Highlights, Resolutions & Voting Results of HRC 24th Session

On September 26th and 27th, 2013, the UN Human Rights Council voted on the draft resolutions. Below are the session’s highlights as well as the vote on important resolutions.
Condemnatory Country-Specific Resolutions:
The continuing grave deterioration of the human rights and humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (A/HRC/24/L.38)
Submitted by France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Kingdom and USA
Vote result: Adopted, September 26, 2013, by a vote of 40 votes in favour, 1 vote against (Venezuela), and 6 abstentions (Ecuador, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya & Philippines) as orally amended
Non-Condemnatory Country-Specific Resolutions:
Advisory services and technical assistance for Cambodia (A/HRC/24/L.19)
Submitted by: Japan
Adopted, September 26, 2013, without a vote
Technical assistance to the Central African Republic in the field of human rights (A/HRC/24/L.39)
Submitted by Gabon on behalf of the African Group
Adopted, September 26, 2013, without a vote, as orally revised
Assistance technique et renforcement des capacités en matière des droits de l’homme en République démocratique du Congo (A/HRC/24/L.9)
Submitted by: Gabon, on behalf of the African Group
Adopted, September 26, 2013, without a vote

Assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights (A/HRC/24/L.20)
Submitted by: Australia, Austria, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Italy, Norway, Qatar, Somalia, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA, Yemen
Adopted, September 27, 2013, without a vote, as orally revised
Technical assistance and capacity-building for Yemen in the field of human rights (A/HRC/24/L.33)
Submitted by: Netherlands & Yemen.
Adopted, September 27, 2013, without a vote.
Technical assistance for the Sudan in the field of human rights (A/HRC/24/L.10/Rev.1)
Submitted by: Gabon, on behalf of the African Group
Adopted, September 27, 2013, without a vote, as orally revised
Noteworthy Thematic Resolutions:
Right to development (A/HRC/24/L.6)
Submitted by Iran, on behalf of NAM
Vote result: Adopted, September 26, 2013, by a vote of 46 votes in favour, 1 vote against (USA), as orally revised
The use of mercenaries in violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination (A/HRC/24/L.29)
Submitted by: Cuba
Vote result: Adopted, September 26, 2013, by a vote of 31 in favour, 15 against (EU,  Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, USA), and 1 abstention (Kazakhstan).
From rhetoric to reality – a global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia (A/HRC/24/L.25)
Submitted by: Gabon, on behalf of the African Group
Vote result: Adopted, September 27, 2013, by a vote of 32 in favour, 2 votes against (USA & Czech Republic), and 13 abstentions (EU, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland), as orally revised
Human rights and unilateral coercive measures (A/HRC/24/L.5/Rev.1)
Submitted by: Iran, on behalf of NAM
Vote result:  Adopted, September 27, 2013, by a vote of 31 in favour, 15 against (EU, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and USA), and 1 abstention (Kazakhstan).
Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights (A/HRC/24/L.17/Rev.1)
Submitted by: Hungary
Vote result: Adopted, September 27, 2013, by a vote of 31 in favour, 1 against (Gabon) and 15 abstentions (Angola, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritania, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Uganda, United Arab Emirates), as orally revised.
Russia on behalf of a group of states (including Belarus, China, Cuba, Egypt, Pakistan, Venezuela) tabled ten amendments, all of which were rejected or withdrawn, but still managed to weaken the resolution. The draft that was adopted did not include the mention that HRC candidate states must uphold the highest standards of human rights, as well as the recognition of the importance of civil society space in reinforcing governments’ efforts in promoting and protecting human rights. The suggestion of having convening expert workshops on protection of those who cooperate with the United Nations was also deleted.
Civil society space – Creating and maintaining, in law and in practice, a safe and enabling environment (A/HRC/24/L.24)
Submitted by: Chile, Ireland, Japan, Sierra Leone, Tunisia.
Adopted, September 27, 2012, without a vote, as orally revised
Cuba and Pakistan, both on behalf of groups of states (including China, Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela) tabled five amendments to undermine the important role of civil society, which were either rejected or withdrawn. Nevertheless, they managed to include ‘the right to development’ in a list of rights in the revised version and a paragraph was deleted which mentioned concerns with the safety of civil society.

UN Watch