Since 2001, counter-terrorism efforts have expanded across the globe with significant ramifications for human rights, civic space, peace, human security, and development. The growth of a sprawling system of global counter-terrorism and security governance at the multilateral level has enabled this expansion. At the heart of this transnational architecture is the fast-expanding United Nations (UN) counter-terrorism system. 

The Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism came together through a shared recognition that decisions on counter-terrorism at the UN are leading to significant downstream harms in countries across the world. Our coalition has documented how counter-terrorism has become one of the primary means through which states violate rights, attack civic and humanitarian space, crackdown on dissent, and advance authoritarianism. Many states have increased their efforts to shape the UN counter-terrorism architecture to undermine – and even dismantle – international norms on human rights, civic space, and other fundamental freedoms. 

Evidence collected through our member organizations has shown that the active shrinking of civil society space by states – which is accelerating around the globe – is indisputably linked to the expansion of security measures. Civil society’s ability to exercise fundamental freedoms is curtailed under the guise of counter-terrorism across the world. While the precise form of this dynamic varies across contexts, there are common drivers at the transnational level where influential counter-terrorism norms, legal standards, and institutional infrastructure are enabling – and at times encouraging – such developments.

Our approach

We believe that human rights, open civic space, and security are complementary and mutually reinforcing objectives. Our coalition advocates for greater protection of human rights and civic space in counter-terrorism responses at the UN and other multilateral counter-terrorism fora.  

Through our global network of organizations, we work to:

• raise awareness of how international counter-terrorism-related norms impact civic space, humanitarian efforts, and human rights more broadly,
• collect evidence on the impact of counter-terrorism measures on civic space and human rights at the local level, and
• mobilize civil society organizations affected by these global measures to influence and reshape global counter-terrorism norms and programmes. 

In this way, our coalition is creating a powerful community that stands against human rights violations and restrictions on civic space at the national level while helping influence change on the global level.