
China stands ready to continue collaboration with all parties on food security through food and agriculture assistance programs and to work together for a world free of hunger.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
G.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Spain.
Thank you, Vice President.
Spain aligns itself with a statement from the European Union and supports the mandate of the working group.
We agree Yeah.
With the findings in the report, that food security cannot be viewed without a comprehensive human rights approach.
Practices of food fraud, including misleading labeling or the so called greenwashing, or adulteration undermine the trust in food systems, affects the health of consumers, and hamper the true realization of the right to food.
These practices exacerbate existing inequalities and especially affect rural communities and small scale farmers.
Spain shares the need to fully integrate the guiding principles in business and human rights, including obligations on due diligence, transparency and accountability.
Against this backdrop in addition to the European framework, Spain has a national plan for official control of the food chain 2026 to 2030 with oversight mechanisms, traceability, and interinstitutional coordination throughout the food chain, thus contributing to prevent food fraud and bolster protection for the rights of consumers and producers.
Spain underscores the consistency between the recommendations of the report from the working group and the commitments taken in the conference at Seville on sustainable financing for development and the promotion of resilient rights based food systems.
Spain agrees on the importance of improving access to justice, strengthening participation of communities that are affected, and promoting sustainable food systems, including those based in rights.
What concrete measure, thank you.
I recognize the distinguished delegation of Algeria.
The working group.
I'd like to thank the working group for the report, which sheds light on food fraud.
This is an offense which has knock on effects on daily life.
We agree with the findings of the report, namely, the need to adopt a human rights based approach to clean up value chains and food chains.
Food fraud has an impact on countries of the South and this is why we have decided to take a radical approach, in other words, protect consumers and ensure that we look after their health by guaranteeing the safety of products.
We have bolstered our capacities in laboratories, By coordinating efforts with different sectors, we have also worked alongside civil society as a partner to launch awareness raising campaigns on food fraud.
That being said, there are still challenges which escape state control.
This is why we are endeavoring to plug the gaps In legislation, and we stand ready to share our experience in this field.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Indonesia Indonesia, please.
Mr.
Vice President, Indonesia shares the group's premise that human rights must be at the heart of food security programs.
We are putting this into practice through our national free nutritious meal program by procuring directly from local farmers and cooperative.
The rights best program deliver on the child's rights to educate and nutrition food.
While at the same time support small holder livelihoods and shorten supply chains in ways that reduce exposure to food fraud.
Indonesia is committed to strengthen this objective as the program expands.
At the same time, Indonesia observed that purely this kind of sustainability measure can also have human rights impacts.
Ex territorial due diligence and unilateral sustainability requirements when developed without the meaningful participation of stakeholder in developing countries.
Will marginalize smallholders from the global value chains and in their rights to development and design work.
Sustainability must not become arbitrary discrimination or at least gas restriction on trade.
We therefore ask for the working group should diligence and sustainability requirements themselves be subject to human rights impact assessment to evaluate their market access effects on developing countries producer, particularly smallholder and local communities.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize Malaysia.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Malaysia thanks the working group for its report.
The report's focus on agribusiness, food security, and human rights is timely.
Malaysia notes with concern the risks posed by the food fraud, misleading labeling, weak supply chain transparency, and unequal power relations in food system, particularly for consumers, smallholders, workers, indigenous people, and vulnerable communities.
Malaysia concurs that food security program must be grounded in the United Nations guiding principles on business and human rights.
Efforts to ensure safe, sufficient, and nutritious food should also promote responsible business conduct, meaningful participation, access to information, and effective remedies.
At the national level, Malaysia's efforts are guided by its National action plan on Business and Human Rights 2025 to 2030.
Achurd on the three pillars of the UNGPs and guided by the thematic pillars of governance, labor, and environment, the action plan reflect Malaysia's commitment to responsible, inclusive and sustainable economic development.
We are interested to hear from the experts on how we can better support small and medium enterprises in conducting effective human rights due diligence across agribusiness value chains.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Malawi.
Mr.
Vice President, Malawi aligns itself with the African Group statement and commends the working group for offering action oriented recommendations to address current challenges in agribusiness.
As a country whose economy relies on agriculture, Malawi is implementing the Malawi 2063, its national blueprint anchoring economic transformation on agricultural productivity, industrialization and urbanization.
The agriculture tourism and mining strategy of 2024 and the National agriculture policy of 2024 operationalize this transition from subsistence to commercialized agriculture, advancing value addition and diversification to strengthen sustainable rights based food systems.
Malawi agrees that developing rights based food systems requires diverse regional, national and communal contexts that require going beyond imagination and coordination and moving towards voluntary assertion to enforceable implementable practice.
Malawi especially supports requiring states to penalize food fraud, greenwashing, and misleading claims on climate and environmental footprints and requiring transparent business verification across the agri product value chain.
Malawi is advancing this type of accountability through the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, which it plans to adopt by the end of this year.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Armenia.
