16th Meeting - 60th Session of Human Rights Council
Human Rights Council
Date: 18 September 2025
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/hrc/60/16
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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HRC · President [0:02]:

We call to order the 16th meeting of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council.

Before beginning, I'd like to point out that this afternoon's session will go all the way up until 18:15. And we would like to thank the interpreters and the technicians for their flexibility on this point. Excellencies, before kicking things off, I would like to refer to Council Resolution 45/31 on the contribution of the Human Rights Council to the prevention of human rights violations. The Council has decided to invite the President of the Peace Consolidation Commission and brief every year since 2021 during one of the regular sessions under item three of the agenda. on the work completed by the Commission, particularly as regards the situation of the countries on his agenda. Pursuant to that resolution, on August 5, 2025, I sent a letter to the President of the Peace and Consolidation Commission, inviting them to brief the Council during this 60th session. And yesterday, September 17, we received a letter from the Chair of the Peace and Consolidation Commission informing us that they were unable to brief the committee. Hence, please know that the presentation will not take place during this session. The work plan has been amended accordingly. We will now continue our interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Persons, and we're going to pick up our list of speakers. I would like to give a floor to the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) [1:54]:

Thank you, sir. We would like to thank you for the presentation of the report. By constitutional mandate in Venezuela, the state has the obligation to promote the district condition for comprehensive rural development in order to create employment and guarantee the peasant population proper standard of living, as well as their full inclusion in national development. That means promoting agricultural activities, the optimal use of land by using infrastructure, input, credit, training, and technical assistance. In that regard, Venezuela has put together a set of public policies aimed at strengthening the work of peasants through the Country Plan 2025-2031, which provided comprehensive support for peasants to promote innovation in the field and improve infrastructure on sustainability and rationality, thereby guaranteeing the preservation of the environment. Also, we have improved the training centers network for the peasant sector in order to promote collective management systems and local productive processes, thereby reaffirming Venezuela's commitment to empower the workers in the field. and attain the Sustainable Development Goals. Dear experts, in spite of all this progress, the peasants and agricultural workers are still affected by unilateral chorus of measures, which is why we would like to consult the working group. Have you considered these unlawful measures as an obstacle to the full enjoyment of the human rights of peasants and others working in rural areas?

Thank you.


HRC · President [3:23]:

Thank you. The distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran has the floor.


Iran (Islamic Republic of) [3:28]:

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. Mr. President, Iran takes note with appreciation of 2025 report of the UN Working Group on the Right of Peasants. In light with the UN Declaration on the Right of Peasants, Iran has undertaken significant measures to enhance rural development and protect the rights of peasants. In the legal and policy field, Iran has enacted laws to secure land rights, promote food sovereignty. The government also developed national agricultural land use map to support evidence-based planning and optimize land use. These measures help safeguard rural livelihoods and prevent land dispossession. Iran supports rural communities through long-term development programs, including the HADI plan, which has improved water supply, electricity, roads, education, and local economic activities. These initiatives foster sustainable development, and encourage community participation in decision-making. Rural women's empowerment is a key priority. Iran supports over 60,000 rural women through more than 2,000 cooperatives, enabling their participation in agricultural production and economic development. Iran also promotes sustainable farming practices and integrates peasants into climate planning to address environmental challenges. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [4:44]:

I would like to thank the.

Distinguished representative of Iran for this statement.

Next speaker.


Speaker 6 [4:54]:

Thank you to the working group. We appreciate the efforts that have been made and to prepare the reports, a very important report to protect the populations from all sorts of marginalization. Our government sets great store by the optimization of rural peasant workers in order to guarantee food security and secure sustainable development. We have launched support programs for agriculture workers in order to provide credit at low rates. This ensures that we can also preserve water resources and to put at their disposal land that had been affected by desertification. This means that we can adapt more environmentally friendly and environmental agricultural programs. We have also given farmers more autonomy in the production of agricultural plots. A new program was launched in order to improve access to land for the Yazidis. We would like to reiterate our commitment to land and the improvement of the work of agricultural workers and peasants.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We would like to welcome the working group and we value their efforts in following up the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants. We take note of the challenges faced by the peasants in terms of their rights to land, water and natural resources, social protection and discrimination against rural women. We think that countering these challenges should be based on the national specificities and national priorities, based on policies that secure the rights of peasants to land, water and natural resources, social protection, healthcare and education. We attach great importance to the promotion of peasants' rights, recognizing them as the cornerstone of food security and rural development. We have also worked on Reforming the land ownership, financing systems and others. Finally, we would like to say that promoting the situation of peasants is an investment in inclusive development and requires technical cooperation and capacity building so that we can enable them to counter social, economic and climate challenges and so that they can be a true tool of achieving sustainable development.

Thank you.


HRC · President [7:46]:

Thank you. The representative of Algeria has the floor.


