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“Human rights matter”: Human Rights Council President opens 61st session with global call to act - 23.02.26
Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, President of the Human Rights Council, addressed the opening of the 61st session of the Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
UN chief: Rule of force replacing rule of law in dangerous global shift - 23.02.26
Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, addressed the opening of the 61st session of the Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
UN rights chief: People’s pursuit of dignity, equality, and justice is unshakeable - 23.02.26
Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed the opening of the 61st session of the Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
UNGA President Baerbock warns of human rights erosion: “We are not bystanders” - 23.02.26
Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, addressed the opening of the 61st session of the Human Rights Council at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Happening at UN Geneva
61st regular session of the Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council is the main intergovernmental body within the United Nations responsible for human rights. Established in 2006 by the General Assembly, it is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.
The Council, composed of 47 Member States, provides a multilateral forum to address human rights violations and country situations. It responds to human rights emergencies and makes recommendations on how to better implement human rights on the ground.
World Day of Social Justice 2026 Film Screening - 25 February 2026
Date: 25 February 2026
Time: 14h30 to 18h30
Venue: Room XIV, Palais des Nations
For its third edition, Social Justice Day 2026 will be dedicated to the figure and legacy of Frantz Fanon, the revolutionary thinker and psychiatrist whose ideas on decolonization, systemic oppression, and social justice remain profoundly relevant today.
Co-organized by UNRISD and SHAP SHAP in collaboration with the City of Geneva, Geneva Youth Service, the University of Geneva (UNIGE) SDG Solution Space and the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), the day will feature an exclusive screening of the film FANON (2025) in the newly renovated UN Cinema of the iconic Palais des Nations. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with the director Jean-Claude Barny, lead actor Alexandre Bouyer, and educator and activist Féris Barkat, exploring the relevance of Fanon’s ideas, at the intersection of decolonization, psychiatry, and social justice—and what they mean for our world today.
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by its State parties. The Covenant enshrines economic, social and cultural rights such as the rights to adequate food, adequate housing, education, health, social security, water and sanitation, and work.
The Committee seeks to develop a constructive dialogue with State parties, determine whether the Covenant's norms are being applied, and assess how the implementation and enforcement of the Covenant could be improved so all people can enjoy these rights in full.
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