A/HRC/20/26 2. Freedom indispensable for scientific research and opportunities for all to contribute to the scientific enterprise 39. Freedom of scientific research means ensuring that the scientific enterprise remains free of political and other interference, while guaranteeing the highest standards of ethical safeguards by scientific professions. 40. Read in conjunction with the right to the freedoms of association, expression and information, scientific freedom encompasses the right to freely communicate research results to others, and to publish and publicize them without censorship and regardless of frontiers. The right of scientists to form and join professional associations as well as to collaborate with others in their own country and internationally, including the freedom to leave and re-enter their own country, must also be respected and protected. In addition, scientific freedom involves respecting the autonomy of higher education institutions and the freedom of faculty and students to, inter alia, express opinions about the institution or system in which they work, and to fulfil their functions without discrimination or fear of repression by the State or any other actor. 44 41. The Venice Statement emphasizes that freedom of inquiry is vital for advancing knowledge on a specific subject, procuring data and testing hypotheses for some practical purpose, as well as for promoting further scientific and cultural activity. In the preamble to its recommendation on the status of scientific researchers, UNESCO called for measures enabling scientists to work in a spirit of intellectual freedom to pursue, expound and defend the scientific truth as they see it, and to help define the aims and objectives of the programmes they are engaged in and the methods adopted. It stressed the right of scientific researchers to “express themselves freely on the human, social or ecological value of certain projects and, in the last resort, withdraw from those projects if their conscience so dictates”; it also recommended strong whistle-blower protections. 42. Freedom of scientific research includes the right of everyone to participate in the scientific enterprise, without discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Barriers to scientific research and opportunities for entering the science professions of certain sectors of society must be overcome. The Special Rapporteur also notes efforts to enhance popular participation in science, such as DIYbio, an online hub for sharing ideas and cost-effective methodologies and associated non-profit laboratories such as Genspace, and the Open Science Project, dedicated to writing and releasing free and open-source scientific software.45 Evidence indicates that providing access to scientific know-how and facilitating experimentation by concerned populations can result in more cost-effective context-appropriate technological innovations.46 3. Participation of individuals and communities in decision-making 43. Reasons of the importance of the participation of individuals, communities and peoples in science-related decision-making include, in particular (a) the obligation to protect all persons, including marginalized populations, such as indigenous peoples, against the negative consequences of scientific testing or applications on, in particular, their food security, health or environment; and (b) the need to ensure that scientific research is conducted on key issues, including for the most vulnerable. Major decisions regarding 44 45 46 12 E/C.12/1999/10, paras. 38-40. See www.DIYBio.org and www.openscience.org/blog/. See De Schutter, “The Right of Everyone to Enjoy the Benefits of Scientific Progress” (see footnote 19) and Appadurai (see footnote 12).