Human Rights Council Concludes Fifty-second Regular Session after Adopting 43 Resolutions

The Human Rights Council today concluded its fifty-second regular session after adopting 43 resolutions, extending 19 thematic and country-specific mandates, and appointing 10 Special Procedure mandate holders.

The Council extended for a period of three years the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, the Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt, and the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.

The Council extended for a period of one year the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, the High Commissioner for Human Rights with regard to Belarus, the Human Rights Commission in South Sudan, the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, and the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali.

The Council also adopted resolutions on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice; freedom of religion or belief; promoting human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals through transparent, accountable and efficient public service delivery; question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights; mental health and human rights; the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights; the promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; cooperation with regional human rights organizations; the right to food; the promotion of the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for cultural diversity; and the commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the thirtieth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

Other resolutions adopted concerned the negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, and the importance of improving international cooperation; human rights, democracy and the rule of law; the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; the contribution of the Human Rights Council with regard to the human rights implications of drug policy; birth registration and the right of everyone to recognition everywhere as a person before the law; human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan; the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination; Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan; combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief; technical assistance and capacity-building to improve the human rights situation in Haiti; cooperation with Georgia; technical assistance and capacity-building to improve human rights in Libya; and technical assistance and capacity-building for South Sudan.

Václav Bálek, President of the Human Rights Council announced the appointment of the following 10 Special Procedure mandate holders: for the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, Bonny Ibhawoh (Nigeria), Mihir Kanade (India), Klentiana Mahmutaj (Albania) and Isabelle Durant (Belgium); for the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Binota Moy Dhamai (Bangladesh) and Dalee Sambo Dorough (United States); Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Surya Deva (India); Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova (Bulgaria); for the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, Bina D’costa (Bangladesh); and for the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, Ana Lorena Delgadillo Perez (Mexico).

Mr. Bálek, in concluding remarks, said the Council started the session in winter and it was now spring: there was no doubt that it had done enormous work.  He encouraged everyone to think during the next weeks about how to streamline the work of the Council and make the sessions more sustainable and humane given the growing amount of work.  There would be more opportunities to discuss possible ideas about the Council’s efficiency after this session and during informal meetings during the year. 

The Council adopted the report of its fifty-second session ad referendum.  The fifty-third regular session of the Human Rights Council is scheduled to be held from 19 June to 14 July 2023.

Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Two on the Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

In a resolution on Advancing human rights in South Sudan, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, composed of three members, for a further period of one year; and requested the Commission to present a comprehensive written report on the situation of human rights in South Sudan to the Council at its fifty-fifth session.

In a resolution on Promotion and protection of human rights in Nicaragua, the Council decided to renew, for a period of two years, the mandate of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua; requested the Group to submit a report to the Council at its fifty-fifth and fifty-eighth sessions; requested the High Commissioner to strengthen monitoring and engagement, including by preparing comprehensive and gender-responsive reports and to present them to the Council at its fifty-fourth and fifty-seventh sessions.

In a resolution on the Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the obligation to ensure accountability and justice, the Council demanded that Israel, the occupying Power, end its occupation of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem; also demanded that Israel, the occupying Power, comply with its legal obligations under international law, and that it immediately cease the construction of the wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Three on the Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, including the Right to Development

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a period of three years.

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues for a period of three years.

In a resolution on Freedom of religion or belief, the Council requested the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide the Special Rapporteur to the promotion, protection and universal implementation of the right to freedom of religion or belief with all the assistance necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandate.

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment for a further period of three years.

In a resolution on Promoting human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals through transparent, accountable and efficient public service delivery, the Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on the role of public service delivery in the promotion and protection of human rights and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression for a further period of three years.

In a resolution on Adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to non-discrimination in this context, the Council decided to extend, for a period of three years, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur 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.

In a resolution on the Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights, the Council requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to convene at its fifty-fifth session a panel discussion on challenges and good practices to strengthen the fulfilment of the right to social security and for building, financing and implementing public policies and quality public services as key tools for the realization of economic, social and cultural rights; and requested the Secretary-General to prepare and submit to the Council a report on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights.

