Conference primer: Human Rights Council: 2022 - HRC51

Draft proposals and Notes Verbales

This first session will focus on strategies to combat systemic racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

REVIEW. RETHINK. REFORM. 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UN DECLARATION ON MINORITY RIGHTS

UN Web TV live stream

The theme of the fourth session of the Forum is “Strengthening democracies to build back better: challenges and opportunities”

Access all summary records from the United Nations Digital Library System.

In accordance with paragraph 7 of General Assembly resolution 60/251, the Council shall consist of 47 Member States, which shall be elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly.
27 September 2022

By the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue

CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world.

Ambassadors of Bolivia, the Gambia, Luxembourg and the Maldives Elected to Serve as Vice Presidents for Next Year GENEVA, (9 December 2022) – The Human Rights Council today elected Ambassador Václav Bálek, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, to serve as its President for a one-year term beginning on 1 January 2023.
9 December 2022

Over the past several months, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has interviewed 159 prisoners of war (139 men and 20 women) who were held by the Russian Federation (including by affiliated armed groups), and 175 prisoners of war (all men) held by Ukraine.
15 November 2022

As part of its mandate and its investigations, the Commission of Inquiry held its first series of public hearings from 7 to 11 November 2022, in Geneva. The hearings focused on the closure orders and terrorism designation of a number of Palestinian human rights organizations, and on the incident surrounding the killing of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Victims, witnesses, civil society organizations, and legal representatives were invited to provide relevant testimony to the Commission in this forum.

GENEVA (5 November 2022) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Saturday issued an open letter to Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer at Twitter, urging him to “ensure human rights are central to the management of Twitter” under Musk’s leadership. The letter follows reports of the sacking of Twitter’s entire human rights team and all but two of the ethical AI team – not “an encouraging start,” said Türk.

NEW YORK/ VIENNA, 18 October 2022 – Based on its investigations of the events in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions in late February and March 2022, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has found reasonable grounds to conclude that an array of war crimes, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been committed in Ukraine.
18 October 2022

18 October 2022

GENEVA (22 September 2022) – UN experts* today strongly condemned the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after her arrest for allegedly failing to comply with Iran’s strict rules on women’s dress by wearing an “improper hijab”.
22 September 2022

Country report published on 31 August 2022

Report by the Information Office of the People's Government of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, August 2022

7 June 2022

2 December 2022
Palais des Nations (hybrid event)

Elle est l’une des lauréates du Young Activists Summit qui a lieu le 2 décembre aux Nations Unies à Genève. Prévu Emmy Lusila a créé une « Maison des Anges » où elle recueille des enfants des rues à Kinshasa.
La jeune femmes, âgée de 20 ans, gère le projet depuis 3 ans, grâce à des donations privées, et s’occupe d’une douzaine d’enfants, de 3 à 12 ans. Un projet qu’elle espère développer en République démocratique du Congo.
Elle confie ses rêves à Laura Hunter.
Genève Vision, 20 novembre 2022

Information on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) segment of the Human Rights Council
(Not an official UPR website)

The discussion will be organized in a format of keynote statements and interventions by representatives of Governments, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations and other stakeholders, followed by a general discussion. The topics for discussion will be based on decision VII/9 and the key issues addressed through the work of the Task Forces and Working Group of the Parties. Programme for the Round Table is available on this page.

The Working Group is expected to review the progress in implementing the current work programme and discuss a number of items, including progress achieved in promoting access to information, public participation and access to justice, and in ratification of the Convention's amendment on genetically modified organisms; financial matters; and promotion of the Convention and relevant developments and interlinkages.

The UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters was adopted on 25th June 1998 in the Danish city of Aarhus at the Fourth Ministerial Conference in the 'Environment for Europe' process.
Together with its Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers, it protects every person’s right to live in an environment adequate to his or her health and well-being. They are the only global legally binding global instruments on environmental democracy that put Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development in practice.

Il y a la résistance armée. Il y a les sanctions économiques. Et il y a une offensive judiciaire sans précédent par sa rapidité et par l’étendue de sa gamme. La justice est la troisième arme de l’Ukraine face à l’invasion russe. Juridictions internationales, régionales et nationales sont mobilisées. Quel instrument sert à quoi dans cet usage stratégique du droit face au retour de la guerre en Europe ? Voici la carte de cette bataille parallèle.

There is armed resistance, a panoply of economic sanctions, and then there is a judicial offensive unprecedented in its speed and range. Justice is Ukraine’s third weapon in response to the Russian invasion, with international, regional and national jurisdictions mobilizing. Which instruments are being used for what in this strategic legal fight against a return to war in Europe? Here we publish a map of this parallel battle.

