Human Rights Council

What is the Human Rights Council?

The Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental mechanism made up of 47 UN member states, was created by the General Assembly in 2006 to strengthen the promotion and
protection of human rights across the globe and address human rights violations and make recommendations. The HRC can discuss either thematic or country-specific issues. The human
rights council has three regular sessions every year and special sessions for urgent situations.

47 UN Member States are elected by the UN General Assembly to serve on the Human Rights Council for a three-year term. All 193 UN Member States can participate in the proceedings of
the Human Rights Council; however, only the 47 Members are entitled to vote on actions to be taken.


The Human Rights Council is mandated to:
● Engage governments, civil society, and experts to debate, discuss, and adopt resolutions on thematic and country-specific human rights concerns.
● Appoint Special Procedures to analyze and report on human rights related to particular themes and in specific countries.
● Assess the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States through the Universal Periodic Review.
● Examine human rights violation complaints.

The Human Rights Council meets three times a year for regular sessions in March, June, and September at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland.
To learn more about the Human Rights Council, please visit its website or watch this video produced by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Recent posts:

Did you miss it? Here’s what happened at HRC 55!

Published on April 10, 2024
The 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from 26 February to 5 April 2024. Due to the ongoing liquidity crisis experienced by the Council, civil society organisations were asked to pay for the use of hybrid modalities for their side events through the WebEX platform for the first time in the Council's history. This puts an additional and significant burden on organisations that have very limited budgets to engage with the HRC, which is deeply concerning.
News

HRC 55: Canadian Civil Society Joint statement to Canada's UPR adoption

Published on March 25, 2024
The implementation of these recommendations is especially urgent given the shortcomings of the Government’s engagement with civil society in this fourth UPR and its overall lack of accountability on international human rights compliance. These shortcomings include a lack of federal leadership, limited information accessibility, unequal opportunities for civil society participation, and no clear process for monitoring and follow up of recommendations.
Statement

HRC 55: Joint statement to Canada's UPR adoption

Published on March 25, 2024
The functional denial of sexual and reproductive rights is connected to the denial of other rights, including the rights to health, non-discrimination, education, and freedom from violence. We are disappointed Canada did not fully accept several recommendations in support of broader health equity, particularly on access to services for undocumented people.
Statement

HRC 55: SRI Statement to the Annual meeting on the rights of the child

Published on March 14, 2024
We cannot continue talking about the universality of human rights and social protection while selectively restricting access to protection for specific groups of children. In order for social protection for children to be universal and comply with children’s rights, we must hold States accountable for their obligations not only within their borders but also globally.
Statement

HRC 55: SRI Statement to the Interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on Foreign Debt

Published on March 11, 2024
As noted in the report, military spending by Global North states reflects their priorities and disregard for basic human rights - and we remind states in the Global North that their military aid and arms exports currently contribute to the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza, in violation of the current ICJ provisional measures order.
Statement

HRC 55: Joint statement to the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities

Published on March 11, 2024
While we appreciate the focus on gendered aspects of care economies, we reiterate that the rights of persons with disabilities to be re-centered in this area, in line with the UN CRPD article 23 as persons with disabilities, in all diversity, are parents, caregivers, and rights holders.
Statement

HRC 55: SRI Statement to the panel discussion on challenges and good practices to realize the right to social security and to provide quality public services

Published on March 08, 2024
President, this panel comes at a critical juncture for the premier multilateral body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights. UNDP has documented that “twenty-five developing economies, the highest number since 2000, spent over 20 percent of their government revenues in 2022 on total external debt servicing.”
Statement

HRC 55: Joint Statement on International Women’s Day

Published on March 08, 2024
Our response to these coordinated attacks must be focused on building solidarity across movements and issues, and on strengthening transnational ties that enable us to amplify and elevate each other’s priorities and demands. This is why today we echo the global feminist call for the March 8th strike and stand in solidarity with Palestinian feminists and women in Gaza who are facing human rights violations of an unprecedented scale yet who are still building solidarity and paving the way for collective liberation.
Statement

Here’s What to Expect at HRC 55

Published on February 22, 2024
The 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from 26 February to 5 April 2024. In this post you'll find information about: Anticipated sexual rights-related resolutions, panels and reports UPR outcomes SRI’s online events taking place during the 55th session
News

2023 In Review

Published on February 12, 2024
Last year, our work continued to highlight how sexual rights are profoundly impacted by the interrelated global crises brought on by capitalism through rampant neoliberalism, unchecked extractivism and climate degradation, violent populism and nationalism, soaring inequality within and between states, and entrenched patriarchal, racist, classist and ableist systems of oppression. Read below for our highlights of 2023.
News

Did you miss it? Here’s what happened at HRC 54!

