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	Social media companies are failing to tackle violent extremism, child safety concerns by UN News, FRA, OHCHR, agencies   Oct. 2024   Social Media Victims Law Center World Mental Health Day lawsuit alleges social media companies design their products to be addictive and harmful to children on a global scale.   The Complaint asserts social media usage resulted in sextortion, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, eating and substance use disorders, and radicalization of minors.   The Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC), a legal resource for parents of children and teenage victims harmed by social media addiction and social media fueled harms, has filed a lawsuit on World Mental Health Day on behalf of 11 families in the United States and Canada whose children, ages 12 to 19, suffered physical and mental harms that could be directly attributed to their use of social media products.   The lawsuit seeks to hold Meta, Inc., ByteDance Ltd., Google, LLC, YouTube, LLC, and Discord, Inc., legally accountable for purposefully designing and marketing a defective product that provides consumers with no means to report or protect themselves, while targeting children with addictive features and unwanted “friend” recommendations, resulting in sextortion, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, substance use disorders, radicalization, and more.   Included in the Complaint is never before seen evidence of Meta failing and refusing to act on repeated reports of sextortion.   “There can be no doubt that social media companies are preying on our children with a product that is designed to ‘hook’ them to their products like an addictive drug,” said Matthew P. Bergman, founding attorney of SMVLC.   “We’ve started to see a societal shift as parents, researchers, and governments are mobilizing to address the danger these companies pose to children around the world. This isn’t just a problem in the U.S., it’s an unprecedented mental health crisis on a global scale.”   “This lawsuit is based on a growing body of scientific research, including these companies own internal studies which draws direct lines between their conscious, intentional design choices and the mental health crisis affecting children around the world.”   The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County and marks the 338th case SMVLC has filed against social media companies as part of California’s Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings (JCCP). To date, there are 745 lawsuits included in the JCCP which is seeking to hold social media companies legally accountable for knowingly concealing the harm they cause children and teens..   http://socialmediavictims.org/press-releases/smvlc-file-world-mental-health-day-lawsuit-allege-addictive-social-media-products-global-scale/ http://socialmediavictims.org/character-ai-lawsuits/ http://counterhate.com/research/youtube-anorexia-algorithm http://5rightsfoundation.com/about-us/childrens-rights/   June 2024   Algorithms should not control what people see, UN chief says, launching Global Principles for Information Integrity. (UN News)   The United Nations has launched new Global Principles for Information Integrity, emphasizing the need for immediate action to address the harms caused by misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres outlined key recommendations aimed at making information spaces safer while at the same time upholding human rights such as freedom of speech.   “At a time when billions of people are exposed to false narratives, distortions and lies, these principles lay out a clear path forward, firmly rooted in human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and opinion,” he said.   The Secretary-General urged governments, tech companies, advertisers and the public relations (PR) industry to take responsibility for the spread and monetization of content that results in harm.   He emphasized that combating misinformation and hate speech is critical to safeguarding democracy, human rights, public health, and climate action. “The spread of hatred and lies online is causing grave harm to our world,” he said, addressing the media.   The UN’s own humanitarian and peacekeeping operations are at risk, as its personnel deal with a “tsunami of falsehoods” and “absurd conspiracy theories”, the UN chief added.   False narratives and lies breed cynicism and undermine social cohesion and sustainable development. He underlined that everyone should freely express themselves without fear of attack and be able to access a wide range of views and information.   “No one should be at the mercy of an algorithm they don’t control, which was not designed to safeguard their interests, and which tracks their behaviour to collect personal data and keep them hooked,” he said.   The Global Principles aim to empower people to demand their rights, help protect children, ensure honest and trustworthy information for young people, and enable public interest-based media to convey reliable and accurate information, Mr. Guterres added.   The Principles evolved through wide-ranging consultations with UN Member States, the private sector, youth leaders, media, academia and civil society. They focus on building trust and resilience, ensuring an independent and pluralistic media, creating healthy incentives based on factual information, enhancing transparency and research, and empowering the public.   Key recommendations include urging governments, tech companies, advertisers, and media to avoid using or amplifying disinformation and hate speech. At the same time, governments should ensure timely access to information, support an independent media landscape, and protect journalists and civil society.   Tech companies should prioritize safety and privacy, apply consistent policies and support information integrity, especially around elections - while stakeholders involved in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) should ensure its safe, responsible and ethical deployment factoring in human rights.   Tech companies should explore business models that do not rely on programmatic advertising and which do not prioritize engagement above human rights. Instead, they should prioritize user privacy and safety.   Advertisers should demand transparency in digital advertising processes from the tech sector to help ensure they do not end up inadvertently funding disinformation or hateful messaging.   Tech companies and AI developers should also provide meaningful transparency, allow researcher access to data while respecting user privacy. Executives should also ensure independent audits and boost accountability.   Government, tech companies, AI developers and advertisers should take special measures to protect and empower children, with governments providing resources for parents, guardians and educators.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/06/1151376 http://www.un.org/en/information-integrity http://informationdemocracy.org/2024/06/24/the-forum-welcomes-the-uns-global-principles-for-information-integrity-and-is-committed-to-support-their-implementation/   Mar. 2024   Big Tech companies grilled on failure to tackle violent extremism by Australian eSafety Commissioner.   Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has issued legal notices to Google, Meta, Twitter/X, WhatsApp, Telegram and Reddit requiring each company to report on steps they are taking to protect Australians from terrorist and violent extremist material and activity.   The spread of this material and its role in online radicalisation remains a concern both in Australia and internationally, with 2019 terrorist attacks in Christchurch NZ and Halle Germany, and more recently Buffalo NY, underscoring how social media and other online services can be exploited by violent extremists, leading to radicalisation and threats to public safety.   The online safety regulator issued the notices under transparency powers granted under the Online Safety Act, which will require the six companies to answer a series of detailed questions about how they are tackling the issue.   eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said eSafety continues to receive reports about perpetrator-produced material from terror attacks, including the 2019 terrorist attack in Christchurch, that are reshared on mainstream platforms.   “We remain concerned about how extremists weaponise technology like live-streaming, algorithms and recommender systems and other features to promote or share this hugely harmful material,” Ms Inman Grant said.   “We are also concerned by reports that terrorists and violent extremists are moving to capitalise on the emergence of generative AI and are experimenting with ways this new technology can be misused to cause harm.   “Earlier this month the UN-backed Tech against Terrorism reportedExternal link that it had identified users of an Islamic State forum comparing the attributes of Google’s Gemini, ChatGPT, and Microsoft’s Copilot.   “The tech companies that provide these services have a responsibility to ensure that these features and their services cannot be exploited to perpetrate such harm and that’s why we are sending these notices to get a look under the hood at what they are and are not doing.”   According to a recent OECD reportExternal link, Telegram is the number one ranked mainstream platform when it comes to the prevalence of terrorist and violent extremist material, with Google’s YouTube ranked second and Twitter/X coming in third. The Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram round out the top five placing fourth and fifth respectively.   WhatsApp is ranked 8th while reports have confirmed the Buffalo shooter’s ‘manifesto’ cited Reddit as the service that played a role in his radicalisation towards violent white supremacist extremism.   “It’s no coincidence we have chosen these companies to send notices to as there is evidence that their services are exploited by terrorists and violent extremists. We want to know why this is and what they are doing to tackle the issue,” Ms Inman Grant said.   “Transparency and accountability are essential for ensuring the online industry is meeting the community’s expectations by protecting their users from these harms. Also, understanding proactive steps being taken by platforms to effectively combat TVEC is in the public and national interest.   “That’s why transparency is a key pillar of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism and the Christchurch Call, global initiatives that many of these companies are signed up to. And yet we do not know the answer to many of these basic questions.   “And, disappointingly, none of these companies have chosen to provide this information through the existing voluntary framework – developed in conjunction with industry – provided by the OECD. This shows why regulation, and mandatory notices, are needed to truly understand the true scope of challenges, and opportunities.”   As part of these notices, eSafety will also be asking Telegram and Reddit about measures they have in place to detect and remove child sexual exploitation and abuse.   