Closing of electoral register and publication of list of

candidates for representative of the public for the Escazú

Agreement
1. CLOSING OF THE ELECTORAL REGISTER AND CERTIFICATION OF PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO
VOTE
 
The electoral register for the elections of representatives of the public was closed on 22 August
2022 at 11:59 p.m. Santiago, Chile time.
 
The Secretariat certified all duly registered voters and notified them by email to the address
registered in the Regional Public Mechanism, inviting them to complete their profile on the
voting platform. The email was sent from the "Voting platform of the Regional Public
Mechanism of the Escazú Agreement" with the subject "You are invited to join the Voting
platform of the Regional Public Mechanism of the Escazú Agreement". 
 
Please note that only those who have previously registered in the Regional Public
Mechanism of the Escazú Agreement before the closing date of the electoral register will
be able to vote.

2. CANDIDATES
 
The deadline for the presentation of candidacies for elected representatives of the public of the
Escazú Agreement closed on 31 August 2022 at 11:59 p.m., Santiago, Chile time. 
 
In total, 72 applications were received from 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Of
the 72 candidacies received, 58 were accepted and 14 were not admitted for failing to comply
with the requirements indicated in article 7 of the Rules of Procedure or having sent the
candidacy after the deadline (after 11:59 p.m., Santiago, Chile time, on 31 August 2022).
 
In accordance with article 8 of the Rules of Procedure, the Secretariat reviewed that the
candidacies met all the requirements and notified by email each of the candidates whose
nominations were declared inadmissible and those that were accepted. On 30 September 2022
it announced the complete list of candidacies.
 
The election campaign will run from 1-31 October 2022. 
 
Elections will take place on 2 and 3 November 2022.
In accordance with decision I/6 on human rights defenders in environmental matters, we are
pleased to inform of the operationalization of the open-ended ad hoc working group on
human rights defenders in environmental matters, which shall allow for meaningful public
participation and be coordinated by Ecuador, Chile and Saint Kitts and Nevis. The working
group has been entrusted with the preparation of an action plan in that regard, to be presented
at the second ordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties for consideration and
adoption.
 
Please note that the first annual forum on human rights defenders in environmental
matters is scheduled for 22 and 23 November 2022 in Quito, Ecuador. The aim of the forum is
to serve as a space for dialogue on human rights defenders in environmental matters, bringing
together Parties, recognized specialists in the field and the public, especially indigenous peoples
and local communities and persons or groups in vulnerable situations, following which a final
report will be prepared to serve as input for drafting and review of the relevant action plan. 
 
There will also be a meeting of the ad hoc working group during this first forum.

On 29 July 2022, the online course "Mining with people" was launched. The course was

prepared by the Thematic Group on Human Rights and Businesses in mining contexts of the

Ibero-American Federation of Ombudspersons, with the support of ECLAC and the Deutsche

Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), through the Regional Cooperation

Programme for Sustainable Management of Mining Resources in Andean countries. With the

aim of providing spaces to share knowledge, build capacities, establish networks and
exchange experiences in matters related to the Escazú Agreement, the Secretariat
offers the possibility of requesting official side events in the framework of the first
meeting of the Conference of the Parties to be held between 20 and 22 April 2022.
 
Considering the current health situation, all side events organized in the framework of
the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Escazú Agreement will be
virtual.
 
The call for side events will be open between 1 and 20 March 2022. Please use
the form in the call to request an event.