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Advocacy

Advocating for change-makers

Our presence in Geneva allows us to advocate for Right Livelihood Laureates and their causes by engaging with United Nations human rights mechanisms and other key international institutions.

The advocacy work is a crucial tool to improve the Laureates’ working environment as well as to ensure the safety of those at risk. To make this a reality, we regularly engage in activities around the UN Human Rights Council, Special Procedures, the Universal Periodic Review and Treaty Bodies.

Image	Type
07.10.25 Event highlights ‘Unbreakable’: Stockholm’s tribute to Belarus’ political prisoners on Ales Bialiatski’s birthday	event-highlights
07.07.25 Statements Joint Statement on the Continued Arbitrary Detention of Lawyer and Human Rights Defender Waleed Abu al-Khair	statements
28.05.25 Event highlights Highlights from the 58th session of the Human Rights Council	event-highlights
20.03.25 Oral statements Right Livelihood raises alarm over jailed environmental activists in Cambodia	oral-statements
08.03.25 Statements Right Livelihood Women Laureates Hub Statement for International Women’s Day 2025	statements
28.02.25 Oral statements Right Livelihood urges urgent action to protect Indigenous Rights in Nicaragua	oral-statements
24.06.24 Statements Swedish parliamentarians urge justice for Mother Nature Cambodia activists	statements
22.05.24 Announcements Announcing the launch of the MENA Gender Clinic	announcements
21.02.24 Statements Supporting Morocco’s claims is supporting blatant human rights violations	statements
11.01.24 Statements Morocco elected to preside the UN Human Rights Council: A step away from human rights	statements
06.11.23 Reports Right Livelihood and partners submit report ahead of Cameroon’s fourth Universal Periodic Review	reports
03.11.23 Statements Iran: Nasrin Sotoudeh violently arrested at Armita Geravand’s funeral	statements
24.10.23 Statements Saudi human rights defender Mohammad al-Qahtani still disappeared after one year	statements
11.10.23 Statements Statement on Israel/Palestine	statements
11.08.23 Statements Nicaragua: Pronunciamiento ante la persistente violación de los derechos de los pueblos indígenas y afrodescendientes	statements
30.05.23 Statements Uganda: Appalling anti-homosexuality act must be immediately repealed	statements
16.05.23 Statements Joint statement: Civil society condemns Saudi Arabia’s bid to cleanse human rights image via World Expo 2030	statements
24.04.23 Statements Saudi authorities must release human rights defender Mohammed al-Qahtani and other ACPRA members who are arbitrarily detained	statements
20.04.23 Statements Highlights from the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council	statements
24.03.23 Statements The Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill: An affront to human rights	statements
03.03.23 Statements Belarus: Viasna leaders sentenced to 10, 9 and 7 years in prison for their activism	statements
04.01.23 Statements Belarus: trial against Viasna leadership starts tomorrow in Minsk	statements
20.12.22 Statements Joint NGO letter calling on the Saudi authorities to disclose the whereabouts of Laureate Mohammed al-Qahtani	statements
25.11.22 Interviews Tackling gender-based violence in Somalia: A conversation with Ilwad Elman and Faartun Adan	interviews
14.11.22 Statements Saudi human rights defender Mohammad Al-Qahtani forcibly disappeared	statements
14.10.22 Reports Highlights from the 51st session of the Human Rights Council	reports
14.10.22 Statements Iranians must be supported in their struggle for democratic change	statements
02.10.22 Interviews Nonviolent action as a tool to ignite global change – A conversation with Jamila Raqib	interviews
15.09.22 Interviews The erosion of democratic institutions in the Philippines: An Interview with Walden Bello	interviews
05.09.22 Statements Belarus: Upcoming verdict in the case against Viasna members Maria Rabkova and Andrey Chapiuk	statements
26.08.22 Reports Right Livelihood and partners submit report in view of Morocco’s fourth Universal Periodic Review	reports
13.07.22 Reports Highlights from the 50th Session of the Human Rights Council	reports
19.06.22 Interviews The nexus between climate change and gender-based violence in conflict-affected areas	interviews
17.05.22 Statements La reelección de María Consuelo Porras como fiscal general de guatemala: un claro respaldo a la impunidad y la corrupción	statements
17.05.22 Statements The re-appointment of María Consuelo Porras as Attorney General of Guatemala: a clear endorsement of impunity and corruption	statements
25.04.22 Statements Belarus: Kafkaesque accusations against the staff of Viasna ahead of its 26th anniversary	statements
15.04.22 Statements Joint statement: Rights groups call for the release of Waleed Abu al-Khair on the eighth anniversary of his arrest	statements
11.04.22 Reports Report of the 49th session of the Human Rights Council	reports
10.03.22 Statements Sahrawi activist and Awards Laureate Aminatou Haidar hacked with Pegasus spyware	statements
20.02.22 Interviews Ruth Manorama: “Without equal treatment, it is impossible to reach social justice”	interviews
13.01.22 Reports Right Livelihood and Martin Ennals Foundation submit report in view of Uganda’s third Universal Periodic Review	reports
22.12.21 Petitions End the persecution and criminal proceedings against Memorial International	petitions
10.12.21 Statements Joint statement on new assault against Human Rights Defender Aminatou Haidar in Western Sahara	statements
23.11.21 Statements Concern over targeting of human rights defenders in Western Sahara	statements
15.11.21 Statements Right Livelihood condemns Russia’s latest crackdown on Memorial International	statements
03.11.21 Statements Joint statement on the sentencing of two members of Human Rights Group Viasna in Belarus	statements
18.10.21 Reports Report of the 48th session of the Human Rights Council	reports
04.05.21 Statements UN experts condemn human rights violations against Aminatou Haidar and other Sahrawi activists	statements
04.05.21 Oral statements HRC46: Nicaragua must protect indigenous peoples and their defenders	oral-statements
