The path towards General Comment No. 37 on Article 21, ICCPR

07-09-2020
Read our Briefer on the process that lead to the development of this landmark UN document.

On July 29, 2020 the UN Human Rights Committee published General Comment no. 37 on Article 21 (Right of Peaceful Assembly). The Comment is an authoritative interpretative standard-setting document that will help individuals, organisations and movements to exercise and defend their right to freedom of peaceful assembly. It is the first comment on this freedom, extremely timely and hence a landmark document by the Committee that energises and empowers the enjoyment of this right.

The process of the General Comment’s development is as important as its content. These are its key steps:

  • Evidence-based advocacy for the Committee to decide to write the Comment;
  • Diverse stakeholder collaboration;
  • Including experiences and expertise of local CSOs;
  • In-depth meetings to inform debate around emerging topics;
  • Web resources.

Read below our briefer to learn more about the process of developing and advocating for this milestone document: