Guardians Under Siege: Civil Society Access and Reform of the UN Human Rights Council

This article examines how restrictions on civil society participation at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) undermine the institution's effectiveness. Through stakeholder interviews and analysis of recent developments, we show that civil society engagement does not merely fulfil a democratic aspiration, but it is an operational prerequisite for Council effectiveness. Civil society serves as the UNHRC's primary source of independent information about violations and a major driver of accountability; its exclusion therefore compromises the Council's capacity to respond effectively to human rights crises. Civil society access is currently diminishing as authoritarian states systematically obstruct legitimate human rights organisations while facilitating access by government‐sponsored entities that advance their positions. In the current polarised context, comprehensive institutional reform appears politically unfeasible; however, targeted interventions—including reinstating hybrid participation formats, reforming the accreditation process and strengthening anti‐reprisal mechanisms—could enhance civil society participation and therefore strengthen the UNHRC's performance.