http://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/esafety-initiates-civil-penalty-proceedings-against-x-corp http://tinyurl.com/2xa9t3jy http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2023/online-content-moderation http://www.kofiannanfoundation.org/news/2024-kofi-annan-lecture-delivered-by-maria-ressa/   Feb. 2024   UN Special Rapporteur on sale and sexual exploitation of children, Mama Fatima Singhateh, alarmed by new emerging exploitative practices of online child sexual abuse.   “The internet and digital platforms can be a double-edged sword for children and young people. It can allow them to positively interact and further develop as autonomous human beings, claiming their own space. While also facilitate age-inappropriate content and online sexual harms of children by adults and peers.   The boom in generative AI and eXtended Reality is constantly evolving and facilitating the harmful production and distribution of child sexual abuse and exploitation in the digital dimension, with new exploitative activities such as the deployment of end-to-end encryption without built-in safety mechanisms, computer-generated imagery (CGI) including deepfakes and deepnudes, and on-demand live streaming and eXtended Reality (XR) of child sexual abuse and exploitation material.   Although access does not determine the value that children and young people derive from the Internet and digital products, the volume of reported child sexual abuse material has increased by 87% since 2019, according to WeProtect Global Alliance’s Global Threat Assessment 2023.   A review of numerous studies, publications and reports has revealed the intensification of manifestations of harm and exposure of online child sexual abuse and exploitation, both in terms of scale and method. It includes the risk of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, grooming and soliciting children for sexual purposes, online sexual harassment, intimate image abuse, financial sexual extortion and the use of technology-assisted child sexual abuse and exploitation material.   The private sector and the technology industry have proven to be less reliable than they claim to be, with serious ingrained biases, flaws in programming and surveillance software to detect child abuse, failure to crack down on child sexual abuse and exploitation networks, layoffs and cuts to community safety teams and workers. These practices and failings risk relentless repetition of trauma, secondary victimisation and systemic harm to individuals, including children.   While it is commendable that there has been increased political commitment, prioritisation and engagement on the use of ICTs and new technologies at the international level. Many legislative and regulatory efforts at national, regional and international levels seeking to address these problems present additional human rights risks due to insufficient integration of human rights considerations, gender-responsive and child-sensitive approaches.   Against this backdrop, States and companies must all work together and invest in solving this problem, and include children’s, victims’, survivors’ and relevant stakeholders’ voices in the design and development of ethical digital products to foster a safer online environment. This responsibility must be immediately embraced across society.   Whilst I welcome the Secretary-General’s AI Advisory Body’s mandate to make recommendations for the establishment of an international agency for the governance and coordination of AI. There is an urgent imperative to scale up efforts and connect through a core multilateral instrument dedicated exclusively to eradicating child sexual abuse and exploitation online, addressing the complexity of these phenomena and taking a step forward to protect children in the digital dimension.   It is now clear that greater and joint cooperation is needed to ensure a safer Internet for all children around the world. Commitments must go beyond paper.”   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/02/un-expert-alarmed-new-emerging-exploitative-practices-online-child-sexual http://www.weprotect.org/global-threat-assessment-23   Brazil: First Data Privacy safeguard of its kind in the Country Protects Children. (Human Rights Watch)   Yesterday, Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority issued a preliminary ban on Meta's (Facebook) use of personal data of users based in Brazil to train its artificial intelligence (AI) systems.   The decision stems from “the imminent risk of serious and irreparable damage or difficult-to-repair damage to the fundamental rights of the affected data subjects,” the agency said in announcing the ban.   The news follows Human Rights Watch reporting in June that personal photos of Brazilian children are used to build powerful AI tools without their knowledge or consent. In turn, others use these tools to create malicious deepfakes, putting even more children at risk of harm.   The National Data Protection Authority’s decision included two arguments that reflected Human Rights Watch’s recommendations. The first is the importance of protecting children’s data privacy, given the risk of harm and exploitation that results from their data being scraped and used by AI systems. The second centers on purpose limitation, and that people’s expectations of privacy when they share their personal data online—in some cases, years or decades before these AI systems were built—should be respected.   Meta has been using its US-based users’ publicly-posted personal data to train its AI models since last year. Last month, Meta paused its plans to do the same in Europe and the United Kingdom after objections from 11 data protection authorities. Yesterday’s decision effectively bans this practice in Brazil and imposes a daily fine of 50,000 reais, or about US$9,000, for failure to comply within five working days from notification of the decision. Following the regulator’s decision, Meta said that it “complies with privacy laws and regulations in Brazil”.   The Brazilian government’s decision is a powerful, proactive move to protect people’s data privacy in the face of swiftly evolving uses and misuses of AI. Yesterday’s action especially helps to protect children from worrying that their personal data, shared with friends and family on Meta’s platforms, might be used to harm them in ways that are impossible to anticipate or guard against.   http://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/03/brazil-prevents-meta-using-people-power-its-ai http://www.hrw.org/news/2024/06/10/brazil-childrens-personal-photos-misused-power-ai-tools http://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/02/australia-childrens-personal-photos-misused-power-ai-tools
	Genuine progress in the international arena depends on the real inclusion of civil society by HRW, Amnesty, GCAP, IPS News, agencies   May 2024   United Nations member countries should use negotiations on the “Pact for the Future” to commit to strengthening human rights, including promoting economic justice and protecting the right to a healthy environment, Human Rights Watch said.   The UN Pact for the Future, currently being negotiated, is expected to be adopted at the Summit of the Future, a special UN meeting slated for September 2024. Among the issues being discussed by the 193 UN member countries are economic policy reforms and how to realize the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, as well as the emphasis that should be placed on human rights generally.   “The Pact for the Future shouldn’t become another UN document that gets adopted and then ignored,” said Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch. “Governments should commit to action to end widening economic inequalities that deny billions of people their rights and a climate crisis that’s taking a mounting toll on lives and livelihoods around the globe.”   Many governments that recognize the importance of sustainable development often ignore that human rights are key to achieving this goal, Human Rights Watch said. They need to confront climate change and responsibly manage new technologies. And while most governments acknowledge the importance of complying with international humanitarian law in conflicts, they disagree on how to address atrocities against civilians in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine.   Although the final text will be non-binding, the pact presents a critical opportunity to affirm a vision of human rights that can help bridge some of the sharp divisions between governments on these and other issues.   In the process, governments should strengthen the ability of the UN system to deliver on the UN Charter by protecting and promoting peace and security, development, and human rights.   Some governments were disappointed with the initial draft of the pact due to what they considered its scant attention to human rights, diplomats told Human Rights Watch.   A number of countries are seeking to strengthen the human rights language in the draft pact. However, China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, and others have sought to weaken, dilute, or delete references to human rights.   Western governments are partly to blame for leaving space to those critical of a human rights approach, Human Rights Watch said. Their selective application of human rights undermines the credibility of such an agenda, particularly for countries in the Global South.   While the United States and other Western countries justifiably condemn Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine, for example, many of them have not shown the same resolve concerning Israel’s atrocities in Gaza. While the European Union says it champions human rights protection globally, it opposes efforts at the UN to make the international tax system fairer for developing countries.   All governments’ assertions in support of human rights would resonate more powerfully if they applied them consistently, including in their own countries and with their friends and allies, Human Rights Watch said.   Rather than dismissing the views of countries in the Global South on international financial reforms, Global North states should support much-needed changes to the international financial architecture. Those include aligning international financial institutions’ policies and practices with human rights, supporting efforts to achieve a global tax treaty, combatting illicit financial flows, and reducing governments’ debt burdens.   The concept of a “human rights economy,” which has been championed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, offers the potential to meet the legitimate demands of Global South countries through a more holistic approach to human rights.   Governments should also ensure that the pact reaffirms the centrality of human rights in confronting the climate crisis. They should explicitly endorse the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, recognized by the UN General Assembly in 2022, while emphasizing the urgent need for phasing out fossil fuels through a just transition that is consistent with human rights. Fossil fuels are the primary driver of the climate crisis, and all stages of their use have been linked to severe human rights harm.   