Algeria [7:52]:

Sir, my delegation would like to thank the working group for the presentation of the report, which highlights areas affecting the rights of peasants and rural populations. Making the consolidation of food sovereignty a national priority, Algeria sets great importance to agricultural workers. As part of the general census for agriculture, the state provides ongoing support to agricultural workers through targeted subsidies. guaranteed credit for certain projects, as well as greater access to agricultural credit. Algeria also believes that the promotion of rural women is of the greatest importance, which is why we have specific microcredit and support for female entrepreneurs, in particular with civil society and agricultural associations, which contributes to the economic and social optimization of women. Rural housing is subsidized, and there are projects to fit the land to improve the standard of living of the rural population. The State has also taken on new initiatives to reduce the debt of fragile households. We would like to encourage the group to share its experiences and to strengthen international cooperation in order to allow the rural population to fully enjoy their rights. Thank you.


HRC · President [9:15]:

Thank you. The distinguished representative of Honduras has the floor.


Honduras [9:20]:

Thank you, sir. It is a pleasure to receive the report drafted by the working group, which tackles one of the most critical issues for Honduras, which is access to land and the guarantee of the rights of peasants and rural persons. There are still serious challenges arising from structural, historical inequalities, rural poverty, and the impact of climate change, exacerbated by corporate capture and institutional weakening after social and political crises of recent decades. For that reason, Honduras reiterates that access to land, to seeds, to a wholesome environment, and to dignified working conditions are essential to guarantee the food security and the well-being of our populations. In light of all of this, we would like to point out four points. First, the reduction of national poverty by 10.7 percentage points and extreme poverty by 13.6, which has had a significant impact in rural areas. The presentation of a bill before National Congress to avoid criminalizing human right defenders. Three, investment in rural infrastructure aimed at improving the connectivity of communities to markets, health, and education. Four, the creation of the Agrarian Security Commission to address land conflict, particularly in the area of Bajo Aguan. Lastly, we reiterate our support to the mandate of the working group and our availability and willingness to continue to strengthen actions in order to secure the rights of peasants and rural persons in the country. Thank you.


HRC · President [10:45]:

Thank you.

The distinguished representative of Burkina Faso has the floor.


Burkina Faso [10:53]:

Sir, my delegation would like to congratulate the working group for this high-quality report. Burkina Faso, its economy relies heavily on agriculture, believes that the protection of the rights of peasants is of the greatest importance. It is an essential pillar of food security, of sustainable development, and social stability. In order to protect peasants and to guarantee them access to land, an adapted regulatory framework has been set up, which includes the law on pastoral assistance. And support must be given to the efforts that peasants have in rural areas in order to promote sustainable agricultural practices, which is why Burkina Faso adopted a presidential initiative for food self-sufficiency 2024-2029 and another policy up until 2035. These programs are significant progress in the promotion of rural rights. given that it allows to strengthen the capability of thousands of producers throughout Burkina Faso. To conclude, my delegation would like to encourage the Council to pursue the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and to support its integration into national legislations. Thank you.


HRC · President [12:18]:

Thank you. The distinguished representative of Mali has the floor.


Mali [12:22]:

Thank you, sir. Mali endorses the statement made on behalf of our group, and we would like to thank the working group for the presentation of the report. My delegation believes that the agricultural sector is 65% of the population, provides over 40% of the GDP, and generates 15% of our exports. In spite of agriculture's strategic position and the efforts made by the government, poverty is experienced more in the rural areas than urban areas, according to recent statistics. Additionally, The agricultural sector continues to face structural obstacles like limited access to agricultural areas, low levels of fertilizer availability. A greater logistics support is needed in order to sustain our exports. In addition, there's the activities of terrorist groups that make it difficult to have agricultural inputs to the detriment of many. agricultural workers. Additional pressure due to the urbanization is a significant challenge for the agricultural sector. Aware of all of these challenges, the government in 2019 adopted a national policy for agricultural development in order to improve the rights of peasants to mitigate the problems that the sector faces. Thank you.


HRC · President [13:47]:

Thank you. And now we will move on to the list of speakers of national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations. The Colombian Ombudsman's Office has the floor.


Colombian Ombudsman's Office [14:03]:

The Ombudsman's Office of Colombia would like to welcome the progress the State has made in recognizing the rights of peasant communities and fishing communities in the country. Laws 01/2023 and 01/2025, which reform the Constitution in order to secure material equality of farmers and promote family agriculture and fishing, in keeping with the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and other Rural Workers, are proof of this commitment in progress. In spite of this, we need policies and programs to ensure that constitutional mandates become concrete actions. There are still challenges in the implementation of the final peace agreement, land granting, illicit crop substitution programs, and the protection of rural lands. Law 2462 in 2025 on the inclusion of rural women must be implemented swiftly. in fishing, Law 2268 of 2022 still needs to be completely implemented. In addition to rural work informality, which is over 80%, that has an impact on over 4 million workers. It is essential to regulate the agricultural labor market and to have safeguards in front of given free trade and climate change. To give dignity to farmers means that we have to overcome a historic gap and to move towards peace with social justice. Thank you.


HRC · President [15:30]:

Thank you. The Europe Center Third World has the floor.


