Organizational Meeting - 62nd Session of the Human Rights Council

Excellency', distinguished participants.
The organizational meeting of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council is now open.
The meeting is organized in line with Rule eight point B of the council's rules of procedure, primarily to review the draft program of work and share information on draft resolutions and other initiatives planned during the session.
I have the pleasure now of welcoming miss Awa Dabo, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights for her first address before the Human Rights Council since her appointment.
Miss Dubbo, on behalf of the council, I wish to congratulate you on your appointment, and we look forward to working with you.
Pursuant to president statement, PRSD OS slash 19 slash one, miss Dabo will provide an updated and comprehensive assessment of the flexibility of implementing the activities that have been identified as non deliverable in 2025 and or 2026 and the criteria underpinning such assessments as will as well as any other activities mandated by the council during the period 2025, 2027 that might be affected by the liquidity and financial crisis.
Delegations will be given an opportunity to ask questions or make comments after the update.
Following that, the United Nations Department of Safety and Security will deliver a briefing on security and access control arrangements during the 62nd session, including in the context of the G seven summit.
We will then take a short technical break before proceeding to other outstanding business, including consideration of the extraordinary modalities of the 62nd session, the overview of the draft program of work and sharing information on draft resolutions, and other initiatives planned during the upcoming regular session.
Excellency, distinguished participants.
I now have the honor to give the floor to miss Double for her update on the activities that have been identified by the OHCHR as non deliverable, as well as any other activities mandated by the council that might be affected by the ongoing liquidity and financial crisis.
Madam, you have the floor.
Mr.
President, Excellency, distinguished delegates, good afternoon.
Thank you, Mr.
President, for your kind words of welcome.
It is an honor to address the Human Rights Council for the first time in my capacity as Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Under the leadership of the High Commissioner, I look forward to working closely with this council in a spirit of dialogue, cooperation, and mutual trust.
I am committed to engaging openly and constructively with all stakeholders and to supporting the council in fulfilling its vital role in promoting and protecting human rights worldwide, particularly at a time when the global human rights landscape is marked by complex and evolving challenges.
As the president has just recalled, I am here today representing our office pursuant to President State OS 19 slash one, to provide an updated assessment of the feasibility of implementing the activities that have been identified as non deliverable in 2025 and 2026, as well as any other activities mandated by the council during the period 2025 to 2027 that might be affected by the ongoing liquidity and financial crisis.
As noted by my predecessor during the last update, I would like to recall that the approved regular budget for OCHR for 2026 represents a reduction of over $25 million compared to the 2025 approved budget.
Of the approved amount to date, OHCHR has received 60% as advance allocation amounting to $132.7 million.
The Office of the Controller has indicated that the final level of allotment will only be clear upon confirmation of the timing of the payments from those member states with the largest assessed contributions.
Consequently, risks to mandate delivery, operational capacity, and staffing stability persist.
Therefore, the office has no other choice but to continue exercising prudence, discipline, and strict financial restraint.
All the council's mandated activities remain affected by reduced resources, including staff cuts and will therefore continue to be delivered in a significantly scaled back manner throughout 2026.
For instance, as previously communicated by my predecessor, the work of the intergovernmental working groups, the expert mechanisms, the special procedures established by the council continues to be significantly hindered with notable reductions in sessions, in meeting times, and country visits.
Procedures, country visits, for example, have once again been reduced by half of this year and have been further complicated by the lack of funding for conference services to provide interpretation.
Mr.
President, the uncertainty regarding the final regular budget allotment for OCHR, the hiring freeze and the reductions recommended by the ACABQ affecting all general temporary assistant resources allocated to the office for the implementation of the council mandate, including our positions in the field and national officer positions seriously hinder our capacity to deliver.
Rest assured, however, that the office remains committed to delivering the mandates entrusted by it to this council to it by this council, notwithstanding the challenging operating environment, this is and remains a priority, and we continue to explore ways of adapting the outputs.
This commitment is reflected, for example, in the office's ability to ensure the forthcoming presentation at the 63rd session of two reports that were previously considered as non deliverable and outlined in Annex one of the High Commissioner's letter of 16th June.
They are namely the report on the impact of the use of strategic lawsuits against public participation on the enjoyment and realization of human rights, in particular, the right to freedom of opinion and expression, pursuant to Council resolution 567 of July 2024, and the report on best practices of states, local governments and other relevant stakeholders in overcoming the various challenges that local governments face in promoting and protecting human rights pursuant to Council Resolution 57 12 of October 2024.
In both cases, events were held online at reduced costs in 2025.
Regarding the first report on freedom of opinion and expressions, a half day workshop was held online instead of in person meetings as requested by the resolution in May 2025.
Concerning the second report on local government and human rights, an online event was organized with support from sponsors of the resolution, which partially filled the gap left by the cancellation of the full day intersectional event mandated in the resolution.
The inputs received through these events made production of the reports now being delivered possible.
Turning now to the progress made in implementing resolution S 371 of February 2025, establishing the Commission of Inquiry on the human rights situation in the South and North Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and which is also highlighted in the High Commissioner's letter of 16 June 2025.
I wish to inform you that the commission is functioning at markedly reduced capacity.
Requiring strict prioritization of activities and travel, and some of the key developments have included the recruitment for the Secretariat in Kinshasa, which has been initiated and deployment of some core team members began in mid May of this year.
A dedicated interim search support has also been provided to the commissioners by the office to advance core preparatory work while it secured the onboarding and deployment of a core part of the Secretariat in Kinshasa.
Mr.
President, in the unlikely scenario that OSHR receives 75% allotment of its funds, all mandates without exception, must be implemented in a reduced form.
For example, a comprehensive report may now need to be scaled down to a standard report with more limited scope and depth than originally envisaged.
Where activities are foreseen, efforts are being made to minimize costs using online or hybrid modalities, as well as other cost efficient approaches.
In addition, several mandates cannot be implemented in full or on time.
Let me explain.
When it comes to mandates due at the beginning of the 62nd session, two reports have been delayed under the council's next session as we could not recruit the staff that we needed.
They are the report of the Secretary-General on prevention of genocide with a particular focus on early warning and prevention mandated in Council Resolution 55 13 to be submitted to both the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly and analytical study of OECHR on production gaps of vulnerable segments of the population regarding access to medicines, vaccines, and other health products in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health mandated in Council Resolution 597.
It remains our objective, however, for both reports to be submitted at the 63rd session of the council.
It should also be noted that several reports of both the 62nd and the 63rd sessions are likely to be available only in advance on edited versions by the time of their consideration, due to the inevitable delays in their preparation also given to staff reductions.
Mr.
President, allow me to turn to other council mandates that have also been affected by the reduced availability of resources.
Concerning the investigative mechanism for Afghanistan established by this council last year in its resolution 60 slash two, OCHR has continued to carry out preparatory work to support its operationalization.
In this context, OECHR led the drafting of the mechanisms terms of reference, which were transmitted by the Secretary-General to the counseling conference room paper, AHRC 61 CRP 0.6.
Recruitment is ongoing and start up staff are expected to be deployed in the coming weeks.
The head of entity will be appointed separately by the Secretary-General.
As you know, a dedicated trust fund was established in early 2026 to support the mechanism's outreach activities, protection measures, and sustained engagement with Afghan civil society through voluntary contributions by member states.
However, despite strong encouragement to contribute and a very modest initial contribution that was received, funding mobilized to date is not yet sufficient and to begin meeting the mechanism's operational needs.
The implementation of Council Resolution 60 28 on assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights has likewise been affected.
Of the five positions included in the PBI, only one could be filled.
As the government of Somalia signed a host country agreement with OCHR on sixth May 2026 to open a country office, the full staffing complement is urgently required to meet the expectations of the authorities and the population.
Implementation of Council resolution 60 slash 32 on technical assistance and capacity building to improve human rights in Libya, an initial allocation enabled a limited number of prior actions to be carried out by the already understaffed on rule of law and Human Rights section.
Of the seven regular budget position originally foreseen, two were abolished on the UN 80.
Of the remaining five, OECHR is currently seeking to fill at least three of them temporarily.
This is essential to ensure a minimum operational capacity to effectively implement mandated human rights technical cooperation activities across Libya.
The implementation of Council resolution 60 35 on technical assistance and capacity building in the field of human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been significantly affected by the recruitment freeze.
Of the 35 positions budgeted, only one remains filled.
The contracts of temporary staff against those positions ended and the hiring freeze prevented additional recruitment.
This has particularly impacted the provision of highly specialized expertise, such as its forensic scientists to support the Congolese authorities.
Multiple thematic resolutions that call for enhanced field activities have been significantly impacted with mandate with mandated field posts remaining vacant and unable to deliver the additional work.
One notable example is council resolution 5610 on peaceful protests significantly affected at the country level with delays in the implementation of the practical toolkit for law enforcement officials, including the model protocol.
Limited staff capacity and financial resources allowed technical assistance to be initiated in only two of the five planned countries, and even there, activities were confined to the initial stages of the operationalizing of the model protocol.
As a result, the project has not yet reached the critical phase in which law enforcement institutions shift from a focus of crowd control during protests to facilitating the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly.
The delays have also hindered progress in building trust between police institutions and communities.
This is an essential element for achieving broader and sustainable human rights impact, particularly in contexts where protests are frequent.
Mr.
President, General Assembly Resolution 80 slash 251, adopted on the 31st March set in motion a series of concrete measures aimed at improving the mandate cycle process, including the creation, the implementation and the review of mandates.
It reinforces the importance of continued efforts by member states to prioritize and rationalize mandates in line with available capacities.
This council has, in fact, made headway on efficiency on rationalization and mapping of mandates even before the UN AT was launched.
OCHR stands ready to support the sharing of good practices and the council's own implementation of the system wide exercise.
We welcome the efforts made by delegates to streamline or where appropriate, downsize, to merge or conclude mandates, and we encourage the continuation of rationalization, effectiveness, and impact of the system while preserving the integrity of the overall Human Rights Council's work in a fair and transparent manner.
