Condemnatory Country-Specific Resolutions
Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan (A/HRC/31/L.39)
Sponsor: Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC)
Vote result: (vote called by Paraguay)
- 32 in favor
- 0 against
- 15 abstentions (including Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, South Korea and UK)
Ensuring accountability and justice for all violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem (A/HRC/31/L.38)
Sponsor: Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC)
Vote result: (vote called by Paraguay)
- 32 in favor
- 0 against
- 15 abstentions (including Germany, India, Netherlands, Paraguay, South Korea and UK)
Human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem (A/HRC/31/L.37)
Sponsor: Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC)
Vote result: (vote called by Paraguay)
- 42 in favor
- 0 against
- 5 abstentions (Botswana, Ghana, Paraguay, Macedonia and Togo)
Right of the Palestinian people to self-determination (A/HRC/31/L.36)
Sponsor: Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC)
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan (A/HRC/31/L.31)
Sponsor: Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC),
Vote result: (vote called by Netherlands on behalf of EU)
- 31 in favor (including Algeria, Bolivia, Burundi, China, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE, Venezuela)
- 0 against
- 16 abstentions (including EU, South Korea and Switzerland)
The human rights situation in South Sudan (A/HRC/31/L.33)
Sponsors: Albania, Paraguay, UK, USA
Orally revised
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (A/HRC/31/L.27)
Sponsors: Macedonia, Moldova, Sweden, USA
No action motion: Venezuela introduced a no action motion which, if successful, would have seen the resolution rejected without a vote. The motion was defeated in a vote, the results of which were as follows: 14 in favor (including Algeria, Bolivia, Cuba, India, Russia, South Africa and Venezuela), 23 against (including EU, Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Switzerland) and 9 abstentions (including Nigeria).
Vote result: (vote called by Cuba)
- 20 in favor (including EU, Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Switzerland, UAE)
- 15 against (including Algeria, Bolivia, Cuba, India, Russia, South Africa and Venezuela)
- 11 abstentions (including Nigeria)
The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (A/HRC/31/L.5)
Sponsors: France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UK and USA
Vote result: (vote called by Russia)
- 27 in favor (including EU, Mexico, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Switzerland, UAE)
- 6 against (Algeria, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Russia, Venezuela)
- 14 abstentions (including Burundi, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa)
Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (A/HRC/31/L.25)
Sponsors: EU and Japan
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Non-Condemnatory Country-Specific Resolutions
Technical assistance and capacity-building to improve human rights in Libya (A/HRC/31/L.20)
Sponsor: South Africa (on behalf of the African Group)
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Technical assistance and capacity-building for Mali in the field of human rights (A/HRC/31/L.22)
Sponsor: South Africa (on behalf of the African Group)
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Strengthening technical cooperation and advisory services for Guinea (A/HRC/31/L.23)
Sponsor: South Africa (on behalf of the African Group)
Orally revised
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Situation of human rights in Myanmar (A/HRC/31/L.30)
Sponsors: EU
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Situation of human rights in the Haiti (A/HRC/31/L.40)
Sponsor: President of the Human Rights Council
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Positive Thematic Resolutions
Freedom of Religion or belief (A/HRC/31/L.35)
Sponsor: The Netherlands
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Protecting human rights defenders addressing economic, social and cultural rights (A/HRC/31/L.28)
Sponsor: Norway
Amendments: 31 amendments were proposed in total — 30 by Russia, Cuba, China, Egypt and Pakistan and 1 by Russia, China, Egypt and Pakistan. The amendments sought to gut the resolution while 19 of them sought to remove any reference to human rights defenders and multiple states expressed their dismay at what they saw as an attempt to counter the content and spirit of the resolution. Each of the 31 amendments was defeated by vote.
Orally revised
Vote result: (vote called by Russia)
- 33 in favor (including Algeria, EU, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Switzerland)
- 6 against (Burundi, China, Cuba, Nigeria, Russia and Venezuela)
- 8 abstentions (including Bolivia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE)
Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: safeguards to prevent torture during police custody and pretrial detention (A/HRC/31/L.26/Rev.1)
Sponsor: Denmark
Amendments: 1 amendment was proposed by China, Russia and Pakistan. The amendment sought to eliminate the invitation to all actors other than states and UN agencies to participate in a full day seminar on the topic. The amendment was later withdrawn.