Europe Center Third World · SATIN [15:35]:

Sir, I am Albert Tsuba. and I'm speaking on behalf of SATIN. We would like to thank the working group for their report. Positive experiences presented in it can be used as an inspiration for all member states of the UN. They show that by putting peasants at the core of public rural policies, the standard of living and the work conditions can be improved in rural areas. Mankind still has to face existential challenges, such as land hoarding, the elimination of biodiversity, problems of industrial growth, and the reduction of the environment. As the report points out, given these threats, the UN has to become a leading role with concrete policies to improve legislative frameworks at the national level and to create inclusive fora for dialogue between states and rural populations. It must be pointed out again that rural populations represent 3 billion people in the world. Their know-how and their sustainable methods of production are major points for a wholesome environment. To conclude, we would like to urge all Member States of the UN to constructively collaborate with peasants and their organizations, as well as with the Working Group of Experts of the UN, in order to jointly make progress in the attainment of the rights included in UNDRAP. Thank you.


HRC · President [16:50]:

Thank you. FIAN International has the floor.


World Forum of Fisherpersons International [16:54]:

Thank you, sir. I'm a fisherman of Panama and I'm speaking on behalf of the World Forum of Fisherpersons International. We welcome the report of the working group which acknowledges the erosion of our customary rights to land, water and territory. And it notes that as fishermen, indigenous and rural communities, we often face violence, criminalization and repression when we defend our rights or resist dispossession. And although we are guardians of biodiversity and food systems, our livelihoods are increasingly threatened by agribusiness, extractive industries, and fortress conservation agendas, such as the 30x30 initiative. Today, we come before this Council to speak about the urgent situation of the Ngabe-Bugle Indigenous fishing peoples of Panama. In February, the government announced that it is considering suspending fishing in Escudo de Veraguas, our very last ancestral fishing ground. We call on the Working Group on the United Nations Declaration on the Peasants in the Working and Rural Areas to urge the government of Panama to end the ban on violence, to recognize our territorial rights, and to ensure our participation in decisions that affect us. Indigenous peoples are not a threat to biodiversity. We are its guardians. Our voices must be heard and our rights protected. Thank.

You.


HRC · President [18:17]:

Thank you. China Society for Human Rights has the floor.


China Society for Human Rights Study [18:21]:

Thank you, Chairman. I speak on behalf of China Society for Human Rights Study. Agriculture is the foundation of human existence, providing essential material like food and supporting economic development. Farmers are the core force of agriculture, and protecting their rights and interests can ensure agriculture development. In China, various measures have been taken to safeguard the farmers' legal rights and interests. First, farmers' rights such as the, uh, rural land management right, the right to the use home site and the right to distribute collective benefits have been including Second, the government has spent large sums on technology training and care guidance for farmers. Besides the rural social endowment insurance of China has been established. Thank you for your attention.


HRC · President [19:24]:

Merci, General Paolo.

Thank you.

Beijing Charity Foundation has the floor.


Beijing Charity Foundation [19:39]:

Thank you, sir. I am the representative of Beijing Charity Foundation. I am also the standing director of Chinese medicine and agriculture industry. Today, I would like to speak about traditional medicine. The concept of yin yang is based on traditional Chinese medicine. We have new standards and new methods of work. We have people living with autism in an ecological village. And they participate in agricultural activities. Their standard of living has been improved. Their revenues have increased as well. These new innovative practices are in line with UNDRIP to protect their rights to health and well-being and a safe environment and the right to health. We have also done more work in other areas. Thank.

You.


HRC · President [21:02]:

Thank you. Ecofarm has the floor.


Ecofarm [21:04]:

Mr. President and the expert group, we draw the Council's attention to a silent but devastating crisis threatening peasants' right, food security, and our planet's biodiversity, the unchecked spread of invasive alien weeds. Across rural landscapes, these species choke farmlands, deplete water sources, destroy native vegetation, and undermine entire ecosystems. For smallholder farmers and indigenous communities, this is not merely an environmental problem. It is a direct attack on their right to livelihood, culture, and dignity. In many regions, government measures remain fragmented and small-scale, insufficient to match the speed and scale of the threat. The burden falls heavily on rural communities, who, without adequate resources, fight this menace with their bare hands. Yet, we have seen the power of community-led eradication drives. When supported with knowledge, tools, and funding, these efforts transform into movements of environmental restoration and rural empowerment. We urge this Council to recognize invasive weeds as a serious human rights and development concern. The United Nations should allocate dedicated funding to address this menace with urgency. We further recommend the appointment of a special procedure mandate holder to investigate, monitor, and advise on its human rights impacts. We call for the declaration of a decade of action on invasive alien species with specific integration into sustainable development goals and million development goals follow-up framework. Addressing this crisis is not optional. It is essential to safeguarding the right to food, the right to healthy environment, and the future of rural livelihoods.


HRC · President [22:26]:

Thank you.

Thank you. Cuban Association of Animal Production is recognized. The interpreters apologize, but the sound quality in this video is not.


