8 July 2016: The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) concluded its 32nd session in Geneva, Switzerland, after celebrating the tenth anniversary of its establishment with a special event discussing its achievements.

For the first time in the Council’s history, all 193 UN Member States attended the session, which ran from 13 June-1 July and on 8 July 2016.

In his opening address on 13 June, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein expressed grave concern about continuing violations of human rights law and the rise in xenophobia in many parts of the world, saying that “hate is becoming mainstreamed.” He deplored the non-cooperation of some states to provide access to human rights monitors, and he questioned whether an international community still exists, or whether there are only “fragmented communities of competing interests – strategic and commercial – operating behind a screen of feigned allegiance to laws and institutions.”

Zeid outlined many issues of concern, including an increasing trend towards detention of migrants, including children, in migration “hot spots” in Greece and Turkey. He called on EU Member States to meet their commitment of September 2015 to relocate 160,000 migrants currently in Greece and Italy, noting that less than 1% of this number has actually been relocated. He emphasized that respect for human rights offers states a path towards greater stability, not less.

Zeid described the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a structured roadmap for investing in human rights and building more just and resilient societies. He noted that the 2016 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will be an opportunity to push for “real delivery” on the promises of the 2030 Agenda, and he called on States to use development aid to promote human rights goals.

The 32nd session of the HRC included its annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women, which featured two panel discussions on: violence against indigenous women and girls, and its root causes; and women’s rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Other panel discussions took place on: the promotion and protection of the right to development, which commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development; ways to further enhance the contribution of parliaments to the work of the HRC and its Universal Periodic Review (UPR); and using sport and the Olympic ideal to promote human rights for all, including persons with disabilities.

The 32nd session adopted 33 resolutions. In a resolution on human rights and climate change, delegates requested the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in consultation with other UN agencies and programmes and other stakeholders, to conduct a detailed analytical study on the relationship between climate change and the full and effective enjoyment of the rights of the child. Delegates also adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs). It strongly condemns the continued perpetration of sexual and gender-based violence against IDPs, particularly women and girls, and recognizes the need for a human rights-based approach to disaster risk reduction (DRR), recalling the relevant provisions of the Sendai Framework for DRR and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The HRC’s tenth anniversary was marked with a panel discussion on 13 June, in which the current and former HRC presidents participated alongside civil society leaders. Catarina de Albuquerque, former Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, also took part in the panel discussion. Panelists commended some of the HRC’s initiatives, including the UPR process and the appointment of special rapporteurs and commissions of inquiry on various issues. Among remaining challenges, they noted the need for timely decision making.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson addressed HRC delegates, stating that human rights problems continue to grow, due to political, social and economic instability. He urged them to continue to place victims and the vulnerable at the heart of their policy-making and resourcing efforts.

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) established the HRC in 2006 as a multilateral forum that responds to human rights issues and makes recommendations on how to better protect human rights. [HRC 32nd Session Website] [OHCHR Press Release on 10th Anniversary] [Statement of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights]