UN Photo /Joao Araujo Pinto
The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations. It is composed of representatives of all member States and has a general mandate to discuss and make recommendations on any matters within the scope of the UN Charter.
Under Article 13 of the Charter, the General Assembly is specifically mandated to ‘initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of assisting in the realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion’.
The plenary regular session of the General Assembly runs from September to December, but can reconvene at any time during the year. Each year the General Assembly addresses over 150 agenda items, which are considered either in the plenary or in one of its six committees.
The Third Committee (Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian) addresses most agenda items relevant to human rights defenders, including women’s rights, children’s rights, indigenous peoples’ rights, and the elimination of racism.
Numerous special procedures also report to the Third Committee on a number of these issues and engage in an interactive dialogue with States. After completing its work, the Third Committee submits draft resolutions to the General Assembly for final adoption.
ISHR delivered a statement before the Special Political and Decolonisation Committee (Fourth Committee) during its hearing on the “Question of Western Sahara" on 8 October 2026. Watch and read the statement below.
In a mockery of an election at the General Assembly, States essentially appointed 15 new members of the Council. For the second year in a row, the vote was wholly uncompetitive.
A quart of a century after its launch, civil society continues to mobilise around the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
This briefing highlights ISHR’s key priorities at the Third Committee of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA81). At UNGA81, States must defend the integrity and effectiveness of the international human rights system amid growing political and financial pressures. ISHR’s priorities for the Third Committee include strengthening protection for human rights defenders, countering reprisals and transnational repression, resisting rollbacks on gender equality, SRHR and SOGI, and safeguarding adequately resourced UN human rights mechanisms. The briefing also highlights country situations requiring principled action, including China and Nicaragua, and opportunities for civil society engagement throughout the session.
Current efforts to achieve ‘efficiency’ across the UN in the wake of the organisation’s financial crisis have resulted in a reduction in both reporting expectations and available resources for Special Procedures mandates.
The UN General Assembly adopted a historic resolution acknowledging the scope, gravity and continued impact of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and the racialised slavery it underpinned.
ISHR has published ‘scorecards’ for States seeking election to the UN Committee on NGOs 2027-2030 to help inform voting States’ decisions in the upcoming election.
New ISHR report exposes how some States are manoeuvring to defund the UN's human rights work. The report documents coordinated efforts to block or cut funding for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and Human Rights Council investigations, as well as inconsistent payments that have deepened the UN’s financial crisis.
On April 15 2024, ISHR submitted its annual submission to the UN Secretary General on intimidation and reprisals against defenders engaging or seeking to engage with the UN and its human rights mechanisms.
On 17 April 2023, ISHR submitted its annual submission to the report to the UN Secretary General on reprisals and intimidation against defenders engaging or seeking to engage with the UN and its human rights mechanisms.
ISHR is pleased to launch its Practical Guide to the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly - an essential resource for non-governmental organisations looking to press the UN and Member States to address violations of human rights and the promotion of respect for human rights for all.
In order for the international human rights system to function to its fullest potential, human rights defenders must be able to share crucial information and perspectives, safely and unhindered. However, many defenders still face unacceptable risks and are unable to cooperate safely with the UN.
