Below are selected provisions of resolutions of the last Human Rights Council session (June-July 2023) that are especially relevant to the Security Council's agenda, in particular references to the Security Council or aspects related to peace and security.
Country-specific resolutions address Belarus, Colombia, Eritrea, Israel and the OPT, Myanmar, Syria and Ukraine. They are followed by some of the thematic resolutions of the session, addressing arms transfers, child, early and forced marriage, disabilities, education and trafficking in persons.
For each resolution below, toggle to show details (as in example of L.20 Belarus).
All draft resolutions and detailed voting results can be found here.
L.20 Belarus
Led by the EU.
Title: Situation of human rights in Belarus.
Adopted by a vote of 21-5 with 21 abstentions.
The previous resolution with the same title in June 2022 was adopted by a vote of 23-6 with 18 abstentions (there is another resolution related to the 2020 presidential election).
China called for a vote.
Voting among Security Council members: Yes: France, the UK and the US. No: China. Abstain: Gabon and the UAE.
Notes with grave concern that, according to the High Commissioner, some of the human rights violations may amount to crimes against humanity when such acts are committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack [OP3].
Extends the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for one year and requests a report to HRC56 (June 2024) and GA79 [OP21].
Recalls (inter alia) the report of the Rapporteur of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) published on 11 May 2023 [PP3].
L.25/Rev.1 Colombia
Led by Colombia.
Title: Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights in Colombia to implement the recommendations of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition.
Adopted by a vote of 28-0 with 19 abstentions.
Voting among Security Council members: Yes: France, the UK and the US. Abstain: China, Gabon and the UAE.
The vote was called by the OIC (except Albania), which also presented an oral amendment to remove a reference to sexual orientation and gender identity. That amendment was rejected by a vote of 20-22 with 4 abstentions.
Acknowledges the important work carried out by the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, whose mandate was established by the Security Council in its resolution 2366 (2017) of 10 July 2017, and extended by resolution 2673 (2023) of 11 January 2023, and duly notes the reference to obstacles to the implementation of the peace agreement contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the Verification Mission [PP11].
Requests the High Commissioner to appoint without delay an international human rights expert tasked with identifying and verifying the obstacles to the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement, in particular those announced publicly by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in March 2023 and mentioned in the quarterly report of the Secretary-General on the UN Verification Mission in Colombia presented to the Security Council on 13 April 2023, and identifying the consequences of these obstacles for the full enjoyment of human rights under international law, as well as the domestic right to peace as enshrined in the Political Constitution of Colombia, and making recommendations that would help to overcome them [OP3].
L.21 Eritrea
Led by the EU.
Title: Situation of human rights in Eritrea.
Adopted by a vote of 18-7 with 21 abstentions.
Voting among Security Council members: Yes: France, the UK and the US. No: China. Abstain: Gabon and the UAE.
Extends the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea for a further period of one year and requests a report to HRC56 (June 2024) and GA78 [OP3-OP4].
L.24/Rev.1 Israel and the OPT
Led by the OIC.
Title: Implementation of Human Rights Council Resolution 31/36.
Adopted by a vote of 31-3 with 13 abstentions.
Voting among Security Council members: Yes: China, Gabon and the UAE. No: The UK and the US. Abstain: France.
Requests the Secretary-General to allocate the financial and human resources and expertise necessary to enhance the capacity of OHCHR to ensure that the mandate given by the HRC in its resolution 31/36 is fully implemented, and requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to ensure that the yearly updates of the database [of all business enterprises involved in certain activities in Israeli settlements] include addition and removal of companies, and to present the database on an annual basis to the Council starting from its 57th session [OP1].
L.30/Rev.1 Myanmar
Led by the OIC.
Title: Situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar.
Adopted without a vote. China disassociated.
