SRI as a feminist coalition has participated in every regular session of the Council since its formation. SRI works at the Human Rights Council to bring a feminist and intersectional approach to sexuality and gender while foregrounding the voices of the Global South. We do this through advocacy with member states, UN mechanisms and agencies. Each session, we engage the council’s debates, discussions and panels through statements, often written and delivered in collaboration with activists and other civil society organisations. We also provide workshops and trainings to organisations and activists interested in engaging with the council. Finally, we contribute to developing knowledge on sexual rights by organising events and panels, organising campaigns and creating and sharing knowledge resources. 

At the HRC, we:

  • Support the individual and collective power of feminist and SRHR advocates, particularly from the Global South, to (re)claim this space for accountability and justice
  • Engage with states to shore up support, leadership and positive engagement on SRHR issues. 
  • Engage with various stakeholders (states, UN agencies, civil society organisations and activists) in the Council to better integrate an intersectional, decolonial, and economic justice approach to SRHR.

This work intersects with the Special Procedures when they report to the Council and the Universal Periodic Review. 

 

How is the Human Rights Council useful for activists:

The Political Context of Human Rights at the HRC:

 

Our work at the HRC

Recent content
Did you miss it? Here’s what happened at HRC 58!
The 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from 24 February to 04 April 2025. The ongoing liquidity crisis experienced by the United Nations, which deeply affects the Council’s functioning, has once again put civil society organisations under an additional and significant burden - especially when it comes to accessing hybrid modalities and organising side events. The United Nations Office at Geneva is now charging civil society for the use of interpretation booths at side events as well as for the use of any type of hybrid modality, such as Webex.
HRC 58: Joint Statement to the General Debate on Item 8
Human Rights do not happen in a void. Currently, a total of 3.3 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on education, health or climate investment. How can we expect that the standards that we negotiate and push for in this Council are implemented without even the possibility of adequate resourcing, which is forced by the international financial architecture?
HRC 58: Joint Statement on International Women's Day
International Women’s Day emerged from the struggles of working-class women advocating for fair wages, better working conditions, and voting rights. Yet today, corporate power and abuse have expanded, with a few corporations and ultra-wealthy men wielding unchecked influence that impacts the lives of billions without accountability.
HRC 58: Joint Statement on the adoption of the UPR of Ethiopia
While progress has been made, significant gaps remain in ensuring equitable access to youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services. Many adolescents and young people, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas, continue to face barriers such as inadequate health infrastructure, shortages of trained healthcare providers, and financial constraints that prevent them from accessing essential services.

 

SRI events at the HRC

Recent content
HRC 58 Side-event: Addressing Preventable Maternal Mortality and Morbidity: An Intersectional and Systems-Based Approach
HRC 57 Side event: Feminist approaches to the right to development

 

Our latest statements

Recent content
HRC 58: Joint Statement to the General Debate on Item 8
Human Rights do not happen in a void. Currently, a total of 3.3 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on education, health or climate investment. How can we expect that the standards that we negotiate and push for in this Council are implemented without even the possibility of adequate resourcing, which is forced by the international financial architecture?
HRC 58: Joint Statement on International Women's Day
International Women’s Day emerged from the struggles of working-class women advocating for fair wages, better working conditions, and voting rights. Yet today, corporate power and abuse have expanded, with a few corporations and ultra-wealthy men wielding unchecked influence that impacts the lives of billions without accountability.
HRC 58: Joint Statement on the adoption of the UPR of Ethiopia
While progress has been made, significant gaps remain in ensuring equitable access to youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services. Many adolescents and young people, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas, continue to face barriers such as inadequate health infrastructure, shortages of trained healthcare providers, and financial constraints that prevent them from accessing essential services.
HRC 58: #EmptyChairs campaign Statement to the General Debate on Item 5
The liquidity crisis has led to cuts in Special Procedures’ activities and limited engagement opportunities for rights holders. States cannot continue defunding the Special Procedures system, which they have created, thereby preventing them from fulfilling their essential mandates. States must pay their dues in full and on time. We ask the Coordination Committee and the Secretariat to regularly update and consult with civil society on the impact of the liquidity crisis and other challenges and developments affecting Special Procedures and OHCHR, and to make that information public and easily accessible.

 

UN Advocacy tool

image of dandelions with text UN Advocacy tool

This tool is a collaborative project by Fòs Feminista and the Sexual Rights Initiative. It aims to facilitate access for advocates and delegates to UN intergovernmental resolutions, expert guidance, and technical information in order to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights at the global level and hold governments accountable for their international obligations and commitments.

This tool includes two sections:

A searchable database of adopted intergovernmental documents and of expert guidance related to sexual and reproductive health and rights,

A curated list of key sexual and reproductive health and rights terms with selected examples of agreed language and additional guidance, definitions and resources.

Consult the UN Advocacy tool

 

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.