HRC 57: SRI & Students from the Geneva Graduate Institute statement to the Annual discussion on the integration of a gender perspective throughout the work of the HRC

Published on septembre 30, 2024
Statement
UN Mechanism

57th session of the Human Rights Council

Annual discussion on the integration of a gender perspective throughout
the work of the Human Rights Council and that of its mechanisms

Thank you, President

Last year, we, a group of students from the Geneva Graduate Institute, in collaboration with the Sexual Rights Initiative, conducted research into the creation of this very panel, its stated objectives, and its evolution. 

This Panel is unique in its design as a self-assessing mechanism for the Council to evaluate its progress in integrating a gender perspective in all its mechanisms. However, we found that it has lost its internal focus and moved away from its mandated goal.

In order for this Panel to fulfil its role as an accountability mechanism, we recommend:

  • focusing annual discussions on the internal work and structure of the Council, as we see in this year's theme;
  • ensuring that gender is not reduced to women by addressing underlying power structures;
  • and, assessing gender integration efforts before each panel by presenting reports on progress and challenges.

To enhance interactivity, we suggest:

  • reinstating the moderator role; 
  • shifting the focus of statements towards gender integration work of the Council; 
  • proposing concrete solutions;
  • and expanding civil society participation and speaking time.

For further details, we invite you to refer to our report. 

In line with our recommendations, we would like to ask the panellists: 

How can we ensure meaningful participation to leverage the full potential of the panel?

We thank you.