Cuban Association of Animal Production [22:43]:

Good enough to provide interpretation. Las pérdidas millonarias ocasionadas afectan por igual empresas estatales, cooperativas y productores privados. Los valores estimados de daño ascienden a 508,3 millones de dólares entre marzo 2022 y febrero 2024. Estos daños imposibilitan que las cooperativas y campesinos puedan tener acceso a insumos, piezas de repuesto para maquinaria, tractores, cosechadoras y otros medios de transporte. a materias primas como maíz y soja para alimento animal, a productos para lograr mejores rendimientos, combatir plagas y poner tierra a uso sin producción. En el comercio exterior se impide el acceso a las exportaciones de sus productos y obtener los ingresos por su venta, como el tabaco que no se puede vender en los Estados Unidos con una afectación de 237,5 millones de dólares, así como otros productos exportables tales como frutas frescas e industrializadas, melva, avena y café. El gobierno de los Estados Unidos, al implementar las medidas fisioeconómicas, ha afectado al sector cooperativo y campesino. Con tabulizar ese caso omiso a la declaración de los derechos campesinos y de otras personas que trabajan en las zonas rurales, así como de la resolución 64, 136 del año.

2009.


HRC · President [24:06]:

Thank you. Peace Brigades International has the floor.


Peace Brigades International [24:10]:

Thank you. In Colombia, peasants, in spite of being the main provider of food and defender of land and being recognized as a special subject of protection, faces a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by armed conflict and illegal armed actors, often in connivance of political and economic elites. We observe with concern aggression, displacement, sexual violence, and other crimes against peasant communities. We note the work of the ACVC, ASCAMAT, the Peace Community of San Jose, the humanitarian zones in Baja Chontota, and ADISPA in Putumayo. We need state civilian presence in the territory and programs for the promotion and protection of rights. In Guatemala, especially in Ixabal, Verapaz, and Peten, peasants, mainly indigenous peoples, face forced displacement, violent confrontations where international standards are not respected. There's legal insecurity. This has been documented by independent lawyers and the Special Rapporteur on housing when they visited in July. We have received credible information on a possible increase of evictions in coming months. All the while, there's an increase in the criminalization of indigenous and peasant leaders. and CCDA organizations have pointed out such acts against local leaders, such as Locadia Hukaran. We would like to call a moratorium on evictions and amnesty for peasant leaders that have been sentenced. Thank you.


HRC · President [25:37]:

Thank you.

Colombian Commission of Jurists has the floor.


Colombian Commission of Jurists [25:45]:

Sure, we welcome the recent decision of the Constitutional Court, which, in keeping with the peace agreement, approved the creation and the integration of agrarian rural jurisdiction in Colombia. This is an important decision because it backs the possibility of having specialized justice that increases the state's capability to provide technical solution to agrarian conflict and thereby bridge the historic justice gap in Colombia. In spite of this decision, to date, the agrarian courts are not operational yet because there's a law that limits its ability. For over one year, and in spite of having been presented as an urgent message by the government, the law has not just gone through legislation. It still needs to be debated at least one more time before approval. Congress has a historic debt with the victims of armed conflict and the population. which is why we ask the Human Rights Council to urge the state of Colombia to guarantee without delay the full implementation of agrarian rural courts in keeping with their constitutional and international obligations and the peace agreement. Thank you.


HRC · President [26:55]:

Thank you.

Geneva for Human Rights has the floor.


Geneva for Human Rights [27:01]:

We recall that peasants and rural workers produce most of the world's food, yet they make up the majority of those suffering from hunger and poverty. This paradox reflects systemic failures, from restrictive seed regimes to land dispossession, gender inequality, and exclusion from decision-making. The UNDRIP provides a comprehensive framework to address these injustices. Its provisions on the right to food, seeds, land, biodiversity, and participation must guide all responses to today's crisis. We urge the working group and all states to place human rights at the heart of food system transformation using UNDROP, VGGT, CFS guidelines and CESC General Comment No. 26. Recognize agroecology and food sovereignty as solutions to hunger and climate change. Guarantee women, youth and indigenous communities equal access to land, water, seeds and decision making. Integrate peasant voices into COP30, ICARD+20, and all agri-food and biodiversity strategies. From Brazil's agroecological movements to Cambodia's struggles over land, from Europe's seized debates to Africa's bioeconomy initiative, the message is consistent. Peasant rights are not peripheral, but central to resilient, just, and sustainable food system. We thank the working group for carrying forward this mandate and reaffirm our commitment to ensure that the rights of peasants are fully respected.


RSC [28:30]:

Thank you, Mr. President.

Peasant rights are essential for food security, rural development, and social justice. Farmers feed the world, yet they remain marginalized with limited access to land, resources, and fair markets. Protecting their rights is not only justice; It is vital for sustainable and inclusive development. RSC has worked at the grassroots level to empower farmers by providing agricultural resources, sustainable farming training, and livelihood opportunities. Our efforts help farmers boost productivity, secure their income, and build resilience to climate change, strengthening the very backbone of our food system. The Agriculture In particular Fund is one such India's good initiative designed to enhance rural agriculture, improve access to markets, and reduce post-harvest losses. Mr. President, we urge the Council to promote the full and effective implementation of the UN draft, translating its principle into national legislation, guaranteeing farmer right to control their seeds, land, and natural resources, resisting the process of corporate consolidation. supporting inclusive social protection system for rural farmer communities. Mr. President, securing the rights of pigeons is not a niche concern. It is a fundamental imperative for human rights, climate resilience, and global stability. It is an investment in global peace, food security, and sustainable development. We thank you. May all live happily.


