UN Human Rights Council seeks to amplify impact through stronger partnerships

GENEVA

Ahead of the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), the council's President Frederic Lauber has outlined a vision to bolster the body's influence by deepening its cooperation with other UN agencies and entities.

"The Human Rights Council is the main intergovernmental body on human rights. It brings together an extremely high level of expertise about human rights. We'll share that with other parts of the system," Lauber told reporters in Geneva.

The 58th session of the council is set to begin on Feb. 24 and will continue until April 4.

Recognizing the organization's unique position at the center of the UN's human rights architecture, Lauber emphasized the need to leverage this expertise to greater effect, both within Geneva and beyond.

"I will also very much focus on what I call reclaiming some of the diplomatic space," Lauber said, referring to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the council to shift to virtual proceedings.

"I feel we need more opportunities to have conversations among diplomats, to listen to each other, to understand each other's positions, to find common ground," he said.

By facilitating more informal dialogue, Lauber said he aims to foster a climate of "respect, objectivity and inclusiveness" - qualities he believes are essential for the council to fulfill its mandate of promoting and protecting human rights worldwide.

He underscored the importance of the council's cooperation with specialized UN bodies, from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to UN Women and the International Telecommunication Union. Such partnerships, he said, will be key to amplifying the UN body's impact on the ground.