The pact should also highlight the importance of civil society and the rights to freedom of speech, association, and peaceful assembly. The upcoming UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, Kenya on May 9-10 is an opportunity for the UN leadership and delegations overseeing the drafting process to hear from hundreds of civil society representatives from around the world.   The drafters should listen carefully to civil society priorities for the Pact for the Future and its two annexes, the Global Digital Compact on “shared principles for an open, free and secure digital future for all” and the Declaration on Future Generations. Outreach to civil society organizations in the drafting process has so far been haphazard.   “Instead of standing by while governments trample on human rights, or selectively condemning abuses by their adversaries while ignoring those of their friends, UN member countries should commit to ending repression wherever it occurs and improving everyone’s lives,” Charbonneau said.   http://www.hrw.org/news/2024/05/07/un-revise-pact-future-focus-rights http://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-05-10/secretary-generals-remarks-the-united-nations-civil-society-conference-support-of-the-summit-of-the-future-delivered http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/05/our-future-is-too-important-to-be-left-solely-to-states/ http://gcap.global/news/african-csos-and-global-coalition-urge-action-on-debt-relief-and-social-protection-at-arfsd-side-event/ http://www.socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org/2024/05/recording-of-the-side-event-on-social-protection-at-the-2024uncsc/ http://www.forus-international.org/en/custom-page-detail/76297-marchwithus http://www.article19.org/resources/un-global-digital-compact-and-civil-societies http://cesr.org/sites/default/files/2024/CESR_-_Presentation_in_Nairobi_UNCSC_Impact_Coalition_on_FfD.pdf http://civilsocietyforeu.eu/the-manifesto http://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/news/interviews/7216-summit-of-the-future-civil-society-has-been-vocal-in-urging-that-the-summit-address-the-real-needs-of-people   Kathmandu, Feb 16, 2024   Grassroots Voices call for Climate Justice. (IPS)   Kiprotich Peter from the East African country of Kenya is trying to convey his climate crisis message using the platform of the World Social Forum (WSF) taking place in the mountain nation of Nepal, which has also been battered by the impacts of climate change.   Youth activist Peter, who works for Green World in Kenya to promote environmental education and reforestation, is holding a placard that reads: “The World’s Poorest Countries are being forced to take out loans to respond to a climate crisis not of their making,” on day 1 of the WSF in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu.   “I am here to raise my voice against loans to deal with the climate crisis. Small countries like Kenya and Nepal need grants to fight and mitigate the climate crisis, not loans,” he added. “The climate change is a real-time crisis in Africa, and I think in Nepal and other parts of the global South too.”   Low and mid-income countries like Nepal and Kenya have contributed just tiny amounts of the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, but they are on the frontlines of its impacts, in the forms of droughts, flash floods and other extreme weather events.   According to the 2023 Kenya Country Climate and Development report, to maintain gains in poverty reduction, the country must act on climate change. “Inaction against climate change may result in up to 1.1 million additional poor in 2050, in a dry and hot climate future scenario.”   Far from Kenya but close to Nepal in South Asia, one third of Pakistan was submerged because of a massive flood in 2022, affecting 33 million people. Pakistani historian and youth leader Ammar Ali Jan described the aftermath of that flood and the international community’s treatment as an ugly image of humanity.   “Almost a province was wiped out; we haven’t seen a flood like that. The way desperate people rushed at food trucks, it was almost as if the humanity of people was taken away,” said the founder and president of the Haqooq-e-Khalq Party addressing a session called, Towards a Global Movement for Climate Justice, on Friday.   “People were in hunger without having anything to eat; they were stuck. It’s as if these people are becoming disposable human beings, and their deaths will not be mourned because their lives are not valued enough,” added the leader of his country’s new ‘Green’-inspired party.   Ali blamed an International Monetary Fund loan for the economic deterioration that followed the disaster. “The IMF’s loan was given after six months, not by saying ‘we will give you this grant and forgive your debt because you are affected by a crisis not of your making.’ They said ‘you must pay every penny to the international creditor.’ We need support, not loans.”   The party leader argues that a large chunk of humanity is lacking empathy, while retaining resources and political power. “To achieve climate justice, we need to find ways to make our agenda, the people’s agenda, heard,” he added. “Progressives need to take power.”   Shanti Devi was listening to Ali and nodding her head. “It’s what’s happening in our village in Bihar, India. We don’t get rainfall when needed, and floods hit at the time of harvesting,” said Devi, adding that she was attending the WSF to make her voice heard.   