21.04.21 Statements A year after imprisoned Saudi activist Abdullah al-Hamid’s passing, NGOs call for accountability and release of all human rights defenders	statements
10.03.21 Oral statements Iran must release Nasrin Sotoudeh, husband Reza Khandan tells the UN	oral-statements
01.03.21 Oral statements HRC46: The UN should not leave the Sahrawi people behind	oral-statements
26.02.21 Oral statements HRC46 : Belarus must end the prosecution of peaceful activists and release all political prisoners	oral-statements
17.02.21 Statements The Right Livelihood Foundation strongly condemns crackdown on Belarusian human rights activists and organisations	statements
19.01.21 Petitions Petition: Abolish nuclear weapons to assure a sustainable future	petitions
15.12.20 Statements The Foundation deplores US recognition of Moroccan claim over Western Sahara	statements
02.12.20 Statements The Right Livelihood Foundation condemns the appalling decision to send Nasrin Sotoudeh back to prison	statements
10.11.20 Petitions Petition: Exonerate Ken Saro-Wiwa and The Eight Other Ogoni Leaders	petitions
06.11.20 Statements 251 NGOs decry UN’s disregard and neglect of the people of Western Sahara	statements
04.11.20 Statements Belarus: Human Rights Center “Viasna” faces persecution, as crackdown on protests continues	statements
21.10.20 Statements India Must Refrain From Undermining Civil Society	statements
21.10.20 Reports Report on the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council	reports
02.10.20 Oral statements HRC45: Intimidation and reprisals against human rights defenders engaging with the United Nations, the case of Morocco	oral-statements
30.09.20 Statements Morocco and Western Sahara: Stop the smear campaign and prosecution of Aminatou Haidar and Sahrawi activists	statements
25.09.20 Oral statements HRC45: Indigenous Yanomami people in Brazil are facing a social and environmental catastrophe	oral-statements
25.09.20 Oral statements HRC45: India must promptly mandate an investigation on the Delhi riots	oral-statements
24.09.20 Oral statements HRC45: Saudi Arabia must stop its persecution of human rights defenders	oral-statements
22.09.20 Oral statements HRC45: Brazil is failing to prevent and minimise exposure to hazardous substances and COVID-19 in Yanomami territories	oral-statements
18.09.20 Statements Open Letter to the United Nations Secretary General on the situation in Western Sahara	statements
16.09.20 Oral statements HRC45: Concern over UN silence on Western Sahara	oral-statements
03.08.20 Reports Report on the 44th session of the Human Rights Council	reports
17.07.20 Oral statements HRC44: Ensuring accountability for women and girls in humanitarian settings	oral-statements
15.07.20 Oral statements HRC44: Denouncing the discrimination of LGBTI people in Uganda	oral-statements
10.07.20 Oral statements HRC44: Combatting violence against women journalists	oral-statements
09.07.20 Oral statements HRC44: Combatting discrimination against women and girls in the changing world of work	oral-statements
15.04.20 Statements The Right Livelihood Foundation calls for adequate medical care for Saudi Laureate Abdullah al-Hamid	statements
17.03.20 Oral statements HRC43: The Right Livelihood Foundation and Nazra denounce Egypt’s unwillingness to concretely address human rights violations	oral-statements
12.03.20 Oral statements HRC43: India should remove all educational barriers for Dalit children, in particular for girls	oral-statements
06.03.20 Oral statements HRC43: The Right Livelihood Foundation denounces Russia’s legislative restrictions to civil society space	oral-statements
05.03.20 Oral statements HRC43: Saudi Arabia must stop using counter terrorism laws to crackdown on peaceful critics	oral-statements
04.03.20 Oral statements HRC43: Advancing the right to food; Brazil must respect the vital work of peasants and environmental defenders	oral-statements
02.03.20 Oral statements HRC43: Right Livelihood Award Laureate Davi Kopenawa demands that indigenous rights be respected in Brazil	oral-statements
28.02.20 Oral statements HRC43: Right Livelihood Award Laureate Aminatou Haidar calls for an end to human rights violations in Western Sahara	oral-statements
19.09.19 Oral statements HRC42: Protect human rights activists and monitor outcomes of the shutdown of CICIG in Guatemala	oral-statements
19.09.19 Oral statements HRC42: Stronger actions needed in prosecuting perpetrators of sexual violence crimes in the DRC	oral-statements
13.09.19 Oral statements HRC42: Arbitrary Detention in Saudi Arabia	oral-statements
13.09.19 Oral statements HRC42: Uplift the travel ban on Mozn Hassan	oral-statements
03.07.19 Oral statements HRC41: Egypt must lift the travel ban imposed on Ms Hassan	oral-statements
02.07.19 Oral statements HRC41: Russia must stop repressing fundamental freedoms	oral-statements
14.03.19 Statements NGOs urge governments to pressure Saudi Arabia to improve rights record following UN review	statements
14.03.19 Oral statements HRC40: Saudi Arabia Must Immediately Release Abdullah Al-hamid, Mohammad Fahad Al-qahtani, And Waleed Abu Al-khair	oral-statements
13.03.19 Oral statements HRC40: Chechnya must acquit Mr Oyub Titiev of the fabricated criminal charges	oral-statements
01.03.19 Statements Turkey must stop persecuting independent media and arbitrarily detaining journalists	statements
28.02.19 Oral statements HRC40: International Community must respond to the increasingly dangerous global environment for Women Human Rights Defenders	oral-statements
14.11.18 Statements Calling for the release of the Saudi Laureates of the 2018 Right Livelihood Award	statements
30.10.18 Statements Right Livelihood Award Foundation joins 170 NGOs calling for accountability for human rights violations in Saudi Arabia	statements
01.10.18 Oral statements HRC39: Egypt must stop prosecuting Human Rights Defenders and drop the charges against Mozn Hassan	oral-statements
28.02.18 Oral statements HRC37: The solution to corruption is more transparency – UN must act now	oral-statements
30.11.17 Statements Open Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan	statements
25.10.17 Statements 44 Right Livelihood Laureates: Dismiss the Case Against Thailand’s Sulak Sivaraksa	statements
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UN Human Rights Council