In this context, I am pleased to share that the Human Rights Council Mapper has been updated with a new user friendly design and with data from the last 12 months on council resolutions, mandates and mechanisms.
In line with PRSC 19 slash one, the mapping tool now includes PBI examples, which will allow delegates to quickly see the estimated resource requirements of different types of Human Rights Council mandates.
OHCHR has also began the process of linking the detailed HRC database with the UNA mandate Registry.
The HRC mandate is already a solid evidence base for review and rationalization decisions by the council.
Further updates are planned to meet member states needs, including analytical tools and integrating the council's voluntary calendar of thematic resolutions.
The Secretariat will organize a briefing session on the updated digital tool in due course.
I should also recall that like many other activities, the development of the mapper has been hindered by the lack of resources, and so far, the office has absorbed this new council mandates to the extent possible within its limited resources.
OCHR stands ready to provide guidance and technical advice on efficiency and rationalization measures.
I encourage delegates to engage with us early when considering such steps so that we can help support a strategic approach and avoid unintentional protection gaps.
In line with our continued commitment to transparency, the High Commissioner and OHCHR remain at the disposal of this council and all delegations and stakeholders for ongoing and collaborative engagement, both formal and informal on all aspects of the implementation of the mandated activities as we jointly navigate the challenges posed by the current liquidity crisis.
Mr.
President, Your Excellency's distinguished delegates, in closing, let me reaffirm the Office's unwavering commitment to supporting this council in the effective delivery of its mandate.
At a time of growing demands and constrained resources, our collective responsibility is not only to safeguard the credibility and impact of the human rights system for the people that we serve, but also to ensure its financial sustainability.
In this regard, I must underscore the critical importance of all member states meeting their SS contributions in full and on time, which remains essential for the organization to deliver on its mandate.
I thank you for your continued engagement and support, and I look forward to strengthen our collaboration in the periods ahead as we work together to uphold the principles of the charter to advance the promotion and protection of human rights for all.
I look forward to a dialogue with delegates and stand ready to address any questions and observations that you might have.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Deputy High Commissioner.
We take note of the information provided concerning the current status of implementation of mandated activities.
I would now like to open the floor to delegation wishing to ask questions or make comments on the update by the Deputy High Commissioner.
I recognize the distinguished representative of Spain.
You have the floor, sir.
Whichever.
Thank you very much, Chair.
I'm taking the floor, first of all, to welcome the Deputy High Commissioner and to wish her every success.
We would also like to wish all the very best for the moves within our service.
We tend to say that three moves within a service is the same as managing a five breakout and we know that you have to move all your offices, so we wish you very much the best in that respect.
I'd like to make a couple of comments in respect of what you said.
First of all, we welcome the possibility of convening a meeting to explain the map that you have developed.
It will be very useful for all delegations, I think, to have precise technical information about how we can make a better use of that tool, which we have all asked for and which you have been able to develop.
I would also like to refer to something that you touched on in passing, which is multilingualism.
We know that with the pressure to save costs, the temptation is to reduce multilingualism.
But that for us is a founding principle, a constitutional principle of the United Nations.
I just wanted to draw the Secretariat's attention and also the attention of all delegations that according to information we've received, New York is taking decisions which do not seem to be equitive regarding the allocation of resources.
Why is it Geneva where there is the largest number of meetings that require interpretation that are held, where does Geneva seem to be receiving a lower level of allocation of funds.
We want to draw attention to that aspect, and we would like to draw all delegations attention to this so as to prevent any decisions that might undermine Geneva as headquarters.
Thank you.
Next, before I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico, please be mindful that because of factors of angle and distance, that sometimes from the podium, it does not immediately obvious those seeking for the floor.
So further efforts might be needed, but the secretary and staff are also roaming around to make sure you are properly identified.
Now, I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.
When to start with this.
Good afternoon, President and thank you very much.
I'd like to begin by warmly thanking miss Awado on her appointment and please rest assured that you can count on Mexico's support for all of these issues and we are certain that you will be very successful.
I'd like to join my voice to what was said by the distinguished mast of Spain with regard to strengthening the organic link between New York's Third Committee, the Human Rights Council, and the ICBQ.
We I believe that it is important that we get information in a prompt and detailed fashion in due time.
And also, as the member of the group for the promotion of the Spanish language, we would like to support the ambassador of Spain.
Spanish is one of the United Nations official languages and with the issues linked to financial liquidity and the financial crisis, language services should not be cut.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
It is the European public law organization that I represent probably due to the distance and all that I was misrepresented.
I would like to thank very much the Deputy High Commissioner for her presentation.
And if I understand very well, there was a fleeting suggestion.
That delegations could engage in some kind of exchange of views with the Secretariat regarding the possible PBIs associated to resolutions.
I may be wrong, but I didn't catch this in her statement.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
I stand corrected.
So for the record, it is the organization of European EPLO, European Public Law Organization, Permanent Observer.
Thank you.
Thank you for the correction.
It is the European Public Law Organization.
Have we exhausted our list? It seems that is the case.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone.
Thank you so much, Chair.
Let me start off by warmly congratulating the Deputy High Commissioner on assuming this mandate and to assure that my delegation would work concertedly with others in ensuring that she succeeds in this new portfolio.
Chair, we of course, received the updates from the Deputy Commissioner, and we're all aware that the current predicament that we are facing is certainly due to one reason and which is the failure or the lack thereof in terms of members meeting up to their assess contributions, not just on time, but to do so regularly.
Now, I indicated this at the last meeting with the high commissioner that look, yes, we have taken series of rationalization measures and efficiency measures to deal with the current predicament that we're in.
But I think it is time for us to think with all the measures, I mean, in terms of sustainable funding mechanism in dealing with the financial crisis that the UN is currently facing.
It is important that we consider this.
Assess contribution alone from all indications is by far the should not be the only answer in terms of the funding situation for the UN.
We must begin to think about other innovative means of funding generation for the United Nations.
It is important we think about this.
Thank you, President.
Thank you.
In the absence of further requests for the floor, I give the floor to the Deputy High Commissioner.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you, distinguished delegates for the comments and the questions and for the support.
We're very honored and very humbled for your continued support.
I think three questions were raised or three points were made one on the issue of multilingualism, of course, absolutely, we agree with you on that.
That is a discussion we've been having and we continue to have DCM on that point.
Yes, indeed the financial crisis has been difficult in many fronts, but absolutely I take note of the point made by the distinguished delegates and I think we concur and we'll continue to move to see how we can work on that.
On the issue of the MPA, I think the council branch colleagues will reach out to member states to organize that as soon as possible, the meeting on the MPA.
I think that will be interesting and also linked to that as well is the question on PBIs.
I think we noted in my statement that the Human Rights Council Map provides new information on PBIs that is available for use, of course, by member states as well as for other interested parties and other stakeholders.
I think those are the only points that we raised.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Based on the information provided by the Deputy He Commissioner, the three year program of work of 2026 2028, dated 28 May will be updated and will shortly be replaced on the extranet for everyone to consult.
Excellency's distinguished participants.
I welcome the representative of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security, who will now deliver the briefing on security and access control arrangements during the 62nd session, including in the context of the G seven summit.
Thank you so very much for giving me the floor.
Mr.
President, Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Department of Safety and Security, it is a pleasure to be here with you and to provide you with information which will hopefully facilitate them for the excess measures for the upcoming HRC.
Let me please begin by saying that this is an atypical HRC in the sense that it is taking place in parallel with the G seven summit which is being organized in Evia.
Um, let me please assure you that we are in close coordination with the host country authorities, which are in the process of putting in place a series of adaptive measures, which are adapted, of course, and which aim to facilitate not only the proceedings of various meetings taking place at U, but also overall circulation and fluidity in Geneva and the neighboring areas.
However, for the time being, the situation remains under assessment and under close analysis.
We still have a series of meetings still scheduled this week with the host country authorities and also with a variety of agents, funds, and programs operating in Geneva.
As soon as a finalized decision will be taken and in close coordination with the Swiss mission and, of course, with OHCHR colleagues and the presidency by means of an appropriate communication which will be sent to you shortly, we hope by the end of the week, you will be informed if there are any special measures which are being put in place for this session of the HRC.
Um, if not, it's very much business as usual for us and the measures which are standard for the Human Rights Council, and we hope and planning and doing our best that any parallel events taking place in Geneva will not hamper and will not disturb this.
So again, at this stage, just let me reassure you that we are following up closely on all the evolutions of the situations, which remains quite flexible, and we will get back to you shortly by means of a written communication with the latest information.
Come on.
Thank you so very much.
You have any questions.
Thank you.
I'm looking around to see if there's any requests for the floor.
Otherwise, we look forward to receiving the written communication by or before the end of this week.
Thank you.
And thank you for the briefing.
Excellency's distinguished participants, we will now take a short technical break before continuing with our other outstanding business.
Excellencies, distinguished participants.
Let's continue with our meeting.
Allow me to recall that as noted in the Bureau minutes for May 2026, the Division of Conference Management at the United Nations Office at Geneva had informed the council Secretariat that the cash conservation measures that had been put in place in 2025 would continue until further notice.
This entails the continuing need to reduce the number of council meetings by at least 10% below the 2024 levels.
Consequently, the Bureau agreed to propose to the council for its approval of the following extraordinary modalities for the 62nd session, namely, the duration of interactive dialogues, including enhanced interactive dialogues, except for the interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner on his annual report.
Would be ppt at 1 hour and 30 minutes with 15 minutes allocated to mandate holders, 1 hour to states, and 15 minutes to NGOs.
Let me underscore once again that these measures constitute a set of extraordinary measures applicable only for the 62nd session of the council in response to the current financial and liquidity crisis.
However, as noted in the Bureau minutes for May 2026, the same measures are likely to be necessary for the 63rd session of the council.
At this stage, are there any members of the council wishing to comment on the above proposal? I see no request for the floor.