Indian researcher and science activist Soumya Dutta called for continuous pressure to make the voices of the frontline communities that live with the consequences of climate-induced changes heard in every forum. “We have long crossed climate change; we are in a climate crisis,” he said during a discussion on climate justice. “We need to elevate the social movement to create a larger political discourse.”   Other speakers and participants called for collaboration and support to address the world’s crises, including climate change.   United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutters also urged unity in his message to the WSF: “We need global solidarity to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals – and reform an outdated, dysfunctional and unfair global financial system. We must also rally together to address the climate crisis.”   While laying out the stark reality of climate change’s impacts on communities, water and climate change researcher Ajaya Dixit proposed a way forward. “We are still taking nature for granted, which needs to changed,” said the Nepal-based researcher, who collaborates with other researchers in South Asia. “To understand climate change, we have to understand the water and hydrological cycle, because the crisis we are facing is all connected with water one way or another.”   According to Dixit, to understand the ground reality of climate change, science and community must come together. “We still hesitate to recognize community knowledge, especially the historical knowledge of Indigenous people. Natural science, physical science and community knowledge need to be combined in our education systems; then we will be able to better understand climate change and act accordingly.”   http://www.ipsnews.net/2024/02/grassroots-voices-unite-call-climate-justice/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2024/02/local-knowledge-womens-leadership-key-food-justice-activists/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2024/02/world-social-forum-counterweight-world-economic-forum/ http://minorityrights.org/events/open-civic-space-and-the-right-to-participation-essential-steps-on-the-path-to-climate-justice/ http://www.wsf2024nepal.org/news-declaration/civil-society-network-hails-guterres-visit-to-nepal http://www.socialprotectionfloorscoalition.org/2024/03/joint-statement-towards-universal-social-protection/   Feb. 2024   Over 350 Civil Society Organizations ask for real inclusion in UN Summit of the Future negotiations, by Bibbi Abruzzini and Clarisse Sih. (Forus International)   A coalition of over 350 civil society organisations part of the #UNmute initiative, shared concerns over the current engagement mechanisms for civil society at the UN – particularly in light of the upcoming Summit of the Future.   At the heart of global policy-making, civil society organisations have long been seen as those bearing the torch of grassroots advocacy and bringing forward the messages of communities worldwide.   Civil society has changed the world we live in, fighting against discrimination, securing voting rights for women, raising awareness about environmental issues, being at the forefront of humanitarian aid, and advocating for equity and acceptance.   Civil society’s impact is undeniable, yet increasingly questioned with negative narratives, risks to their safety, and limited access to decision- making spaces. To silence or exclude this voice is to silence the collective needs and aspirations of millions of people around the world.   At the national level, attacks on civic space and democratic freedoms have escalated. New legislation limits civil society’s ability to engage in online and offline advocacy.   International collaboration between civil society networks, social movements and activists is increasingly criticized, penalized, and criminalized. This is unfortunately replicated at the global level.   As we approach the Summit of the Future – set to to redirect our course towards a more effective and equitable future, there is a worrying drift from collaboration to restriction in the relationship between the UN, Member States in their national and local contexts, and civil society.   For several years, civil society voices have found themselves on the periphery, with challenges ranging from limited access at key UN sessions, to restrictive participation in key UN forums such as the High Level Political Forum, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the Internet Governance Forum.   In fact, the current system, contrasts with earlier UN processes and falls short of the UN’s stated commitment and previous good practices to inclusivity as written in the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Our Common Agenda.   “For civil society activists and human rights defenders facing repression at national level the space at the UN is very important. The UN opened up since the 1990s. For example, it was possible to contribute to the 2030 Agenda development in national consultations, regional meetings and as part of the Open Working Group in New York. We were never excluded a decade ago. Therefore, we are disappointed that this is happening now. It will weaken the Summit of the Future,” says Ingo Ritz, Director of the Global Call to Action against Poverty.   Despite efforts to promote inclusivity and engagement on paper, in practice civil society organizations frequently face a lack of access to information and resources, limited opportunities to participate in decision-making processes, as well as exclusion from key meetings and events, increasing repraisals, discrimination, harassment, and insufficient avenues for input in policy discussions.   The clock is ticking, and the integration of civil society into the heart of the UN is not only beneficial, it is essential.   