The 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from 8 September to 8 October 2025.
The 60th session of the Human Rights Council will not be hybrid, as the General Assembly has still not approved a mandate for remote participation. Pre-recorded statements and UN Web TV webcasting of public meetings will continue. Side events remain limited to one per organisation and one hour in duration. Ongoing financial constraints have also led to adjustments in the Council’s work: since HRC59, interactive and enhanced interactive dialogues have been capped at 1 hour and 45 minutes (15 minutes for mandate holders, 1 hour and 15 minutes for States, and 15 minutes for NGOs). For HRC60, speaking time in general debates will be reduced to 1 minute and 30 seconds for all. Finally, due to the closure of Building E under the Strategic Heritage Plan, HRC60 will take place in the Assembly Hall.
Below you can find information about:
- Anticipated sexual rights-related resolutions, panels and reports
- UPR outcomes
- SRI events taking place during the 60th session
Please note that all dates are provisional and subject to change.
The latest information about the session will be available on OHCHR’s HRC60 page.
Access the full programme of work for HRC60
Access the HRC60 scheduled meeting calendar
Featured News
The upcoming 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council takes place amid a deepening UN liquidity crisis. Chronic underpayment of member states’ contributions continues to erode the Organisation’s ability to deliver on its mandate, limiting its capacity to support human rights mechanisms, monitor accountability, and respond to global crises.
In an update to the HRC, Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al-Nashif highlighted that funding shortfalls are directly hindering the implementation of the Council’s mandates and stalling critical activities related to special procedures and field operations. The effects threaten to leave people around the world without the protection of their rights and accountability for violations.
This lack of accountability is starkly obvious when the genocide in Gaza continues unabated. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has formally confirmed famine in the Gaza Governorate, where over half a million people face hunger. The United Nations has denounced the famine as man-made, resulting from systematic obstruction of aid by Israeli authorities.
Despite unprecedented hardship, the HRC’s 60th session will also tackle issues like preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, including the update to the technical guidance on the application of a human rights-based approach to the elimination of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, prepared by OHCHR and with a resolution expected to be adopted. This presents a crucial opportunity to reaffirm global commitments to reproductive health and rights, especially as crises heighten risks for pregnant persons. Read SRI’s submission to the call for input on the technical guidance here.
Save the date! SRI’s side event at HRC 60
Sexual Rights at the UN HRC: Past, Present, and Future
Room VIII, Palais des Nations, 17 September 2025
14h00 to 15h00
Join us for this side event, which will explore how sexual rights have evolved within the Human Rights Council and examine how feminist and sexual rights advocates can organise for the future, as well as what is at stake for the advancement of sexual rights in the next decade.
Joint Civil society statement on abortion
Since 2017, SR, along with other civil society groups commemorate the International Safe Abortion Day at the UN Human Rights Council through a joint civil society statement on abortion. We will again this year call for signatures and support on a joint statement. Watch this space and sign up for our newsletter for updates on this year’s statement.
Expected Resolutions Relevant to Sexual Rights
- Preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights (New Zealand, Colombia, Estonia)
- Impact of drug policies on human rights (Colombia, on behalf of an interregional group of countries)
- The role of freedom of opinion and expression in women’s empowerment (Brazil)
- Promoting and protecting the human rights of children during and after conflicts, and justice and redress for victims (Qatar, Costa Rica)
- The right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (Brazil)
- The human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation (Germany, Spain)
- Promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities (China)
- The right to development (Uganda, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned countries)
- A world of sports free from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (Brazil and Ghana, on behalf of the African Group)
- From rhetoric to reality: a global call to concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (Ghana, on behalf of the Group of African States)
- Human rights of older persons (Argentina, Brazil, the Gambia, the Philippines and Slovenia)
- Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Australia)
- Human rights and Indigenous Peoples (Guatemala, Mexico)
- Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples (Mexico, Guatemala)
- The impact of rising sea levels on human rights (Dominican Republic, Cabo Verde, Cyprus, Malta)
- The role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights (Ukraine, Australia, Hungary, the Maldives, Morocco, Poland, Uruguay)
- Promoting international cooperation to support national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up (Paraguay, Brazil)
Sexual Rights-Related Panels
Panel discussion on combating discrimination, violence and harmful practices against intersex persons [accessible panel]
Time: Monday, 15 September 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Annual discussion on the integration of a gender perspective throughout the work of the Human Rights Council and that of its mechanisms
Theme: Strengthening gender perspectives in transitional justice processes
Time: Tuesday, 30 September 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Biennial panel discussion on unilateral coercive measures
Theme: Impact of unilateral coercive measures and overcompliance on the right to food and food security
Time: Friday, 12 September 2025, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
See the list of all panels and concept notes.
