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.
Women human rights defenders (WHRD) working on environment and climate justice from around the world gathered in Geneva to participate in the Women Human Rights Advocacy Week (WHRD-AW) between 16 and 21 September. Discover their experience below!
At the 57th Human Rights Council session, civil society organisations share reflections on key outcomes and highlight gaps in addressing crucial issues and situations. Full written version below.
Led by a group of Latin American States and Canada, the United Nations Human Rights Council today extended the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission (the Mission, or FFM) for Venezuela for two years, the mechanism’s third renewal since its creation in 2019.
Notwithstanding the Human Rights Council (the Council)’s sustained attention on Afghanistan and the adoption of a resolution renewing the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, the Council failed to adequately respond to the escalating human rights crisis and calls from civil society and women human rights defenders. Governments need to take action now!
In a joint statement delivered during the discussion on technical assistance and capacity-building to Yemen, organisations addressed the inaction of the international community to support a rights-based transitional justice amidst the escalating crackdown on civil society in the country.
The European Parliament adopted today an urgent resolution condemning Beijing’s persecution against Uyghurs, demanding the release of prominent figures Gulshan Abbas and Ilham Tohti. Following this landmark call, Abbas’ daughter, Ziba Murat, and ISHR urge EU leaders to step up EU action on the fate of Uyghurs at the United Nations.
Understand the structure, purpose and mandate of the Human Rights Council and the opportunities for effective engagement.
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ISHR has published ‘scorecards’ for States seeking election to the UN Human Rights Council for 2025-2027 to help inform voting States’ decisions in the upcoming election.
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.
Ahead of China’s 4th UPR on 23 January 2024, ISHR has prepared an explainer about China’s UPR and its significance, and provides tips for NGOs and human rights defenders to engage with it, and for journalists to report on it.
ISHR has published ‘scorecards’ for States seeking election to the UN Human Rights Council for 2024-2026 to help inform voting States’ decisions in the upcoming election.
Following an earlier version of this submission of the same title in May 2022, this new ISHR report continues to document trends of reprisals in China in 2022-2023 with an analysis of extant cases, and further summarises the way in which it has portrayed civil society’s cooperation with the UN as a ‘criminal act’.
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.
