32/L.59 Civil society space

GE.16-11110(E)



Human Rights Council Thirty-second session

Agenda item 3

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,

political, economic, social and cultural rights,

including the right to development

China, Russian Federation: amendment to draft resolution A/HRC/32/L.29

32/… Civil society space

1. Paragraph 3

The paragraph should read

3. Reminds States of their obligation to respect and fully protect the civil,

political, economic, social and cultural rights of all individuals, inter alia, the rights to

freedom of expression and opinion and to assemble peacefully and associate freely, online

as well as offline, including for persons espousing minority beliefs, and that respect for all

such rights, in relation to civil society, contributes to addressing and resolving challenges

and issues that are important to society, such as addressing financial and economic crises,

responding to public health crises, responding to humanitarian crises, including in the

context of armed conflict, promoting the rule of law and accountability, achieving

transitional justice goals, protecting the environment, realizing the right to development,

empowering persons belonging to national, ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities and

persons in vulnerable situations, combating racism and racial discrimination, supporting

crime prevention, countering corruption, promoting corporate social responsibility and

accountability, combating human trafficking, empowering women, youth and children,

advancing social justice and consumer protection, the realization of all human rights and

the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

2. Paragraph 5

The paragraph should read

5. Emphasizes the importance of civil society space for empowering persons

belonging to national, ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities and persons in vulnerable

situations, as well as persons espousing minority beliefs, and in that regard calls upon

States to ensure that legislation, policies and practices do not undermine the enjoyment by

such persons of their human rights or the activities of civil society in defending their rights;