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The 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, from 27 February – 4 April 2023, will consider issues including the protection of human rights defenders, freedom of religion or belief, protection and promotion of human rights while countering terrorism, the right to food and adequate housing, among others. It will also present an opportunity to address grave human rights situations in States including Nicaragua, Venezuela, China, Syria, South Sudan, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Eritrea, among many others. Here’s an overview of some of the key issues on the agenda.

As protests continue across Peru and at least 50 lie dead, States have called on Peru to stop the use of excessive force to quell unrest and to respect the rights of those exercising fundamental freedoms.

Earlier today the Third Committee of the General Assembly adopted a resolution on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, including strengthened language on human rights defenders and a reference to sexual orientation and gender identity.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk took up his mandate on 17 October 2022. We are keen to ensure that his priorities and approach are informed by the expertise and perspectives of human rights defenders and, for this purpose, compiled a collection of views to help shape a human rights defender agenda for his mandate. Read on!

Nicaragua is once again a key topic of concern on the agenda of the 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The newly-appointed ‘Group of Experts’ created by the Council in March begins its investigation of serious human rights violations in the country, as international condemnation remains strong.

The UN must continue its multi-pronged approach on Venezuela, civil society organisations and States urged during a week that saw a review of the implementation of recommendations made by the High Commissioner for Human Rights to Venezuela and the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review's Third Cycle report on the country.

The 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council, from 13 June to 8 July 2022, will consider issues including sexual orientation and gender identity, violence and discrimination against women and girls, poverty, peaceful assembly and association, and freedom of expression, among others. It will also present an opportunity to address grave human rights situations including in Afghanistan, Belarus, China, Eritrea, Israel and OPT, Russia, Sudan, Syria and Venezuela, among many others. Here’s an overview of some of the key issues on the agenda.

ISHR and RFK call on the Superior Court of Justice of Lima, Peru, to ensure the mining company ‘Yanococha’ is held accountable for violating the human rights of Elmer Campos and other defenders, attacked during a protest.

An updated series of factsheets by ILGA World and ISHR show that throughout 2021 the UN Special Procedures have given more attention to LGBTI communities and continued raising concerns regarding human rights related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted today during its 49th session, by 20 votes in favour, a resolution that establishes for one year a "Group of Experts on Human Rights" with a mandate to investigate and seek accountability for serious human rights violations in Nicaragua