HRC · President [30:04]:

Thank you. That was the last speaker that we could accommodate. And now I'd like to give the floor to Mr. Duarte for his final remarks.


Speaker 37 [30:16]:

Thank you very much, President. At the outset, as a working group, we'd like to thank all speakers for their statements, both from states and from civil society. And we're very pleased to take note of the fact that most recommendations and the analysis that we have in our report were highlighted by states and NGOs, focusing on one important thing, that despite the efforts taken by states, the conditions of rural workers is of great concern throughout the world. We see significant gaps in terms of and the levels of multidimensional poverty. And we also see an aspect that we call the food paradox. And we see that those who are suffering from hunger throughout the world are those who actually produce foodstuffs. And we also have seen that we all share concerns related to questions of land, women, climate change and rural development. So many aspects were referred to, and these elements are very important. Of course, land and access to land is of concern throughout the world. And we see scientific reports that we see that there's a concentration of rural property throughout the world, and we see the need throughout the world to continue policies of rural reform and two aspects related to land at a conceptual level and a technical level. And from the conceptual point of view, land is directly related to our discussion to territorial development. And we believe that we need to conceptualize all of these issues more thoroughly and also focus on a comprehensive approach to land and ensure also access to water resources, something that has not received significant analysis at the territorial level, and also how to introduce the position of indigenous peoples throughout the world. Very often this is not covered by territorial analysis that exists. And for this reason, we believe that next year it'll be very important during the meeting, global meeting on agrarian reforms to discuss the issues and the report of next year will focus on territory. territorial issues with a link to those people who work on land. Now, the second theme related to WIM, this is indeed a very important cross-cutting issues and their different concerns on how to incentivize and promote the leadership of women. And indeed, one of the most important elements is land tenure rights for women. We see that progress is made in some countries, but it is important to carry out our joint work. And also what is important is to see how we can strengthen and recognize the contributions that are made by women to rural economies. And also the empowerment and leadership of women is something that is also very important. The third element relates to climate change. and the environmental dimension of peasants. We see in statements from countries, for example, Armenia, how COP, the upcoming COP meeting will be discussing environmental issues, but We should not overlook the role of rural and the global compact on biodiversity. We do hope that this will also be discussed throughout the year. Now, on rural development, there are several elements that we must mention first. There is a situation that opposes monocultural development and the versus the interests of peasants. If we look at figures, we see that peasants and rural workers that represent 40% contribute to global food consumption and even if we take unofficial figures, is 70 percent. So the contribution of peasants to food supply in the world, but there's an imbalance that we see in terms of support provided to small rural households. And also there is a privatization and homogenization of seeds throughout the world and this has an impact on the lives of peasants. We have registered with great hope that in many countries we see that their national policies that are being developed to rural areas, but we need to scale up these agro-environmental policies in order to ensure that we can support health in rural areas and have access to main impulses. And we do hope that this exercise of agro-environmental policies can be further developed. And of course, we draw the attention to the question of the two points in Article 1 related to elaborating public policies. And as Panama says, the questions related to fishermen is something that is not always covered by public policies. And They have not been recognized in public policies. And we do hope that we can work, that we can recognize the territorial nature of waters and the links between fishermen and nature. And also, it is necessary to stress that there's a very important part of rural populations that have been displaced for political and economic reasons, and they move to other countries. and they contribute to the labor market in rural areas in very precarious conditions. So the situation of migrant workers is very important, and we do hope that the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and other workers in rural areas can be fully implemented.


HRC · President [38:03]:

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. This concludes our interactive dialogue, and I'd like to thank Mr. Duarte for his participation. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, we'll now start an interactive dialogue on the Secretary-General's synthesis report on the opportunities, best practices, specific solutions, challenges, and obstacles related to a just transition and full realization of the rights of The list of speakers will be closed in 15 minutes. Now I'd like to give the floor to the Director of the Division of Thematic Involvement, Special Procedures, and the Right to Development of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to present the report of the Secretary General.


