Inside Track HRC52 looks ahead at the 52nd regular session of the Council, which runs from 27 February to 4th April 2023. It aims to provide those interested in the Council’s work with an at-a-glance brief on what to expect from HRC52: 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.
Inside Track is produced by the Universal Rights Group with the support of the Permanent Mission of Singapore. At HRC52, Inside Track will be published only in an electronic format.
Expected highlights at HRC52 include:
- 130 high-level dignitaries and officials are expected to deliver statements during the three-day High-Level Segment. In addition to the heads or deputy heads of State, heads or deputy heads of government, and ministers or vice-ministers that are scheduled to address the Council, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr António Guterres, as well as the President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, will be delivering an address at the start of the High-Level Segment.
- On 7 March, Mr. Volker Türk, he High Commissioner for Human Rights, will provide an oral update on the human rights situation around the world, which will provide the basis for the general debate under Item 2 on the 7th and 8th of March.
- During the session, the Council will consider country-specific reports by the High Commissioner covering human rights issues in, inter alia: Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Myanmar, and the Occupied Syrian Golan.
- Additionally, the High Commissioner will also deliver oral updates on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nicaragua, and Sudan.
- It will also consider High Commissioner and Secretary-General reports on a number of thematic issues, including inter alia:
- Disinformation
- Good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
- HRC resolution 9/8 Effective implementation of international human rights instruments
- Intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatisation of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief
- Overview of all the reports presented by special procedure mandate holders in 2022
- Regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights
- Special Fund established by the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
- Technical cooperation and capacity-building in promoting and protecting the human rights of persons in vulnerable and marginalised situations in recovery efforts during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
- UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture
- Universal access for all countries to vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- The Council will also consider the following High Commissioner’s and Secretary General’s country-specific reports:
- Accountability in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath
- Human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice
- Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan
- Root causes of human rights violations and abuses against Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar
- The Council will consider reports from, and hold interactive dialogues with, 20 Special Procedures (6 country-specific and 14 thematic), including those dealing with: albinism; counterterrorism; cultural rights; disabilities; environment; food; foreign debt; freedom of religion; housing; human rights defenders; minorities; privacy; sale of children; torture; Afghanistan; Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; Eritrea; Islamic Republic of Iran; Mali; and Myanmar.
- In addition, the Council will also hold 8 interactive dialogues with a number of investigative mechanisms, including the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia; the International Team of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya; the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua; Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan; the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic; and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.
- In accordance with HRC/PRST/OS/13/1 all the Interactive Dialogues will be held as standalone engagements.
- The Council is expected to act on around 39 draft resolutions and other texts. The deadline for submitting draft resolutions has been set at 1 PM on 23rd March 2023.
- Additionally, it is expected to appoint ten new mandate-holders, including the the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, the Special Rapporteur on the right to development, one member to the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (from Asia-Pacific States), four members to the Expert Mechanism on
the Right to Development (one member from African States, one from Asia-Pacific States, one from Eastern European States and one from Western European and other States), two members to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (one from Asia and one from the Arctic), and one member to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (one member from Latin American and Caribbean States). More information on the appointment process and the candidates can be found here. - The UPR outcome report of 14 States (Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, Ecuador, Finland, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Tunisia, United Kingdom) will be considered for adoption.
Find the English version of the Inside Track here.
The French version of the Inside Track is available here.