Can I take it that the council adopts these extraordinary measures for the 62nd session, which do not constitute precedent and will be recorded in the report of the 62nd session in order to serve as a point of reference in the future.
I see no objection.
It is so decided.
Excellency's distinguished participants, I would like to highlight that for the meeting of the 62nd session, the members and observers of the council, including NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOP and the National Human Rights Institutions with A status will continue to have the possibility to deliver their statements in person or via prerecorded video messages.
Are there any delegation wishing to take the floor on this issue? I see none.
Let us then proceed.
Let me now turn to the program of work for the 62nd regular session of the council, which is scheduled to open on Monday, June 15th at 10:00 A.M.
In the assembly hall.
With our decision on the extraordinary cost and time saving measures, it is envisaged that the session will close on Tuesday, July 7th.
The latest draft program of work, which reflects these measures is available on the HRC extranet.
Allow me to recall that the program of work remains a living document that will be updated on a regular basis.
Let me thank you in advance for your cooperation in respecting the speaking time limit in order to complete this adjusted program of work on time.
For all interactive dialogues and panel discussions, the events online inscription system will open for states on Tuesday, June 9th at 10:00 A.M.
After the online inscription has closed, delegations may still inscribe or withdraw by sending an email to the address shown on the screen.
With regard to the inscription to the lists of speakers for the interactive and enhanced interactive dialogues, following the same system in place since the council's 59th session, delegations will need to indicate their preference On the online system of enscription, similar to what is done for the list of speakers for panel discussions.
Interested states will be asked to rank dialogues in order of their priorities.
Speaking slots will be allocated by the system, taking into account their priorities.
If the number of states indicating the highest priority for a particular dialogue exceeds the maximum number of available speaking slots, the slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Delegations inscribed on the list of speakers who cannot take the floor due to the time constraints will be able to upload their statements to the online system in order to be posted on the extranet.
The list of speakers will close approximately 15 minutes after the beginning of each debate.
I kindly ask all delegations to respect the deadlines.
The online system for the list of speakers for the adoption of UPR outcomes will open on Monday, June 15th at 9:00 A.M.
And will close on Thursday, June 18th at 6:00 P.M.
No inscription will be possible after this deadline.
For National Human Rights institutions and non governmental organizations, the list of speakers for all debates during the sessions will be open online on Tuesday, June 9th at 2:00 P.M.
The procedure for the registration for the lists of speakers for panel discussions will be the same as for previous sessions.
Interested states will be asked to rank panels in the order of their priorities.
Speaking slots will be allocated by the system, taking into account their priorities.
If the number of states indicating the highest priority for a particular panel exceeds the maximum number of available speaking slots, the slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Excellencies, distinguished participants, colleagues.
During the 62nd session, the council will hold five panel discussions.
I now invite the main sponsors to provide a brief update on these panels.
Delegations wishing to share information on draft resolutions and other initiatives will have an opportunity to do so afterwards.
First, the annual panel discussion on the adverse impacts of climate change on human rights, which will be held in line with council resolution 47 slash 24 and 59 slash 25.
The panel discussions will focus on the theme of facilitating actionable pathways for gaining momentum in climate financing in the context of addressing the adverse impact of climate change on the full realization of human rights for all people.
The panel will be made accessible to persons with disabilities.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines to introduce the first panel.
You have the floor, sir.
Annual panel discussion on the adverse impacts of climate change and human rights will take place on the 19th of June from 10:00 A.M.
To 12:00 P.M.
This is pursuant to resolution 59 25 presented by Bangladesh, Vietnam and the Philippines and adopted by consensus last year.
Climate change crisis is worsening at a dangerously rapid pace with profound consequences for the enjoyment of human rights of all, especially the most vulnerable among us.
Yet global climate action, particularly on climate finance for mitigation adaptation, and addressing loss and damage, remain woefully inadequate to effectively respond to the magnitude of the crisis.
This year's panel discussion will draw from the expertise of speakers representing various stakeholders.
It aims to, first, enhance understanding of states obligations on climate finance in the context of international human rights law.
Second, highlight barriers to adequate, equitably distributed and high quality climate finance.
Third, identify promising practices and lessons learned from human rights based approaches to climate finance.
Fourth, explore actionable pathways for increasing climate finance and fiscal space for the realization of human rights and rights based climate action.
We invite all states, civil society, and other stakeholders to an open and constructive exchange of views at this panel.
Thank you very much, Mr.
President.
Thank you.
Second is the panel discussion on the intensification of efforts to empower women and girls in and through sport will be held in line with council resolution 59 slash 17.
And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar to introduce this initiative on behalf of the main sponsors.
You have the floor.
Thank you.
In accordance with resolution 47 59, we will be holding a discussion on the empowerment of women and girls in and through sports.
On the 8th of June, the panel discussion will highlight the need to have complete participation of women and girls in all areas of sport.
It's also crucial to grant all possible sporting opportunities to women, in particular, engaging with sporting agencies and centers across the world that can encourage participation in sport nationally and internationally.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Next is the third and fourth panels, which are for the annual full day discussion on human rights of women.
These will be held in line with council resolution six slash 30 58 slash 15, and 59 slash 20.
The panels will focus respectively on domestic violence against women and girls and commemoration of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy focusing on women's rights to work and representation in decision making.
The panels will be made accessible to persons with disabilities.
I now give the floor to the distinguished Representative of Canada to introduce the first panel, the third panel, to be followed by Chile on the fourth panel, both on behalf of the main sponsors.
The distinguished representative of Canada has the floor.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Canada is pleased to support the Human Rights Council's annual full day discussion on the Human Rights of women scheduled for June 24th.
We are also pleased to announce that this year Canada is partnering with Kazakhstan on this important initiative.
Following the cancellation of the intersessional panel discussion on the intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate domestic violence mandated by Human Rights Council resolution 57 18, due to the impact of the UN's liquidity crisis on council mandated activities, Canada and Kazakhstan have worked to ensure that this critical issue remains firmly on the Council's agenda.
In this regard, we are pleased to announce that the thematic focus of this year's half day panel on violence against women and girls will be domestic violence against women and girls.
At its core, domestic violence against women and girls is a pervasive and widespread form of gender based violence that is rooted in unequal power relations, patriarchal norms, and deeply entrenched structural gender inequality.
It encompasses physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence and is a grave human rights violation that undermines all human rights.
The scale of domestic violence against women and girls is alarming.
UN Women estimates that nearly one in three women globally have experienced physical and or sexual intimate partner violence.
In 2024, approximately 50,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members, a stark reminder that for many women and girls, the most dangerous place remains the home.
Victims and survivors also continue to face significant barriers in accessing accountability and justice, as well as much needed sexual and reproductive health services and information.
Women and girls facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, including indigenous and Afro descendant women and girls, and those living with disabilities and in poverty are often at heightened risk and encounter additional barriers to redress and recovery.
Effective gender based, trauma informed, and survivor centered responses are required across justice, health, education, and social protection systems.
Mr.
President, if you allow, the distinguished representative of Kazakhstan will now outline the objective of the panel and the speakers.
Yes, please.
All.
The panel discussion aims to deepen understanding of the causes, prevalences, and consequences of domestic violence against women and girls, examine states obligations under international human rights law, highlight good practices and persistent challenges, and identify ways in which the Human Rights Council can further contribute to the elimination of this form of violence.
We look forward to this interactive discussion at which the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, miss Awadbo will deliver the opening statement and which will be moderated by the president of the Human Rights Council.
Panelists will include miss Patil Toledo Vasquez, member of the committee on the elimination of discrimination against women.
Miss Ivana Kristtis, Vice Chair of the working group on discrimination against women and girls, miss Sulfa Basakova, Chair of the Board of the Union of Crisis Centers in Kazakhstan, and miss Hisma Ha, Campaign Manager of Global campaign for equality in Family Law, Equality Now.
We would like to thank the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for their work in organizing the panel.
The concept note is available on the extranet.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Chile for the fourth panel.
For Chile, it's an honor to present this annual panel that on the 24th of June will commemorate the International Day of Women and Diplomacy, focusing on women's right to work and representation in decision making in accordance with resolution 58 15 presented by Morocco, Chile, Slovenia, Mauritius, Mexico, and Spain.
Since the beginning of the mandate in 2017, this panel has provided a platform to make visible what is often invisible in the discussions in this council in terms of women's rights.
We will address women's right to work and review very carefully the conditions that persistently shape women's path to diplomacy and in decision making roles.
Against this context, we hope that this exchange will contribute to build a broader understanding of the obstacles facing women and provide an opportunity to think and brainstorm as to how we can overcome them.
When we look at structural obstacles and concrete examples, we believe that this panel will be a common ground on which we can move towards truly representative multilateralism.
We would particularly like to thank the OHCHR for their commitment and their devotion to preparing this panel and the concept note is available on the council's Extranet.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Finally, the fifth panel is Biennial thematic panel discussion on technical cooperation and capacity building, which will be held in line with council resolution 18 slash 18 and 60 slash 30.
It will focus on technical cooperation and capacity building in supporting states in the full and effective realization of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
The panel will be made accessible to persons with disabilities.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Thailand to introduce the panel on behalf of the main sponsors.
You have the floor.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
On behalf of the core group of resolution 60 slash three on technical cooperation and Capacity Building in the field of Human Rights, I have the honor to invite all colleagues to participate in the panel thematic panel discussion, which will be held on the 2nd of July from 3:00 P.M.
To 5:00 P.M.
The theme of this year's panel is on how technical cooperation and capacity building can support states in the full and effective realization of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.
The panel takes place at a particular challenging time for global health.
Countries are facing the combined impacts of communicable and non communicable diseases, climate change, armed conflicts, and growing financial constraints.
Recent health emergencies, including Ebola and hunter virus outbreaks, have reminded us that infectious diseases know no borders, while underscoring the importance of resilience Health System, universal health coverage, and sustained international solidarity.