Civil society organizations expressed regret that the resolution failed to reflect the reality of the situation on the ground in Myanmar, especially following the 1 February 2021 military coup. It calls for immediate commencement of repatriation of Rohingya refugees in direct contrast to conclusions and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur, the High Commissioner as well as Rohingya themselves that conditions for safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return for Rohingya do not exist in Myanmar, and that their return under the current circumstances could lead to the recurrence of violence that led to their displacement.
Reiterates the urgent need to ensure that all those responsible for violations and abuses of international law throughout Myanmar, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law, are held to account through credible and independent national, regional or international justice mechanisms, while recalling the authority of the Security Council to refer cases to the International Criminal Court [PP15].
Notes that the ICC has authorized its Prosecutor to investigate alleged crimes within the Court’s jurisdiction relating to the investigation Situation in the People’s Republic of Bangladesh/Republic of the Union of Myanmar [PP19].
Welcomes the order of the International Court of Justice of 23 January 2020 that indicated provisional measures, and urges Myanmar, in accordance with the Court’s order in relation to members of the Rohingya in its territory [which appears to constitute a "protected group"], to take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, to ensure that its military and any irregular armed units that may be directed or supported by it and any organizations and persons that may be subject to its control, direction or influence do not commit, inter alia, any such acts, to prevent the destruction and to ensure the preservation of evidence, and to report to the Court as ordered on all measures taken to give effect to the order [OP6].
Welcomes also the order of the International Court of Justice on 22 July 2022, in which the preliminary objections of Myanmar challenging the court’s jurisdiction in the case brought by the Gambia under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide were rejected and the applications of the Gambia were found to be admissible [OP7].
Expresses deep concern that, despite the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice on 23 January 2020, Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, including women and children, continue to suffer from targeted killings, indiscriminate violence and serious injuries, including by indiscriminate fire, airstrikes, shelling, landmines or unexploded ordnance [OP8].
Stresses the importance of strict enforcement of the ceasefire, the cessation of violence and restraint by Myanmar security and armed forces and other armed groups with a view to ensuring the safety, security and protection of civilians, including those who are displaced and willing to return [OP9].
L.16 Syria
Led by the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, the Netherlands, Qatar, Türkiye and the US.
Title: Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic. The resolution focused on women and girls.
Adopted by a vote of 24-4 with 18 abstentions.
The previous resolution in March 2023 was adopted by a vote of 26-5 with 16 abstentions.
Voting among Security Council members: Yes: France, Gabon, the UK and the US. No: China. Abstain: UAE.
Reaffirming that parties to the armed conflict bear the primary responsibility to take appropriate measures to account for persons reported missing as a result of hostilities and to put in place appropriate channels enabling response and communication with families on the search process, and recalling Security Council resolution 2474 (2019), in which the Council called upon parties to armed conflict to take appropriate measures to prevent persons from going missing as a result of armed conflict [PP13].
Reaffirms the need for sustainable, safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian assistance through all modalities, including the extension of cross-border assistance, for which there is no alternative that can match its scope and scale, beyond the six months authorized by the Security Council in its resolution 2672 (2023) of 9 January 2023 [OP4].
Calls upon all parties to the conflict, first and foremost the Syrian authorities, to release immediately all persons subjected to enforced disappearance in the Syrian Arab Republic and to provide accurate information to the families of those who are missing regarding their fate and whereabouts [OP9].
Reiterates the demand that all parties to the conflict, but particularly the Syrian authorities, cease all forms of abuse of detainees, including but not limited to torture of detainees in Syrian military intelligence facilities, physical abuses, mistreatment and sexual and gender-based violence, and grant appropriate international monitoring bodies and medical services immediate access, without undue restrictions, to detainees and detention facilities, including all Syrian military facilities referred to by the Commission of Inquiry in its reports [OP11].
Reaffirms the need to end impunity through the prosecution of perpetrators of crimes under national and international law, including sexual and gender-based violence, stresses the need for the perpetrators of these crimes to be held accountable by national justice systems or, where applicable, international courts and tribunals, and acknowledges in this regard the role of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 and that of the International Criminal Court [OP13].
