In a highly unusual turn of events, the 32nd session of the UN Human Rights Council did not conclude on Friday, July 1st, as originally planned. Instead it was suspended pending conclusion at a later date. Click here for further details.
Condemnatory Country-Specific Resolutions
Human rights situation in Eritrea (A/HRC/32/L.5_Rev.1)
Sponsors: Djibouti, Somalia
Vote result: adopted without a vote
(According to Reuters, the final text adopted was a watered down version of previous drafts. See also the remark about the competing non-condemnatory resolution on the same country which was finally withdrawn.)
The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (A/HRC/32/L.9)
Sponsors: France, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UK, USA
Vote result:
- 27 in favor
- 6 against (Algeria, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Russia, Venezuela)
- 14 abstentions
Situation of human rights in Belarus (A/HRC/32/L.10_Rev.1)
Sponsors: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA
Vote Result:
- 15 in favor
- 9 against (including China, Cuba, India, Russia, Venezuela, Vietnam)
- 23 abstentions
Non-Condemnatory Country-Specific Resolutions
Technical assistance and capacity building in the field of human rights in Eritrea (A/HRC/32/L.3)
Sponsor: Eritrea
Vote result: withdrawn
(There were two resolutions tabled on the similar topic, Eritrea, and UN rules suggest that they are considered in the order they were tabled, and if one is approved, the other is automatically rejected. This particular draft, lacking any condemnatory language, was submitted by the government of Eritrea itself much earlier than the competing document submitted by other African nations. Yet, due to lack of support, Eritrea was forced to withdraw it and the other resolution was finally adopted.)
Cooperation and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights (A/HRC/32/L.21)
Sponsor: Ukraine
Vote result:
- 22 in favor
- 6 against (Bolivia, Burundi, China, Cuba, Russia, Venezuela)
- 19 abstentions
Renforcement de capacités et coopération technique avec la Côte d’Ivoire dans le domaine des droits de l’homme (A/HRC/32/L.27)
Sponsor: South Africa (on behalf of the African Group)
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Positive Thematic Resolutions
Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation, and gender identity (A/HRC/32/L.2_Rev.1)
Sponsors: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay
Vote result:
- 23 in favor (including EU, Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela)
- 18 against (including China, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE)
- 6 abstentions (Botswana, Ghana, India, Namibia, Philippines, South Africa)
Amendments: 11 amendments were proposed by Pakistan, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, with the exception of Albania. Of these, 7 amendments were adopted and the remaining 4 were defeated by vote. The ones adopted sought to weaken the resolution by adding language calling for the respect of social and religious sensitivities of the people of different countries and of not resorting to using external pressures and coercive measures against states. The proposal to replace the Independent Expert on the protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation with a report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was rejected.
Civil society space (A/HRC/32/L.29)
Sponsors: Chile, Ireland, Japan, Sierra Leone, Tunisia
Vote result:
- 31 in favor
- 7 against (including China, Cuba, Russia, South Africa, Venezuela)
- 9 abstentions
Amendments: 15 amendments were proposed in total, all by China and Russia. They sought to remove any reference of protecting human rights defenders and the states’ responsibility to create a safe and enabling civil society space. 3 of the 15 amendments were withdrawn, while the other 12 were defeated by vote.
The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association (A/HRC/32/L.32)
Sponsors: Czech Republic, France, Indonesia, Lithuania, Maldives, Mexico, USA
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Amendments: 4 amendments were proposed by Belarus, China and Russia. Among others, they sought to remove language in support of professional associations. All 4 were subsequently withdrawn.
Counterproductive Thematic Resolutions
Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights (A/HRC/32/L.11)
Sponsor: Islamic Republic of Iran (on behalf of NAM)
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Human rights and international solidarity (A/HRC/32/L.16)
Sponsor: Cuba
Vote result:
- 33 in favor (including China, Cuba, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela)
- 13 against (including EU, South Korea, Switzerland)
- 1 abstention (Mexico)
The Social Forum (A/HRC/32/L.17)
Sponsor:Cuba
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Declaration on the right to peace (A/HRC/32/L.18)
Sponsor: Cuba
Vote result:
- 34 in favor (including China, Cuba, India, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE)
- 9 against (including EU, South Korea)
- 4 abstentions (Albania, Georgia, Portugal, Switzerland)
Protection of the family: the role of the family in supporting the protection and promotion of human rights of persons with disabilities (A/HRC/32/L.35)
Sponsors: Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, El Salvador, Mauritania, Morocco, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Uganda
Vote result:
- 32 in favor (including China, Cuba, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela)
- 12 against (including EU, South Korea, Switzerland)
- 3 abstentions (Georgia, Mexico, Macedonia)
Amendments: 4 amendements were proposed in total. Three of them by several European countries, Chile, USA and Uruguay. These included, among others, the appeal to recognise that various forms of family can exist. The fourth amendment was proposed by Belgium, Norway and Switzerland. It sought to slightly modify the title of the draft resolution. All four amendments were defeated by vote.
