A general overview of the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council

The 58th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council was held from Monday, February 24 to April 4, 2025, in Geneva. This session, considered the council's main annual meeting, began with a High-Level Segment, during which approximately 70 senior officials from various countries and organizations delivered speeches. These speeches focused on global human rights challenges, country-specific crises, and reaffirming the commitment to the council's mission.
On March 3, 2025, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, presented his global report, warning of increasing global tensions, the restriction of civil liberties, gender discrimination, and setbacks in democracy. He pointed out 120 active conflicts worldwide and called for accountability and the safeguarding of human rights in peace processes. He also expressed concern about the spread of misinformation in more than 60 upcoming elections and called for accountability for environmental damage and human rights violations by corporations.
During the session, 8 thematic panels were held, and over 80 reports on various agenda items were discussed. These reports covered a broad range of issues, including the shrinking of civil space, climate change and human rights, social justice, the impact of tech and business companies on human rights, discrimination against vulnerable groups, gender inequality, and corporate accountability for environmental and human rights harms.
As part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), reports from 13 out of the 14 scheduled countries were examined. However, the council was unable to adopt the final report for Nicaragua, as the country announced on February 27 that it would withdraw from cooperating with the council and all related mechanisms.
In the end, the council concluded its session by adopting 32 resolutions. The content of some of these reports and resolutions will be reviewed in the Human Rights Studies channel in the coming period.