Freedom of association is a core democratic value: it allows people to come together, organise and speak with a collective voice - whether to solve problems in their communities, stand up for their rights or shape public decisions.
The UN Human Rights Committee decided at its last session in 2025 to develop a General Comment on Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects this fundamental right. With people's right to freedom of association under threat worldwide, the General Comment will be a powerful tool for civil society and its allies to push back against restrictive measures.
General Comments are authoritative interpretations of the rights included in the ICCPR. They guide State Parties on how to implement the rights in practice, in line with the Committee’s own communications as well as other international and regional human rights standards.
A General Comment on freedom of association offers a key chance to strengthen existing standards, reinforce states’ obligations and support the crucial work of civil society and human rights defenders all over the world.
ECNL had previously called for this outcome alongside our partner organisation ICNL.
The HRC subsequently designated Hélène Tigroudja as the Rapporteur for the drafting of the forthcoming General Comment, and launched a call for input on the initial Concept Note from various rightsholders, including institutions, civil society organisations, legal clinics, youth associations, academia and human rights defenders.
ECNL and ICNL prepared a joint submission - now available on the Committee's webpage. Our submission focuses on aspects that we believe should be prioritised in the General Comment to ensure an effective protection of freedom of association over time, such as:
- Scope and key characteristics of freedom of association;
- Positive obligations of States;
- Permissible restrictions;
- How the right to freedom of association interacts with the other fundamental rights protected by the ICCPR.
Our submission also includes an Annex with a non-exhaustive list of positive practices on the implementation of freedom of association in domestic systems.
You can also read our joint submission here.
The Committee is now expected to hold its next session in mid-March and to prepare a draft text of the General Comment ready for comments in April 2026. Following the next round of consultations, hopefully a final text will be ready for discussion and adoption by the end of 2026 or in the first quarter of 2027. ECNL will continue supporting the Committee as it develops its General Comment and coordinating with civil society, national human rights institutions, academia and international organisations as they are consulted along the process.