Published on October 18, 2023
The 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from 11 September to 13 October. Below, you will find information on some of the key sexual rights-related: Resolutions Panel discussions Oral statements Side Events
News

HRC 54 Joint Civil Society Statement on Abortion

Published on October 09, 2023
Despite 30 years of the Vienna Declaration, universal access to sexual and reproductive health services for all women, girls, and pregnant people is still very far from reality. Sexual and reproductive health and rights are treated as a siloed issue - with limited relevance for the majority of people.
Statement

HRC 54 SRI & partners statement to the adoption of Botswana's UPR 43 outcome

Published on September 29, 2023

We regret that Botswana received and noted several recommendations on decriminalising abortion, on repealing Section 167 of the Penal Code, and on ensuring access to legal gender recognition. Botswana must eliminate discrimination against women and ensure their access to legal, safe, and affordable sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion, which Botswana still criminalises, and gender-affirming care.

Statement

HRC 54 Action Canada Statement to the ID with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People

Published on September 28, 2023
We urge Canada to honour its treaty obligations, fully implement the calls to action set out in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the calls to justice in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s National Inquiry, and to guarantee in law and practice the rights set forth in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Statement

HRC 54 FEDERA Statement to Item 3 General Debate

Published on September 21, 2023

The criminalisation of abortion is taking an increasing toll in my country. Women die because of lack of access to life saving abortion care, the entire hospitals rely illegally on the consciousness clause. The recent police intervention in the case of a woman who took an abortion pill and another who miscarried show how the restrictive legal and policy environment is facilitating the abuse of powers by authorities, and legitimising the refusals of care by medical providers.

Statement

HRC 54 SRI Statement on the ID on OHCHR report on panel discussion on the negative impact of the legacies of colonialism

Published on September 21, 2023
Until all neocolonial and occupying states and forces are withdrawn, until transnational corporations and foreign military bases and operations are expelled, until extractivist industries are stopped, until debt is cancelled and the international economic order reframed to put people before profit, people living under occupation and those who bear the brunt of neocolonialism as well as their allies will continue to fight to be free.
Statement

HRC 54 SRI Statement to the ID on the OHCHR report on economic, social and cultural rights, and COVID-19 recovery

Published on September 15, 2023
The current economic, geopolitical and global health context is a reflection of colonial power dynamics and structures shaping racist inequalities in resources, health access and outcomes within and among countries. COVID-19 highlighted the impacts of decades of systematic underfunding of health systems partly fuelled by austerity, privatisation and structural adjustment programs, underpinned by neoliberal ideologies and approaches.
Statement

Here’s What to Expect at HRC 54

Published on September 08, 2023
The 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from 11 September to 13 October 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have meant that HRC 54 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 54th session
News

Autonomy vs Protectionism looking back on our HRC 53 Side-event

Uploaded on August 28, 2023
In 2004, in an article titled “Sexuality, Violence Against Women, and Human Rights: Women Make Demands and Ladies Get Protection”, the legal scholar Ali Miller outlined a paradox. Despite the recognition of women’s human rights and increasing attention paid to violence against women in countless spaces, including through the media, the violence was not understood, prevented or adequately responded to. Miller points to two interconnected phenomena to explain this paradox. Firstly, the rise and practice of respectability politics. Due to this, more ‘explosive’ aspects of sexuality such as desire or autonomy are set aside in favour of issues that present less challenge to the systems of patriarchy, racism and class. And secondly, protectionism.
Analysis

Did you miss it? Here’s what happened at HRC 53!

Published on July 17, 2023
The 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from 19 June to 14 July. Below you will find information on some of the key sexual rights-related: Resolutions Panel discussions Oral statements Side Events
News

HRC 53 SRI Statement to the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Racism

Published on July 10, 2023

The relationship between health, race, caste, class and gender is rooted in colonial, patriarchal and capitalist control over women’s sexuality, reproduction and bodies and produces distinct experiences of oppression that are often fatal. Racialised women are specifically targeted by harmful stereotypes, the essentialisation of women to their reproductive capacities, forced sterilisation, forced pregnancies and chromosomal testing in sporting events through state interventions or purposeful inaction. This has profound impacts on their health and human rights.