OHCHR · Director [38:50]:

Thank you, Mr. President. In its resolution 568, the Human Rights Council requested the Secretary-General to prepare a synthesis report on opportunities, best practices, actionable solutions, challenges, and barriers relevant to just transition and the full realization of human rights for all people. This report arrives at a pivotal moment. Just two months ago, the International Court of Justice delivered its landmark advisory opinion affirming that states have binding obligations under international law, including international human rights law, to protect the climate system and environment. The court explicitly recognized that failure to protect the climate system from significant harm, including that caused by fossil fuel production and consumption, may constitute internationally wrongful acts. The advisory opinion reinforced the need for an equitable, just, and rapid transition grounded in human rights. The Secretary-General's report describes just transition as transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies that are fair, equitable, and inclusive. It means creating decent work opportunities, reducing inequalities and poverty, as well as enhancing and upholding all human rights, including the right to development and the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The report identifies key barriers in the way of a just transition, including conflicts over natural resources, especially critical energy transition minerals, and inadequate labor rights and social protection. Action is needed on multiple fronts. percent powered by fossil fuels that are reproducing historical injustices. We must transition away from fossil fuels. We need to put an end to corporate impunity and regulatory gaps in human rights due diligence. We need to reverse the shrinking civic space. To effectively address such challenges, transition must be centered on human rights. The ICG's advisory opinion reaffirms the central place of human rights law and climate action. Transitions need to be anchored in all human rights, including the rights to work, social security, participation, and access to information, and the rights of all those most at risk of being left behind. The right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, which the ICGA recognized as a precondition for the enjoyment of other human rights and inherent in their realization, establishes both a foundation for rights-based transition pathways and a binding standard. The principles of common but differentiated responsibilities, equity, and polluter pays must guide international cooperation to ensure just transitions for all everywhere. By 2030, implementing the Paris Agreement alone could create 18 million new jobs. Broader just transition policies could create around 100 million new jobs. We should ensure these are decent jobs with full labor rights. The report calls for transforming economic models towards measures of progress beyond GDP that value human development, equality, and sustainability. Universal social security systems are critical, guaranteeing income security throughout transitions while helping people respond to climate impacts. When designed inequitably, clean energy transitions can reduce energy insecurity, deadly local air pollution, and environmental injustice while creating community-led sustainable development pathways. As the ICGA clarified, it is scientifically possible to determine each state's contribution to global emissions, including historical emissions. This opens pathways for accountability and for ensuring that those most responsible take the lead in transitioning and supporting others. As the report emphasizes, debt restructuring and cancellation can free fiscal space for human rights budgeting that supports just transition. Technology transfer and co-development can enable fairly shared innovation. As we approach COP30 in Brazil, this report's findings are particularly salient. The just transition work program established at COP27 already requires parties to respect, promote, and consider their human rights obligations. The report provides concrete guidance on how to operationalize these commitments, including as part of nationally determined contributions, national adaptation plans, long-term strategies, and just transition planning. The report calls for, one, transitioning towards sustainable human rights economies that prioritize planetary and human well-being and establishing robust business accountability frameworks. Two, ensuring decent work and universal social security for all people and workers, including those in informal economies, while investing in public services and green skills development. Three, strengthening participatory governance by integrating human rights throughout transition policies, ensuring meaningful participation, and protecting civic space and environmental human rights defenders. And finally, four, enabling globally just transitions through scaled up grant-based financing, debt relief, and cancellation, progressive taxation, and prevention of conflicts over transition resources. We stand at a crossroads. The best available science continues to demand urgent action to end the ongoing devastating impacts of the climate crisis on people's lives. This report provides a roadmap for transitions that remedy past harms, prevent future injustices, and uphold the rights of present and future generations. Within the challenge posed by the climate crisis lies also opportunity to build economies that value dignity and rights belonging to each person, to create millions of decent jobs, to advance equality, and to secure a livable planet for all now and in the future. I urge states and stakeholders to study this report's findings carefully, integrate its recommendations across policies, and to use this interactive dialogue to share commitments, best practices, and solutions towards transitions that advance human rights. Thank you.


HRC · President [44:53]:

Merci.

Thank you very much. I invite interested delegations to ask questions, to make comments on the report, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iceland on behalf of a group of countries.


Iceland · Nordic-Baltic states [45:08]:

Mr. President, I deliver the statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic states. We thank the Secretary General for his report outlining applicable human rights frameworks to help guide Ethiopia's transition. The realization of human rights for present and future generations should be at the heart of climate action. The climate crisis is one of the most urgent challenges the world is facing. It threatens to reverse hard-won gains in human rights and sustainable development, while exacerbating existing inequalities, including gender inequality. In this regard, international human rights law provides a vital framework for ensuring that transitions not only protect the planet, but also uphold human dignity, redress injustices and safeguard those most at risk. Innovative resources for climate financing are integral to enable vulnerable countries and communities to confront the adverse impacts of climate change. Climate change is not only an environmental crisis, but also a human rights challenge. It threatens the enjoyment of human rights, such as the rights to health, food, water, housing and decent work. A just transition is essential. It must be fair, inclusive, equitable, and firmly rooted in a human rights-based approach. How can we foster meaningful participation of those most severely affected by climate change, including indigenous peoples, women, youth, and persons in vulnerable situations at every stage of the transition process? I thank you.


HRC · President [46:31]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative, Samho, on behalf of a group of countries.