Expresses its strong support for the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria to make progress in the political process and the work of the Constitutional Committee to advance further aspects of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015) of 18 December 2015, and reaffirms the importance of the full implementation of the women and peace and security agenda pursuant to Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) in this regard, in particular the crucial role of the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board and women-led Syrian civil society groups in their work to enhance the safe, full, equal and meaningful participation of women in the peace process [OP18].
L.1 Ukraine
Led by Ukraine.
Title: Cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights.
Adopted by a vote of 28-3 with 16 abstentions.
Eritrea called for a vote, supported by China.
Voting among Security Council members: Yes: France, Gabon, the UK and the US. No: China. Abstain: UAE.
Requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to brief the Human Rights Council periodically [approximately every three months for the next two years].
L.22 Arms transfers
Led by Ecuador and Peru.
Title: Impact of arms transfers on human rights.
Adopted without a vote.
Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, in particular the recommendation contained therein that States should ensure respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including through political dialogue, training and dissemination, joint operational planning, and conditioning arms exports on compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law [PP15].
Urges all States to refrain from transferring arms when they assess, in accordance with applicable domestic laws, regulations and procedures, and international obligations and other commitments, including exercising due diligence, that there is a clear risk that such arms might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations or abuses of international human rights law or serious violations of international humanitarian law [OP3].
Requests OHCHR to prepare [...] an analytical report on the impact of arms transfers, including the diversion of arms and unregulated or illicit arms transfers, on the enjoyment of human rights, with a focus on the role of access to information in preventing mitigating and responding to the negative human rights impact thereof, and to present the report to the HRC at its 56th session [OP6].
L.3/Rev.1 Child, early and forced marriage (CEFM)
Led by the Netherlands, Argentina, Canada, Honduras, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, Thailand, the UK and Uruguay.
Title: Child, early and forced marriage: ending and preventing forced marriage.
Adopted without a vote, while 5 amendments related to gender were rejected by a vote. Russia and China were among those expressing reservations.
Calls upon States to promote and protect the right of all women and girls to education, including in situations of armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies, and to ensure equal access [OP4, including detailed provisions].
L.17 Disabilities
Led by New Zealand and Mexico.
Title: Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Adopted without a vote.
Recalling Security Council resolution 2475 (2019) of 20 June 2019, in which the Council addressed the disproportionate impact of armed conflict and related humanitarian crises on persons with disabilities, and recognized the critical contributions of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations to conflict prevention, resolution, reconciliation, reconstruction, peacebuilding and addressing the root causes of conflict [PP5].
L.10 Education
Led by Portugal.
Title: The right to education.
Adopted without a vote.
Calls upon States to continue to strengthen the protection of preschools, schools, universities and other education institutions against attacks and threats of attack, making them free from all forms of violence, taking into account Security Council resolution 2601 (2021) of 29 October 2021, including by taking measures to deter the military use of schools and universities, such as by considering endorsing the Safe Schools Declaration and implementing the Guidelines for Protecting schools and universities from military use during armed conflict, and encourages efforts to provide safe, non-violent inclusive, effective and enabling learning environments and quality education for all within an appropriate time frame, including all levels of education in the context of humanitarian emergencies and conflict situations [OP8].
L.12 Trafficking in persons
Led by Philippines, Argentina, Germany and Jordan.
Title: Trafficking in persons, especially women and children.
Adopted without a vote.
Urges States to protect, respect and fulfill the human rights of victims of trafficking through enhanced protection and empowerment of and support and assistance for victims, including survivors..., by [inter alia]:
Promoting greater synergy between anti-trafficking efforts and those made under the women, peace and security agenda, especially by addressing the issue of trafficking in persons and its link with conflict-related sexual violence, and by stressing the key role of women’s agency and participation [OP1(h)].
Addressing the heightened risk of trafficking in humanitarian crisis situations, including in armed conflict, and in post-conflict environments, natural disasters and other emergency environments, and calling upon States and the United Nations to take measures to prevent and combat trafficking in persons and to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers [OP1(i)].