In a resolution on Mental health and human rights, the Council requested the High Commissioner to organize in 2024 a one-day consultation on the challenges and best ways to implement at the local, national and regional levels enabling normative and policy measures for the realization of the human rights of persons with psychosocial disabilities and current or potential users of mental health services; also requested the High Commissioner to prepare a comprehensive report, accessible to persons with disabilities, on the outcome of the consultation.

In a resolution on The negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, the Council requests the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights to continue her work on identifying and proposing concrete measures to ensure the removal of unilateral coercive measures and to focus on the resources and compensation necessary to promote accountability and reparations for victims in her next report to the Council, at its fifty-fourth session, and to the General Assembly, at its seventy-eighth session.

In a resolution on the Promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development the Council decided to organize three full-day intersessional meetings for dialogue and cooperation on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in advance of the 2024, 2025 and 2026 meetings of the high-level political forum; and requested the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a report on best practices, challenges and lessons learned concerning integrated approaches to the promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at global level.

In a resolution on Cooperation with regional human rights organizations, the Council requested the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner to provide the resources necessary to enable the Office of the High Commissioner to support the annual meetings of the regional organizations’ focal points for cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights organizations; and requested the High Commissioner to hold, in 2025, a workshop on regional human rights organizations to take stock of developments since the workshop held in 2022.

In a resolution on The right to food, the Council requested the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to provide all the human and financial resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food.

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights, for a period of three years.

In a resolution on the Promotion of the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for cultural diversity, the Council called upon all Governments to cooperate with and to assist the Special Rapporteur on cultural rights and migration in the discharge of the mandate, to provide the mandate holder with all the necessary information requested by her and to give serious consideration to responding favourably to her requests to visit their countries.

In a resolution on the Commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the thirtieth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Council requested the High Commissioner to implement a programme of activities that included the organization of regional dialogues and a high-level event in December 2023 in commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the thirtieth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, the Council decided to extend, for a period of three years, effective from the end of its fifty-third session, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants to, among other things, examine ways and means to overcome the obstacles existing to the full and effective protection of the human rights of migrants, recognizing their disproportionate impact on migrants in situations of vulnerability.

In a resolution on The negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, and the importance of improving international cooperation, the Council requested the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt to continue to consider the impact of illicit financial flows on the enjoyment of human rights as part of the mandate; requested the High Commissioner to organize, before the fifty-fifth session of the Council, a one-day intersessional expert meeting on the obstacles to the repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the countries of origin and their impact on the enjoyment of human rights.

In a resolution on Human rights, democracy and the rule of law, the Council decided that the theme of the fifth session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, to be held in 2024, will be “Democracy and climate change: focusing on solutions”.

In a resolution on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, the Council requested the Special Rapporteur to convene, before the end of 2023, a one-day expert seminar on the responsibility of business enterprises to respect the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

In a resolution on the Contribution of the Human Rights Council with regard to the human rights implications of drug policy, the Council requested the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a report, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, on human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem, and to present it to the Council at its fifty-fourth session; and decided to convene an intersessional panel discussion before its fifty-fifth session, on human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem.

In a resolution on Birth registration and the right of everyone to recognition everywhere as a person before the law, the Council requested the High Commissioner to prepare, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, a comprehensive study on the use of digital technologies to achieve universal birth registration, and to submit the report to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-eighth session.

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children the Council decided to extend the mandate of Special Rapporteur, for a period of three years, under the title of Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, on the same terms provided by the Human Rights Council in its resolutions 7/13, 34/16 and 43/22.

Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Four on Human Rights Situations that Require the Council’s Attention

In a resolution on the Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran for a further period of one year.

In a resolution on the Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Council requested the High Commissioner to provide an oral update on the progress made to the Council at its fifty-fifth session, and to submit a full report on the implementation of the recommendations to the Council at its fifty-eighth session; and decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, for a period of one year.

In a resolution on the Situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath, the Council decided to extend, for a period of one year, the mandate of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the assistance of the three appointed independent experts and special procedure mandate holders, until the fifty-fifth session of the Council; and requested the High Commissioner to present an interim oral update to the Council at its fifty-fourth session, and a comprehensive report at its fifty-fifth session, both to be followed by an interactive dialogue.

