- The Inside Track HRC61 looks ahead at the 61st regular session of the Council, which runs from 23 February to 31 March 2026. It aims to provide those interested in the Council’s work with an at-a-glance brief on what to expect from HRC61: 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.
- 100 high-level dignitaries and officials are expected to deliver statements during the four-day High- Level Segment of HRC61, 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, the President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Ms. Annalena Baerbock (Germany), Human Rights Council President H.E. Mr. Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro (Indonesia), and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Türk will also be delivering an address at the start of the High-Level Segment.
- On 27 February, H.E. Mr. Volker Türk will open HRC61 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 2 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: Guatemala; Honduras; Colombia; Sudan; the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice; the occupied Syrian Golan; Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.
- Additionally, the High Commissioner will deliver oral updates on the human rights situations (items 2 and 4) concerning Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar; Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of); and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Secretary-General will deliver an oral update on the establishment of the independent investigative mechanism on international crimes and the most serious of violations of international law committed in Afghanistan (item 2).
- Concerning technical assistance and capacity building (item 10), the Council will consider one report by the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Haiti), and will hear four oral updates/ presentations by the High Commissioner (on Democratic Republic of the Congo; on cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights; the annual presentation on technical cooperation; and on cooperation with Georgia).
- It will also consider the High Commissioner’s and Secretary-General’s reports on a number of thematic issues, including inter alia:
- 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)
- Human rights of migrants (SG’s report)
- Rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities (HC’s report)
- Workshop on regional human rights organizations (HC’s report)
- Global analytical study on the implementation of a human rights-based approach into the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (HC’s report)
- Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief (HC’s report)
- Summary of the expert workshop to review the methods used to disseminate disinformation and to promote tools and approaches to counter these challenges while protecting and reinforcing human rights standards (HC’s report)
- During the session, the Council will hold:
- 20 Interactive Dialogues with Special Procedures and Independent Experts mandate-holders, including 14 with thematic mandate holders dealing with torture, freedom of religion or belief, human rights defenders, cultural rights, housing, foreign debt, food, albinism, disabilities, environment, sale of children, counter- terrorism, privacy, minorities, as well as 6 with country-specific mandate holders on Afghanistan; Myanmar; Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; on Islamic Republic of Iran; Occupied Palestinian Territories; and Mali.
- Two Interactive Dialogues with the UN Special Representatives of the Secretary-General on violence against children and for children and armed conflict.
- Eight Interactive Dialogues with Human Rights Council-mandated Investigative Bodies, including the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan; the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan; Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine; Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus; Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic; Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua; and Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- Based on the initiatives formally announced at the HRC61 organisational meeting, the Council is expected to act on around 35 draft resolutions. The deadline for submitting draft resolutions has been set at 1 PM on Wednesday, 18 March 2026.
- The Council will also adopt the UPR outcome reports of 13 States: Belarus, Liberia, Malawi, Mongolia, Panama, Maldives, Andorra, Bulgaria, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Croatia, Jamaica, and Libya.
- Additionally, it is expected to appoint 17 vacancies of mandate-holders: four members to the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development (one from Africa, one from Asia-Pacific, one from Eastern Europe, and one from Western Europe); two members to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (one from Asia, and one from the Arctic); one member to the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (from Asia-Pacific); the IE on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons; the SR on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living and on the right to non-discrimination in this context; the SR on contemporary forms of slavery and trafficking in persons; the SR on extreme poverty and human rights; the SR on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights; the SR on the right to food; the SR on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children; the SR on the situation of human rights defenders; the SR on the situation of human rights in Cambodia; and the SR on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. More information on the appointment process and the candidates can be found here.
- Due to a UN holiday on Friday, 20 March, no meetings will be organised nor technical support will be offered during that day.
- For the full draft programme of work for HRC61, please click here.
The Inside Track: HRC61