Against this backdrop, the panel will provide an opportunity to reflect on how technical cooperation and capacity building can support the realization of the right to health for all.
The discussion will also focus on practical approaches to strengthening domestic resource mobilization for universal health coverage, applying human rights based approaches to health budgeting and addressing the impact of reductions in external health financing.
This regard, we also hope that the exchanges during this panel will help stimulate further reflection on the role of cooperation, capacity building, and solidarity in advancing the realization of the rights to health, including in the context of the forthcoming 2026 social forum, which will focus on the contribution of international cooperation and solidarity, including South South cooperation to the realization of the right to health.
We look forward to your active participation in this timely discussion on this important topic, and I thank you.
Thank you.
This concludes the updates on the panel discussions.
I encourage all participants to consult the concept notes that have been made available and will be updated on the extranet in the coming days.
Excellency's, distinguished participants, colleagues.
Look at the program of work overall, the session will begin with the presentation of the annual report of the Commissioner on Human Rights on Monday morning, June 15th.
The interactive dialogue with I commissioner on the report will begin in the morning of Tuesday 16, June 16th, 15, 16 June.
In line with the president's statement, OS slash 19 slash one, adopted on eight December 2025, no general debates will be held during the 62nd session.
Consequently, reports and oral updates presented during this session that are not followed by an interactive dialogue will be considered during the relevant general debates at the 63rd session.
However, the countries concerned will be given the opportunity to make statement immediately after their presentation.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, towards the end of the session, the council is expected to appoint four mandate holders.
As noted in its report of 27 May, the consultative group was only able to commence its work once the required quorum was reached on 23, April 2026.
In order to expedite the process, the consultative group decided to present its report with recommendations for those mandates for which interviews had already been completed, namely those of special rapporteurs on hazardous substances and wastes, on physical and mental health, and on torture, while it continues to assess candidates and conduct interviews for the remaining mandate of special rapporteur, on freedom of opinion and freedom of opinion or expression.
My list of proposed candidates for the first three mandates will be circulated and posted on the Extranet as soon as possible, following broad consultations.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the consultative group for their hard work and commitment despite of challenging times.
Are there any delegation wishing to take the floor at this stage to make comments on the draft program of work? I don't see any request.
I Let us continue.
Excellencies, distinguished participants.
The council will start consideration of draft proposals in the afternoon of Friday, July 3rd.
I recall that the deadline for submitting draft proposals for the 62nd session will therefore be on Thursday, June 25th, at 1:00 P.M.
And that for written revisions and written amendments will be on Wednesday, July 1st, at 11:00 A.M.
And 1:00 P.M.
Respectively.
Any request for extension would be approved by the council only under exceptional circumstances and for a maximum of 24 hours.
Let me kindly ask all delegations to submit their draft proposals on time to help other delegations, as well as the Secretariat.
The e delegate platform will continue to be used for the submission and sponsorship of draft resolutions.
States are encouraged to check in advance that they have access to the e delegate.
Now, before I give the floor to delegations to share information on the draft resolutions of the 62nd session, I wish to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Gibbouti who will speak in her capacity as co facilitator for rationalization and efficiency together with Australia.
Madam, you have the floor.
Thank you, Chair.
Good afternoon to all distinguished ambassadors and delegates.
Australia and Djibouti in our capacity as co facilitators on rationalization and efficiency would like to address this organizational meeting in the interest of inclusivity and transparency to explain our approach and provide some information that we consider relevant.
Following on from the consultations and work carried out by the previous co facilitators, namely ambassadors of Thailand and Spain, we feel that all avenues relating to the reduction of speaking times have been exhausted.
We therefore believe that it is time to shift our attention to the medium and long term and more specifically to the resolutions themselves as a means of further improving the efficiency and rationalization of the council's work.
This approach is based on the voluntary participation and contribution of pain holders to the collective rationalization efforts with a view to creating a positive and sustainable dynamic.
With this in mind, we are consulting at expert level with all pain holders of the resolutions before the 62nd session to encourage them to explore ways of contributing to the streamlining effort, we are also engaging with all regional groups and thank delegations for their positive and constructive engagement so far.
We'll continue to consult with all other stakeholders within the framework of our mandate.
If any delegations are presenting resolutions at the upcoming session and haven't been contacted by us, we kindly invite you to get in touch with our respective delegations.
Dear Chair, distinguished delegates, as underlined in our joint letter to all delegation of six May, there have been numerous tools and good practices implemented over recent years as set out in the non paper of the previous co facilitators, which highlight possible avenues for rationalization.
The Human Rights Council's triennial program of work for 2026 and 2028 and the Human Rights Council Mapper prepared by the Secretariat are essential in providing a multi year overview of the activities of the Human Rights Council.
The General Assembly Resolution eight slash res 80 slash 251 entitled Creation Implementation and Review of the Mandate for an effective and efficient United Nations Organization is also a useful tool.
Looking forward, we will continue to consult widely.
We will also track rationalization gains and good practices so that all delegation can follow our collective efforts.
We are aware of other relevant processes underway and will facilitate discussions on how Human Rights Council efficiency and rationalization can align with broader efforts to create a more efficient and effective UN system.
We will draw on resolution A slash re slash 80 slash 251 as relevant and we'll track the work of the ad hoc committee on mandate implementation and review as it applies to our work in the Human Rights Council.
We will also look at synergies with the work of the TER committee as relevant.
We look forward to working with all delegations and all relevant stakeholders, including the OHCHR and civil society and special mandate holders in this work.
I thank you for your attention.
Thank you.
I now invite delegations to share information on draft resolutions and other initiatives.
Delegations wishing to take the floor in the room should raise their name plates.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sweden, followed by Mexico.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Sweden, together with Finland, will present at this session the resolution on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial summary and arbitrary executions.
This is a long standing and important mandate of the Human Rights Council focused on the protection of the right to life and on addressing extrajudicial summary and arbitrary executions wherever they occur.
Draft resolution is a straightforward renewal of the mandate for a further three years.
It builds on previous council resolutions and updates the text where appropriate, including references to the recent work and reports of the mandate holder.
As a contribution to the ongoing efforts to rationalize the work of this council and the wider UN human rights system, we will propose moving from an annual reporting to the General Assembly to two reports over the three year mandate period.
Sweden and Finland will engage constructively and transparently with all delegations.
We look forward to collaborating with colleagues with a view to securing broad support for the renewal of this important mandate.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.
Thank you very much.
Allow me to present various draft resolutions that we will introduce during the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.
First of all, I have the honor of taking the floor on behalf of the core group comprised of Mexico, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, and Thailand.
In order to present a new draft resolution, which is exceptional in nature, On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Human Rights Council, on the 19th of June 2026, the international community will mark the 20th anniversary of the first session of the Human Rights Council, which was established by the General Assembly pursuant to resolution 60 stroke 251 of the 15th of March 2006.
In the current geopolitical context, we believe it is important to reaffirm the role of multilateralism and of human rights in addressing global challenges and in conflict prevention.
The 20th anniversary of the Human Rights Council is a timely opportunity to do so.
It will enable us to reaffirm the mandate that the General Assembly gave to the council, while also collectively recognizing the major contributions made by the Human Rights Council over the last 20 years.
Our goal is to adopt a positive resolution that celebrates the achievements of the council and which recognizes the contributions made by all stakeholders who've participated in this process.
We are convinced that this initiative, which is grounded in a spirit of consensus and multilateral solidarity and on a genuine commitment that is shared commitment to human rights will garner broad support from all regional groups.
Mexico would like to quarterly invite all member states to participate in a constructive way in the consultations on this draft resolution.
President, Secondly, I am pleased to inform you that Mexico and New Zealand will present a draft resolution in order to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities for an additional three year period.
The renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur is of particular significance in the context of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which will be marked at the end of this year.
The distinguished Permanent Representative of New Zealand will provide the necessary details regarding the content and objectives of that draft resolution.
President, finally, during this session, we will present the Bennual resolution on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls.
On this occasion, the resolution will focus on the gender dimension of care and support systems and discrimination.
This is a topic that was highlighted by the working group on the discrimination against women and girls in its second last report and by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Given its important role in promoting this important agenda within the Human Rights Council, and as a Streamlining measure, Spain and Ireland will be part of the core group that will present this initiative alongside Mexico and Chile, making it possible to form a very broad group.
President, care and support are an absolutely essential pillar of our societies and for our economies.
Every human being requires some kind of care or support at some point in their lives.
However, the disproportionate distribution of care and support work and also of domestic labor is one of the main factors behind gender inequality.
At the global level, 45% of women of working age are left out of the labor market due to unpaid care work responsibilities, and they don't have the possibility of accessing the care and support that they themselves need and nor can they provide themselves with self care.
The resolution seeks to highlight how gender inequalities in care and support systems impact the enjoyment of human rights by girls and women and to call on states to build, strengthen, and transform these systems through specific measures aimed at achieving real and genuine substantive equality.
President, if I may, we would now like to give the floor to the distinguished representative of Spain so that they can continue the presentation of this particular initiative.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, President.
With your leave, we would just like to say that we're happy to be cooperating with Mexico, Chile, and Iceland in order to help enhance the efficiency and streamlined work of this council, and we are joining the core group given that these initiatives are very much converging and it is a topic of great significance for all.
We'd like to reaffirm our support for the work of the council in promoting the agenda on care and support work from a human rights perspective as a key pillar of sustainable development.
Our council's movement is clear after the option of resolution 54 stroke six on the importance of care work and support from a human rights perspective, there have been significant steps forward at the international and regional levels, including resolutions that have been adopted in the context of the General Assembly and the ILO, and the WHO.
The agenda is now back before the Human Rights Council through the resolution on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls, which will contribute to gradually building human rights standards in this field.
We therefore invite all delegations and civil society organizations to take part in a constructive way in the consultation and informal consultations of this draft resolution.
Spain will also co sponsor a side event on femicide This is something that has been prepared with the Office of the High Commissioner, and it is a contribution of the International Human Rights System to combating violence against women and girls.
