23rd Session of the Human Rights Council Held in Geneva

News ID : #259
Publish Date : 07/07/2013 0:00
The 23rd Session of the Human Rights Council was held from 27 May to 14 June 2013, in Geneva Switzerland.

According to the ODVV public relation report, the ODVV submitted 5 written statements to the Session and also read 5 oral statements on the right to development, Islamophobia and violation of Muslims' rights, Israel's refusal of cooperation with the UPR mechanism, human rights violations in Occupied Palestinian Territories, and the violation of the rights of the Shia minority. Establishment of new links with other participating NGO, distribution of ODVV information packs such as annual reports, Defenders Newsletter etc. and also participation in the Annual NGO's Meeting of the UNHCR were some of the activities of the ODVV in this Session.
Also in this session the human rights situation of 50 countries on 40 issues were debated and more than 100 reports were submitted. The mandates of 21 mandate holders of the special procedures were also reviewed and debated. Some of the subjects that were debated and decisions adopted on included: the mandate of the Working Group on Discrimination against Women in Law and Practice, the human rights of internally displaced persons special rapporteur mandate, special rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea and the special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Belarus were renewed.
In this Session the Council also reviewed and adopted decisions on the UPRs of France, Tonga, Romania, Mali, Botswana, Bahamas, Burundi, Luxemburg, Barbados, Montenegro, United Arab Emirates, Liechtenstein, and Seriba decisions whch were reviewed in the 15th Session of the UPR back in January
Israel's UPR was meant to have been reviewed in this Session too, but it was postponed due to Israel's absence.