Statement

HRC 53 JOICFP and partners Joint Statement to Japan's UPR

Published on July 10, 2023
JOICFP delivers this statement on behalf of 9 partner organizations on the issues related to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR in short). We deeply regret that Japan did not accept the recommendations it received on decriminalization of abortion, removal of spousal consent requirement for abortion, revision of law that forces sterilization to trans-persons under the legal gender recognition process, and implementation of comprehensive sexuality education.
Statement

HRC 53 Hi Voices, the Pact and SRI Statment to Pakistan's UPR

Published on July 10, 2023
We regret that Pakistan did not receive any recommendations on its HIV/AIDS response, as Pakistan has one of the highest rates of new HIV infection in South Asia. Only 12% of people living with HIV can access treatment, and the public healthcare delivery system faces uneven distribution of health professionals among provinces and towns, a deficient workforce, insufficient funding and limited access to quality healthcare services.
Statement

HRC 53 Forum for Dignity Initiatives, Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights and SRI Statement to Pakistan's UPR

Published on July 10, 2023

We welcome the recommendations made to Pakistan on protecting women’s rights, the rights of transgender people, and sexual and reproductive rights.

We are concerned by the recent regressive ruling by the Federal Shariat court, which struck down key sections of the Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Act 2018.

Statement

HRC 53 SRI, Santé Sexuelle & partners' Statement to Switzerland UPR

Published on July 07, 2023
We regret Switzerland’s inconsistent approach to recommendations received on addressing racism and racial discrimination. We remain concerned by structural racism in Switzerland, and its varied manifestations as illustrated through barriers to accessing affordable health services or housing, through restrictive immigration rules and related border harassment, or through a lack of accountability for racial profiling, police harassment, brutality, and murder- as recently exemplified through the acquittal of the police officers who murdered Mike Ben Peter.
Statement

HRC 53 Alliance for Accountability Advocates Zambia (AAAZ) and SRI Statement to Zambia's UPR

Published on July 07, 2023
Although progress has been made in Zambia’s HIV/AIDS response including a general drop in new infections, there has been an increase in new infections amongst youth and adolescents. Zambia needs to increase the roll out of youth-friendly health services, clarify the policy position on the age of consent to health services, and it needs to ensure that young people and adolescents have access to HIV testing, treatment and care.
Statement

HRC 53 the PACT, Red Juvenil de Asociación de Mujeres Gente Nueva and SRI Statement to Guatemala's UPR

Published on July 07, 2023
We regret that Guatemala has noted all the recommendations pertaining to the closing of civil society space, creating an enabling environment for civil society organisations to operate, protecting the rights of human rights defenders, and pertaining to meeting its obligations to respect, protect, and fulfil sexual and reproductive rights, the rights of women and the rights of LGBT+ persons.
Statement

HRC 53 Youth Action Movement-Ghana (YAM-Gh) and SRI Statement to Ghana's Outcome of the UPR

Published on July 06, 2023
We regret that Ghana has taken such an inconsistent approach to the sexual and reproductive health and rights-related recommendations it received during its UPR review, and regret that the addendum to the report does not provide adequate explanations for the chosen approach.
Statement

HRC 53 SRI Statement to the Annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women: Social Protection

Published on June 30, 2023
Privatisation and financialization of social protection transfer responsibility and risk, to the individual instead of the state. This has two important consequences: first, it absolves the state from its obligations, and second, structural oppressions, which create and entrench inequalities, continue to operate without any challenge.
Statement

HRC 53 SRI, AWID and FEDERA Statement to the Annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women: GBV in public and political life

Published on June 30, 2023
From the criminalization of abortion in Poland, to the anti-LGBTIQ+ laws being passed in Uganda, racist anti-migrant laws and policies across Europe and North America, and the push for punitive frameworks against sex work; these attacks aim to construct an exclusionary society that reinforces social hierarchies of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, caste, and class. Make no mistake, this is structural and intentional violence.
Statement

Akãhatã & SRI Statement to the Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on Transnational Corporations

Published on June 27, 2023
The social and economic development that transnational corporations were supposed to bring is just a distant promise for Global South countries, as extractivism, degradation of natural resources, privatisation of public resources and violations of human rights are a palpable reality.
Statement

HRC 53 SRI statement: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health

Published on June 22, 2023
Technology and digital innovation have advanced health coverage, particularly sexual and reproductive health, providing spaces for youth, adolescents, and other marginalized communities to access these services without stigma. However, it is essential to underline that we are facing a context where regressive actors are using these same digital platforms to assault women human rights defenders, attacking their privacy and propagate misinformation and disinformation, particularly related to abortion, the rights of trans persons, adolescent sexual and reproductive health and comprehensive sexuality education.
Statement

