Mandate-Led Events
On 12 September 2025, the Special Rapporteur participated as a keynote speaker in the 2025 Biennial Panel Discussion on Unilateral Coercive Measures and Human Rights with the title “Impact of unilateral coercive measures and overcompliance on the right to food and food security” (SR’s Statement / Webcast archive)
On 15 September 2025, the Special Rapporteur had her interactive dialogue during the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council and presented her report on the “Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on Economic, Labor and Social Rights” (video).
From 16 to 18 September 2025, the Special Rapporteur organised in Geneva two expert consultations with humanitarian actors and academia, on the margins of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council. The consultations focused on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on humanitarian action, and addressed issues of accountability and redress. The purpose of these consultations was move forward on finalization the guidance documents on UCM and Humanitarian Action, and on Effective Remedy, Responsibility and Redress in Unilateral Sanctions Environment.
On 26 September 2025, on the margins of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur organized a side event to mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Sanctions Monitoring and Assessment Tool. The event presented the Tool’s updated features and expanded datasets, highlighted its role in documenting and analyzing the humanitarian impact of unilateral sanctions and over-compliance, and encouraged further engagement by States, civil society, academia, and humanitarian actors. It also served as a platform to promote cooperation, knowledge sharing, and evidence-based policymaking to mitigate the adverse human rights consequences of unilateral coercive measures.
On 15 and 16 May 2025, the Special Rapporteur organised in Geneva two expert consultations with humanitarian actors and academia. The consultations focused on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on humanitarian action, and on unilateral coercive measures, responsibility, redress and effective remedy. During the consultations the Special Rapporteur and invited experts discussed the two proposed draft guidance documents on UCM and Humanitarian Action, and on UCM, Responsibility, Redress and Effective Remedy.
On 13 and 14 March 2025, the Special Rapporteur organised in Geneva two expert consultations with humanitarian actors and academia, on the margins of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council. The consultations focused on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on humanitarian action, and addressed issues of accountability and redress. The purpose of these consultations was to support the work of the Special Rapporteur on these particular areas and to feed in the preparation of the Special Rapporteur’s guidance documents on UCM and Humanitarian Action, and on UCM, Accountability and Redress.
On 4 March 2025, on the margins of the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur organised a side event on the Impact of Unilateral Sanctions on Access to Justice and to an Effective Remedy with the participation of various stakeholders, including States, civil society, academia and legal professionals (Link with information)
On 21 and 22 November 2024, the Special Rapporteur co-organised, together with the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, an International Conference on “Sanctions, Business and Human Rights”. The event brought together various stakeholders, including States, civil society and humanitarian actors, academics, and legal professionals, to reflect on the Guiding Principles and address the main challenges caused by unilateral sanctions, the means of their enforcement, and over-compliance. It also examined the most important aspects of interaction between states and businesses in sanctions environments, the obligations of public and private actors under international law, as well as avenues to minimize over-compliance and to promote and protect human rights.( November 21 sessions video/ November 22 sessions video)
On 20 September 2024, on the margins of the 57th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur organised a side-event on monitoring and impact assessment of UCMs and overcompliance on the enjoyment of human rights with the participation of various stakeholders, including States, civil society and academia.
On 16 and 17 September, the Special Rapporteur held meetings with representatives from the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, to share updates on her mandate’s activities and to discuss on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the right to food, food production and distribution, including in emergency contexts.
On 13 September 2024, the Special Rapporteur had her interactive dialogue during the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council and presented her thematic report on the “Monitoring and assessment of the impact of unilateral sanctions and overcompliance on human rights” (video / starting from 18:20)
From 3 to 5 June 2024, the Special Rapporteur organized an expert working session in Geneva, Switzerland, with the participation of a selected number of experts. The session was an opportunity to further discuss and work on the document of the Guiding Principles on Sanctions, Business and Human Rights.
On 11 and 12 March 2024, the Special Rapporteur organised two expert consultations with practitioners and academia, on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the access to justice. The purpose of these consultations was to support the work of the Special Rapporteur on this particular area, providing discussions which will ultimately feed in the preparation of the Special Rapporteur’s thematic report on this particular issue to be presented at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in October 2024.