In a resolution on the Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic for a period of one year.

In a resolution (A/HRC/51/L.19) on the Situation of human rights in Myanmar, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, for a further period of one year; requested the Special Rapporteur to present an oral progress report to the Council at its fifty-third session; and requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the support of specialized experts, to monitor and assess the overall situation of human rights in Myanmar and to provide to the Council a written update, at its fifty-sixth session, and a comprehensive report, at its fifty-seventh session.

In a resolution on the Situation of human rights in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine for a further period of one year; and requested the Commission of Inquiry to provide an oral update to the Council at its fifty-fourth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, to submit a comprehensive report to the Council at its fifty-fifth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, and to submit a report to the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue.

Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Seven on Human Rights Situation in Palestine and other Occupied Palestinian Territories

In a resolution on Human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan, the Council determined that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken or to be taken by Israel that seek to alter the character and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan are null and void, constitute a flagrant violation of international law and of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and have no legal effect; and called upon States Members of the United Nations not to recognize any of the above-mentioned legislative or administrative measures.

In a resolution on Right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, the Council called upon Israel, the occupying Power, to immediately end its occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and to reverse and redress any impediments to the political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Palestine.

In a resolution on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, the Council called upon Israel, the occupying Power, to end without delay its occupation of the territories occupied since 1967, which may be contrary to international law, to reverse and redress the settlement policy in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan, and to stop immediately the establishment of new settlements and the expansion of existing settlements, including in East Jerusalem.

Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Nine on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Forms of Intolerance, Follow-up to and Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the Council decided to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance for a further period of three years; and requested the Special Rapporteur to submit an annual report to the Council and to the General Assembly on all activities relating to the mandate.

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Council decided to renew the mandate of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action for a further period of three years.

In a resolution on Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief, the Council called on all States to take effective measures to ensure that public functionaries do not discriminate against individuals on the basis of religion or belief, foster religious freedom and pluralism, encourage the representation and meaningful participation of individuals, irrespective of their religion, in all sectors of society, and make a strong effort to counter religious profiling; and requested the High Commissioner to prepare and submit to the Council at its fifty-fifth session a comprehensive follow-up report with elaborated conclusions and views on potential follow-up measures.

Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item 10 on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building

In a resolution on Technical assistance and capacity-building to improve the human rights situation in Haiti, in connection with a request from the authorities of Haiti for coordinated and targeted international action, the Council requested the Office of the High Commissioner to cooperate with the Government of Haiti by providing technical assistance and support for capacity-building in the promotion and protection of human rights for the Haitian judiciary, security forces and prison administration; requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to appoint, without delay, for a renewable period of one year, a human rights expert tasked with monitoring, with the assistance of the Office of the High Commissioner and in collaboration with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, the development of the human rights situation in Haiti.

In a resolution on Cooperation with Georgia, the Council requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to provide technical assistance through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Tbilisi; and demanded that immediate and unimpeded access be given to the Office of the High Commissioner and international and regional human rights mechanisms to Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia.

In a resolution on Technical assistance and capacity-building to improve human rights in Libya, the Council requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in close consultation with the Libyan authorities, to provide technical assistance and capacity-building to Libya, with a view to improving further the situation of human rights in Libya, to assist the country in the implementation of its international human rights obligations and commitments, and to support Libya to promote and protect human rights, prevent violations thereof and ensure accountability for violations and abuses of human rights, in accordance with a national plan.

In a resolution on Technical assistance and capacity-building for Mali in the field of human rights, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Mali for a period of one year; requested the Independent Expert to submit a report to the Council at its fifty-fifth session; and decided to hold a dialogue at its fifty-fifth session to assess the changes in the situation of human rights in the country.

In a resolution on Technical assistance and capacity-building for South Sudan, the Council requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in cooperation with the Government of South Sudan and relevant mechanisms of the African Union, to step up technical assistance provided to the Government of South Sudan to urgently assist South Sudan in addressing human rights challenges in the post-conflict transition, including by supporting the Government in the implementation of the recommendations accepted in the context of the universal periodic review.

 

Link: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/meeting-summary/2023/04/roundup-human-rights-council-concludes-fifty-second-regular

 

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