The Committee for Justice (CFJ) organized a series of high-level in-person meetings in Geneva on 23 and 24 March 2026, on the margins of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. These meetings brought together members of the Sudan Task Force coalition with key UN Special Procedures mandate holders, marking one of the first coordinated advocacy engagements undertaken by the coalition since its establishment.
CFJ facilitated four strategic meetings with the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
Across all meetings, the Task Force provided detailed briefings on the evolving human rights situation in Sudan since April 2023, highlighting patterns of violations documented across different regions. They also introduced the Sudan Task Force as a coordinated civil society initiative aimed at strengthening documentation, advocacy, and engagement with international and regional human rights mechanisms. The mandate holders were further invited to participate in CFJ’s side event on Sudan held on 24 March 2026. The discussions laid the groundwork for continued engagement, including the preparation of joint submissions to relevant UN mechanisms.
During the meeting with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, participants presented a comprehensive briefing on the situation of human rights defenders across Sudan, with particular emphasis on systematic targeting, reprisals, and intimidation affecting defenders and their families, especially in conflict-affected areas. The briefing also addressed patterns of harassment against lawyers and activists, including the misuse of legal frameworks to restrict civic space and the conduct of proceedings falling short of international fair trial guarantees. Updates were also shared on documented cases previously submitted to the mandate, alongside emerging risks linked to surveillance, digital communication tools, and the deteriorating security situation in regions such as Darfur and Kordofan.
In the meeting with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, discussions focused on patterns of unlawful killings in Sudan, including documented incidents of summary executions and attacks against civilians in conflict-affected areas. The organizations further elaborated on their joint submissions concerning the death penalty and its intersection with torture and due process violations. The meeting also addressed broader patterns of violence against civilians, including retaliatory attacks and the use of advanced weaponry -drones- in populated areas.
Engagement with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls focused on the gendered impact of the conflict, including patterns of sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, and other grave violations affecting women and girls, particularly in Darfur. Participants recalled previous submissions to the mandate documenting these patterns and highlighted the continued use of sexual violence as a tool of intimidation and control. The situation of women human rights defenders was also raised, including risks faced in areas under the control of different parties to the conflict. Participants encouraged strengthened engagement with the mandate, and it was agreed to maintain periodic follow-up to ensure sustained monitoring and reporting.
These meetings reflect CFJ’s continued commitment to facilitating meaningful engagement between Sudanese civil society actors and international human rights mechanisms. They also underscore the role of the Sudan Task Force as a platform for coordinated advocacy, documentation, and strategic engagement aimed at advancing accountability and protection for victims of violations in Sudan.