HRC 53 Joint Statement: Interactive dialogue with the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls

Published on June 22, 2023
Feminists have long understood that poverty is the result of violent impoverishment and (neo)colonial economic exploitation. We know that economic justice is essential for the realization of gender justice - just as it is for racial, disability or climate justice. However, members of this Council continue to treat these issues in siloes, or even as competing human rights concerns.
Statement

Here’s What to Expect at HRC 53

Published on June 15, 2023
The 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from 19 June to 14 July 2023. Below you can find information about: Anticipated sexual rights-related resolutions, panels and reports UPR outcomes SRI’s online events taking place during the 53rd session
News

HRC 53 SRI Side Event: Autonomy v/s Protectionism: Register Now

Published on June 07, 2023
Protectionism views women, girls, and other marginalised individuals as inherently vulnerable and in need of state and patriarchal protection. However, these policies sacrifice autonomy and freedom and do not address systemic inequality and root causes of discrimination and violence. Join us at this side event that delves into the underpinnings and impact of protectionist policies and proposes alternative frameworks including prioritising bodily autonomy.
Event

Did you miss it? Here’s what happened at HRC 52!

Published on April 06, 2023
The 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from 27 February to 4 April. Below you will find information on some of the key sexual rights-related to resolutions, panel discussions, oral statements and side events.
News

HRC 52 Statement to the Adoption of the UPR for South Africa

Published on March 28, 2023
We welcome the numerous recommendations made to South Africa on adolescent and youth SRHR, access to modern contraceptives, termination of pregnancy services and on accelerating a funded, coordinated, and measurable response to gender-based violence and femicide. We regret the lack of recommendations pertaining to comprehensive sexuality education and remain concerned about its delivery in schools.
Statement

HRC 52 Statement to the Adoption of the UPR of the Netherlands

Published on March 28, 2023
We welcome the Netherlands’ support of the recommendation on bringing the legal definition of rape in line with international human rights law, including the Istanbul Convention. We also regret that the Netherlands noted the recommendation to fully implement guidelines for a more gender responsive and intersectional approach to gender-based violence and sexual harassment.
Statement

HRC 52 SRI, Human Touch Foundation and the PACT Statement to India UPR Outcomes

Published on March 27, 2023
We regret that India did not receive any HIV/AIDS-related recommendations, despite India having the third highest prevalence of HIV in the world. India needs an efficient HIV prevention programme which includes PrEP rollout, improved access to routine HIV screening and testing, and most crucially, treatment and excellent patient care.
Statement

HRC 52 Sa Perempuan Papua & SRI Statement to Indonesia UPR Outcomes

Published on March 27, 2023
Indonesia must adopt evidence-based policies to ensure that adolescents and young people have adequate access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. Adolescents and young people, particularly in the eastern part of Indonesia, still lack the information they need to help them to exercise their agency, and to make more informed decisions for their bodies and lives.
Statement

Statement by SRI and Akãhatã to the Interactive Dialogue with the IE on the effects of foreign debt

Published on March 15, 2023
We note that the Expert pointed out the seriousness of the fact that in 40 years of democracy, the Argentine State, which tried those responsible for the last civil-military dictatorship, has not implemented any mechanism to find the truth in relation to the foreign debt taken by the dictatorship itself. For at least 30 years there has been a social demand to audit foreign debt and cancel the debt contracted by the dictatorship, because it is not legitimate.
Statement

2022 In Review

Published on February 14, 2023

As we embark on another year of activism for sexual rights, we wanted to share with you our highlights of 2022. While the UN human rights system continues to be confronted by multiple challenges –from funding shortages, geopolitical tensions and polarisation and attempts to undermine multilateralism to the presence and influence of regressive and conservative actors, we have made steadfast progress in advancing sexual rights in this system. Read below for our highlights of 2022.

News

Statement to the Organisational session for the 17th cycle of the HRC

Published on December 09, 2022

As observers of the Human Rights Council, we have repeated and continue to repeat our concerns with these so-called efficiency measures. The so-called efficiency measures privilege convenience over the Council's effectiveness, which should concern all of us. The lack of general debates during the June sessions has severely impacted civil society participation. It is particularly true for feminist groups and groups that work on issues of gender and sexuality.

