Here’s What to Expect at HRC 52
The 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from 27 February to 4 April 2023.
The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have meant that HRC 52 will be held in a hybrid format with online and in-person modalities for informal negotiations, voting and statements. Due to the ongoing renovations started in 2020 and since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, side events taking place in the Palais will be limited to one per organisation and one hour in duration.
Below you can find information about:
- Anticipated sexual rights-related resolutions, panels and reports
- UPR outcomes
- SRI’s online events taking place during the 52nd session
Please note that all dates are provisional and subject to change.
The latest information about the session will be available on OHCHR’s HRC52 page.
Access the full programme of work for HRC52
Access the HRC52 schedule meeting calendar
Featured News
Health, Human Rights and Capitalism: Implications for the Human Rights Council
SRI will host a hybrid side event addressing the urgent imperative to incorporate human rights into the global economic architecture for everyone to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
Date and time: 20 March 2023, 13:00-14:00
The Human Rights Council, as the intergovernmental body “responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe”, has struggled to lay down human rights standards for a global economic and health architecture. Economics are seen as technical and not within the purview of human rights, even if it is one of the most significant impediments to the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
More information about this conversation will be coming in the following week.
Expected Resolutions Relevant to Sexual Rights
- Birth registration and the right of everyone to recognition everywhere as a person before the law (Mexico and Turkiye)
- Human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (Maldives, Costa Rica, Slovenia and Switzerland)
- Contribution to the implementation of the joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem with regard to human rights (Switzerland, Albania, Brazil, Portugal, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, Greece, Guatemala, Mexico )
- Regional arrangements (Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, Senegal. Belgium)
- Promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Chile, Canada, Ecuador, Fiji, Sierra Leone. Rwanda, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Uruguay)
- Combatting negative steroptying and stigmatizing of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religious and belief (Pakistan on behalf of OIC)
- Negative impacts of unilateral coercive measures on human rights (Azerbaijan on behalf of NAM)
- Promoting human rights and sustainable development goals (Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Turkiye, Keny, Ecuador, Georgia, Thailand)
- Mandate renewal of the SR on right to adequate housing (Brazil, Namibia, Finland and)
- Human rights, democracy and rule of law (Morocco, Norway, Peru, Tunisia, RoK, Romania)
- Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights (Portugal)
- Mental health and human rights (Portugal and Brazil)
- Renewal of the SR on human rights defenders (Norway)
- Renewal of mandate of SR on freedom of expression and opinion (Canada and Kingdom of Netherlands)
- Renew the mandate sale and sexual exploitation iof children (Uruguay on behalf GRULAC and EU)
- Right to food (Cuba)
- Promotion of the enjoyment of cultural rights for all and cultural diversity (Cuba)
- Mandate renewal of the SR of effects of foreign debt and other international financial obligations (Cuba)
- Mandate renewal of SR on torture (Denmark)
- Impact of non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin to countries of origin (Cote d'Ivoire on behalf of the Africa Group)
- Mandate renewal of SR on racism (Cote d’Ivoire on behalf of the Africa Group)
- Mandate renewal of SR on minority rights (Austria, Slovenia, Mexico.)
Sexual Rights-Related Panels
Annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming
Theme: A reflection on five years of the United Nations Youth Strategy (Youth 2030): mapping a blueprint for the next steps
Time: Monday, 27 February 2023, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m
Biennial high-level panel discussion on the question of the death penalty
Theme: Human rights violations relating to the use of the death penalty, in particular with respect to limiting the death penalty to the most serious crimes
Time: Tuesday, 28 February 2023, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
High-level meeting commemorating the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development [two accessible meetings]
Time: Tuesday, 28 February 2023, 4 to 6 p.m. and Wednesday, 1 March 2023, 10 a.m. to noon Download the concept note »
High-level panel discussion on UPR Voluntary Funds: achievements, good practices and lessons learned over the past 15 years and optimized support to States in the implementation of recommendations emanating from the fourth cycle [accessible panel]
Time: Wednesday, 1 March 2023, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Annual full-day meeting on the rights of the child [two accessible meetings]
Theme: Rights of the child and the digital environment
Time: Friday, 10 March 2022, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.
Annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities [accessible debate]
Theme: Support systems to ensure community inclusion of persons with disabilities, including as a means of building forward better after the COVID-19 pandemic
Time: Monday, 13 March 2023, 4 to 6 p.m.
Debate in commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Theme: The urgency of combating racism and racial discrimination 75 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Time: Wednesday, 29 March 2023, 4 to 6 p.m.
