Altavoz: a practical guide for using parallel reporting to advance women’s rights

Publish Date: 
Tuesday, March 3, 2020

ESCR-Net has launched Altavoz, a guide that provides practical information and tools for using parallel reporting to advance women’s economic social and cultural rights and raise international attention on issues of substantive equality. Developed by members of ESCR-Net’s Women and ESCR Working Group and the Monitoring Working Group, Altavoz supports grassroots groups, communities and NGOs to communicate their concerns to United Nations bodies through parallel reporting and, with this, increasing government accountability to human rights obligations.

Parallel reporting is a strategy that enables civil society to take an active role in holding States accountable to their legally mandated obligations. In essence, it helps to ensure that United Nations treaty bodies are aware of, discuss, and make recommendations to States in relation to important human rights issues that may have been overlooked or omitted in the official State report.

Submitting a parallel report can amplify voices of groups that suffer disproportionate impacts of poverty and inequality, such as women and girls and provide a focal point for connecting struggles and bring international attention to local campaigns and advocacy.

How can Altavoz support my community?

 

The guide provides grassroots groups, communities and NGOs with relevant information and resources on tips for developing a parallel report. Furthermore, it enables ESCR-Net members and allies to both offer and seek support on parallel reporting, such as help with gathering data, tips for engaging with committee members or monitoring the implementation of concluding observations.

Altavoz aims to facilitate effective parallel reporting on ESCR, including women’s ESCR. It represents a promising tool for mobilization, to strengthen jurisprudence and to support ongoing advocacy.

+ Start amplifying the voice of your community: https://www.escr-net.org/parallel-reporting/guide
+ Download the full guide here.


Altavoz is a collective initiative that wouldn’t be possible without the support of:

Al Haq (Palestine), Arab NGO Network for Development (Lebanon), Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia (Argentina), Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation (Bulgaria), Center for Economic and Social Rights (United States), Collectif des Femmes du Mali (Mali), Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indígena (Ecuador), European Roma Rights Center (Hungary), FIAN International (Germany), FIDA Kenya Georgian Young Lawyers Association (Georgia), Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (United States), Economic and Social Rights Centre (Hakijamii) (Kenya), Initiative on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Uganda), International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (Malaysia), Just Fair (United Kingdom), Legal Resource Centre (South Africa), National Union of Domestic Employees (NUDE) (Trinidad & Tobago), National Indigenous Women’s Federation (Nepal), a member of Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy, Northeastern University (United States), Right to Education Initiative (United Kingdom)