Statement

A Conversation on Safe Abortion at HRC 51

Published on September 16, 2022

A Conversation on Safe Abortion
Autonomy, control & self-management:
guidelines & essential policy

Side-event during the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council
Tuesday 20 September 17:00 to 18:00 CEST
Palais des Nations, Room XXV

Event

Here’s What to Expect at HRC 51

Published on September 07, 2022

The 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from 12 September to 7 October.
In this post you'll be able to find information about: Anticipated sexual rights-related resolutions, panels and reports, UPR outcomes and SRI’s online events taking place during the 51st session.

News

Here’s what happened at HRC 50!

Published on July 14, 2022

The 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from 13 June to 8 July. Below you will find information on some of the key sexual rights-related: resolutions, panel discussions and oral statements.

News

Pedido de adesão: declaração conjunta da sociedade civil no CDH 51 sobre aborto

Published on September 07, 2022

Em apoio ao próximo Dia Internacional do Aborto Seguro em 28 de setembro, a Sexual Rights Initiative, Center for Reproductive Rights, Association for Women’s Rights in Development, CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality, International Planned Parenthood Federation, Ipas, International Service for Human Rights, Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women, MSI Reproductive Choices e a Swedish Association for Sexuality Education formularam uma declaração conjunta sobre o direito ao aborto a ser lida na 51ª sessão do Conselho de Direitos Humanos da ONU em Genebra.

Call to action

طلب للتّوقيع على بيان مشترك لمجلس حقوق الإنسان ٥١ والمجتمع المدني بخصوص الإجهاض

Published on September 07, 2022

في سياق دعمنا لليوم العالمي للإجهاض المأمون في ٢٨ أيلول/سبتمبر، أعدّت «مبادرة الحقوق الجنسيّة» و«ائتلاف العدالة الجنسيّة والإنجابيّة» و«مركز الحقوق الإنجابيّة»، و«الرّابطة لحقوق المرأة في التّنمية»، و«CHOICE للشّباب والجنسانيّة» «اتّحاد التّخطيط الأسري» و«Ipas» و«الخدمة الدولة لحقوق الإنسان» و«مركز المرأة لمنطقة آسيا والمحيط الهادئ للموارد والأبحاث» و«MSI للخيارات الإنجابية» و«الرّابطة السّويديّة للتّثقيف الجنساني» بيانًا مشتركًا بشأن حقوق الإجهاض لتقدّمه عند انعقاد الجلسة الـ٥١ لمجلس الأمم المتّحدة لحقوق الإنسان في جينيف.

Call to action

Sign-on: HRC51 joint civil society statement on abortion

Published on September 07, 2022

In support of the upcoming International Safe Abortion Day on 28 September, the Sexual Rights Initiative, the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Ipas, the International Service for Human Rights, Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women, MSI Reproductive Choices and the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education have developed a joint statement on abortion rights for delivery at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva

Call to action

HRC50 - Statement on Uganda's UPR by LBQ Loose Network CREA, the CAL and SRI

Published on July 01, 2022

Statement by the Uganda LBQ Loose Network, a collective working towards increasing the voice and visibility of lesbian, bisexual and queer women in advocacy, feminist leadership, and women’s rights in Uganda, CREA, the Coalition of African Lesbians and the Sexual Rights Initiative to the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review of Uganda at the 50th session of the Human Rights Council.

Statement

HRC50 - SRI, Her Rights Initiative, the Women’s Legal Centre Statement to the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

Published on June 20, 2022

SRI, Her Rights Initiative, the Women’s Legal Centre Statement to the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

Statement

HRC50 - Action Canada & SRI Statement on the Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls

Published on June 17, 2022

Statement by Action Canada, Action Canada's National Youth Advisory Board and the Sexual Rights Initiative to the 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls.

Statement

HRC50 - SRI Statement on the commemorative event on the occasion of the 50th session of the HRC

Published on June 15, 2022

SRI Statement on the commemorative event on the occasion of the 50th session of the HRC.
The Human Rights Council will marked its 50th session through a high-level interactive discussion that provided stakeholders an opportunity to reflect on the achievements made and the lessons learned since its 1st session. The following is SRI's statement to this interactive discussion.

Statement

Criminal Laws and Women’s Right to Health

Published on June 20, 2012

The Sexual Rights Initiative and partners co-sponsored a side event at the 20th session of the Human Rights Council focusing on criminal laws and women’s right to health. The objective of the event was to provide a forum for States and stakeholders in Geneva to discuss the key findings and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health’s 2011 report to the General Assembly on the criminalization of sexual and reproductive health including abortion.

News