NGO participation

NGO Participation in the Human Rights Council

What is the Human Rights Council?

The Human Rights Council is the principal United Nations intergovernmental body responsible for human rights. It is composed of 47 Member States, which meets in at least three sessions per year in Geneva, Switzerland.

Its role includes addressing violations of human rights, including gross and systematic violations, the promotion of respect for human rights for all, and effective coordination and mainstreaming of human rights within the UN system.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the secretariat for the Human Rights Council.

How does it work?

Elected for three-year terms, Member States of the Council discuss, take action and pass resolutions related to various items of a standing agenda:

Organizational and procedural matters
Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the UN Secretary-General
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development
Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention
Human rights bodies and mechanisms
Universal Periodic Review
Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories
Follow-up and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action
Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance, follow-up and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action
Technical assistance and capacity-building

During a given session the Council considers the activities of its subsidiary human rights procedures and mechanisms, and may organize panel discussions and special events to enhance dialogue and mutual understanding on specific issues.

Outside its normal sessions, the Council may also hold special sessions related to country-specific or thematic issues.

In addition to Member States of the Council, Observers, which include non-Member States, inter-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), may also participate in a session.

The Council’s session are broadcast live via webcast. Past sessions are archived.

How to participate in a session of the Council?

Only NGOs in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) can be accredited to participate in the Human Rights Council’s sessions as Observers.

As Observers, NGOs are able, amongst other things, to:

Attend and observe all proceedings of the Council with the exception of the Council deliberations under the Complaints Procedure;
Submit written statements to the Human Rights Council;
Make oral interventions to the Human Rights Council;
Participate in debates, interactive dialogues, panel discussions and informal meetings; and
Organize “parallel events” on issues relevant to the work of the Human Rights Council.

Quick links

A practical guide for NGO participants (i.e. about accreditation, attending the session, access to the public gallery, requesting a room for a parallel event, making an oral statement, documentation and resources, and participation in general, etc.) [Arabic - Chinese - English - French - Russian - Spanish].
NGO Written Statement Submission Form [Download]. Deadline 10 May 2013
Link to Oral Statement Request Form [Opens 2pm, Friday, 24 May 2013].
Co-sponsor Form – Oral Statement [Download].
Link to NGO Side-Event Room Request Form. Deadline 6 May 2013
Documentation - Links to the Programme of Work, Agenda, Annotated Agenda, Order of the Day, Bulletin of Informal Meetings, Council reports, NGO written statements, HRC Extranet (information on daily programme updates, draft documentation, copies of oral statements as delivered by States and other stakeholders, and draft resolutions, etc.).
Working with the United Nations Human Rights Programme: Handbook for Civil Society.
Participating in the Human Rights Council by video message [Download].