“Justification was not provided”: Visa Inequalities and the Violation of the Rights of Global South Activists to Representation at the United Nations in Geneva, 2023-2024
February 2025
- Theme: CEDAW, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Visa Inequalities.
- Type: Submission.
- Region/Country: Switzerland.
- Language: English.
This document is a follow-up to the shadow report submitted by IWRAW Asia Pacific in September 2022 for Switzerland’s review during the 83rd CEDAW session. Titled ‘Switzerland as Gatekeeper: The impact of visa application processes on Global South civil society representation at the United Nations’, the report addressed Switzerland’s unique position as host to the United Nations in Geneva, and the disproportionate obstacles faced by Global South citizens in accessing the UN.
This follow-up report identifies ongoing barriers to activist engagement at the UN including visa fees, time spent on applications, non-refundable expenses, and the emotional burden of having to prove one’s eligibility and, essentially, respectability. This version of the submission was prepared in partnership with Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI),