PI at the UN
Privacy International advocacy at the UN. Driving global standards for privacy.
Image: Cover of Privacy International's UN engagement
Privacy International has long engaged with the United Nations (UN). This involves engaging with the main bodies, specialised agencies and entities of the UN system including for example, the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, the International Labour Organisation and others.
As digital technologies develop and are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, the laws and practices of states and companies keep evolving, often challenging the respect and protection of the right to privacy and other human rights. Often the effects of these technologies, most notably those relying on personal information, are transborder and affect multiple jurisdictions.
All its limitations notwhidstanding, the UN remains the global institution able to develop shared standards, investigate and challenge abusive practices, and demand that states and companies respect and protect human rights worldwide.
UN bodies, such as the Human Rights Council, also offer opportunities to civil society organisations to expose human rights abuses occuring within their countries and put pressure on States for change.
Why we do it?
PI engages in the United Nations to:
- Strengthen the respect and protection of the right to privacy and other human rights;
- Support our partners' national advocacy objectives;
- Expose when UN policies and programmes put human rights at risk;
- Advocate for the development of international standards (for example, on cybercrime, health, employment, artificial intelligence.
How we do it?
We:
- Provide country and thematic written briefings to UN human rights mechanisms and treaty monitoring bodies;
- Participate in sessions of UN Human Rights Council and other bodies, delivering oral statements, briefings; and organising side events;
- Participate in standard setting exercises;
- Document and analyse the contribution of UN mechanisms and bodies to state and companies laws, policies, and practices;
- Support our partners in engaging with the UN system.
Since 2015 PI has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to facilitate our advocacy at the United Nations.
