- There were 53 interactive dialogues and 42 draft resolutions on human rights were presented
- Mexico promoted three resolutions that were adopted by consensus
Mexico's participation in the 51th regular session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), held at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, came to a successful conclusion today.
For four weeks, the HRC met to discuss issues including human rights in law enforcement; the right to development; the safety of journalists; contemporary forms of slavery; the human rights impact of neurotechnology; conscientious objection to military service, and the negative consequences of colonialism on human rights.
There were 53 interactive dialogues with the mandate holders of the Council's special procedures. At the initiative of the HRC president, children and adolescents participated in the debates during one session, highlighting the challenges to children's rights, especially those of indigenous and disabled children.
Based on its foreign policy on human rights, Mexico presented, together with Guatemala, two draft resolutions to protect the human rights of indigenous peoples, one of them to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of indigenous peoples. The resolution aims to keep the discussions of the participation of indigenous peoples active. The rapporteur looks into developments in relation to the rights of indigenous peoples, especially indigenous girls and women, and highlights the impact that development projects have on the rights of indigenous peoples. The resolution includes references to indigenous women and children and persons with disabilities to emphasize their situations and the special role they play in their communities.
In addition, together with Egypt, Mexico presented a resolution on terrorism and human rights. During the presentation, Mexico said the resolution contributes substantially to meeting obligations related to protecting human rights in the fight against terrorism. The resolution emphasizes freedom of expression and opinion, the prohibition of torture, the principle of non-refoulement, the right to privacy, due process, the protection of children in the fight against terrorism and victims' rights, among other issues.
In addition, Mexico co-sponsored the following draft resolutions: Conscientious objection to military service; Human rights and transitional justice; The safety of journalists; The role of prevention in protecting and promoting human rights: Rule of law and accountability; The role of good governance in promoting and protecting human rights; National human rights institutions; Renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; The human right to drinking water and sanitation; World Program for Human Rights Education, Strengthening Voluntary Funds for the Universal Periodic Review; Promoting international cooperation to support national enforcement, information and monitoring mechanisms, and the renewal of the mandate of the Rapporteurship on the rights of older persons.
The Council members also discussed 12 draft resolutions and a draft decision on the human rights situation in the following countries in particular: Afghanistan, Burundi, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Syria. In addition, there was a review of technical assistance and capacity-building in the field of human rights for the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, the Marshall Islands and Yemen.
On the proposal for a debate on the human rights situation in Xinjiang, Uyghur, Mexico expressed concern about the evaluation of the Office of the High Commissioner on the human rights situation in that region. Our country invited the Government of the People's Republic of China to propose a course of action that allows the international community to know how they will face the challenges reflected in various reports and communications, both from the Office of the High Commissioner and the special procedures. Lastly, Mexico stressed that it has always prioritized forums for frank and transparent dialogue with international human rights bodies and mechanisms, as long as it is done in a constructive manner and, of course, involves the country in question. In addition, as a defender of multilateralism, Mexico considers it essential that States continue to safeguard the legitimacy of the Council by avoiding its politicization.
During the consideration of the text on extending the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Mexico said that the human rights situation there is an issue on which the country has expressed its deep concern on several occasions in the Council. We called again for maintaining a collaborative, constructive and open dialogue with the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms. While taking into account the rights of Venezuelans, Mexico is taking steps to keep the political negotiations going in order to host the peace talks between the Government of Venezuela of Nicolás Maduro and the opposition unitary platform of Venezuela.
Regarding the creation of a special rapporteur for the human rights situation in the Russian Federation, the Mexican delegation stressed that it considers it essential that the Russian Government take all necessary measures to respect and guarantee human rights in its territory. However, Mexico expressed its preference for addressing the issue gradually, which would have allowed the States to gather more information, analyze the will of the country to address its challenges, and make an objective evaluation of the situation, prior to the creation of the Rapporteurship, as has always been proposed during the Council's discussions.
Lastly, during the debate of the Resolution on the Human Right to Water and Sanitation, Mexico, based on its feminist foreign policy, underscored the importance of guaranteeing this human right for women and menstruating people; therefore, the need to guarantee this right was expressed as an essential element to promote menstrual health.
Over the course of four weeks of work, the Human Rights Council adopted 42 draft resolutions on issues such as: the safety of journalists; conscientious objection to military service; national human rights institutions; the human right to drinking water and sanitation; the human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military; local government and human rights; human rights and transitional justice; and the role of prevention in promoting and protecting human rights humans, among others.
Mexico is a member State of the Human Rights Council for the 2021-2023 period. Its participation is based on a constructive dialogue, its constitutional principles and is in line with its feminist foreign policy.
For more information on the activities of the United Nations Human Rights Council, see: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/regular-sessions/session51/regular-session
