In December of 2020, OHCHR and UN Women held the virtual event “The UN and Civic Space: Strengthening Participation, Protection, and Promotion”, where a panel of prominent civil society members and UN officials discussed the “Guidance Note on Protection and Promotion of Civic Space” and how the UN can continue to protect civic space with this tool. The Guidance Note is the result of consultations held by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and UN Women with civil society organizations, and it declares that open civic space is essential and focuses on the “3 P’s” of civic space:

• Participation: Ensure inclusive, diverse, safe, independent, and meaningful civil society participation in decision-making in line with the 2030 Agenda. Advocate for inclusive, safe, and meaningful civil society participation in UN intergovernmental processes.
• Protection: Contribute to protection of civil society actors at risk (including from intimidation and reprisals for cooperating with the UN).
• Promotion: Actively promote an open civic space, including legal and policy frameworks that facilitate debate online and offline and allow civil society to organize freely.

To watch the full event, click here. To read the Guidance Note, click here.