UN Human Rights Council concluded its 49th session in Geneva
04.04.2022
The 49th session of the Human Rights Council was held in Geneva between February 28th and April 1st, 2022. The session was dominated by the issue of Russian aggression against Ukraine. It was the seventh meeting of the Council in which Poland participated as a member in the 2020-2022 term.
The Human Rights Council session began with the High Level Segment, attended by heads of state and government as well as foreign ministers representing 98 countries. Speaking on behalf of Poland, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Zbigniew Rau strongly condemned the Russian aggression and expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian nation. “Today we cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of millions of innocent people in Ukraine. We expect the Human Rights Council and the entire international community to live up to their responsibilities” - he emphasized. Minister also pointed out to the role of Belarus as a state helping the aggressor and underlined the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus, including the situation of members of Polish minority there. At the Polish initiative, when Russian Foreign Minister Mr. Sergey Lavrov was addressing the Council, diplomats from the European Union member states and like-minded countries walked out of the room.
An important achievement of the 49th session of the Council was the organization of an urgent debate on the human rights situation in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression. The debate resulted in the adoption of a resolution establishing an Independent International Commission of Inquiry to investigate violations of human rights and international humanitarian law stemming from Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Another success was the adoption by a large majority of the resolution on the human rights situation in Belarus. The resolution extended the mechanism examining human rights violations in the period before and after the presidential elections in this country in 2020.
Poland's activity during the session of the Council was highly appreciated. Among Poland’s achievements was the presentation of a joint statement on the human rights situation in Russia, which gained support of 51 countries. It is also worth noting that two resolutions co-authored by Poland were adopted by consensus: a resolution on cultural rights and protection of cultural heritage and a resolution on the role of states in combating the negative effects of disinformation on the exercise and implementation of human rights. In addition, Poland was among the co-sponsors of two side-events: a ministerial event entitled "Russia's attack on Ukraine and its human rights consequences" and an online event organized prior to the session devoted to providing up-to-date information on the human rights situation in Belarus and the actions of the Human Rights Council to bring the perpetrators of violations to justice.
The Polish delegation presented national statements in interactive dialogues on: the human rights situation in Afghanistan; children in armed conflicts; the human rights situation in Venezuela; freedom of religion and belief (on behalf of the countries of the so-called Lublin Triangle: Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania); the human rights situation in Ukraine. Moreover, Poland took part in the general debate on the rights of persons with disabilities and the rights of children. Poland also took the floor during the urgent debate on the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
During the 49th session of the Council 35 resolutions were adopted, 10 Special Procedures mandates were extended, and 11 experts appointed to serve as Special Procedures mandates. The next session of the Human Rights Council will be held in Geneva from mid-June to early July.