Spain will continue to defend non discrimination on grounds of gender and sexual orientation.
Promoting values through the promotion of the input of the experts on this topic and by promoting more inclusive and equal opportunity initiatives for human dignity.
In the context of this session of the council, we will through a number of initiatives, tackle human rights violations endured by the Palestinian prisoners in detention centers in Israel.
We're talking about thousands of people who have been subjected to torture and awful conditions of detention, and this council cannot turn a blind eye to it.
We will continue to call for the respect of the human dignity of the activists international waters in the face of illegal detentions and on the occasion of the tentieth anniversary of this council, we will continue to defend multilateraalism and its fundamental role in the international human rights architecture.
Many thanks.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Argentina, followed by Qatar and Pakistan.
Thank you very much, President.
First of all, I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate miss Aadabo on her appointment, and we would just like to convey to her our very best wishes in her function and assure her that she can count on the port of our delegation.
Argentina would like to inform delegations that it will present in its national capacity a technical renovation of the resolution on Businesses and Human Rights.
We're doing this because we understand that this is an important topic.
It's important for workers, it's important for communities, it's important for states, but it is also important for businesses themselves who today are playing an ever increasingly important role in our economies and societies.
Our initiative relates to the resolution 53 on Business and Human rights, which was adopted by consensus by this council in 2023.
Since then, President, the world has not become more simple.
Value chains are more complex and innovation is gathering speed.
The economy is changing at an unprecedented pace, and that is precisely why the responsibility to promote respect for human rights in all fields of economic activity remains a very relevant task.
We are not here to reinvent the wheel.
We are here to preserve the work that has been done and to build on it and to reaffirm the importance of an agenda that has shown its relevance and worth for this council.
In the next few days, we have the opportunity to exchange views during the informal consultations.
We will listen and we will discuss, and we will work in a very constructive spirit In order to ensure that because in our view, the most robust resolutions are not those that belong to sing delegations, but those that are owned by everybody.
Argentina will also co sponsor alongside other countries, an side event on education which will take place during the first week of this session.
The details of the time and place are still to be confirmed.
President, with respect to the initiative that we will be putting forward, we understand that businesses generate employment and promote innovation and contribute to development, and that is precisely why the more important their role within our societies is, the more important it is for us to continue promoting respect for human rights.
That is the purpose behind this initiative, and that is the spirit in which we are presenting that initiative today.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar, followed by Pakistan and the Netherlands.
Thank you, President Qatar reaffirms its commitment to cooperation with the Human Rights Council so that it can its mandate efficiently.
The 62nd session will be held at a time the world is facing staggering challenges related to armed conflicts.
This affects human rights in many countries.
This requires that the council double its efforts to live up its mandate and shoulder its responsibility as a body that protects the human rights globally.
And is responsible for dealing with challenges.
Qatar will table a resolution entitled Protection of Healthcare in armed conflicts.
It touches upon important issues related to protecting health facilities and health professionals and people vulnerable to risks during conflicts.
Our initiative is consolidates commitment by warring parties and countries in line with the IHL while stressing that the right to health and health care our main human rights that should be protected and we should ensure their enjoyment by people at times of peace and war.
Given the importance of this initiative, we expect the council to support it, we expect your participation for a broader sponsorship of the resolution.
Qatar, We'll be organizing an event entitled Enabling Women and Girls in port in 16 July 11-1230.
There will be a reception.
This important event is part of the implementation of resolution 17 slash 59 adopted last July.
The permanent mission of Qatar in Geneva will also organize another event with regards the empowerment of women in sport on 16 July 11-12 following an exposition and a reception.
The permanent mission of Qatar to participate in an event with regards to the consolidation of resilience in peace.
It aims to shine a light on the family resilience within the context of crisis and conflicts on the role of families in social stability and the welfare of family membership.
We expect member states and NGOs to participate in these events to ensure their success and thank you, President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Pakistan, followed by the Netherlands and France.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the ICE group.
OIC member states remain deeply concerned at the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.
Recurring and escalating cycles of violence have repeatedly targeted the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar in particular.
The applied demands discounsils continued attention.
As victims of systemic discrimination and repression, Rohingya Muslims face violations and abuses of human rights.
They are denied citizenship and deprived of basic services.
In addition to daily discrimination, they face arbitrary detention, forced recruitment, and displacement from their homes.
Meanwhile, the repatriation of the Rohingya Muslims from Bangladesh and other countries to Myanmar remains a persistent challenge due to lack of commitment from Myanmar authorities and absence of conducive environment within Myanmar.
In view of the grave human rights situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities, the OEC member states intend to present a resolution once again at the forthcoming session of the Human Rights Council.
Mr.
President, at the 59th HRC session, the resolution titled Situation of Human Rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar was adopted without a vote.
The group looks forward to the support of the council members as well as the broader UN membership in adopting this draft resolution with consensus.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Netherlands, followed by France and the ROK.
President, allow me to introduce two initiatives, a side event and the resolution on the Freedom of opinion and expression.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is hosting a side event on the safety of journalists in conflict, which will take place on the 19th of June 13-14 hours in Room seven.
The event will feature frontline journalists from Sudan, Ukraine, and Gaza and discuss the implementation of the Special Rapporteur Iran Khan's new guidelines on the protection of journalists in armed conflict.
We look forward to your participation.
Now I turn to the resolution.
The Netherlands, together with a cross regional core group consisting of Brazil, Canada, Fiji, Namibia, and Sweden, is honored to present a biannual resolution on Freedom of opinion and expression at the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.
This resolution will build on the important work of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, whose analysis continues to inform and guide these efforts.
The right to freedom of opinion and expression is a foundational and enabling human right, essential for the protection of all other rights and for ensuring democratic governance, security, economic prosperity, and sustainable development.
It empowers individuals to seek, receive, and impart information, enabling them to participate meaningfully in public life, to challenge injustice, and to shape decisions that affect them.
This right is especially critical for marginalized groups, including women and girls, whose voices are too often constrained or excluded.
Building on previous iterations, this year's resolution draws from relevant thematic resolutions of both the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, as well as the expertise of the UN and civil society to address emerging challenges to freedom of opinion and expression in an increasingly complex global context.
We intend to hold open informal consultations on this resolution in line with council standards and look forward to engaging constructively with colleagues in the weeks ahead to achieve a consensus based resolution.
Now, Mr.
President, if you allow, the distinguished representative of Canada will outline this year's focus and new elements.
Resident.
Canada is pleased to join the Kingdom of the Netherlands in presenting this resolution on behalf of the core group.
This year's resolution places particular emphasis on the impact of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence on the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression.
While these technologies offer significant opportunities, their misuse poses serious risks.
It is essential that transparency, accountability, and adequate safeguards in line with international human rights law are in place across the life cycle of emerging technologies.
The resolution also reinforces the link between freedom of expression, information integrity, and the safety of journalists and other media workers.
In an era of digital harassment, disinformation and pressure on independent media, including in conflict and crisis settings, ensuring a safe and enabling environment for journalists is more important than ever.
Additionally, the resolution highlights the growing misuse of legal measures, including strategic lawsuits, restrictive defamation provisions, and overly broad cyber crime or foreign agent laws, which silence dissent and restricts civic space.
Resolution also draws on recent reporting by UN experts to highlight the rising cross border intimidation and surveillance, including online harassment and technology facilitated threats that undermine the safety and human rights of individuals.
It encourages preventive and protective measures to support those effective.
More broadly, the resolution reaffirms the primary responsibility of states to respect, protect, and fulfill this right while recognizing the critical contributions of civil society, academia, the media, and private sector in safeguarding this essential right.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of France, followed by the Republic of Korea and Armenia.
Thank you, President.
During the 62nd Human Rights Council that marks the 20th anniversary of the Council, France will engage in cross regional core group, including Albania, Chile, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, and others.
This is a demonstration of our commitment to the universality indivisibility and independence of human rights.
This initiative will renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Extreme poverty and will honor the work done by a number of mandate holders that has advanced thinking.
We will look at strategies to eradicate poverty.
We will strive to build a consensus on these challenges critical for over 7 million people integrating civil society and people living in poverty in order to contribute to implementing the SDGs.
This resolution will be the subject of open consultation, and we hope that once again it will be adopted by consensus.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea, followed by Armenia and the Philippines.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
The Republic of Korea recognizes the important role of local governments in translating human rights commitments into practice.
While we regret that the implementation of certain activities mandated on the Human Rights Counc resolution 57 slash 12 has been affected by the United Nations ongoing financial and liquidity challenges, we remain committed to advancing discussion on local government and human rights and sustaining international attention to this important issue.
In this regard, I am pleased to announce that the Permanent Mission of Republic Korea, together with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, plans to organize a side event on local government and human rights on 23 June from 1:00 P.M.
To 2:00 P.M.
In Rome Concordia one.
We welcome the publication by OHCHR and UCLG of the guidance framework for creating a Human Rights city in July 2025.
Building on this important contribution, the side event will provide an opportunity to exchange views on the implementation of the framework, as well as on challenges and good practices in promoting and protecting human rights at the local level.
A consent note and further details will be shared with delegations in due course.
We would welcome and encourage the constructive participation of all delegations in this event.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Armenia, followed by Philippines and Japan.
President, Armenia would like to inform delegations of initiatives that it will support and organize over the 62nd Human Rights Council, first in the field of the rights of the child.
Armenia will co sponsor on the 24th of June a side event devoted to children and young people that are regularly caring for members of their family.
This discussion will bring together a number of states, international organizations, and representatives of civil society in order to review the impact that these responsibilities might have on the exercise of their rights, and it will be an opportunity to explore specific ways of better protecting these children, their families, and their welfare.
Secondly, in light of our commitment to the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls in the context of digital technologies or Armenia in partnership with members of the Central Cross Regional Group and working group on discrimination against women and girls, an event will be organized devoted to the role of international cooperation in reducing the digital divide across gender.
