Human Rights Council Concludes 42nd Session

The 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council concluded on Sep 27th with the adoption of 37 resolutions and a presidential statement on the climate emergency.

The resolutions included the extension of the mandates of a series of Special Rapporteur and Independent Experts in relation to countries of concern such as the Central African Republic, Cambodia, Somalia and Sudan, and renewal of a range of thematic mandates such as those on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation, the rights of indigenous peoples and arbitrary detention among others.

The Council adopted two resolutions in regard to the human rights situation in Venezuela and the situations in Yemen, Burundi, Syria the plight of Rohingya muslims in Myanmar were also the subject of resolutions.

The rights of indigenous peoples and the world program for Human Rights Education were among the other issues to be given prominence at the Council, and reprisals against human rights defenders were again condemned.

The issue of the right to social security was addressed for the first time in the Council with the decision to devote a full day panel discussion to the topic in the next 12 months.

For a more comprehensive report on the session visit the OHCHR website
Despite these positive outcomes, civil society expressed disappointment at the failure of the Council to adequately address human rights concerns in China, Kashmir and Egypt.
A civil society repot the Council session can be found here.