Jyotsna Mohan Singh, representing the Asia Development Alliance, points out that “Over the years, we have seen the UN open its doors to civil society, but lately those doors seem to be closing. Stronger collaboration is not only desirable, it is necessary. Engaging with the UN should not be a labyrinth where only a few know the way. We need transparent and inclusive processes that do not marginalise any civil society organisation on the basis of size or origin. Civil society sees the UN as a beacon of hope, a platform for global cooperation, where the voices of the marginalised and the aspirations of humanity are heard, leading to a world of equality, sustainability and true peace.”   Over 350 civil society organizations part of the #UNmute initiative have come together to issue a united call for inclusivity and participation in the preparatory process of the forthcoming Summit of the Future.   The collective, which spans a broad spectrum of global civil society including Civicus, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Forus, the United Nations Foundation, the Coalition for the UN We Need, World Vision International, Greenpeace, Global Focus, are calling for action at the United Nations.   “From the streets to the UN halls, we witness the alarming and continuous shrinking space for civil society and rights defenders. With the aim of restoring trust and preparing the UN for the future, the voice of civil society must be key for the Summit of the Future. This requires Member States to support and promote the unique role of civil society, especially the historically marginalized and underrepresented communities and informal activist and social movements, from New York to Nairobi. The UN is for the ‘we’, it is for the people, and it is based on their trust that the success of the Summit of the Future should be held against,” says Global Focus‘ Director, Mette Muller Kristensen.   What needs to change   The role of civil society cannot just be recognized, it needs to be actively strenghtened and placed at the core of global governance, where it belongs. We need to build, rather than erode, trust.   The success of the Summit of the Future should be measured on how it delivers for people – inclusively and meaningfully. We call for immediate action, including the establishment of inclusive platforms for engagement, designated seats for Major Groups and other Stakeholders (MGoS) and civil society representatives in all phases of the Summit of the Future, and a comprehensive review of civil society’s engagement in UN processes.   These measures aim to democratize representation, ensuring that all voices and perspectives are equally represented in international dialogues, which unfortunately is not the case as of today.   As Mavalow Christelle Kalhoule, civil society leader and Chair of Forus and SPONG, the Burkina Faso NGO network, puts it, “In a world increasingly driven by technology, many of our colleagues from under-represented regions find themselves mute, not for lack of passion or knowledge, but because of the digital divide and lack of resources and access. To truly champion global voices, we need to bridge this gap and ensure that civil society has the tools and support it needs to engage meaningfully in political processes and amplify the voices of the myriad communities and NGOs it represents.   Civil society participation must be simplified and facilitated; it is also about real political will. Genuine progress within the framework of the United Nations depends on the real inclusion of civil society.   Every decision taken without their engagement risks missing the heartbeat of the communities we serve. The purpose of the UNmute initiative is not to raise a few voices, but to ensure that the chorus of civil society is heard loud and clear at every meeting of the United Nations.”   http://www.forus-international.org/en/pdf-detail/110397-unmute-civil-society-statement-summit-of-the-future http://www.ipsnews.net/2024/07/summit-future-un-secretary-general-underestimated-difficulty-reaching-consensus/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2024/05/democracy-civic-space-fundamental-freedoms-attack-civil-society-stay http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/blog http://sdg.iisd.org/commentary/guest-articles/if-momentum-is-lost-persons-with-disabilities-will-fall-further-behind/ http://defenceforchildren.org/200-ngos-sent-a-joint-letter-to-un-representatives-regarding-online-participation/ http://ishr.ch/latest-updates/un-liquidity-crisis-rights-groups-call-on-states-to-payyourdues/ http://ishr.ch/latest-updates/ http://voicesofsdg16plus.org/videos http://ada2030.org/publication.php http://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-center/news/news http://www.socialplatform.org/what-we-do/over-arching-campaigns/over-the-line-campaign-for-adequate-minimum-income/ http://www.iwgia.org/en/ http://www.helpage.org/latest-news/ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/20/threats-intimidation-creating-climate-of-fear-un-cop-events http://www.coalitionfortheicc.org/icc-rome-statute-turns-25 http://www.unrisd.org/en/library/blog-posts/a-peoples-un-social-work-peoples-assemblies-and-new-eco-social-contracts   Feb. 2024   Climate Action Network (CAN) reacts with shock to the exclusion of civil society representatives from IEA 50th Anniversary Ministerial Meeting.   The International Energy Agency (IEA) Ministerial started from the 13th of February, 2024 and runs for three days. CAN is calling out the lack of civil society representation at these events.   