These discussions, which will happen on the 23rd of June, will draw on the next report from the working group that will be presented during the session.
It'll be an opportunity to review opportunities and challenges surrounding the digital divide.
And artificial intelligence and will be a way to guarantee full, equal and effective participation of women and girls within the digital world.
We will be pleased to welcome government representatives, representatives from the UN, universities, private sector, and civil society in order to have an inclusive discussion on these issues.
We believe that this will be an important contribution to the consultations underway within the central cross regional group with a view to promote during the next session of the council a thematic initiative devoted to this very issue.
Finally, for the second year running, I mean to organize a cultural event Under the ages of the International Day for Chess, this will take place on the 8th of July and we'll bring together members of the diplomatic community for a friendly chess tournament that will celebrate our values of mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation.
We hope that member states, observers, as well as civil society representatives will join us for this event.
Additional information on all of these events will be communicated in the coming days.
We hope that we can count on the active participation of delegations and we're delighted to continue discussions as well as our close cooperation with all stakeholders over this session.
I thank you, President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Philippines, followed by Japan and Morocco.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
The Philippines, Bangladesh, and Vietnam will present the annual resolution on human rights and climate change, focusing on adaptation and the realization of human rights of present and future generations.
Over the past 18 years, this resolution has contributed to advancing the recognition of climate change as a human rights issue viewed from the prism of climate justice and equity.
This year's iteration builds on this important contribution.
Scientific consensus is unequivocal.
Adaptation limits have already been reached in some ecosystems.
Without urgent climate action, the human cost of the climate crisis will continue to increase, even as the window for securing a livable and sustainable future for all rapidly narrows.
Against this backdrop, the draft resolution underscores the importance of country owned and country driven adaptation informed by human rights, social justice, intergenerational equity, and gender and supported by adequate means of implementation.
Among the proposed new elements, are the recognition of the ICJ and ILOs advisory opinions and normative gaps in the protection of people in the event of disasters, including those on the move within and across borders.
The draft also recognizes that actions and inactions of the present have profound multiplier implications for future generations.
As the second global stock take starts this year, we envision this council's offering a human rights perspective to the process through the analytical study proposed in this resolution.
The core group looks forward to an inclusive and constructive consultation with states and other stakeholders.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Japan, followed by Morocco and Cuba.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
It is my pleasure to inform the council that the cross regional core group consisting of Brazil, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fizi, India, Kyrgyzstan Morocco, and Japan will present a resolution on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy or Hansen's disease and their family members during this session.
Since the Human Rights Council first adopted this resolution in 2008, the International Committee has advanced efforts to eliminate discrimination against persons affected by Hansen's disease and their family members.
Since 2017, special rapporteur have furthered this course through the country visits, reporting, and stakeholder engagement which have contributed to raising international awareness and promoting implementation of the principles and guidelines.
Mr.
President, we have made considerable progress since embarking on this journey in 2008.
Yet discrimination against persons affected by Hansen's disease persists in many parts of the world.
Hansen's disease related discrimination has unique historical and institutional characteristics.
It is not just a matter of the longstanding stigma associated with the disease, but also the legal and institutionalized discrimination rooted in state policies and legal frameworks.
Today, there still remains laws to be repealed and people to be emancipated.
In fact, it is precisely this highly institutionalized nature of the historical discrimination that sets Hansen's disease apart from other debilitating diseases whose victims are subject to discrimination.
Mr.
President, it is our moral obligation to continue to champion the rights of those affected by Hansen's disease.
At the same time, we have a responsibility to build on the gains made to date more efficient manner given the acute financial crisis we face.
We believe that the best way to achieve the greater efficiency is to focus our attention on promoting domestic implementation and institutionalization of the principles and guidelines.
Hence, to achieve this balance, through a new resolution, we envisage the conclusion of the special reports mandate in October this year, while ensuring sustainable follow up by the High Commissioner with significantly reduced reporting cycles and interactive dialogue.
This is, in fact, in line with a call from Zip and Australia for rationalization.
Mr.
President, the core group looks forward to constructive engagement with all delegations during the informal consultations and we hope that this resolution will once again be adopted by consensus.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco, followed by Cuba and Estonia.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
My delegation is honored to announce that we will be organizing a side event on protecting human rights through the prevention of corruption on Thursday 25 June at 2:00 P.M.
The objective of this event is to present the severe consequences and damages resulting from corruption as gaps for social development and human livelihood and to identify opportunities and synergies between processes in Geneva and Vienna.
We hope to see as many of you as possible to have a substantive discussion and to share best practices in terms of cooperation.
Mr.
President, allow me to continue my statement in French.
La, la President du We are looking at the issue of gender equality within the group of ambassadors and we will organize a call Kigali events and looking at the rights of women human rights within the French speaking environment.
This will take place as part on the side of the ministerial conference of the Francophoni and here we will discuss solidarity between francophone states and beyond.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba, followed by Estonia and Colombia.
Thank you very much President.
The 62nd Human Rights Council is taking place in a context of growing threats and a military aggression in Cuba by the US.
This aggression is a flagrant violation of the human rights of our people.
It denies the right to life for thousands of Cubans who would die for their country.
We also have US young people, Americans who would lose lives in an absurd way.
They're using the argument of representing our small island as a supposed threat to national security of this nuclear superpower.
This idea defies logic and common sense.
Cuba is not and nor can it be a threat for the USA.
You just have to look at a map.
They're lying to justify yet another irrational war.
Our country is not an enemy of the USA, nor do we want to be.
Despite our differences with the government, Cuba is a nation that is peace loving.
This government of the United States that is provoking serious harm for Cuban families with a strengthened economic embargo and additional measures that are even more aggressive and we are also facing a brutal siege on our energy resources.
The blockade that has been imposed on Cuba for over five months is like a naval blockade and this is an act of war.
The consequences are simply devastating.
This is a plan to bring about a humanitarian crisis.
Our people are suffering on a daily basis, long blackouts, difficulties in the supply of water, transport, normal services, the provision of gas and food and services.
We are seriously the healthcare system and education system are seriously affected as well as other sectors.
This crisis is not because of the supposed incompetence of the Cuban government or our economic model.
The US is Putting a noose around the neck of Cuba and tightening it to the point where the island can no longer breathe, submitting thousands of people to inhumane conditions, creating scarcity, shortcomings because of political means, is not acceptable under any circumstances.
Many mandate holders from the council have condemned the US actions, called them illegal, unjustified, and that they violate the human rights of the Cuban people.
As the High Commissioner Olkartuk underlined on this very situation, nothing can justify suffocating an entire population.
The council must act in the face of these events that are undermining the undermining human rights.
This body cannot peacefully contemplate or consider that an entire population be deprived of its means of subsistence, that an entire population is continually punished because of the because of the goals of another country and that we'd be threatened with military aggression with no justification.
Cuba would appeal to all peace loving nations to prevent a military aggression that would have unprecedented consequences.
We appeal to the international community to mobilize so that you can prevent a humanitarian catastrophe from befalling the Cuban people, whether this be through weapons or through the energy blockade that is also killing people.
We know full well that Cuba is not alone.
On behalf of the Cuban people and government, I reiterate our deep gratitude to all those who have expressed their solidarity and support.
When we're seeing that the Cuban people are facing serious danger.
Cuba does not want conflict.
We want to see dialogue and peace.
But if a military aggression occurs, if war is imposed upon us, which is not something we want, you can rest assured that Cuba will fight to the very end to defend its sovereignty and independence.
President.
In the 62nd session of Human Rights Council, Cuba will present two draft resolutions, the text on human rights and international solidarity, which will focus on the renewal of this important mandate.
The second draft will focus on convening a social forum for 2027.
To conclude, I would say that Cuba on the 29th of July will organize a side event on the Declaration of the Right to Peace, which is celebrating its tenth birthday this year, following its approval in 2016 by the Council and the General Assembly.
We would invite all delegations to take part.
Thank you very much, President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Estonia, followed by Colombia and Brazil.
Ident, allow me to present two side events taking place in the margins of the Human Rights Council.
Firstly, and the ambassador of Mexico already talked about the 20th anniversary of the Human Rights Council.
Estonia is proud to co sponsor the program of events organized by Geneva Human Rights Hub and various stakeholders of the Council during this first week of the session.
Among others, we are pleased to co sponsor together with Switzerland, the Conservator National des and the Geneva Human Rights Hub, a side event entitled The Impact of Human Rights Council Output on regional and national regulations strengthening Users rights.
In the online sphere model on platform regulation taking place on June 18th at 2:00 P.M.
In Room seven.
The event will examine different models of platform regulation and discuss how the Human Rights Council's normative and interpretive work can contribute to ensuring effective protection of human rights in the digital sphere.
Secondly, let me mention that Estonia, together with Moldova, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance and other sponsors, is organizing the side event, the unseen harm, foreign information manipulation and interference as a human rights violation.
It will take place on June 25th at 2:00 P.M.
In Room five.
The objective of this side event is to introduce the concept of foreign information manipulation and interference, to examine its implications for information integrity, It's harm to the enjoyment of human rights and to identify entry points for intergovernmental cooperation.
To conclude, let mention that after 20 years, the council remains as relevant as ever, and it is our common responsibility to strengthen and support this institution, including by making efforts to increase efficiency and rationalization.
In this regard, we welcome widened use of online and hybrid modalities as also mentioned by the Deputy High Commissioner in her remarks.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Colombia, followed by Brazil and Switzerland.
Thank you, President.
During the 62nd Human Rights Council session, Colombia will present, along with Uruguay, Switzerland, sorry, Sweden, Georgia, Fiji, Sierra Leone, and Japan, a new version of the resolution on the promotion, Protection, and respect for the full enjoyment of the human rights of women and girls in humanitarian situations under item three.
With a view to streamlining work, we've also invited members of the core group to join this initiative.
We've also consulted with other central cross regional groups to come on board.
