Human Rights Council
The UN Human Rights Council is the principal intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe, and for addressing and taking action on human rights violations around the globe.
The Council meets for at least 10 weeks every year at the United Nations Office in Geneva, and discusses thematic human rights issues and country-specific situations that require its attention. It responds to human rights emergencies and makes recommendations on how to better implement human rights on the ground. The Council can also convene urgent meetings on short notice to respond to emerging human rights crises.
Among the Council’s subsidiary bodies are the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism and the Special Procedures.
The Human Rights Council regularly addresses the human rights of women and girls, especially at its June session, and mainstreams a gender perspective throughout its work.
UN Women, through its Liaison Office in Geneva, works to strengthen the integration of a gender perspective in the deliberations and outcomes of the Human Rights Council. The Entity contributes to plenary discussions, participates in side events to highlight issues related to women’s human rights, and supports the participation, engagement, and work of gender equality advocates.