The Inside Track: HRC55 | Universal Rights Group

Inside Track HRC55 looks ahead at the 55th regular session of the Council, which runs from Monday, 26 February to Friday, 5 April 2024. It aims to provide those interested in the Council’s work with an at-a-glance brief on what to expect from HRC55: 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.

104 high-level dignitaries and officials are expected to deliver statements during the four-day High-Level Segment of HRC55, which will take place in a hybrid manner. So far, a total of two heads or deputy heads of State, seven heads or deputy heads of government, and 68 ministers or vice-ministers are scheduled to address the Council. Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr António Guterres, as well as the President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago), will also be delivering an address at the start of the High-Level Segment.
On 4th March, Mr. Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, will open HRC55 with an oral global update on the human rights situation around the world. This oral update together with other country specific oral updates given by the High Commissioner will provide the basis for the general debate under item 2 on 4th and 5th March.
During the session, the Council will hold 37 Interactive Dialogues with the High Commissioner, his Office and designated experts (i,e., Special procedures mandate- holders, investigative mechanisms, as well as Special Representative of the Secretary General). The Council will also have three enhanced Interactive Dialogues, one high level dialogue, as well as nine General Debates.
During the session, the Council will consider country- specific reports submitted by the High Commissioner (HC) or the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and UN Secretary General (SG) covering human rights issues in, inter alia:
- Item 2
  - Cyprus.
  - Myanmar.
  - The Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice.
  - Sudan.
  - Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath.
  - Occupied Syrian Golan.
  - Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.

- Item 10
  - Technical assistance and capacity-building to improve the situation of human rights in Haiti in connection with a request from the authorities of Haiti for coordinated and targeted international action.
  - Technical assistance and capacity building for South Sudan.

The Council will also consider thematic reports submitted by the HC, or the OHCHR, and the UNSG, including inter alia:
- Item 2
  - Conclusions and recommendations of special procedures (SG report).
  - Activities of the OHCHR offices in Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia (HC reports).
  - Effective implementation of international human rights instruments (SG report).
- Item 3
  - Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (SG reports on the Voluntary Fund and on the Special Fund).
  - Role of good governance (HC report).
  - Safety of journalists (HC report and note by the Secretariat on SG’s report).
  - Rights of persons with disabilities (OHCHR report).
  - Rights of the child (HC report).
  - Youth and human rights (OHCHR report).
  - Minority issues (HC report).
  - Terrorism and human rights (note by the Secretariat on SG’s report).
  - Human rights and climate change (HC report).
- Item 9
  Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief (HC report).

Additionally, the High Commissioner or his Office will also deliver oral updates/presentations, including inter alia on:
- Item 2:
  - Annual report.
  - Situation of human rights in Myanmar.
  - Promotion and protection of human rights in Nicaragua.
  - Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka.
- Item 4:
  - Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
  - The situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

- Item 10:
  - Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights.
  - Technical assistance and capacity-building in the field of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  - Cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights.

The Council will hold interactive dialogues (IDs) with human rights special procedures including Special Rapporteurs (SR), Independent Experts (IE), and Working Groups (WG)

- IDs with thematic mandates:
  - SR on human rights and the environment
  - SR on unilateral coercive measures
  - SR in the field of cultural rights
  - IE on albinism
  - SR on privacy
  - SR on freedom of religion or belief
  - SR on counter-terrorism and human rights
  - SR on the right to food
  - SR on the freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
  - SR on human rights defenders
  - SR on minority issues
  - SR on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
  - SR on adequate housing
  - IE on the effects of foreign debt
  - SR on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children
  - SR on the rights of persons with disabilities
  - Open-ended Intergovernmental WG on transnational corporations

- IDs with country-specific mandates:
  - SR on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan
  - SR on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967
  - IE on the situation of human rights in Mali
  - SR on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
  - SR on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
  - SR on the situation of human rights in Eritrea
  - SR on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Council will also hold IDs with Fact Finding Missions (FFMs) on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry (IICOI) on the Syrian Arab Republic, the IICOI on Ukraine, UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, and the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua.

The Council will also hold IDs with the UN Special Representative of the SG on violence against children and the UN Special Representative of the SG for children and armed conflict.
In accordance with HRC/PRST/OS/13/1 all the Interactive Dialogues will be individual.
The Council is expected to act on around 32 draft resolutions. The deadline for submitting draft resolutions has been set at 1PM on Thursday, 21st of March.
Additionally, it is expected to appoint 14 new human rights special procedures, including two members to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (one from Africa and one from North America); the IE on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order; the IE on the situation of human rights in Mali; the SR on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence; the SR on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; five members of the WG on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas (one each from the African, Asia-Pacific, Eastern European, Latin American and Caribbean States as well as Western European and other Groups); one member of the WG on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination (from the African Group); the SR on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment; and the SR on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change. More information on the appointment process and the candidates can be found here.
The 55th session of the Human Rights Council will adopt, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) outcome report of 14 States (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Djibouti, Germany, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, and Uzbekistan).
Due to a UN holiday on Friday, 29th March and Monday, 1st April, no meetings will be organised nor technical support will be offered during those days.
For the full draft programme of work for HRC55, please click here.

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