The Human Rights Council is the world’s peak multilateral human rights body. It is comprised of 47 Member States and meets at least three times per year in Geneva. It is mandated to strengthen the global promotion and protection of human rights, and to address human rights violations and situations of concern.
ISHR works intensively at the Human Rights Council to support the work of human rights defenders. Our strategic combination of research, capacity building, policy development, and advocacy seeks to ensure that the Council is accessible to human rights defenders, protects them against intimidation and reprisals, and is an effective mechanism for change on the ground.
We also monitor and report on States’ cooperation with the Human Rights Council and advocate to ensure that States that seek membership are held to account for their commitment to ‘uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights’.
Read more about our impact and vision in making progress and preventing regress for civil society at the UN.
In a statement at a panel on climate change and human rights, ISHR and the Institute for Political Economy Sri Lanka highlighted the ‘trap’ in which States could enter if not looking at climate financing with a human rights perspective.
At a Human Rights Council debate with the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, ISHR delivered a joint statement with Sudanese Women’s Rights Action and the Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa.
As the Human Rights Council marks its 20th anniversary and the General Assembly reviews its institutional status, HRC62 will be an important test of the Council’s credibility, accessibility and ability to respond to human rights crises. This briefing highlights key opportunities for States and civil society to strengthen civil society participation, address reprisals, uphold the integrity of the Universal Periodic Review, advance climate justice, and ensure principled scrutiny of serious country situations, including those that States should raise during relevant debates. It also provides a practical overview of entry points for civil society engagement during the session.
ISHR introduces a new on-line course on advocacy for environmental human rights defenders, a practical, self-paced resource for activists, community leaders, and allies to defend the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment using UN and regional mechanisms.
Over 90 organisations call on the Syrian transitional government and Member States of the Human Rights Council to ensure that any decisions affecting the future of the Commission of Inquiry are firmly anchored in tangible improvements in the human rights situation in Syria.
On the third anniversary of the conflict in Sudan, NGOs urge the international community to act urgently to save lives in Sudan.
Understand the structure, purpose and mandate of the Human Rights Council and the opportunities for effective engagement.
Visit the ISHR Academy to find out more!
ISHR has published ‘scorecards’ for States seeking election to the UN Human Rights Council for 2027-2029 to help inform voting States’ decisions in the upcoming election.
In response to the annual call for inputs from the UN Secretary-General, ISHR has submitted 66 cases of intimidation and reprisals against human rights defenders engaging with the UN from 24 countries.
This is a compilation of publicly available information on how the liquidity crisis and budget cuts related to the UN80 Initiative are affecting the work of UN human rights mechanisms since 2024, including their ability to fulfil their mandates and deliver tangible improvements for individuals and communities.
ISHR is pleased to launch its updated guide to the UN Special Procedures, an essential tool for human rights defenders seeking to engage more strategically with these experts, for greater impact on the ground.
ISHR is pleased to launch a Special Procedures Explainer in five languages, an essential tool for human rights defenders seeking to engage more strategically with Special Procedures, for greater impact on the ground.
ISHR has published ‘scorecards’ for States seeking election to the UN Human Rights Council for 2026-2028 to help inform voting States’ decisions in the upcoming election.