Orally revised
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Counterproductive Thematic Resolutions
Integrity of the Judicial System (A/HRC/31/L.1)
Sponsors: Belarus, Cuba, Russia and Venezuela
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development (A/HRC/31/L.6)
Sponsor: Iran (on behalf of NAM)
Vote result:
- 34 in favor (including Algeria, Bolivia, Burundi, China, Cuba, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE and Venezuela)
- 0 against
- 13 abstentions (including EU and South Korea)
Effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of all human rights (A/HRC/31/L.13/Rev.1)
Sponsors: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Saudi Arabia
Vote result: (vote called by Netherlands on behalf of EU)
- 28 in favor (including Algeria, Bolivia, Burundi, China, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Venezuela)
- 14 against (including EU, South Africa, South Korea and Switzerland)
- 5 abstentions
The right to food (A/HRC/31/L.14)
Sponsor: Cuba
Orally revised
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Composition of staff of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/31/L.15)
Sponsor: Cuba
Vote result: (vote called by Netherlands on behalf of EU)
- 33 in favor (including Algeria, Bolivia, Burundi, China, Cuba, India, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE and Venezuela)
- 13 against (including EU)
- 1 abstention (Mexico)
The effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights (A/HRC/31/L.16)
Sponsor: Cuba
Vote result: (vote called by UK)
- 33 in favor (including Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, China, Cuba, India, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE and Venezuela)
- 12 against (including EU and South Korea)
- 2 abstentions (Georgia and Mexico)
Promotion of the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for cultural diversity (A/HRC/31/L.17)
Sponsor: Cuba
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of, and discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against, persons based on religion or belief (A/HRC/31/L.34)
Sponsors: Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC) and Turkey
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
The negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, and the importance of improving international cooperation (A/HRC/31/L.24/Rev.1)
Sponsor: South Africa (on behalf of the African Group)
Vote result: (vote called by Netherlands on behalf of EU)
- 32 in favor (including Algeria, Bolivia, Burundi, China, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE and Venezuela)
- 0 against
- 15 abstentions (including EU, Mexico, South Korea and Switzerland)
Other Resolutions
Draft decision: High-level panel on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/31/L.2)
Sponsors: Belgium, Gabon, Germany, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Switzerland, Thailand and Uruguay
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism: mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism (A/HRC/31/L.3)
Sponsor: Mexico
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Draft decision: Commencement of the third cycle of the universal periodic review (A/HRC/31/L.4)
Sponsor: President of the Human Rights Council
Adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context (A/HRC/31/L.11)
Sponsors: Brazil, Finland, Germany and Namibia
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Human Rights Education and Training (A/HRC/31/L.12)
Sponsors: Costa Rica, Italy, Morocco, Philippines, Senegal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Orally revised
Amendments: Russia proposed an amendment to exclude the text, ‘Takes note with satisfaction of the release of the Plan of Action of the United Nations Secretary General of the United Nations to Prevent Violent Extremism (A/70/674), in particular its section on Education, skills development and employment facilitation.’ The amendment was subsequently withdrawn.
Right to work (A/HRC/31/L.32)
Sponsors: Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico and Romania
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Promoting Human Rights through sport and the Olympic ideal (A/HRC/31/L.29)
Sponsors: Brazil, China, Cyprus, Greece, Japan, Lebanon, Morocco, Russia and South Korea
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights (A/HRC/31/L.7/Rev.1)
Sponsor: Portugal
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities (A/HRC/31/L.18)
Sponsors: Austria, Senegal and Slovenia
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Role of good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights (A/HRC/31/L.19)
Sponsors: Australia, Chile, Poland, South Africa and South Korea
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Rights of the child: information and communications technologies and child sexual exploitation (A/HRC/31/L.9/Rev.1)
Sponsors: EU, GRULAC
Orally revised
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
Amendments: Russia proposed an amendment which sought to exclude children as stakeholders with which the UN High Commissioner should work in close cooperation. The amendment was subsequently withdrawn.
Human rights and the environment (A/HRC/31/L.10)
Sponsors: Costa Rica, Maldives, Morocco, Slovenia and Switzerland
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
The rights of persons with disabilities in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies (A/HRC/31/L.8)
Sponsors: Mexico and New Zealand
Orally revised
Vote result: Adopted without a vote
The promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests (A/HRC/31/L.21)
Sponsors: Costa Rica, Switzerland and Turkey
Amendments: 8 amendments were submitted by Russia and China as well as some or all (depending on the resolution) of Pakistan, Iran, Cuba and Egypt. Among other things, they sought to remove reference to previous resolutions on this issue, reaffirm the role of States in promoting and protecting human rights, and widen the scope of the resolution to include ‘peaceful assembly’ and ‘all human rights violations.’ 2 amendments were withdrawn and the other 6 defeated by vote.
Orally revised
Vote result: (vote called by China)
- 32 in favor (including Algeria, EU, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea and Switzerland)
- 5 against (Burundi, China, Cuba, Russia and Venezuela)
- 10 abstentions (including Bolivia, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and UAE)