Samoa · Pacific SIDS [46:39]:

Mr. President, I have the honor to present this joint statement on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States. We thank the Secretary-General for his synthesis report. Samoa was pleased to host the Secretary-General in Apia last year, where he saw how climate change is affecting our Pacific communities and the Pacific way of life. For Pacific states, climate change is a severe and irreversible threat that already undermines the enjoyment of fundamental human rights to life, health, food, water, housing, culture, and self-determination. A just transition must be people centered. This means full, meaningful, and inclusive decision making by integrating the voice of groups in vulnerable settings, including indigenous peoples, women, youth, and frontline communities, and recognizing traditional knowledge as best practice in mitigation and adaptation. Yet barriers remain, the inadequate pace of global mitigation, persistent inequalities, and access to finance, and the absence of accountability for climate harm. Without accessible and grants-based supports for adaptation and loss and damage, small island states will face challenges in protecting the rights of their people. The recent ICJ advisory opinion has made it clear states have legal obligations to prevent harm from climate change and to protect human rights from its impacts. This reinforces that climate action is not optional. It is a duty under international law. Mr. President, a just transition was therefore mean phasing out of fossil fuels, scaling up renewable energy equitably, and ensuring all climate measures respect and advance human rights. The dignity and survival of present and future generations depend on urgent solidarity and action.

I thank you.


HRC · President [48:15]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kuwait on behalf of the GCC.


Kuwait · GCC [48:20]:

Thank you very much, President. The countries of the GCC would like to thank the Secretary-General for the report. We affirm that two principles of justice and common responsibility are important pillars related to climate change. As indicated in the report, the historical responsibility is at the heart of a just transition. Indeed, those who were responsible of the largest part of emissions in the past are those responsible to deal with these questions and help developing countries to deal with the challenges related to just transition. reaffirmed that the processes of just transitions should preserve national sovereignty, specific features of different countries. There's not a single model that will be, can be applied to all. As GCC, we have invested in renewable energies and sustainable development, and we offer populations numerous opportunities to help the implementation of global climate objectives. We reaffirm that discussions in the Council must be constructive, based on consensus, far from imposing any model on countries, because the efforts that we are deploying are aimed at a just transition for all.

Thank you.


HRC · President [49:48]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Union.


EU [49:54]:

Thank you, Mr. President. The European Union welcomes today's dialogue advancing the Council's work on the impacts of climate change on human rights. We fully share the report's conclusions that a just transition must address interconnected planetary crisis while respecting, protecting, and fulfilling the human rights of all. A just transition must be firmly rooted in the human rights-based approach. Realization of all human rights, including the rights to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, safe drinking water and sanitation, health, work, social security, and an adequate standard of living must be safeguarded in the just transition policies, giving particular attention to the gender equality and persons in vulnerable situations. The EU reiterates the call to transition away from fossil fuels and energy systems in a just, orderly, and equitable manner in line with 1.5 degree pathways. The EU's just transition mechanism provides targeted support for regions, industries, and workers most affected by decarbonization. The EU Social Climate Fund further protects household, micro enterprises, and transport users from disproportionate impacts of carbon pricing, ensuring that climate action strengthens social rights. The report highlights best practices for upholding human rights in the context of climate change. How can these be more effectively applied and which are the most promising mechanisms to ensure accountability when states or other actors fail to adopt a rights-based approach? Thank you.


HRC · President [51:21]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria on behalf of Group of Arab States.


Algeria · Arab Group [51:29]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is my pleasure to take the floor on behalf of the Arab Group. We thank the Secretary General on his report. We consider that facing climate change is a global challenge that requires global solutions that preserve all rights, including the right to health, water, clean environment, sustainable one, et cetera. The CBDR is the essential foundation to any just solution to this crisis. The specificity of developing countries, including Arab countries, make us face serious challenges such as desertification and scarcity of water. This requires us to gradually transfer into fulfilling our climate commitments and development needs while also reiterating our inalienable right of total sovereignty on our national resources, the Arab League launched the Arab Strategy for Sustainable Energy 2030, as well as other initiatives in the field of climate change. This reflects our clear political commitment to promote sustainable development, diversify energy resources, and invest in sustainable energy. Just transition requires accessible financing, transfer of technology, so that we can fulfill our commitments efficiently while taking into account the opportunity and challenges highlighted in the Secretary-General's report.


HRC · President [53:06]:

I give the floor to Ghana on behalf of Group of African States.


Ghana · Africa Group [53:12]:

Mr. President, we thank the Secretary-General for the synthesis report. The African Group reaffirms that just transition must be inclusive, equitable, and firmly grounded in human rights and the right to development. For many countries, and African countries for that matter, the transition to low carbon economies is taking place against the backdrop of persistent development challenges such as poverty, inequality, energy insecurity, limited fiscal space, and heightened vulnerability to the impact of climate change. In this context, the pursuit of climate goals must not undermine socioeconomic rights, but rather serve to strengthen and advance them. Mr. President, we welcome the report's recognition and the protection and promotion of human rights, particularly the right to development, education, decent work, and a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment must be central to transition strategies. However, the African group remains concerned by insufficient climate finance and technology transfer and capacity building for developing countries, barriers to accessing green technology and markets which risk deepening inequalities, and continued underrepresentation of African voices in global just transition frameworks. In this regard, the African Group calls for scaled-up, predictable and needs-based international support, equitable access to finance, technology and capacity building, and inclusive approaches that leave no one behind, particularly women, children, persons disabilities and persons in situation of armed conflict, including under foreign occupation. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [54:48]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Bahamas on behalf of CARICOM.


