Ability of associations to access financial resources as a vital part of the right to freedom of association & Ability to hold peaceful assemblies as an integral component of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly 2013, para. 42
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The Special Rapporteur wishes to highlight that there is an inherent contradiction in States restricting funding to associations, while at the same time receiving increased funding through international cooperation. He believes that instead of aiming to limit the participation of civil society actors, aid effectiveness rather aims to provide all relevant stakeholders, including associations, with greater influence to contribute to, inter alia, poverty reduction, strengthening of democratic reforms and human rights promotion. For example, in Busan, Republic of Korea, assurances were made to "implement fully respective commitments to enable CSOs to exercise their roles as independent development actors, with a particular focus on an enabling environment, consistent with agreed international rights, that maximizes the contributions of CSOs to development" (emphasis added). The independence of the civil society sector, including in terms of access to funding, should therefore be guaranteed. In the context of ongoing discussions related to the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals, the Special Rapporteur believes that civil society involvement and contributions to development are paramount, and that States should exert all efforts to support, rather than inhibit, their work.
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Body
Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Means of adoption
N.A.
Topic(s)
Equality & Inclusion
Governance & Rule of Law
Person(s) affected
N.A.
Year
2013
Paragraph type
Other
Reference
SR Freedom of Assembly, Report to the HRC (2013), A/HRC/23/39, para. 42.