The Inside Track: HRC58

by Geneva

The Inside Track: HRC58

The Inside Track HRC58 looks ahead at the 58th regular session of the Council, which runs from 24 February to 4 April 2025. It aims to provide those interested in the Council’s work with an at-a-glance brief on what to expect from HRC58: 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.

The 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 HRC58, which will take place in a hybrid manner. So far, a total of eleven heads or deputy heads of government, and 83 ministers or vice-ministers are scheduled to address the Council. Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr António Guterres, Human Rights Council President H.E. Mr. Jürg Lauber, as well as the President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang (Cameroon), will also be delivering an address at the start of the High- Level Segment.
  • On 3 March, Mr. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, will open HRC58 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 3 and 4 March.
  • 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: Cyprus; Guatemala; Honduras; Colombia; Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem; Sudan; Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; Syrian Golan; Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan; and Haiti.
  • Concerning technical assistance and capacity building (item 10), the Council will consider two reports by the High Commissioner (one on technical assistance and capacity-building (for South Sudan, and one 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), and will hear four oral updates/presentations by the High Commissioner (one on cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights; one on cooperation with Georgia; one technical assistance and capacity-building in the field of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); and one on enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights).

  • Additionally, the High Commissioner will deliver oral updates on the human rights situations (items 2 and 4) in Myanmar; Nicaragua; and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).

  • It will also consider the High Commissioner’s and Secretary-General’s reports on a number of thematic issues, including inter alia:

    • Measures taken to implement Human Rights Council resolution 9/8 and obstacles to its implementation, including recommendations for further improving the effectiveness of, harmonizing and reforming the treaty body system (SG’s report).

    • United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (SG’s report).

    • Special Fund established by the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SG’s report).

    • Intersessional workshop on cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage (HC’s report).

    • Human rights and transitional justice (HC’s report).

    • Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights (SG’s report).

    • Mental health and human rights (HC’s report).

    • Comprehensive study on the use of digital technologies to achieve universal birth registration (HC’s report).

    • Panel discussion on ensuring livelihood resilience in the context of the risk of loss and damage relating to the adverse effects of climate change for achieving progressively the full realization of all human rights and ways forward to address the challenges thereto on the basis of equity and climate justice (HC’s report).

    • Human rights dimension of care and support (HC’s report).

  • During the session, the Council will hold:
    • 22 Interactive Dialogues with Special Procedures mandate-holders, including 15 with thematic mandate holders dealing with counter-terrorism and human rights; right to food; freedom of religion or belief; adequate housing; effects of foreign debt; sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children; human rights defenders; minority issues (two reports); torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; rights of persons with disabilities; albinism; right to privacy; the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; and cultural rights; as well as seven with country specific mandate holders on the Islamic Republic of Iran; Myanmar; Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; Afghanistan (two reports); and Mali.
    • Five Enhanced Interactive Dialogues on: Eritrea; High Commissioner’s report on Sudan; report of the Commission of Human Rights in South Sudan; OHCHR report on transitional justice; and oral update of High Commissioner and team of experts on DRC.
    • Two Interactive Dialogues with the UN Special Representatives of the Secretary- General on violence against children and for children and armed conflict.
    • Six Interactive Dialogues with Human Rights Council-mandated Investigative Bodies, including the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua; Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran; Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic; Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine; and the Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus.

  • In accordance with HRC/PRST/OS/13/1 all the Interactive Dialogues will be individual.

  • Based on the initiatives formally announced at the HRC58 organisational meeting, the Council is expected to act on around 28 draft resolutions. The deadline for submitting draft resolutions has been set at 1:00 PM on Friday, 21 March 2025.

  •  The Council will also adopt the UPR outcome reports of 14 States: Albania, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Qatar, Portugal, Nicaragua, and Norway.

  • Additionally, it is expected to appoint three vacancies of mandate holder: one member to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (from Central and Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia); and two members to Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (one from Central and South America, and the Caribbean and one from the Pacific). More information on the appointment process and the candidates can be found here.

  • Due to a UN holiday, no meetings will be organised nor technical support will be offered on Monday 31 March 2025.

  • Find the English version of the Inside Track here.
  • Find the French version of the Inside Track here.