Have the 2022 elections produced a stronger or a weaker Human Rights Council?

by Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group and Joseph Burke Blog, Blog

On 11 October 2022, the UN General Assembly (GA) in New York convened to elect new members of the Human Rights Council for the term 2023-2025. As soon as the votes were cast and members elected, diplomats and civil society representatives, as always, began to ask themselves whether the newly composed Council (which will sit from 1 January next year) …

Council President speaks of centrality of human rights to the  multilateral system, including to peace and security, and sustainable development

by Abigail WEISS, URG Fellow Blog, Blog

On April 21, 2022, Ambassador Federico Villegas of Argentina, the President of the Human Rights Council, gave a lecture at the New School in downtown New York, on the place of human rights in the UN system. Although he touched on a variety of themes, a key point was that human rights is integral to – and should be better …

What are the human rights priorities of world governments in 2022?

by the URG team Blog, Blog, Instituciones, procesos y mecanismos de derechos humanos internacionales, Reportes del Consejo de Derechos Humanos

An independent analysis of the High-Level Segment of the Human Rights Council The High-Level Segment of the 49th session of the Human Rights Council , held from February 28 to March 3 2022, saw the active participation of more than 120 world leaders, including six heads or deputy heads of State, five heads or deputy heads of Government, and 107 ministers or vice-ministers. In the statements delivered …

The Human Rights Council in 2021

by Geneva Instituciones, procesos y mecanismos de derechos humanos internacionales, Policy reports, Reportes

What were the main developments, achievements and flash-points at the Human Rights Council in 2021? What were the Council’s principle outputs and what kind of impact did the body and its mechanisms have on the on-the-ground enjoyment of human rights? Did members of the Council cooperate with the international human rights mechanisms, and with OHCHR, over the past twelve months? …

Report on the 48th session of the Human Rights Council

by the URG team Blog, Blog, Instituciones, procesos y mecanismos de derechos humanos internacionales, Reportes del Consejo de Derechos Humanos

Quick summary The 48th regular session of the Human Rights Council ( HRC48 ) was held from Monday 13 September to Monday 11 October 2021. On 13 September, H.E. Michelle Bachelet presented her global update on the human rights situation around the world, followed by her report on Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and oral updates on Afghanistan, Nicaragua, and Sri Lanka. An enhanced …

Can President Biden’s Infrastructure Bill help the US build back better on economic, social and cultural rights?

by Daniela Kyle, Universal Rights Group NYC Blog, Blog, New York City, Universal Rights Group NYC

On 10 August, the United States Senate approved the $1 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that had been proposed and supported by President Biden as the first phase in his Build Back Better agenda. The bill will be the largest long-term investment in American infrastructure in nearly a century, and is expected to make the American economy ‘more sustainable, resilient and just.’ The White House stated that …

Building a coherent Human Rights Council-Security Council relationship – The prevention of human rights crises, violent conflict and atrocity crimes

by the URG team Instituciones, procesos y mecanismos de derechos humanos internacionales, Policy reports, Reportes

In her first address to the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) Third Committee as High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2018, Michelle Bachelet urged States to remember that ‘the human rights system is not a Cassandra, correctly predicting crises yet unable to prevent them. It is a force for prevention. When it is backed by the political will of key …

The Human Rights Council in 2020

by Geneva Instituciones, procesos y mecanismos de derechos humanos internacionales, Policy reports, Reportes

What were the main developments, achievements and flash-points at the Human Rights Council in 2020? What were the Council’s principle outputs and what kind of impact did the body and its mechanisms have on the on-the-ground enjoyment of human rights? Did members of the Council cooperate with the international human rights mechanisms, and with OHCHR, over the past twelve months? Does …

Guide to the 2019 UN Human Rights Council Elections.

Guide to the Human Rights Council 2019 Elections

by the URG team Policy reports, Reportes, Reportes del Consejo de Derechos Humanos

On Monday 23 September 2019, the Permanent Mission of Norway and the Universal Rights Group (URG) hosted a lunch reception to mark the launch of the  yourHRC.org  Guide to the 2019 UN Human Rights Council Elections. The report is the fifth annual  yourHRC.org  Guide to the UN Human Rights Council Elections. It provides general information on the 2019 Council elections (scheduled for 16 October at the GA in New York), when …

Report on the 40th session of the Human Rights Council

by the URG team Blog, Blog, Reportes del Consejo de Derechos Humanos

Quick summary The 40th regular session of the Human Rights Council ( HRC40) was held from Monday 25 February to Friday 22 March 2019. As it is the main annual session of the Council, HRC40 began with a High-Level Segment (HLS). The 2019 HLS included speeches by 97 State and other dignitaries, including: H.E. Béji Caïd Essebi, President of Tunisia; H.E. …