Inside Track HRC45 looks ahead at the 45th regular session of the Council, which runs from 14th September to 6th October 2020. It aims to provide those interested in the Council’s work with an at-a-glance brief on what to expect from HRC45: the key issues, debates, and questions that are expected to keep delegates busy; the country situations that will require the Council’s attention; and the draft resolutions that will be negotiated and voted upon.
Expected highlights at HRC45 include:
- On 14th September, H.E. Ms. Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, will open HRC45 with an oral update on the human rights situation around the world, followed by oral updates on the situation of human rights in Nicaragua and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of). This will provide the basis for an interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner on 14th and 15th September.
- The Council will also hold an enhanced interactive dialogue on the human rights dimensions of COVID-19 on 14 September.
- During the session, the Council will consider country-specific reports by the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General covering human rights issues in, inter alia: Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Yemen. Additionally, the High Commissioner will deliver an oral update on Nicaragua, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), and Ukraine.
- It will also consider High Commissioner and Secretary-General reports on a number of thematic issues, including inter alia:
- activities of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in terms of accrediting national institutions;
- cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights;
- the human rights of migrants;
- geographical composition of the staff of OHCHR;
- International Decade for People of African Descent;
- national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights;
- preventable maternal mortality and morbidity;
- the question of the death penalty;
- the rights of indigenous peoples;
- the right to development;
- terrorism and human rights; and
- World Programme for Human Rights Education.
- The Council will consider reports from, and hold interactive dialogues with, 18 Special Procedures (five country-specific and 13 thematic), including those dealing with: water and sanitation; slavery; right to development; enforced disappearances; mercenaries; arbitrary detention; older persons; hazardous wastes; international order; unilateral coercive measures; truth, justice and reparation; indigenous people; people of African Descent; Cambodia; Central African Republic; Myanmar; Somalia; and Sudan.
- In addition, the Council will also hold interactive dialogues with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi, the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, the Commission on human rights in South Sudan, the Fact-finding Mission on Venezuela, the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Group of Experts on Yemen and the Fact-Finding Mission on Libya. In accordance with HRC/PRST/OS/13/1 all the interactive dialogues will be individual.
- The Council is expected to act on around 35 draft resolutions and other texts. The deadline for submitting draft resolutions has been set to 13h00 on 25 September. Additionally, it is expected to appoint nine new mandate-holders including the Independent Expert on Sudan, the Special Rapporteur on Water and Sanitation, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, two members of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (one from African States, and one from Latin American and Caribbean States), one member of the Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls (from Latin American and Caribbean States), one member of the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances (from African States), and one member of the Working Group on Mercenaries (from Asia-Pacific States). More information on the appointment process and the candidates can be found here.
Find the English version of the Inside Track here.
Find the French version of the Inside Track here.