Download the concept note when it becomes available»
See the list of all panels and concept notes
Sexual Rights-Related Reports
A/HRC/52/27
Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues
Strengthening and mainstreaming the protection of rights of minorities at the Unites Nations, 30 years after the adoption of the United Nations Declaration
Read the report when available»
A/HRC/52/28
Report 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
Towards a just transformation:climate crisis and the right to housing
A/HRC/52/29
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
Success through perseverance and solidarity: 25 years of achievements by human rights defenders
A/HRC/52/30
Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and othe cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Good practices in national criminalization, investigation, prosecution and sentencing for offenses of torture, and remedies for victims
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/52/31
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material
Reparation for child victims and survivors of sale and sexual exploitation
Read the report when it becomes available»
A/HRC/52/32
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
Transformation of services for persons with disabilities
A/HRC/52/33
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment
Women, girls and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
A/HRC/52/34
Report of the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights
International financial obligations, digital systems and human rights
A/HRC/52/35
Report of the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights
Cultural rights and migration
Read the report when it becomes available»
A/HRC/52/36
Report of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism
Human rights defenders working on albinism
A/HRC/52/37
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy
Implementation of the principles of purpose limitation, deletion of data and demonstrated or proactive accountability in the processing of personal data collected by public entities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
A/HRC/52/38
Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
Read the report when it becomes available»
A/HRC/52/39
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/52/40
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food
Conflict and the right to food
A/HRC/52/41
Report of the eighth session of the open-nded intergovernmental working group on transnational corportions and other business enterprises with respect to human rights
A/HRC/52/43
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Panel discussion on good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights during and after the coronovirums disease (COVID-19) pandemic
A/HRC/52/44
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relation to the enjoyment of a safe, healthy and sustainable environment
Summary of the expert seminar on human rights and environmental conservation in the prevention of furture pandemics
A/HRC/52/45
Report of the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the fill enjoyment of all human rights, particualrly economic, social and cultuarl rights
Non-binding set of practical guidelines for efficient asset recovery
A/HRC/52/46
Summary report of the United Natons High Commissioner for Human Rights
Enhanding technical cooperation and capacity-building in promoting and protecting the human rights of persons in vulnerable and marginalised situations in recovery efforts during and after the cornovirus disease (COVID-19)
A/HRC/52/47
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Situations of the violations and abuses of human rights rooted in harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks and stigmatization
Read the report when it becomes avaliable »
A/HRC/52/48
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Panel discussions on the adverse impact of climate change on the full and effective enjoyment of human rights by people in vulnerable situations
A/HRC/52/52
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Support systems to ensure community inclusion of persons with disabilities, including as a means of building forward better after the coronavirus disease (COVID -19) pandemic
A/HRC/52/53
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Rights of persons belonging to national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities
A/HRC/52/56
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Ensuring equitable, affordable, timely and universal access for all countries to vaccines in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic
A/HRC/52/58
Report of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and the Programme of Action on its twentieth session
A/HRC/52/59
Report of the United National High Commissioner for Human Rights
Combatting intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatisation of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion and belief
UPR OUTCOMES
The 52nd session will include the adoption of the outcomes of countries reviewed during the 41st working group session of the Universal Periodic Review. This will be the first adoption of the fourth cycle of the UPR. The 41st session of the UPR took place from 7-18 November 2022. The council will adopt all 14 outcomes from the reviews of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, Ecuador, Finland, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Among the 14 outcomes to be adopted during this session, the SRI collaborated on reports with organisations and activists in preparing reports for the UPR reviews of India, Netherlands, Poland and South Africa.
India
CREA and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Topics: Sex work, police harassment, violence, access to justice, right to health
India
Human Touch Foundation, the PACT and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Topics: Access to safe abortion, HIV prevention, adolescent sexuality, persons with disabilities
Poland
Foundation for Women and Family Planning (FEDERA) and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Topics: Reproductive rights, sexual rights, women’s rights, health, abortion, contraception, family
planning, comprehensive sexuality education, perinatal care, persistent failure to comply with UPR recommendations
Netherlands
Rutgers and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Topics: Access to contraceptives, medical abortion, comprehensive sexuality education, sexual violence, vulnerable groups
South Africa
Sisonke, African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA) and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Topics: Youth, HIV, comprehensive sexuality education, gender-based violence, access to contraceptives, access to safe abortion
South Africa
SRHR Africa Trust, the PACT, and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Topics: Sex work, criminalisation, right to work, right to health, gender-based violence
Sexual Rights Initiative Events
Health, Human Rights and Capitalism: Implications for the Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council, as the intergovernmental body “responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe”, has struggled to lay down human rights standards for global economic and health architecture. All things related to economics are seen as technical and not within the purview of Human Rights, even if it is one of the most significant impediments to the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. SRI will host a hybrid side event addressing the urgent imperative to incorporate human rights into the global economic architecture for everyone to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
Date and time: 20 March 2023, 13:00-14:00