Note: For the foreseeable future, the Center will only provide sporadic coverage of the Human Rights Council. For more frequent updates on this subject, please see Amnesty International, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the International Service for Human Rights, or the official website of the Human Rights Council.
Latest Updates
The Human Rights Council: Is it filling its mission as the World’s premier human rights protector?
By Thomas Colerick 23 February 2012
This posting provides an update of the Center’s 2008 article “The establishment of the Humans Rights Council”. It analyzes the achievements of as well as challenges to the Council since 2008 as seen from the perspectives of different stakeholder including civil society, UN Officials and UN Member States.
The 2011 Annual Report of the Human Rights Council
By Thomas Colerick, 8 November 2011
The 2011 Annual Report of the Council is now available.
Highlights of the Human Rights Council’s 18th Regular session
By Thomas Colerick, 11 October 2011
New report on the Human Rights Council’s fifth year
By Thomas Colerick, 4 October 2011
The Human Rights Council’s 18th Session (12-30 September 2011)
By Thomas Colerick, 28 September 2011
Chronology: The Human Rights Council – elections, sessions and important developments
By Thomas Colerick, 23 September 2011
As the Center for UN Reform Education once again will be covering the Human Rights Council more systematically, this chronology of the Council is provided. It includes elections, selected sessions and major developments and takes the reader from the Council’s birth in 2006 to today where the Council is currently holding its 18th Session in Geneva, Switzerland.
CHAPTER 5 of the Center's April 2008 publication Managing Change at the United Nations: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
by Nana Yeboah
This chapter reviews the efforts to establish a Human Rights Council.
Inaugural Session of UPR Concludes, Working Procedures Finalized
by ReformtheUN.org, 16 April 2008
The Human Rights Council launched the inaugural session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) last Monday, 7 April and conducted the last review of the Session today.
Accomplishments and Controversy as HRC Concludes 7th Session, Institution Building Incomplete
by ReformtheUN.org, 11 April 2008
he UN Human Rights Council has concluded its 7th Session in Geneva, Switzerland. The Council’s four-week program aimed to conclude institution-building measures of the Council and to move toward a more substantive human rights agenda.
GA Elects New Members for Human Rights Council
17 May 2007
On 17 May 2007 the General Assembly voted to elect 14 members to the Human Rights Council. The 14 members elected today will be on the Council for three years, starting from 20 June 2007. New members are: Asia: Qatar, India, Indonesia, and The Philippines. Eastern Europe: Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.African States: Angola, Egypt, Madagascar and South Africa. Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries: Bolivia and Nicaragua. Western European and Other States: The Netherlands and Italy.
HRC Still Seeking Consensus on Institution-Building Issues; Working Groups to Meet Throughout May
by ReformtheUN.org, 10 May 2007
The working groups tasked with the institution-building of the UN Human Rights Council concluded a three-week block of consultations on Friday, 27 April. Some areas, like Working Methods and Rules of Procedures, are very close to consensus agreement, while others, such as Review of Mandates and Special Procedures, have made little progress since their meetings at the Council’s Fourth Session. Because the agreements are incomplete, the Council scheduled four additional days for consultations (tentative dates: 10, 18, 24, and 25 May).
Human Rights Council makes Progress on Modalities for the Universal Periodic Review
by ReformtheUN.org, 26 March 2007
On 15 March the Human Rights Council heard the reports of its institution-building working groups, including on progress toward developing modalities for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism.
Highlights of Human Rights Council’s Fourth Session So Far
by ReformtheUN.org, 15 March 2007
The Human Rights Council opened its Fourth Regular Session in Geneva this week. It will hold daily meetings until 30 March. The Session was shortened from four weeks to three weeks, while the Council’s working groups are meeting for an additional three weeks (from 10-27 March) to discuss the finalization of the Council’s institution-building.
Human Rights Council - Institution Building in Progress
by ReformtheUN.org, 8 February 2007
The UN Human Rights Council’s next session will take place 12 March - 6 April 2007. The Council and NGOs are preparing for the meeting, and a Latest Development on these preparations will be sent out shortly.
Background
For more on the background of the Human Rights Council, please see the latest publication from the Center for UN Reform:
