Overview

United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system established by UN General Assembly resolution 60/251 on 15 March 2006 to replace the former Commission on Human Rights. It operates as the central international forum for human rights dialogue and action, with a mandate to promote and protect all human rights globally. The Council meets at the United Nations Office at Geneva and provides space for Member States and stakeholders to address human rights issues year-round.

Mission and focus areas

UNHRC’s primary mission is to advance universal respect for human rights and address situations of human rights violations worldwide. It discusses thematic and country-specific human rights concerns, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. The Council is responsible for creating mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a peer-review process assessing the human rights records of all UN Member States on a regular cycle. Although UNHRC’s mandate is not directly tied to sustainable finance or ESG integration, its promotion of non-discrimination, equality and fundamental freedoms contributes to governance aspects relevant to sustainability-driven value creation within broader environmental, social and governance frameworks.

Structure and governance

UNHRC is composed of 47 Member States elected by the UN General Assembly for staggered three-year terms with equitable geographic distribution. The Council elects a President and Bureau to organise sessions and guide procedural matters. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) serves as its secretariat, providing substantive and organisational support. Member States participate in sessions, interactive dialogues and votes on resolutions, which shape international human rights standards and responses.

Programs and offerings

UNHRC delivers regular and special sessions, thematic debates, and interactive dialogues with human rights experts and stakeholders. It conducts the Universal Periodic Review, producing outcome reports with recommendations for Member States, and establishes or renews mandates for Special Procedures, such as Special Rapporteurs or independent experts on priority issues. The Council’s work generates official resolutions, reports and documentation critical for human rights monitoring, policy-making and research. These resources support governments, civil society and international actors in assessing and improving human rights practices.

The mission of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is to work for the protection of all human rights for all people; to help empower people to realize their rights; and to assist those responsible for upholding such rights in ensuring that they are implemented.