The Human Rights Council opened its summer session in Geneva on Monday. Once again, nations will turn their attention to the rights of women, migrants, Indigenous peoples, LGBTQI and other marginalized groups.
Opening Session Highlighted the High level addresses of Swiss President Jürg Lauber, alongside remarks by UN Secretary General António Guterres, UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, and Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
A minute of silence honored victims of human rights violations globally.
Speakers voiced deep concern about a “sharp decline” and “backlash” in global human rights, linked to authoritarianism, war, climate, and shrinking democratic space .
The Key Messages from Volker Türk were the funding cuts to the UN human rights office threaten its ability to monitor abuses and support political prisoners .
Urged caution against militarized domestic law enforcement, referencing calls to avoid military deployment in protests, he described the situation in Gaza as “horrifying, unconscionable suffering” and demanded increased political pressure on Israel and Hamas , he also flagged serious rights abuses in Ukraine, Sudan, the DRC, and rising tensions across the Middle East.
The four week session (shortened slightly due to budget cuts) will tackle a sweeping range of issues: Major Conflicts & Crises, updates and dialogues on Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Belarus, and the DRC,
Actions CSO can continue: sustain the Voices of the Victims, advocate against impunity, raise global awareness, defend Human Rights System itself, engage States and Diplomats.
We have the additional mission of keeping hope alive, defending human dignity when despair takes over, and offering accompaniment to victims. Prayer, education, and solidarity go hand in hand with advocacy.