On 13 March 2024, on the margins of the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur organised a side-event on the impact of UCMs on the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the work of humanitarian actors. (Link with Information)
On 19 October 2023, the Special Rapporteur had her interactive dialogue during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, and presented her thematic report on “Secondary sanctions, civil and criminal penalties for circumvention of sanctions regimes and over-compliance” (A/78/196) (video starting at 40:00)
On 15 September 2023, the Special Rapporteur had her interactive dialogue during the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council, and presented her thematic report on the “Impact of unilateral sanctions on the right to health” (video).
On 7 and 8 November 2023, the Special Rapporteur organised two expert consultations with CSOs and academia, on unilateral sanctions, over-compliance and human rights. The purpose of these consultations was to inform the Special Rapporteur’s work towards the elaboration of a guidance document on unilateral sanctions and over-compliance to be formally presented during one of the upcoming sessions of the UN Human Rights Council.
On 20 September 2023, on the margins of the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur organised a side-event on the impact of unilateral sanctions on health-related SDGs (Link with Information)
On 1 August 2023, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur officially launched the Sanctions Research Platform, an online library compiling research work on sanctions and sanctions-related issues, including their humanitarian and human rights impact. The platform is available in all 6 UN languages and open to submissions of accessible work on relevant to sanctions issues, either directly through the platform or via the platform’s email:
On 28 March 2023, on the margins of the 52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur organised a side-event on the Impact of UCMs on the Right to Development and the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (Link with Information)
On 21 and 23 March 2023, the Special Rapporteur organised two expert consultations with academia and CSOs, on the human rights impact assessment methodology of unilateral sanctions
During the month of July, the Special Rapporteur began a round of thematic visits to several Europe-based UN Specialized Agencies. This work is ongoing.
From 14-15th March, 2022, the Special Rapporteur held a round of consultation with Academic and NGO participants, regarding the “Criteria to assess the humanitarian impact of unilateral sanctions”
On 26 November 2021, the Special Rapporteur hosted a stakeholder consultation on the subject of “Unilateral Coercive Measures and their Impacts on People living in Vulnerable Situations,” held in Geneva, Switzerland.
On 10 November 2021, the Special Rapporteur held an interview with the Justice of Belarus, Official publication of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus
From 16-28 October 2021, The Special Rapporteur held on an official country visit to Zimbabwe, more information can be found on:
Zimbabwe Country Visit Preliminary Observation Conclusions
United Nations in Zimbabwe - Press Conference - 28 October 2021 | Facebook
On 16 September 2021, the Special Rapporteur participated in the Biennial panel discussion on the issue of “Unilateral coercive measures: the issue of jurisdiction and extraterritoriality challenges and its inadmissibility under international law,” as part of the 48th session of the Human Rights Council. United Nations Media Recording
From 26-27 April 2021, The Special Rapporteur hosted a series of Expert Consultations with academics and concerned NGOs regarding the effects of unilateral coercive measures on delivery and accessibility of humanitarian aid, held in Geneva, Switzerland.
From 1-12 February 2021, the Special Rapporteur conducted an official visit to Venezuela, in order to assess the negative impacts of sanctions on the enjoyment of human rights. The Rapporteur will present the conclusions of the visit to the 48th session of the Human Rights Council.
On 21 - 22 October 2020, the Special Rapporteur organized an expert consultation on unilateral sanctions as the serious obstacle to delivery of humanitarian aid. The event took place in Palais des Nations, Geneva. The event brought together 24 world leading humanitarian organizations, including faith-based NGOs. They discussed humanitarian exemptions, which apparently continued to remain ineffective, inefficient and inadequate. Moreover, experts examined the multiple forms of humanitarian exemptions and practical impediments they create for delivery of aid to the most vulnerable people, including in the context of COVID-19.
On 16 October 2020, the Special Rapporteur had her first interactive dialogue (1:23:34) with the General Assembly's 3rd Committee, during which she presented to her first thematic report (A/75/209) to General Assembly that offers an overview and assessment of the impact of unilateral sanctions on the enjoyment of human rights in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 22 September 2020, the Special Rapporteur had her first interactive dialogue with the Human Rights Council, during which she presented to her first thematic report (A/HRC/45/7). She discussed current developments and challenges in the nature and application of unilateral sanctions, as well as spelled out the priorities and a road map for her approach to the mandate.
Link access: Mandate-Led Events.