The renewal of this or the updating of this resolution happens at a time of unprecedented crisis with devastating consequences for human rights of women and girls.
More than 70% of women and girls in humanitarian contexts have experienced some form of gender based violence.
Approximately one in five women who are refugees or displaced have been victims of sexual violence and 60% of maternal deaths occur in countries affected by conflict or institutional fragility.
In the face of this reality, we also have financial collapse.
Since 2021, the call for services to respond to gender based violence has increased in 40% and yet the available finance has grown at about 5%.
The end of 2025, we saw the abrupt withdrawal of donors Two specific programs.
International organizations that have been led by women as first responders in many crises are now on the brink of collapse.
90% have suffered from serious financial cuts and around half are trying to take steps in the next six months that are going to endanger the provision of essential care.
In the face of this situation, the new resolution will be structured according to four interconnected pillars, the nexus between climate change and humanitarian situations and their differentiated impact on women and girls.
Violations of human rights in humanitarian contexts with specific focus on vulnerable groups, access to justice and full participation of women and girls, and development and international cooperation and funding with an emphasis to overcome the systemic lack of funding and to meet humanitarian needs.
Colombia would call on all states and interested parties to participate actively in the consultations that will take place during the session with a we've lost the sound with a view to achieving a balanced consensus based approach to respond to the urgent situation facing women and girls in humanitarian contexts across the world.
Thank you, President.
So to chair.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil, followed by Switzerland and the Council of Europe.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Brazil, together with partner countries, will promote two side events during the next session of the council.
The first side event we will discuss the role of freedom of expression in the empowerment of women.
The event aims to analyze and reaffirm the intrinsic relationship between gender equality and freedom of expression as the right to speak without fear constitutes an indispensable condition for women's empowerment, in particular in the context of women participation and leadership in decision making spaces.
The ability to express opinions freely and to engage in public discourse on equal terms is a prerequisite for women's full, effective, and meaningful participation at all levels of governance, including political, diplomatic, economic, and social spheres.
The challenges to the full enjoyment of women's freedom of expression brought by the emergency of various technological advancements, including artificial intelligence requires, in this context, further in depth consideration.
The event will take place on June 22nd, 12:00 at room 11.
Second side event, we will discuss the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous LGBTQIA plus persons.
The event aims to bring light to the importance of addressing the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination faced by indigenous LGBTQIA plus persons, as well as to promote inclusive approaches grounded in human rights.
Indigenous LGBTQIA plus persons are often exposed to compounded vulnerabilities resulting from the intersection of discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic marginalization.
Such challenges may affect the full enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including access to education, health care, employment, justice, and political participation.
This context, the side event will also provide an opportunity to reflect on good practice aimed at combating violence, stigma, exclusion, and other forms of intolerance, while strengthening the protection of indigenous cultures, identities, and traditional knowledge systems.
The event will take place on a date to be confirmed as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Switzerland, followed by Council of Europe and Kenya.
Thank you, President, Switzerland, as a pen holder for the resolution on child marriage, early marriage, and forced marriage, we'll present a new version with a trans regional group of states, Canada, Honduras, Italy, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Sierra Leone, Thailand, and Uruguay.
Resolution will focus on the implementation of guidelines established by the Office of the High Commissioner pursuant to resolution 53 stroke 23 that was adopted in 2023.
These guidelines are an important contribution to the prevention and eradication of this harmful practice.
It is also in connection with the sustainable development goals.
That's why we believe it is essential to give greater visibility to these guidelines.
We count on the constructive engagement of all delegations during informal negotiations in order to adopt a robust and balanced text and to take one step further towards eradicating child marriage, early marriage, and forced marriage.
In addition to the events already announced and supported by Switzerland, I have the pleasure of announcing the holding of an side event on the Rabat action plan and its implementation online.
This topic was the subject of a workshop organized last April by Switzerland in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner and the NGO Article 19.
The event will be an opportunity to come back to the results of this workshop.
It's on 28 of June 1-2 in Concordia one, Federal Council, the State Council of the Republic and Count of Geneva, and the Executive Council of the City of Geneva to a reception.
It will take place on 15 June 1815-1945, at the restaurant de Ligue on the eighth floor of the A building.
It is being organized to mark the 62nd session, which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Human Rights Council.
The Swiss authorities look forward to your attendance and the invitations are forthcoming.
On 19th of June, now for the 19th of June, on behalf of delegates from the permanent missions of the Dominican Republic, India, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Liechtenstein, Norway, Pakistan, and Switzerland, I am happy to share that the National dress Day will take place on 19th June at the Sal de Paper Due in the AA building.
It will be followed by a multicultural party.
Complete information will be shared with permanent missions by this Wednesday through June, along with full list of focal points for the event.
Delegations wishing to pledge food drinks for the multicultural party can already get in touch with Alfonsria from the Dominican Republic and van from Kenya.
Thank you for your attention.
Thank you.
And I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Council of Europe, followed by Kenya and the EU.
Honorable Mr.
President, distinguished participants.
The Council of Europe remains fully committed to the cooperation within the Human Rights Council and stands ready to contribute constructively throughout the upcoming 62nd session.
We are pleased to announce that the Council of Europe, jointly with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other regional organizations plans to organize a site event entitled Universality of Human Rights Across Regions and Contemporary Challenges.
It will take place on June 23rd at noon in Room five.
This event aims to reaffirm the universality, indivisibility, and interdependence of human rights and to demonstrate how both the UN human rights system and regional mechanisms strengthen universal standards through complementary action, fostering good practices and cross regional dialogue.
Despite current trends, the site event aims to illustrate how universal norms can be strengthened through diverse institutional arrangements and cultural context.
We trust it will provide a valuable platform for systematic dialogue and the exchange of best practices between Geneva, Strasbourg and all relevant stakeholders from other regions.
We also take this opportunity and briefly mention the site event that will be announced by the distinguished delegation of the principality of Monaco on port in time of war.
The Council of Europe is honored to co organize this discussion along with other partners.
We warmly invite all delegations Civil Society and partners to join us for this important discussions.
Invitations will be distributed shortly.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya, followed by the EU and Hungary.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
The African Group wishes to inform the council that it will be presenting under agenda item ten, a draft resolution entitled Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for South Sudan.
This renewal of this mandate reflects our continued commitment to constructive engagement and cooperation, grounded in the respect for national ownership and the priorities of the state concerned.
African Group underscores the central role of the Human Rights Council in providing technical assistance and capacity building at the request of the state as the key pillar for advancing human rights in a sustainable and inclusive manner.
In the case of South Sudan, continued support from international community remains essential as the country advances its transition processes and implements key provisions of its peace agreements.
We look forward to engaging constructively with all delegations during the consideration of this draft resolution and encourage broad support for this important initiative.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the EU, followed by Hungary and Monaco.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Allow me to, first of all, confirm the EU's unwavering commitment to the UN human rights system, including the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms.
We look forward to celebrating the Council's 20th anniversary with all partners in the course of the upcoming session.
Thank you and the Bureau members for the steps taken to steer the council's work in times of continuing funding cuts and rationalization needs.
And let me underline that the EU and its member states pay assessed contributions in full and on time.
We also thank you for reiterating that there is a zero tolerance against harassment in the Human Rights Council, including the informal meetings taking place on the sidelines of the council sessions, and that the Bureau agreed to revisit this issue in a future meeting.
At the upcoming session, the European Union will present the following resolution, a resolution on the situation of human rights in Eritrea to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur to Eritrea.
We welcome certain progress made since last year, including a release of some arbitrarily detained persons and a training by OHDHR requested by Eritrea and encourage this to be continued.
We also appreciate the dialogue we have had with the Eritrea mission.
However, in light of the continuously concerning human rights situation, continued monitoring and reporting by the Special Rapporteur and attention by this council remains necessary.
We look forward to working with all delegations on this resolution and on their initiatives.
In line with what was said on efficiency, we engage with an efficiency minded approach and with a readiness to reconsider initiatives.
As EU, we have already taken quite a few such steps, including the significant reduction of mandated IDs and the emerging of resolutions, as well as b annualizing or tri annualizing resolutions.
We are ready to consider more steps.
This is a joint endeavor.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Hungary, followed by Monaco and Norway.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
On behalf of Hungary and the cross regional Core Group comprising of Australia, Botswana, Mexico, Thailand, and the Maldives, we intend to submit resolution under item three on the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, jurors, and assessors, and the independence of lawyers, as well as the mandate renewal of the special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.
The intention of the core group is to merge the thematic and mandate renewal resolutions in light of the ongoing rationalization efforts in the Human Rights Council.
Therefore, the two resolutions will be synchronized and will be presented on a triennial basis in the future.
Core group's aim is to preserve the resolution's consensual nature, and it will conduct the consultation process with states, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders in the spirit of dialogue and transparency.
The time and venue of the informal consultations will be communicated in due course.
We hope to count on delegations constructive engagement throughout the negotiations.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Monaco, followed by Norway and New Zealand.
Thank you, President.
From Ukraine to the Middle East, today's conflicts are dramatically changing civilians daily lives, shattering their safe havens and resilience.
The massive destruction of infrastructure and permanent insecurity are such that war is too often depriving populations of the tool for well being and resilience, that is sport.
Faced with this fact, a number of a delegations, including Ukraine and Monaco, will on the sidelines of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council, organize a side event dedicated to the place of sport in time of war.
Representatives from organizations active in the field of sport will discuss the challenges linked to this reality and will highlight the invaluable role that sport can play in promoting human rights and to heal the moral and physical wounds caused by conflict.
This will take place on the 4th of June 1-2 in Concordia and it will also be an event that will be available on Webex.
The invitations will be sent out shortly.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Norway, followed by New Zealand and the UK.
President, I'm pleased to inform commissions that the countries of the group of Friends of the UPR, Argentina, Armenia, Fiji, Pakistan, South Africa, and my own country, Norway, will organize a side event to showcase the achievement of the two UPR voluntary funds in enhancing UPR participation and in the implementation of UPR recommendations, as well as the positive impact of UPR advisors in OHCHR regional offices.