Engagement with the UN Human Rights Council is central to our advocacy work. We provide change-makers with strategic advice, and we ensure they have the tools and resources to address the Council and report about their concerns.

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Special Procedures

We assist change-makers in addressing human rights violations and emergency situations. We regularly provide information to UN Special Procedures mandate holders, who monitor, report and advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective.

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Treaty Bodies

We support Right Livelihood Laureates in accessing Treaty Bodies to advocate for the proper implementation of human rights treaties in their countries. We submit reports and facilitate change-makers’ direct engagement with committee experts.

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Universal Periodic Review

We support change-makers in engaging with the different phases of the Universal Periodic Review. We assist Laureates with compiling reports and providing information to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and work with State delegations to advance recommendations.

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Project: Reconceptualising Exile

Together with the Global Campus of Human Rights, we support and connect human rights activists and scholars from around the world, who have been forced into exile by repressive regimes, through the “Reconceptualising Exile” programme.

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Advocacy

Advocating for change-makers

‘Unbreakable’: Stockholm’s tribute to Belarus’ political prisoners on Ales Bialiatski’s birthday

Joint Statement on the Continued Arbitrary Detention of Lawyer and Human Rights Defender Waleed Abu al-Khair

Highlights from the 58th session of the Human Rights Council

Right Livelihood raises alarm over jailed environmental activists in Cambodia

Right Livelihood Women Laureates Hub Statement for International Women’s Day 2025

Right Livelihood urges urgent action to protect Indigenous Rights in Nicaragua

Swedish parliamentarians urge justice for Mother Nature Cambodia activists

Announcing the launch of the MENA Gender Clinic

Supporting Morocco’s claims is supporting blatant human rights violations

Morocco elected to preside the UN Human Rights Council: A step away from human rights

Right Livelihood and partners submit report ahead of Cameroon’s fourth Universal Periodic Review

Iran: Nasrin Sotoudeh violently arrested at Armita Geravand’s funeral

Saudi human rights defender Mohammad al-Qahtani still disappeared after one year

Statement on Israel/Palestine

Nicaragua: Pronunciamiento ante la persistente violación de los derechos de los pueblos indígenas y afrodescendientes

Uganda: Appalling anti-homosexuality act must be immediately repealed

Joint statement: Civil society condemns Saudi Arabia’s bid to cleanse human rights image via World Expo 2030