Other
Youth and Human Rights (A/HRC/32/L.1)
Sponsors: Côte D’Ivoire, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Philippines, Portugal, Moldova, Tunisia
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Regional arrangement for the promotion and protection of human rights (A/HRC/32/L.4)
Sponsors: Armenia, Belgium, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Senegal, Thailand
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Amendments: 1 amendment was proposed by the Russian Federation. It sought to eliminate the request to prepare a report on the role played by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in advancing cooperation between international and regional human rights mechanisms. The amendment was later withdrawn.
Protection of the human rights of migrants – Strengthening the promotion and protection of the human rights of migrants including in large movements (A/HRC/32/L.22)
Sponsor: Mexico
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Access to medicines in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (A/HRC/32/L.23_Rev.1)
Sponsors: Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Senegal, Thailand
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Promoting the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health through enhancing capacity-building in public health (A/HRC/32/L.24_Rev.1)
Sponsors: Algeria, Brazil, China, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Addressing the impact of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence in the context of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the full enjoyment of all human rights by women and girls (A/HRC/32/L.25)
Sponsors: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Uruguay
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Mental health and human rights (A/HRC/32/L.26)
Sponsors: Portugal, Brazil
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Accelerating efforts to eliminate violence against women: Preventing and responding to violence against women and girls, including indigenous women and girls (A/HRC/32/L.28_Rev.1)
Sponsor: Canada
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Amendments: 11 amendments were submitted by Russia and China. Among other things, they sought to replace the term “intimate partner violence” by “domestic violence” and exclude the reference of “comprehensive sexual education.” Also, to delete two paragraphs that request the Special Rapporteur to participate in certain sessions and to regularly consult with different UN bodies, such as the WHO and UN Women. 4 amendments were rejected by vote and the rest were withdrawn.
Realizing the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl (A/HRC/32/L.30_Rev.1)
Sponsor: UAE
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Elimination des mutilations génitales féminines (A/HRC/32/L.31_Rev.1)
Sponsor: South African (on behalf of the African Group)
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children: Protecting Victims of Trafficking and People at Risk of Trafficking, Especially Women and Children in Conflict and Post-conflict Situations (A/HRC/32/L.6)
Sponsors: Germany, Philippines
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Elimination of discrimination against women (A/HRC/32/L.7_Rev.1)
Sponsors : Colombia, Mexico
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Amendments: 4 amendments were proposed, all of which by China and Russia. They were centered around technicalities and the removal or addition of certain words, such as changing ‘”conflict” to “armed conflict.” Three of them were subsequently rejected by vote and one withdrawn.
Human rights and arbitrary deprivation of nationality (A/HRC/32/L.8)
Sponsor: Russia
Vote result: adopted without a vote
The right to a nationality: Women’s Equal Nationality Rights in Law and in Practice (A/HRC/32/L.12)
Sponsors: Algeria, Australia, Botswana, Colombia, Mexico, Slovakia, Turkey, USA
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (A/HRC/32/L.13)
Sponsors: Austria, Uganda
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Impact of arms transfers on human rights (A/HRC/32/L.14)
Sponsors: Ecuador, Peru
Vote result:
- 32 in favor
- 5 against (France, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, UK)
- 10 abstentions
Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food (A/HRC/32/L.15)
Sponsor: Cuba
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Business and Human Rights – Improving accountability and access to remedy (A/HRC/32/L.19)
Sponsors: Argentina, Ghana, Norway, Russia
Vote result: adopted without a vote
The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet (A/HRC/32/L.20)
Sponsors: Brazil, Nigeria, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, USA
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Amendments: Russia, China, Iran and Belarus introduced four amendments: one amendment was withdrawn and three rejected by vote. These were aimed at integrating into the resolution the right of privacy as a fundamental human right, both offline and online. Also, they proposed excluding the specific mention of “the importance of empowering all women and girls by enhancing their access to information and communications technology” and replace it be the term “multi-stakeholder participation.” The fourth amendment sough to insert an new paragraph about the Internet being used a means of disseminating racial hatred.
The right to education (A/HRC/32/L.33)
Sponsor: Portugal
Vote result: adopted without a vote
Human rights and climate change (A/HRC/32/L.34)
Sponsors: Bangladesh, Philippines, Viet Nam
Vote result: adopted without a vote