Sexual Rights at HRC34

Published on February 23, 2017

The 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from 27 February to 24 March 2017. Find below information about anticipated sexual rights-related resolutions, panels and reports, UPR outcomes and parallel events taking place during the 34th session.
 

Click here to access the full programme of work for HRC34

 

Expected Resolutions Relevant to Sexual Rights

  • The rights of the child (EU, GRULAC)
  • Human rights defenders (Norway)
  • Right to privacy in the digital age (Austria, Brazil, Germany, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Norway, Switzerland, Germany)
  • Freedom of religion or belief (EU)
  • Freedom of opinion and expression (USA, Uruguay, Latvia, Benin)
  • Birth registration and the right of everyone to recognition everywhere as a person before the law (Mexico, Turkey)
  • Realisation of cultural and economic rights (Portugal)

 

Sexual Rights Related Panels

Panel discussion on preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights

This panel discussion will aim to generate concrete recommendations on actions that States and other stakeholders may take in order to accelerate progress in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity while upholding guarantees of human rights.
Click here to download the concept note »

Annual full-day meeting on the rights of the child
Theme: Protection of the rights of the child in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The meeting will contribute to the discussion on how the 2030 Agenda can advance the rights of the child, in particular by leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind first. It will stress the importance of mainstreaming children’s rights in the implementation, follow-up and review of all Sustainable Development Goal.
Click here to download the concept note »

Annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities
Theme: Article 5 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regarding equality and non-discrimination

The debate will seek to identify good practices in promoting the human rights of persons with disabilities in order to achieve substantive equality and to ensure non-discrimination. It will also contribute to raising awareness of the challenges that persons with disabilities continue to face in enjoying their human rights, particularly on accessing reasonable accommodation. Finally, the debate will provide an opportunity to highlight the importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for the realization of the human rights of persons with disabilities and to reduce inequalities.
Click here to download the concept note »
 

Click here for a list of all panels and concept notes

 

Sexual Rights Related Reports

A/HRC/34/27
Protection of the rights of the child in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Click here to read the report »

A/HRC/34/45
Annual report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children.
Click here to read the report »

A/HRC/34/58
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Click here to read the report »

A/HRC/34/56
Report of the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights. Fundamentalism and extremism and their grave impact on the enjoyment of cultural rights.
Click here to read the report »

A/HRC/34/25
Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights. Report of the Secretary-General.
Click here to read the report »

A/HRC/34/29
Realization of the right to work. Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Click here to read the report »
 

Click here for a list of all reports

 

UPR Outcomes

Outcomes from the 26th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) will be adopted during this session of the HRC. The 26th session of the UPR was held from the 31 October to 11 November 2016.

Fourteen countries were reviewed: Haiti, Iceland, Lithuania, Moldova (Republic of), South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Zimbabwe

SRI collaborated with organizations and individuals in preparing nine reports for six countries:

Lithuania

Timor L’Este

Togo

Uganda

Venezuela

Zimbabwe

 

Click here to review all SRI joint submissions

All Reports from the Working Groups, containing all recommendations received by States Under Review can be accessed here.

 

Sexual Rights Initiative Parallel Events

Comprehensive sexualy Education Flyer

 

7 MARCH 15:00 to 16:30, Palais des Nations Room XXI
Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Human Rights

This event will explore recent developments on the right to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) from the perspective of States, youth led civil society, UN agencies and UN Human Rights mechanisms. Participants will gain a broader understanding of State obligations to provide CSE that is accessible to all children, adolescents and young people, including those with disabilities, and how the Human Rights Council can support the implementation of CSE within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Click here for more details »

 

Other Sexual Rights-related Parallel Events

28 FEBRUARY
Breaking the barriers to youth empowerment
Permanent Mission of Denmark
13:00-15:00, Room XXIII

#Childmothers Exhibition and Opening
Plan International, Flore-Anne Bourgeois
18:00, Salles des Pas Perdus2 MARCH

Gender Parity: A Global Reality Check
Women at the Table
18:00-19:30, Auditorium Ivan Picter, Maison de la Paix

3 MARCH
The Impact of Fundamentalism And Extremism on Cultural Rights
AWID, Freemuse, Muslims for Progressive Values, CFI, United Nations Special
Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights
10:00-11:30, Room XVIII

8 MARCH
She Decides lunch event
Permanent Mission of the Netherlands
12:00-14:00, UNAIDS

10 MARCH
Sexual and Reproductive Health
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
10:30-12:30, Room XXII

21 MARCH
Human Rights in Yemen and Libya
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
13:00-14:30, Room XXIV
 

Click here for a list of NGO parallel events

More info about the HRC

Created in 2006 to replace the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Council is the foremost international body for the promotion and protection of human rights and can be used to bring substantial pressure on governments to take steps to implement human rights norms. The Human Rights Council is comprised of governments of countries that are members of the United Nations and is an important venue to develop and advance sexual rights as a critical part of the international human rights framework. Click here for more information on the upcoming session