Time and place are still to be confirmed, but we aimed to organize the side events during the third week of the session when item six is on the council's agenda.
The same countries are also considering other initiatives and will inform colleagues in due course.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of New Zealand, followed by UK and Ukraine.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
As the permanent representative of Mexico has noted, New Zealand is pleased to confirm that together with Mexico, we will be running the resolution to extend the mandate for the Special Rapporteur on the rights of disabled persons for a further three years.
It has been 20 years since adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and over this time, it has been encouraging to see the progress countries have made towards creating inclusive societies where persons with disabilities benefit from the full enjoyment of their rights and can participate on an equal basis.
However, challenges in the implementation of the convention persist in our own countries and around the world on accessibility, violence and discrimination, economic exclusion, care and support, legal barriers, access to health and education, to name a few.
The value we derive from the special rapporteur role remains critical in supporting us all to overcome these challenges.
Special Rapporteur promotes dialogue and information exchange between governments as well as with organizations of disabled persons.
She is an important voice speaking out to educate others about the challenges persons with disabilities face and to help combat discrimination and stigmatization.
She is responsible for acting on communications, helping to hold states to account when they may not have met their obligations.
As an independent expert, the special rapporteur produces guidance is consulted in the development of UN reports and also provides practical recommendations and technical assistance, all with the aim of helping countries integrate disability rights into their national policies and development goals.
This resolution will largely be a technical rollover, but we will be looking to align our approach with UNGA resolution 80 slash 251 on mandate creation, implementation, and review for an efficient and effective UN, as well as the Human Rights Council efficiency and Rationalization Pro led this year by Australia and Dibbouti.
We encourage others to do the same and we look forward to working with all delegations on the renewal of this important mandate.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the UK, followed by Ukraine and Portugal.
Thanks, Mr.
President.
We have not requested the floor, so we are happy to hand over to the Ukrainian delegation.
Thank you very much.
Okay.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine, followed by Portugal and Lichtenstein.
Thank you very much, Mr.
President.
Thank you to Distinguished representative of UK.
This session, Ukraine, together with the core group consisting of Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the United Kingdom, will present an updated resolution on the role of states in countering the negative impact of disinformation.
We believe that the continued attention of the Human Rights Council to this issue remains essential, particularly in the context of growing threats to information integrity and their adverse impact on the enjoyment of human rights.
As the Russian Federation further escalates its war of aggression against Ukraine, we remain committed to ensuring sustained international attention to the grave and systematic human rights violations and abuses resulting from Russia's actions.
In this regard, we welcome the upcoming interactive dialogue on Ukraine based on the latest reports of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the interim report of the UN Secretary-General of the human rights situation in the temporary occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimea.
On the occasion of the International Day for the elimination of sexual violence and conflict, we would also like to invite to attend the side event, Justice for CRS three survivors, the pass towards the implementation of Ukraine's law on urgent interim reparations as a new global standard.
Organized by the government of Ukraine in partnership with the UN Women and UN team of experts on the rule of law and sexual violence in conflict and the Global Survivors Fund.
This event will take place on 19th June from 2:00 to 3:00 P.M.
At room eight.
The discussion aims to foster dialogue among governments, UN entities, and international partners on survivor centered approach to implementing reparations, frameworks that integrate financial compensation, psychological support, and socioeconomic recovery measures.
We would be particularly pleased to welcome to this event where miss Katerina Lechenko government Commissioner for Gender Equality Policy, will participate and provide an important opportunity for direct exchange on Ukraine's efforts to advance justice and support for survivors of conflict related sexual violence.
I would also like to reiterate Ukraine's commitment to the promotion and protection of all human rights and express our readiness to continue an open and constructive dialogue across a broad agenda of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Portugal, followed by Lichtenstein in Peru.
In the upcoming 62nd session of the Human Rights Council, Portugal will be once again tabling the draft resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to education.
With the current mandate of the Special Rapporteur coming to an end, the main purpose of this triennual initiative is to renew it for a further period of three years.
The draft resolution will therefore be presented as a technical rollover.
A world marked by widening inequalities, rapid technological change, misinformation, conflict, displacement, and climate related disruption, education is more essential than ever, not only as a right in itself, but as a foundation for resilience, inclusion, and the realization of the broader 2030 agenda.
In this context, this mandate continues to be of the utmost importance for the Human Rights Council and for the promotion of the right to education for all.
We look forward to states constructive engagement during the negotiations and trust it will once again be adopted by consensus.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Lichtenstein, followed by Peru and the Sovereign Order of Malta.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
It is my honor to inform the council about a side event that we will be organizing at the upcoming 62nd session, together with the permanent mission of Ukraine and the Also virus Project on addressing barriers to justice and health care in a survivor centered manner in the context of conflict related sexual violence against men and boys in Ukraine.
While there is clear evidence that women and girls are routinely the targets of sexual violence and armed conflict, there's also increasing recognition that men and boys are exposed to conflict related sexual violence.
In the UN, the UN has documented conflict related sexual violence in Ukraine since the beginning of the military aggression by the Russian Federation.
Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, and the UN Secretary-General have documented the widespread targeting of women and girls, but also men and boys who have suffered from conflict related sexual violence mainly, although not exclusively in situation of deprivation of liberty.
At the side event, we will be joined by several distinguished experts to strengthen awareness and support a holistic understanding of conflict related sexual violence.
The side event will take place on Monday, 15th of June 2026 from 1:00 P.M.
To 2:00 P.M.
In Room Concordia one.
We are looking forward to your participation.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Peru, followed by Sovereign Order of Malta.
Senor President President, I am pleased to announce that Peru and Ecuador will present an updated version of the biennial resolution entitled Human Rights and the Acquisition possession and use of Firearms by civilians.
This initiative is building on the six resolutions that were already adopted in the past by this council since 2014 and which was adopted most recently by consensus since 2018.
This topic is of an ever greater urgency.
Recent reports drawn up in the context of the United Nations work have highlighted the growing interconnection between illicit trafficking and the possession, use, and, circulation of firearms, and It is also linked to transnational crime and other forms of crime, and it also hampers the enjoyment of human rights.
Millions of people around the world are living under the threat of armed criminal groups who use firearms in order to exercise territorial control, extort money from communities, recruit young persons, and facilitate illicit activities, and challenge the state's authority.
They also limit access to education, public health, and public spaces, amongst other things.
This resolution, in its updated version will seek to update the council's resolution in the face of this reality.
It looks at the links between organized crime at the national and transnational levels and firearms in more depth, and it also looks at its role in the illicit trafficking of arms and munitions and it will aim to strengthen international, regional, and sub regional cooperation from a human rights perspective.
It also seeks to develop further the empirical basis of the council on the negative impact of these weapons on the enjoyment of human rights.
Peru and Ecuador would therefore like to invite all delegations to actively and constructively participate in the upcoming informal consultations which we will convene.
We trust that on the basis of the agreements and consensuses reached in previous years, we will be able to move towards a consensus based adoption of this resolution.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Sovereign Order of Malta.
Sovereign Order of Malta wishes to announce that it will sponsor a side event on leprosy Hansen's disease during the forthcoming session on the following theme from segregation to justice, addressing historical and continuing human rights violations against persons affected by leprosy.
The side event will take place on Wednesday, June 17th, between noon and 1:00 P.M.
Room three.
This side event aims to promote dialogue on how states, international organizations and affected communities can address the historical and continuing consequences of leprosy related segregation and discrimination through a human rights based approach grounded in truth, justice, reparations, duty to remember, and guarantees of non recurrence.
It follows the issuance of the annual report of the Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discriminations against persons affected by leprosy, which is focused on truth, justice, and reparations.
The panelists will include miss Beatrice Miranda, special Reporter on leprosy, and Mr.
Bernard Duhem, Special Rapporteur on truth and justice, and persons affected by leprosy as well.
Co sponsors are welcomed from member states and the support of each country and NGO is also very much welcome.
Thank you for your attention.
Thank you.
I thank all the 29 delegations for sharing information on their initiatives.
Main sponsors of resolutions are encouraged to consider the multi year program of work and the HRC Mapper tool when considering new initiatives, as well as, I may add, as suggested by the distinguished representative of New Zealand, about the recent UNGA resolution as well as the upcoming UNGA resolution on the council review.
I also urge delegations to consider sharing information early in the process in order to enhance the transparency and predictability in the council.
Let me also underline that in line with resolution five slash one, delegations are invited to conduct open ended informal consultations.
At least one informal open ended consultation should be held on each draft resolution or decision before action is taken by the council.
The consultation should be scheduled in a manner that considers the constraints faced by delegations, particularly smaller ones.
This will help us all to keep a constructive atmosphere based on transparency, dialogue and cooperation.
Excellency's distinguished representatives.
Let me briefly mention some important technical information.
Regarding the documents for this session, more than half of the reports prepared for this session are already available in all official UN languages and posted on the council's website.
The rest will be uploaded in the coming weeks.
All participants are kindly requested to upload the electronic version of oral statements through the online system or send them to the relevant email addresses.
I would like to remind delegations that all oral statements should be electronically submitted to interpreters at least 1 hour before their delivery.
This is important for the quality of interpretation.
The submission of transcripts is mandatory for all video statements.
Let me also stress the importance of video statements being recorded with appropriate sound quality using proper equipment.
The sound quality of video statements is a prerequisite for them to be interpreted.
And therefore, I urge all delegations to verify that they are in accordance with the standards.
Excellencies, distinguished participants, colleagues, we are coming to the end of this meeting.
I would like to open the floor for any comments or information on the issue discussed today.
I see none.
This therefore brings us to the end of this meeting.
Thank you very much for your cooperation today and for the information that you have shared.
I look forward to seeing you in the assembly hall for the opening of the 62nd session on Monday, June 15th at 10:00 A.M.
I hereby close the organizational meeting of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.
Thank you.