Saudi authorities must release human rights defender Mohammed al-Qahtani and other ACPRA members who are arbitrarily detained

Highlights from the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council

The Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill: An affront to human rights

Belarus: Viasna leaders sentenced to 10, 9 and 7 years in prison for their activism

Belarus: trial against Viasna leadership starts tomorrow in Minsk

Joint NGO letter calling on the Saudi authorities to disclose the whereabouts of Laureate Mohammed al-Qahtani

Tackling gender-based violence in Somalia: A conversation with Ilwad Elman and Faartun Adan

Saudi human rights defender Mohammad Al-Qahtani forcibly disappeared

Highlights from the 51st session of the Human Rights Council

Iranians must be supported in their struggle for democratic change

Nonviolent action as a tool to ignite global change – A conversation with Jamila Raqib

The erosion of democratic institutions in the Philippines: An Interview with Walden Bello

Belarus: Upcoming verdict in the case against Viasna members Maria Rabkova and Andrey Chapiuk

Right Livelihood and partners submit report in view of Morocco’s fourth Universal Periodic Review

Highlights from the 50th Session of the Human Rights Council

The nexus between climate change and gender-based violence in conflict-affected areas

La reelección de María Consuelo Porras como fiscal general de guatemala: un claro respaldo a la impunidad y la corrupción

The re-appointment of María Consuelo Porras as Attorney General of Guatemala: a clear endorsement of impunity and corruption

Belarus: Kafkaesque accusations against the staff of Viasna ahead of its 26th anniversary

Joint statement: Rights groups call for the release of Waleed Abu al-Khair on the eighth anniversary of his arrest

Report of the 49th session of the Human Rights Council

Sahrawi activist and Awards Laureate Aminatou Haidar hacked with Pegasus spyware

Ruth Manorama: “Without equal treatment, it is impossible to reach social justice”

Right Livelihood and Martin Ennals Foundation submit report in view of Uganda’s third Universal Periodic Review

End the persecution and criminal proceedings against Memorial International

Joint statement on new assault against Human Rights Defender Aminatou Haidar in Western Sahara

Concern over targeting of human rights defenders in Western Sahara

Right Livelihood condemns Russia’s latest crackdown on Memorial International

Joint statement on the sentencing of two members of Human Rights Group Viasna in Belarus

Report of the 48th session of the Human Rights Council

UN experts condemn human rights violations against Aminatou Haidar and other Sahrawi activists

HRC46: Nicaragua must protect indigenous peoples and their defenders

A year after imprisoned Saudi activist Abdullah al-Hamid’s passing, NGOs call for accountability and release of all human rights defenders

Iran must release Nasrin Sotoudeh, husband Reza Khandan tells the UN

HRC46: The UN should not leave the Sahrawi people behind

HRC46 : Belarus must end the prosecution of peaceful activists and release all political prisoners

The Right Livelihood Foundation strongly condemns crackdown on Belarusian human rights activists and organisations

Petition: Abolish nuclear weapons to assure a sustainable future

The Foundation deplores US recognition of Moroccan claim over Western Sahara

The Right Livelihood Foundation condemns the appalling decision to send Nasrin Sotoudeh back to prison

Petition: Exonerate Ken Saro-Wiwa and The Eight Other Ogoni Leaders

251 NGOs decry UN’s disregard and neglect of the people of Western Sahara

Belarus: Human Rights Center “Viasna” faces persecution, as crackdown on protests continues

India Must Refrain From Undermining Civil Society

Report on the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council

HRC45: Intimidation and reprisals against human rights defenders engaging with the United Nations, the case of Morocco

Morocco and Western Sahara: Stop the smear campaign and prosecution of Aminatou Haidar and Sahrawi activists

HRC45: Indigenous Yanomami people in Brazil are facing a social and environmental catastrophe

HRC45: India must promptly mandate an investigation on the Delhi riots

HRC45: Saudi Arabia must stop its persecution of human rights defenders

HRC45: Brazil is failing to prevent and minimise exposure to hazardous substances and COVID-19 in Yanomami territories

Open Letter to the United Nations Secretary General on the situation in Western Sahara

HRC45: Concern over UN silence on Western Sahara

Report on the 44th session of the Human Rights Council

HRC44: Ensuring accountability for women and girls in humanitarian settings

HRC44: Denouncing the discrimination of LGBTI people in Uganda

HRC44: Combatting violence against women journalists

HRC44: Combatting discrimination against women and girls in the changing world of work

The Right Livelihood Foundation calls for adequate medical care for Saudi Laureate Abdullah al-Hamid

HRC43: The Right Livelihood Foundation and Nazra denounce Egypt’s unwillingness to concretely address human rights violations

HRC43: India should remove all educational barriers for Dalit children, in particular for girls

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