TRACK
RECORD
Selected projects, 2016–2025. Some of HRLO's work was confidential and is not described here; engagements for individual delegations and organizations are omitted or described generically.
Voting forecasts for the Human Rights Council. Accurate pre-vote forecasts based on systematic analysis of member states' positions — including on the creation of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation.
Human rights analysis for the Security Council. From February 2023, a sustained series of briefing notes bringing human rights dimensions to the Council's country and thematic agenda — from Afghanistan, Sudan and Haiti to women, peace and security and children and armed conflict — drawing on Special Rapporteurs, Commissions of Inquiry and senior UN officials. The full series is preserved in the Analysis Archive.
Mapping support for a convention on the rights of older persons. Analysis of member states' positions on a new international convention on the rights of older persons, supporting those advancing the initiative.
Analysis of the Like-Minded Group. Assessment of the Like-Minded Group's engagement across UN human rights negotiations, informing likeminded delegations' strategy.
The human rights of LGBTQI+ people. A comprehensive review of states' obligations and expert guidance relevant to LGBTI people across human rights topics.
Human rights obligations in the COVID-19 pandemic. Early clarification of applicable human rights obligations as the pandemic unfolded, when authoritative guidance was scarce.
Access to the UN for civil society. Consulting to NGOs seeking ECOSOC consultative status, drawing on the founder's elected leadership in the NGO Committee. In its first pilot (2016), HRLO documented that 62% of new applications from human rights NGOs were deferred, against 34% for other NGOs — data that likeminded ambassadors used to intervene directly.
Drafting for delegations and civil society organizations. Initial drafts of resolutions, joint statements and official statements, enabling delegations and civil society organizations to engage on more issues than their capacity would otherwise allow. In a single Human Rights Council session (March 2018), HRLO delivered over 40 outputs, including 22 briefing notes, 12 updates on draft resolutions and 3 draft joint statements.
"HRLO inputs are extremely valuable as they are pertinent and concise: it takes about one minute to read them and offer a very good summary on the matter discussed."