A/73/178/Rev.1 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted to the General Assembly by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 34/21. II. Activities1 2. On 11 May 2018, the Special Rapporteur gave a lecture on migration policy and human rights at the Autonomous University of Madrid. On 17 May, he was a keynote speaker at a conference on trafficking and corruption at Carlos III University, Madrid. 3. From 4 to 8 June 2018, the Special Rapporteur partic ipated in the annual meeting of special procedures in Geneva. On 13 June, he participated in a panel discussion on human mobility in times of populism at American University, Washington, D.C. 4. On 20 June 2018, the Special Rapporteur presented his first t hematic report to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/38/41) on the return and reintegration of migrants. On 22 June, he participated as a speaker at a side event organized by the non-governmental organization (NGO) World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS) on the shrinking of civic space in the European Union and the criminalization of assistance to migrants. 5. From 9 to 13 July 2018, he attended the last round of negotiations on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in New York. 6. On 18 July 2018, he participated in a conference in San José, Costa Rica on the fortieth anniversary of the entry into force of the American Convention on Human Rights and the establishment of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, during which he delivered a presentation as a member of a panel discussing contemporary global challenges for human rights protection systems. III. Effective access to justice for migrants A. Introduction 7. Effective access to justice means that everyone, without discrimination, has the right to access the system provided for conflict resolution and the restoration of rights. Access to justice has a dual role, as a fundamental right inherent to every person and as a principle that establishes obligations for States, particularly to ensure that anyone can approach the courts to seek protection of their rights. States, under international human rights law, have an obligation to guarantee the human rights of all individua ls under their jurisdiction, regardless of their nationality or migration status, including the right to access to justice and due process. 2 8. The following sections analyse the rights and key elements that make up effective access to justice, such as the right to legal aid and representation, the right to information and an interpreter, the right to consular assistance, the competent authority to which access is provided, as well as remedies and redress. These guarantees of due process are applicable to all migrants, regardless of their migration status, to enable them to claim their rights in migration procedures or asylum __________________ 1 2 18-15902 For activities between August 2017 and April 2018, see A/HRC/38/41. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, art. 2. 3/20