On 4 February, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the body is at risk of ‘imminent financial collapse’ due to unpaid fees and a budget rule that forces it to return unspent funds. Recent years have also seen major cuts to voluntary funding to UN agencies on the part of a wide range of (especially developed) States. These unpaid fees …
General Assembly adopts resolution guiding the review and rationalisation of mandates across the UN system On 31 March, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on ‘Mandate creation, implementation, and review for an efficient and effective United Nations,’ a move the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres called ‘historic’ and a ‘major step’ in translating ‘the ambition of the UN80 Initiative into concrete, practical action.’ …
The UN enters its eightieth year in crisis mode. This is in part financial, with delays to the payment of regular budget dues by some large member States, as well as cuts to extrabudgetary contributions by many others (as of 9 October 2025, member States collectively owe around $1,87 billion in mandatory contributions). It is also political, with US President Donald …
On 25 October, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) launched its General Recommendation 40 , on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems. The General Recommendation culminates a process that began in February of 2023, and that aims to provide States with guidance, based on the premise that the achievement of gender equality is a fundamental …
My priorities as the 18th President of the Human Rights Council I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been elected by members of the Human Rights Council as the Council’s 18th President. Ever since its establishment in 2006, Morocco has been a staunch and active supporter of the Council. I am likewise a firm believer in the Council’s crucial …
In December 2022, upon his election as President of the Human Rights Council, H.E. Václav Bálek outlined his ‘3P’ priorities : ‘prevention, participation, and progress in efficiency.’ He acknowledged the increase in the Council’s workloads over recent years and the strain this had placed on the Council’s capacity to effectively fulfil its mandate. To address the situation, Bálek appointed H.E. Maira Mariela Macdonal …
An independent analysis of the Push for Pledges campaign of the Human Rights 75 Initiative December 2023 marks the 75th Anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an anniversary that the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights has been commemorating throughout the year, culminating in a two-day high-level event held on 11 and 12 December 2023. …
On 12 October 2023, the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) made history at the Human Rights Council. Not only did they present for adoption their first joint initiative at the Council since its establishment, but they also presented the first item 10 resolution (A/HRC/RES/54/33) that seeks the establishment of a regional office of the Office of …
On 10 October 2023, the UN General Assembly (GA) convened in New York to elect new members of the Human Rights Council for the term 2024-2026. Albania, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malawi, and the Netherlands were duly elected. As soon as the votes were cast and the new members announced, …
On 10 October 2023, the UN General Assembly (GA) convened in New York to elect 15 new members of the Human Rights Council for the term 2024-2026. One key question arising from the election, as every year, is whether voting members of the GA were guided when casting their ballots by bilateral considerations or by human rights principles – in …
