The Syrian conflict has entered its tenth year, yet peace still remains far too elusive. The brutal conflict has exacted an unconscionable human cost and caused a humanitarian crisis of monumental proportions. Millions of civilians continue to face protection risks, over half the population…

The Human Rights Council this morning adopted the Universal Periodic Review outcomes of Italy, El Salvador, Gambia and Bolivia, and decided to suspend its current forty-third session as of Friday, 13 March and until further notice due to the COVID-19 virus. Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, President of…

The Human Rights Council in its midday meeting adopted the Universal Periodic Review outcomes of Fiji, San Marino, Iran, Angola and Kazakhstan. Nazhat Shameem Khan, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that human rights were a catalyst for transformative…

The Human Rights Council this morning concluded its general debate on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention, hearing from a series of non-governmental organizations on violations of human rights in countries and regions around the world. The general debate on human…

Hears Presentation of Reports by the Forum on Minority Issues, Social Forum, Special Procedure Mandate Holders, and on the Council’s Contribution to the Prevention of Human Rights The Human Rights Council this afternoon held an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on minority issues…

Experts welcome the intention to establish a national human rights institution compliant with the Paris Principles and raise concern about discrimination and violence on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity The Human Rights Committee concluded today its review of the…

High Commissioner for Human Rights Presents Oral Updates on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and on Venezuela, Council Starts General Debate on Human Rights Situations that Require the Council’s Attention The Human Rights Council this morning held an interactive dialogue with the…

Pays tribute to the former United Nations Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar The Conference on Disarmament this morning discussed gender equality and women’s participation in disarmament, based on a non-paper on women and disarmament presented by its Argentinian presidency. It also paid…

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), chaired the briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons for the Human Rights Council (HRC), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO). The…

The Human Rights Council this afternoon held a general debate on human rights situations that require the Council’s attention. A summary of the beginning of the general debate, held earlier today, can be found here. At the beginning of the meeting, Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, President of the…