UN Human Rights Council opens tense session on Sudan, Ukraine and Myanmar

Monday 07 September 2026 - 14:48

By: Azzat Manal

UN Human Rights Council opens tense session on Sudan, Ukraine and Myanmar

The United Nations Human Rights Council has opened a particularly demanding session in Geneva, with Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar and Haiti among the most closely watched crises on the agenda.

The 63rd session, running until October 7, brings together UN member states for an extensive programme covering both urgent human rights situations and broader issues affecting fundamental freedoms and social rights. The session is chaired by Indonesian Ambassador Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, who is serving as president of the council for the current term.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk is expected to address the council at the beginning of the session, providing an update on his annual assessment of the global human rights situation. His intervention is expected to inform discussions on several major conflicts and humanitarian crises.

Sudan will be a central focus, including an update on the human rights situation in El Obeid, in North Kordofan State. The council is also expected to hold dedicated discussions with the High Commissioner on developments in Haiti and Ukraine, while Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will receive particular attention.

The session is scheduled to include 37 interactive dialogues, allowing member states to examine reports and findings produced by commissions of inquiry, independent experts and other UN human rights mechanisms.

Although the four major crises are expected to dominate much of the debate, the council's agenda extends to a wide range of countries and regions. Discussions are also expected to cover Afghanistan, Syria, Belarus, Burundi, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Russia and Iran, alongside updates concerning countries including the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Marshall Islands, Somalia, Cambodia and Yemen.

The council will also devote part of the session to economic, social and cultural rights. Six thematic panel discussions are expected to address issues such as inequality, the right to development, human rights education and the protection of indigenous peoples. Gender considerations will also feature in the broader discussions.

Another significant moment will be the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the International Covenants on Human Rights, two key instruments underpinning the international human rights protection system.

Delegates are also expected to discuss climate finance and the protection of individuals who face reprisals because of their cooperation with the United Nations.

The session will further consider the results of the Universal Periodic Review for 15 countries. The mechanism allows UN member states to regularly examine the human rights records of all countries and to assess progress on commitments made at the international level.

Among the states whose reviews are scheduled for consideration are Belgium, Namibia, Niger, Mozambique, Denmark, Somalia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore and Nicaragua.

Several institutional decisions are also expected before the session concludes. The council is due to appoint two mandate holders under its special procedures and elect members to several working groups and the Advisory Committee.

Established in 2006 by the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Council has 47 member states and serves as the United Nations' principal intergovernmental body for promoting and protecting human rights. It meets throughout the year and can examine alleged violations, establish investigative mechanisms and issue recommendations aimed at strengthening human rights protections.

The Geneva session comes at a time of heightened international tensions and multiple protracted conflicts, placing renewed pressure on the council to balance political divisions with efforts to address serious human rights concerns. Its discussions are expected to provide a key forum for diplomatic debate over accountability, humanitarian protection and the future of international human rights mechanisms.