A/HRC/38/18 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 18 April 2018 Original: English Human Rights Council Thirty-eighth session 18 June–6 July 2018 Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Procedures and practices in respect of civil society engagement with international and regional organizations Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Summary In its resolution 32/31, the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report compiling information on procedures and practices in respect of civil society involvement with regional and international organizations, including United Nations bodies, agencies, funds and programmes, and the contribution of civil society to their work, challenges and good practices. The present report highlights the important role played by civil society in terms of advocacy, expertise and implementation in its engagement with regional and international organizations. It summarizes good practices adopted by some of those organizations in terms of civil society participation, including in relation to accreditation, access to information and accountability mechanisms. The report also identifies the challenges that civil society encounters in its engagement, such as reprisals, lack of transparency and access and limited diversity in civil society representation. On the basis of international human rights norms, the report recommends that regional and international organizations establish clear and effective channels for meaningful and equal civil society participation and engagement. GE.18-06169(E) 