Sexual Rights-Related Reports
A/HRC/60/19
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the database of all business enterprises involved in the activities detailed in paragraph 96 of the report of the independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/24
Report of the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons
Intersection between older persons’ right to social protection and their right to work
A/HRC/60/25
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to development
Nexus between gender equality and the right to development
A/HRC/60/26
Report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
A/HRC/60/27
Report of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination
The role of mercenaries, mercenary-related actors and private military and/or security companies in the exploitation of natural resources
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/28
Report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
Worst forms of child labour: assessing progress and persisting challenges
A/HRC/60/29
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of Indigenous Peoples
Recognition of Indigenous Peoples
A/HRC/60/30
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
Water and energy nexus
A/HRC/60/31
Report of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order
Major geopolitical trends and structural drivers of the North-South divide
A/HRC/60/32
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence
Documentation of gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law
A/HRC/60/33
Report of the Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/34
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes
Guidelines on access to justice and effective remedies in the context of toxics
A/HRC/60/35 and A/HRC/60/35/Add.5
Reports of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
Enforced or involuntary disappearances
Addendum: Thematic report on enforced disappearances in the context of the defence of land, environment and natural resources
Read the addendum report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/36
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights
Impact of unilateral coercive measures on economic, labour and social rights
A/HRC/60/37
Report of the Working Group on the Right to Development on its twenty-sixth session (Geneva, 12–15 May 2025)
A/HRC/60/38, A/HRC/60/94 and A/HRC/60/95
Reports of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development
Annual report
Thematic study: Operationalising the right to development in international development cooperation
Thematic study: Climate justice, sustainability and the right to development
A/HRC/60/40
Report of the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Right to development
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/41
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Rights of Indigenous Peoples
A/HRC/60/42
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Expert workshop on best practices in the promotion of equal nationality rights in law and in practice
A/HRC/60/43
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Update to the technical guidance on the application of a human rights-based approach to the elimination of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity
Read the report » read SRI’s submission here
A/HRC/60/44
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Expert workshop on the role of the family and family-oriented approaches, policies and programmes in the promotion and protection of human rights and in sustainable development
A/HRC/60/45
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Challenges and risks with regard to discrimination and unequal enjoyment of the right to privacy associated with the collection and processing of data
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/46
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Panel discussion on the reinforcement of the work to promote and protect economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities
A/HRC/60/50
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Discriminatory laws and policies, acts of violence and harmful practices against intersex persons
A/HRC/60/51
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Rights of the child and violations of the human rights of children in armed conflicts
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/54
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming: Thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/57
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Study on human rights monitoring in the context of migration
A/HRC/60/62
Report of the Secretary-General
Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/63
Report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee
Human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain
A/HRC/60/65, A/HRC/60/66 and A/HRC/EMRIP/2025/3
Reports of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Annual report
Right of Indigenous Peoples to data, including with regard to data collection and disaggregation: Study by the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Efforts to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: the rights of Indigenous Peoples to their traditional economies
A/HRC/60/68
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Summary of the intersessional high-level panel discussion on the incompatibility between democracy and racism
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/69
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
A world of sport free from racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/70
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans and of people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers through transformative change for racial justice and equality
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/71
Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Comprehensive communications strategy to continue to raise awareness about and mobilise global public support for racial justice and equality and the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
A/HRC/60/72
Report of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent on its fourth session
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/73
Report of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Human Rights Council on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination on its fifteenth session
A/HRC/60/74
Comprehensive study of the Group of Independent Eminent Experts on the Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/75
Report of the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/76
Report of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
Road map to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
A/HRC/60/77
Report of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent
Principles, provisos and pathways to reparatory justice for people of African descent
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/78
Study of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
How the work of the different treaty bodies has contributed to the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
Read the report when it becomes available »
A/HRC/60/79
Report of the Group of Independent Eminent Experts on the Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action on its eleventh session
UPR Outcomes
The 60th session will include the adoption of the outcomes of countries reviewed during the 49th working group session of the Universal Periodic Review, which took place from 28 April to 9 May 2025. The council will adopt all 14 outcomes from the reviews of the following countries: Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Guinea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Spain, Lesotho, Kenya, Armenia, Guinea-Bissau, Sweden, Grenada, Turkey, Guyana, and Kuwait. We also expect an update from the President of the HRC on the status of the adoption of Nicaragua’s UPR, which has been pending since the 58th session of the HRC.
Among the 14 outcomes to be adopted during this session, the SRI collaborated on reports with organisations and activists to prepare reports for the UPR reviews of Armenia, Kenya, and Sweden.
Armenia
Collaborators: Women’s Resource Centre and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Key Words: gender stereotypes; comprehensive sexuality education; family planning; right to abortion; son preference; selective abortion; right to bodily autonomy; women’s access to sexual and reproductive health services.
Kenya
Collaborators: The Network for Adolescent and Youth of Africa, Right Here Right Now Kenya, and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Key Words: Youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services; access to safe and legal abortion; comprehensive sexuality education; meaningful and inclusive youth participation in decision making
Sweden
Collaborators: Red Umbrella Sweden and the Sexual Rights Initiative
Key Words: rights of sex workers; right to work; right to just and favourable conditions of work; right to health; gender equality; right to bodily autonomy; gender equality; stigma and discrimination.
Sexual Rights Initiative Events
Save the date!
Sexual Rights at the UN HRC: Past, Present, and Future
Organised by the Sexual Rights Initiative
Room VIII, Palais des Nations, 17 September 2025, 14h00 to 15h00
This side event will explore how sexual rights have evolved within the Human Rights Council, from early efforts to broaden their scope and foster inclusive participation, particularly of Global South activists, to today’s complex political economy, active and growing participation of sex workers, accountability mechanisms ignored, and persistent funding challenges intersecting within a multilateral system under strain. Looking ahead, the discussion will ask: how can feminists and sexual rights advocates organise for the future? What challenges and opportunities await for meaningful participation at the HRC? And what is at stake for the advancement of sexual rights in the next decade?
Events co-sponsored by SRI
Reproductive Violence and Genocidal Acts in Gaza
Side event organised by IPPF co-sponsored by AWID, ICJ, SRI, Women Deliver and WILPF
This side event will focus on the nexus between reproductive violence and the attacks on reproductive health facilities, constituting genocidal acts, as well as other crimes against humanity, as identified in the report by the COI on OPT from March 2025. It will discuss the urgency of recognising the reproductive genocide and push for accountability for it.