The Human Rights Resolution Portal provides information on, and access to, all resolutions ever passed by the Human Rights Council, and all resolutions adopted by the General Assembly's Third Committee since 2006.
Universal Rights Group, Geneva

Report of the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises (A/HRC/47/39/Add.2 - 22 June 2021)

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan (13 April 2021)

UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights - 10th anniversary, 16 June 2021
UN human rights standards for business reach 10-year milestone: time to gear up for new decade of action

UN Geneva News, 16 June 2021

An OHCHR database containing all recommendations issued by the human rights mechanisms, searchable by SDGs

Making the link between human rights and development
By the Danish Institute for Human Rights

Hundreds of people gathered in Geneva last week for the first session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. For those who have spent decades advocating for the mechanism and for anti-racism campaigners, it was a “milestone” moment.
Geneva Solutions, 12 December, updated 19 December 2022

It has been less than two months since Volker Türk took the helm as the UN’s high commissioner for human rights. But already, the 57 year-old Austrian international lawyer and long-serving UN veteran has wasted no time in confronting the myriad of human rights challenges awaiting his office’s attention.
Geneva Solutions, 9 December, updated 16 December 2022

Interview with Jean-Marie Guehenno, Former Head of UN Peacekeeping Operations
The UN Brief, 11 December 2022

Grand entretien avec Philip Grant, directeur de TRIAL International, une ONG suisse créée il y a 20 ans, parle à Justice Info du développement de la compétence universelle, de la valeur des procès nationaux en République démocratique du Congo, et de la façon dont il voit l'avenir de la justice internationale.
Justice Info, 29 novembre 2022

Human rights organisations and activists have called on the United Nations to launch an urgent investigation into the situation in Iran as the Human Rights Council prepares to meet for a special session on Thursday.
The UN rights body will convene in Geneva for a special session to address the deteriorating situation in Iran amid the increasingly harsh crackdown on anti-government protests which erupted two months ago.
Geneva Solutions, 24 November 2022

Costa Rica was among the 12 countries elected on 11 October to join the Human Rights Council from 2023 to 2025, beating Venezuela after a failed attempt to challenge Caracas in 2019. This will be the second time that the Central American country takes part in the UN rights body since its creation in 2006.
Geneva Solutions, 27 October 2022

Human rights in Afghanistan will continue to be monitored by the UN rights body while abuses against Russians inside the country will also come under scrutiny after two resolutions passed on the last day of the 51st session of the Human Rights Council.
Geneva Solutions, 14 October 2022

Arab and African countries refuse to condemn China for its repression of the Muslim Uyghur minority.
Article available in English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Italian; original in Arabic.
Swissinfo, 11 October 2022

Countries voted on Friday to extend a U.N.-mandated monitoring mission for a war in Ethiopia where investigators have found "reasonable grounds to believe" that parties to the conflict have committed serious rights violations, including war crimes.
Reuters, 7 October 2022

Countries reject proposal to discuss rights abuses in Xinjiang at the UN rights body, in major win for China.
A Western-led proposal to hold a debate on alleged human rights abuses committed in Xinjiang was defeated on Thursday at the Human Rights Council in a tight vote of 19 states against, 17 in favour and 11 abstentions. The vote was followed by a burst of applause from some delegates in the room.
Geneva Solutions, 6 October 2022

Bahrain will no longer run in an election to the U.N.'s top human rights body later this month, a U.N. website showed, after critics drew attention to alleged human rights violations.
Reuters, 5 October 2022

Despite the dangers and the restrictions, ad hoc charities are springing up to ensure local communities have the support they need.
The New Humanitarian, 3 October 2022

The Swiss Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council has said that a report criticising structural racism in the country included “misunderstandings”.
Swissinfo, 3 October 2022

OHCHR report awakens previously silent countries, says Dolkun Isa
Asia Nikkei, 1 October 2022

GENEVA (AP) — Western countries are leading a rare two-pronged push at the U.N.’s main human rights body to better scrutinize the human rights records of two big world powers: China, over allegations of abuses during an anti-extremism campaign in western Xinjiang, and Russia, over its government's crackdown on dissent and protest against the war in Ukraine.
AP News, 1 October 2022

The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway backed the “draft decision” tabled on Monday that seeks a debate during the council’s next session, which begins in February.
The move follows the release of a much-anticipated UN report last month that warned “serious human rights violations have been committed” in Xinjiang that could amount to “crimes against humanity”.
Geneva Solutions, 26 September 2022

At Palais des Nations, under Miquel Barceló’s colourful stalactites dripping down Room XX’s domed ceiling, world powers are exchanging blows over opposing visions of human rights. One, Russia, has been knocked out by the west. As China stands freshly accused of serious rights violations in Xinjiang by the UN office for high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, western states are called back to the ring to face an even more fierce opponent.
Geneva Solutions, 26 September 2022

Switzerland was on the radar of the UN Human Rights Council for its role in illegal mining.
Swissinfo, 26 September 2022

A spokesperson for the Xinjiang government has said China is “ready to fight” if action is taken against the country at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva over its human rights record in the region.
Addressing reporters at the UN’s European headquarters on Thursday, Xi Guixiang said that the country was readying “counter-measures” following reports that a group of countries are considering taking action against China at the forum.
Geneva Solutions, 23 September 2022

Venezuela’s intelligence agencies are committing crimes against humanity as part of a plan orchestrated at the highest levels of government to crush dissent in the country, UN experts have warned.
Geneva Solutions, 22 September 2022

Together with a coalition of international NGOs, ISHR calls on all States at the UN Human Rights Council to support a resolution mandating a Special Rapporteur on the dire and deteriorating human…
International Service for Human Rights, 21 September 2022

Twenty-six EU countries agreed on Thursday to ask the Human Rights Council to appoint a special rapporteur to monitor the human rights situation in Russia, according to reports by the French news agency shared by other media
Since the beginning of the war in February, Moscow has launched a crackdown inside the country on those who oppose the invasion of Ukraine and has passed harsh laws against anti-war speech.
Geneva Solutions, 19 September 2022

BEIJING (AP) — As world leaders gather in New York at the annual U.N. General Assembly, rising superpower China is also focusing on another United Nations body that is meeting across the Atlantic Ocean in Geneva.
AP News, 18 September 2022

The United Nations has condemned Russia’s “intimidation” of opponents of the war in Ukraine and accused Moscow of undermining “fundamental freedoms”.
Speaking at the opening of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, the acting high commissioner for human rights Nada Al-Nashif condemned the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent, including pressure against independent journalists and censorship.
Geneva Solutions, 13 September, updated 19 September 2022

(Reuters) - Syria's bloody conflict is at risk of further escalation after several frontlines across the country flared up in recent months, the United Nations warned on Wednesday in a new report.
Swissinfo, 16 September 2022

China attacked a report issued by the U.N. rights office (OHCHR) on alleged abuses in Xinjiang on Tuesday and read out a statement backed by around 20 other countries criticising the U.N. body for releasing it and saying it had no right to do so.
Reuters, 13 September 2022

Geneva Solutions, 12 September 2022

GENEVA: The UN’s acting human rights chief decried on Monday the “intimidation” of people in Russia voicing opposition to the Ukraine war, warning it was undermining fundamental freedoms.
Arab News, 12 September 2022

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has proposed Volker Türk, a U.N. political advisor considered an outsider, as the next high commissioner. This has put him in the crosshairs of powerful member states like China, Russia, and the United States.
Devex, 9 September 2022

Ahead of the Human Rights Council's 51st session next week, president Federico Villegas warns about the risk of countries becoming more polarised at the UN body and reaching a stalemate.
Geneva Solutions, 5 September 2022

Voices in Geneva and elsewhere are demanding follow up after the release of a long-awaited report on human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
Swissinfo, 2 September 2022
Article available in English, Japanese, Chinese and Arabic

The Chinese regime’s treatment of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim groups in the province of Xinjiang may constitute crimes against humanity, says a long-awaited report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Conversation, 2 September 2022

Over a year ago the United Nations Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet promised a report on the treatment of China’s Uyghur minority. As she is about to leave office, human rights groups are still waiting.
Swissinfo, 26 August 2022

AP News, 25 August 2022

The UNGA adopted the resolution on 28 July 2022, by a recorded vote of 161 in favor and zero against, with eight abstentions.
In an interview ahead of the UNGA vote, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment David Boyd noted that while not legally binding, UNGA resolutions can serve as catalysts for action.
IISD, 3 August 2022

It’s been an eventful, agenda-packed 50th session for the United Nations Human Rights Council. With various conflicts, pressing human rights atrocities, new challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis all at top of mind, the Council had much to digest and discuss.
Geneva Solutions, 3 July 2022

Dossier spécial, plus de 15 articles disponibles
Justiceinfo.net, 1 juillet 2022

The decision to reverse Roe v. Wade — a 50-year-old law protecting the right to abortion in the United States — has reverberated around the world. In Geneva, many within the international community have already condemned the US Supreme Court’s ruling.
Geneva Solutions, 1 July 2022