ABBREVIATIONS ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations AU African Union BRICS summit The annual conference of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) group of nations European Committee for the Prevention of Torture European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment European Convention on Human Rights (European) Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms GDP Gross domestic product CEDAW UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ICC International Criminal Court CEDAW Committee UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights CERD International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights CERD Committee UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross CIA US Central Intelligence Agency COP28 The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States ILO International Labour Organization International Convention against enforced disappearance International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance LGBTI Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Escazú Agreement Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization EU European Union NGO Non-governmental organization The State of the World’s Human Rights NDC Nationally determined contribution vii