A/HRC/55/44 procedures must be put in place to ensure effective prevention and enforcement. 80 Those include remedies, including judicial remedies, for victims of such harm. 68. The same human rights approach is required by States when acting as members of international organizations. They cannot ignore their human rights obligations 81 but must actively ensure that the effective participation of civil society is guaranteed in discussions with international organizations that relate to the benefits and harms of scientific products. That is currently not the case. More space must be ensured for civil society and for more consideration of alternative scientific understandings beyond the prevailing ones in decision-making by such organizations. For example, the Special Rapporteur was disappointed to hear that Indigenous scientific evidence is ignored in UNESCO discussions on designating world heritage status for territories in which Indigenous Peoples live. She also notes the presentation of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity at a recent meeting on the Convention on Biological Diversity regarding the lack of robust indicators of traditional knowledge in the monitoring mechanism for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 82 It is reported that the continuing failure to agree on a robust monitoring mechanism is due to the resistance of several member States. 83 69. Finally, scientific freedom, protected under articles 13 and 15 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, also comes with scientific responsibility, which includes the duty to conduct and apply science with integrity, in the interest of humanity, in a spirit of stewardship for the environment, and with respect for human rights. 84 Paragraph 16 of the Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers contains a long provision on the civic and ethical aspects of scientific research. VI. Obstacles and challenges to participation in science A. Attacks against scientific and academic freedoms 70. Academic and scientific freedom are two overlapping rights that can apply at the same time, protecting academics and scientific researchers, whether professionals or not, but also those adjacent to scientific endeavours who play a crucial role in ensuring access to and participation in science, such as journalists, educators and judges. 71. As previously described by other Special Rapporteurs, 85 attacks against scientific and academic freedoms are numerous across the world, with a chilling effect on the broad academic and scientific community. 86 Such attacks target those participating in science, professionals or not, including science journalists. They take various forms, such as harassment, arrest and detention, threats and loss of positions or jobs and interference in research and publication, including by means of defunding and impediments to publication. In other cases, specific credible directions in science attract no funds and are looked upon with enough suspicion and even contempt that the scientists finally change direction. The critical enquiry of science may also be considered to clash with faith or religion. For example, blasphemy laws are used to arrest and detain those advocating scientific and rational thinking and to push back against specific progress. 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 16 Ibid. General comment No. 25 (2020), paras. 83 and 84. See https://www.cbd.int/doc/interventions/6551e213e1b990410aada718/Final.IIFB.statement WG8j agenda item 7_13NOV2023.pdf. Avaaz, “It’s a tough game out there: Avaaz comments on SBSTTA-25 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, 15–19 October 2023, Nairobi, Kenya”, p. 3, available at https://avaazimages.avaaz.org/Avaaz - SBSTTA-25 - Final comments.pdf. See American Association for the Advancement of Science, “Statement on scientific freedom & responsibility”. See also International Science Council, “A contemporary perspective on the free and responsible practice of science in the 21st century”, discussion paper, December 2021. A/HRC/48/61, para. 84; and A/75/261. See contribution from Humanists International. GE.24-01813