ABSTRACT

This chapter shows that hybridity can be used in an empirical sense to collect evidence of the plurality of actors in international decision-making. Focusing on the hybrid outcome, such as a hybrid organisation, a hybrid government or regime, overlooks the hybrid nature of the actors involved in the hybridisation processes. The chapter conceptualise United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as hybrid bodies by using a two-part framework of membership and participation. The state-centricity, or the idea that states are the sole subjects in international law and international decision-making, is challenged by the role of international organisations (IOs). The chapter also shows that the extent to which NGOs can influence the agenda or draft resolutions in the UNHRC suggests that there are significant spaces for the participation of non-state actors. An NGO has either general consultative status or special consultative status, according to its expertise, and this consultative status allows written and oral submissions by the NGOs.