APC Submission on UN Draft General Comment No. 38 Regarding Freedom of Association

• APC has submitted formal comments to the UN Human Rights Committee regarding Draft General Comment No. 38 on Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• The submission emphasizes the critical role of digital technologies in the exercise of freedom of association.
• APC advocates for a more robust integration of online and technology-mediated dimensions into the draft guidance.
• The proposal highlights the need to address gendered and intersectional impacts when evaluating digital threats to freedom of association.

Background

• Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects the right to freedom of association.
• The UN Human Rights Committee invited input from civil society and other stakeholders to refine the new General Comment.
• APC is a global network consisting of 74 organizational members and 44 associates, with a focus on the Global South and the intersection of human rights and ICTs.

Key Focus Areas

• Strengthening the recognition of digital spaces as legitimate forums for assembly and association.
• Ensuring the Committee considers how modern surveillance and digital suppression disproportionately affect specific groups.
• Integrating an intersectional framework to understand how gender and other identity factors exacerbate the risks users face when exercising their rights online.