Mr.
Vice President, Armenia welcomes the working group and thanks for its continued engagement with the council.
We share the concern of the working group that food fraud practices and the corporate manipulation of food security programs pose profound threats to human rights affecting every aspect of people's lives.
In this regard, the food safety Inspectorate of Armenia implements assessment of food products conformity with the applicable standards, regulates the administration of sanitary services, as well as ensures control and imposes sanctions.
Moreover, the food safety system development strategy, which stems from the 2021 2026 government program of the Republic of Armenia, aims to improve the food safety system and promote a healthy population.
We took note of working groups recommendation to integrate agri food policy into climate and sustainable development strategies.
In this regard, we see agri food systems as a key pillar of biodiversity action, recognizing the strong interlinkages between food security, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, rural development, poverty reduction, and ecosystem integrity.
This context, the incoming Armenian presidency of the Cop 17 of the Convention on Biological Diversity will work closely with CBD and FAO secretaries to come up with initiatives that will strengthen global understanding of the critical role agri food systems play in biodiversity preservation while promoting collective action towards more sustainable use of natural resources, minimizing harmful impacts, and maximizing human rights protections.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize India.
So Vice President, India thanks the working group for presenting the report, including its recognition of India's National Food Security Act 2013.
For India, agriculture is not merely a trade matter, it is foremost a matter of livelihoods and food security.
We agree with the report's assessment that small scale farmers account for up to 80% of the food supply chain in much of Asia and their training, capacity building, and mobilization of resources for meaningful participation only enhances food security.
My delegation also shares the report's concerns over counterfeit fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds which endanger farmer health and cause vast losses.
We also concur with the report's focus on digital traceability, including QR codes as good practice.
At the same time, my delegation would like to offer a few observations on trade based conditionalities, the need to preserve policy space in land governance and risks of international investment arbitration without exhausting local judicial remedies in our full intervention being uploaded on our Internet and our missions website.
We have a question for the distinguished members of the working group.
Given the pressure felt by countries of the global south to adopt trips plus standards that heavily restrict traditional seed saving and informal exchange, how can states effectively reconcile their onerous IP obligations with their human rights duty to protect local farmers seat sovereignty and ensure equitable access and benefits sharing.
Mr.
Vice President, India remains committed to rights based sustainable food systems that place farmers and food security at their center.
Thank you, Bj Batias.
Sias.
Thank you very much.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Kuwait.
S.
Mr.
Vice President, we take note of the report of the working group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations.
We reaffirm the importance of incorporating a human rights perspective in food programs and policies in order to have more transparent and sustainable food chains and that at the light of crises related to food security, climate change, we reaffirm the importance of addressing food fraud.
This has a grave impact on the health of individuals and the trust of consumers.
We reaffirmed the importance of enhancing the national frameworks for accountability and monitoring.
I thank you, sir.
Thank you.
I recognize the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela.
Thank you, Vice President.
We are grateful to the working group for the report and we take note of it.
We especially value the recommendations geared at strengthening legal, normative frameworks and public policies that guarantee food security and promote the participation of small scale producers and guarantee that business activities are developed in step with international obligations in terms of human rights respecting national priorities and realities.
To this end, Venezuela has instruments such as the Organic Law on food security and sovereignty geared at guaranteeing timely access and sufficient access to food Strengthening national production, supporting small scale producers, as well as promoting more inclusive and sustainable food systems.
However, we believe that any analysis on food safety and sustainability of food systems must recognize the negative impact of unilateral course of measures.
These measures restrict access to finance, technology, agricultural input as well as supply chains, hampering states capacity to strengthen their national production and guarantee access to food.
Therefore, we'd like to ask the working group, how do you assess the impact of UCMs on food security and what measures do you believe are necessary to mitigate their effects on small scale producers and bundled populations.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Peru.
Thank you, Vice President.
Peru is grateful to the working group for the presentation of their reports and highlights the need for business activities connected to the food industry be based on human rights, guaranteeing respect for free prior informed consent from indigenous communities.
I Peru, this is particularly relevant in light of our mega diverse population.
Since 2011, we have been strengthening our normative and institutional framework to guarantee effective participation of these communities and decision making, highlighting La 29185 on free prior informed consent.
Food security must not only be considered in terms of food nutrition, but also sustainability of food systems, the protection of agro biodiversity, protecting small scale farmers, and the right to have appropriate nutrition and diet.
The guiding principles on business and human rights are therefore all the more important.
Peru was the third country in Latin America to integrate them into national policies, including the National Plan on action on Business and Human Rights, which was the fruit of a broad participatory consultation process.
We reaffirm our commitment to a business environment that respects, protects, and guarantees fundamental rights for all peoples.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative Cambodia.
Mr.
Vice President, my delegation thanks the working group for the presentation of the report.
Cambodia recognizes the close link between food security and the realization of human rights, food fraud, threatens public health, consumer ds, and food justice.
We therefore support strengthened food safety governance, and international cooperation to protect the integrity of food supply chains.
As an agricultural country, Caboia places high importance on ensuring that agribusiness development contributes to sustainable livelihoods, poverty reduction, and inclusive economic growth.
Under the Pentagon strategy phase one, Cambodia is advancing the modernization and diversification of agriculture through stronger agricultural value chains, support for farmer cooperatives and smallholder farmers, and the promotion of responsible investment in agribusiness.
These efforts are complemented by the Third National Strategy for food security and nutrition, 2024 and 2028, which promotes an integrated approach to improving food availability, accessibility, affordability, and nutritional outcomes.
We emphasize the importance of enhanced support for developing countries through capacity building, technology transfer, and sustainable investment to strengthen food security, combat food fraud, and advance food justice for all.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Iran thanks the working group for its report and takes note of its effort to advance the implementation of the United Nations guiding principles on business and human rights.
While the human rights responsibilities of transnational corporations are often examined in relation to their direct operations, equal attention should be given to the impact of external political and economic pressures on corporate conduct and the enjoyment of human rights.
This context, unilateral coercive measures imposed outside the framework of the international law and without the United Nations authorization create conduct conditions that distort legitimate business activity.
Such practices contribute to overcoils by multinational enterprises which in turn may restrict access to essential good and food security with its dire impact on rural areas and vulnerable groups.
Mr.
Rapporteur, as highlighted in the report, access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food is inextricably linked to all aspects of human life and the enjoyment of fundamental human rights.
In your view, what measures should the council undertake to help ensure food security in countries affected by unilateral courtesy measures or blockades? Furthermore, how can states imposing such measures as well as corporations whose overcomplience may exacerbate their humanitarian impact be encouraged to provide effective remedies and redress for affected population? Thank you.
Thank you.
I recognize the distinguished delegation of Iraq.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We would like to thank the working group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations.
Thank you for the report.
We agree with the report with regards to the importance of corporations shouldering their responsibilities vis-à-vis human rights, and to avoid food fraud, and the deterioration of the environment.
Iraq has taken or enacted law number two of 2022 to support economic and social stability and improve public services and to deal with crises.
This law enhances the capacity of the state to respond to the needs of the citizens and to support the most vulnerable groups.
And the needed projects.
This law also helps achieve more stability in the markets and enhances food security and the provision of basic commodities for citizens.
Iraq calls on transnational corporations to fully abide by human rights and to build more transparent internal mechanisms to achieve equity and justice in repairing the damages that are caused by these businesses.
Cuba.
Thank you.
I recognize the representative of Cuba.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President, access to safe, sufficient and nutritional food, as suggested by the working group is a fundamental right that cannot be separated from any other right of human life.
UCMs hamper the realization of the right to food in countries that are affected, and that is the case for Cuba.
They must be eradicated.
States have a key role to play in drafting and implementing rules, laws, and measures that ensure that transnational corporations comply with international standards in terms of human rights, and that they contribute to creating sustainable food systems and the progressive eradication of phenomenon such as land grabbing, food fraud, labor exploitation and degradation of the environment.
Cuba reiterates its support to the swift adoption of a legally binding instrument to regulate the activities of transnational corporations and other such companies.
The scope of the instrument must be in step with the resolution 2026 slash nine of the Human Rights Council.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
We have now exhausted the list of speakers of member states.
Tomorrow, we will turn to NH Horizon NGOs and to the responses from the working group, but I understand that there's a delegation that has requested to exercise the right to reply.
I'm going to give the floor to the delegation of China.
Vice President, China knows that certain NGOs have continued to spread rumors about the protection of women's rights and interests to smear and vilify China.
China firmly opposes such actions.
The Chinese government attaches great importance to promoting and protecting women's rights and interests, has introduced a series of policy measures to improve women's health, effectively implemented maternal health care policies, coordinated health services, such as prenatal care and examinations, and carried out initiatives including fertility assessment and genetic counseling.
It has also provided women with greater support and protection in medical insurance, medical assistance, and public health services.
Support and protection.
We have systematically strengthened the policy framework for birth support, promoted integration of a fertility friendly approach across all areas of socioeconomic development, leveraged big data and telemedicine to advance women's health and enhance health care support throughout the childbirth process.
We urge those anti China NGOs to cease abusing the council to disseminate false information and to make concrete contributions to the advancement of the International Human Rights Program.
Thank you.
With that, we conclude our meeting.
We'll return tomorrow at 10:00 A.M.
To have an annual full day discussion on human rights of women.
This will be followed by the oral presentation of the implementation of the United Nations Disability Inclusion strategy across its programs and operations.
Then we will include the interactive dialogue with the working group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises and proceed with the interactive dialogue with the working group on discrimination against women and girls.
I hereby close the 14th meeting of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.