The IEA has failed to champion any voices from the environmental, climate or wider civil society movements for the multiple panels taking place over the three days. This, despite leaders acknowledging that without massive public support, a just energy transition will simply not happen.   CAN represents over 1,900 organisations from 130 countries, we are part of the clean energy transition and our efforts to further climate action are essential to the process.   “A just energy transition aligned with the Paris Agreement and a 1.5 C pathway will not happen unless people’s voices, concerns and solutions are heard. It is shocking therefore that the IEA 50th Anniversary agenda gives no space to representatives from environmental civil society, social movements or trade unions from across the world and only includes the usual echo-chamber of voices from governments, business and technical experts.   It is time that the IEA not only recognises the important role that civil society plays to address the climate crisis, but also puts this into action through creating the space to have our voices heard. It is the only way to address this crisis so that no one is left behind.” - Tasneem Essop, Executive Director, Climate Action Network International.   http://climatenetwork.org/2024/02/13/can-reacts-with-shock-to-the-exclusion-of-civil-society-representatives-from-iea-50th-anniversary-ministerial/   * Limiting frontline voices in the Loss and Damage Fund is a recipe for disaster - Representatives of groups hardest-hit by the climate crisis say restrictions on their participation at the fund’s first board meeting set a worrying precedent: http://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/04/26/limiting-frontline-voices-in-the-loss-damage-fund-is-a-recipe-for-disaster/ http://insideclimatenews.org/news/19062024/bonn-climate-talks-justice-issues-for-developing-countries/   Mega-corporations can use lawsuits to silence, intimidate and ruin their critics. $300 million SLAPP lawsuit that threatens to shut down Greenpeace USA.   290+ Organizations join Greenpeace in campaign to defend Free Speech rights and Fight Corporate Intimidation.   Greenpeace USA has launched a new campaign to defend freedom of expression in the United States and save Greenpeace USA from a corporate intimidation tactic designed to shutter the storied environmental and climate organization.   The campaign aims to raise awareness of the $300 million strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) filed in North Dakota court against Greenpeace by the oil pipeline company Energy Transfer (ET), which owns a majority stake in the Dakota Access Pipeline.   In that lawsuit, Energy Transfer claims that Greenpeace organized the 2016-2017 Standing Rock resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline – a false claim that attempts to abuse the legal system to silence dissenting views. The case goes to trial in North Dakota in February 2025, where Energy Transfer is seeking a judgment of $300 million – an amount that would functionally bankrupt Greenpeace USA.   “No matter who you are, no matter what your politics are, this is one of the most important issues in America right now,” said Rolf Skar, spokesperson for Greenpeace USA. “Energy Transfer built the Dakota Access Pipeline. But they’re suing anyway in order to send a message: if you dare to oppose us, we will financially ruin you. The whole point of this type of lawsuit is to limit freedom of expression, so even if you don’t care about climate change, or you don’t care about Greenpeace, you should pay attention. What’s at stake isn’t just Greenpeace or environmentalism, but the fundamental American rights to freedom of peaceful expression and advocacy for all of us.”   An open letter to Energy Transfer was signed by more than 290 organizations including 350.org, Public Citizen, ACLU North Dakota, SEIU, Indigenous Environmental Network, and Amnesty International USA.   “Amnesty International USA stands steadfast with Greenpeace USA in their fight against Big Oil’s attempt to punish and silence a strong advocate for environmental rights and climate justice for its fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline,” said Justin Mazzola, Researcher, Amnesty International USA. “As we experience the continual warming of our planet year over year due to the burning of fossil fuels, we need Greenpeace USA now more than ever to advocate and be a strong voice for the communities most at risk from the impacts of the climate crisis, rather than defending itself against retaliatory lawfare.”   As SLAPPs are a growing threat, most states have put legal protections in place to protect advocates. But in North Dakota – and 17 other states – no anti-SLAPP statutes exist. Last Congress, Rep. Jamie Raskin introduced the Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) Protection Act to deter other corporations from filing SLAPP suits and to protect everyone’s right to speak out against injustice.   “The case against Greenpeace illustrates how mega-corporations can use lawsuits to silence, intimidate and ruin their critics,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, sponsor of the Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) Protection Act set to be reintroduced in the US Congress in September 2024. “America must demand, and Congress must pass, bipartisan legislation to protect First Amendment rights against ruinous litigation practices.”   http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/290-organizations-and-public-figures-join-greenpeace-in-new-campaign-to-defend-free-speech-and-fight-corporate-intimidation/
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