Bahamas · CARICOM [54:54]:

Mr. President, I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the CARICOM group in Geneva. As small island developing states, we welcome the report of the Secretary-General calling for a rights-based, equitable, and inclusive transition. We are already on the front lines of climate change, facing hurricanes of increasing intensity, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and severe economic shocks. For us, just transition is about safeguarding our lives, livelihoods, and enjoyment of all human rights, including the right to development. CARICOM therefore welcomes the report's recognition of historical responsibilities and its emphasis that transitions must be anchored in human rights, international law, and the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. At the global level, fossil fuel dependency, widening inequalities, and inadequate social protections threaten to leave the most vulnerable behind. For SIDS, this underscores the urgency of accessible, grant-based finance, debt relief, and technology transfer so that transitions do not deepen structural vulnerabilities. We recall the recent advisory opinion of ICJ affirming states' legal obligations to prevent climate-related harm and to cooperate in support of vulnerable states, reinforcing the legal foundation of a just transition. In closing, we echo the report's call that a sustainable future depends on a just transition, and a just transition depends on the full realization of human rights. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [56:27]:

Thank you. The list of speakers is now closed. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Maldives on behalf of a group of countries.


Maldives · SIDS [56:36]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I have the honor to speak on behalf of an informal group of SIDS as listed on the extranet. We thank the Secretary-General for his report. Climate change is a profound threat to the full enjoyment of human rights. For SIDS, its impact defines the security and livelihoods of our people. As the Secretary-General highlights, transition devoid of equity risk deepening inequalities. SEADs contribute the least to the climate crisis, yet we spend more servicing debt that we receive in climate finance. This undermines our fiscal space to invest in national needs. For SIDS, climate justice is an essential component of just transition. We stress the urgent operationalization and capitalization of the loss and damage fund, ensuring accessible grant-based resources. We recall the landmark opinion by the ICJ, um, and the SIDS initiated process seeks to clarify legal obligations of states to strengthen accountability and affirm that human rights and intergenerational equity remains a core of climate responses. We call for scaled up, accessible and predictable climate finance to support seats in advancing a just transition that strengthens resilience. We also urge all partners to act with ambition, keep the 1.5 degrees Celsius target as the benchmark of credible climate action. I thank you.


HRC · President [58:10]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis on behalf of a group of countries.


Saint Kitts and Nevis · LDCs [58:16]:

I speak on behalf of the LDC's trust fund delegates participating at HRC 60. Climate change is a global challenge that affects all of us, but undoubtedly has far more devastating impacts on LDCs and SIDS, even though we are the least responsible for its worsening effects. As individual states, we have developed national strategies to combat climate change, but we are still very susceptible to this crisis. We continue to be plagued with issues of water scarcity, access to fresh water, and shortage of food. The continuous increase in global temperatures poses serious threats as we are prone to natural disasters and king tides made worse by rising sea levels. We therefore call on the international community to develop impactful and effective strategies and policies to assist us in continuing to develop the adaptation and resilience building measures. There is an urgent need for greater access to financing for LDCs and SIDS, as the current traditional measures of development only consider high per capita income, which masks acute exposure to climate-related shocks. The multidimensional vulnerability index captures the structural and environmental fragilities that traditional income-based classifications overlook, particularly in LDCs and SIDS. We are grateful for UNGA's adoption of resolution 78322 and the MVI. We continue to advocate for its integration into international financing mechanisms to better reflect our unique vulnerabilities and assist us in accessing concessional financing that is necessary if we are to successfully navigate this climate crisis. We must act with urgency, equity, and solidarity to safeguard the future of the most climate-vulnerable nations. Our resilience is not only a moral imperative, but also a bedrock of global stability and shared prosperity.

Thank you.


HRC · President [59:51]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Marshall Islands.


Marshall Islands [59:55]:

Thank you, Mr. President. The Republic of the Marshall Islands thanks the Secretary-General for this report, which reminds us of the responsibility we share to meet the needs of our people without preventing future generations from meeting their own needs. For my country, already experiencing rising sea levels, those future generations are constantly in our minds. The report gives us hope that a just transition is within our reach. Collectively, it is within our reach to ensure polluters pay their fair share, that businesses are held accountable, and that those who have benefited most from high emissions take the lead in this transition. It is within our power. We can do this starting today to ensure a better tomorrow. This summer, the International Court justice reminded us that this just transition is not only possible but also required of us. Commitments to transition our economies are not voluntary. They are demanded by international law. So once again, We urge all states to commit to stronger and faster action on climate change with a rapid transition away from fossil fuels at the center. We call for all parties to the Paris Agreement to come forward with ambitious economy-wide emissions commitments and the scaled-up, accessible finance to make this transition truly just and most equitable for all. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:01:18]:

Thank you. The distinguished representative of Vietnam is recognized.


Viet Nam [1:01:22]:

Mr. President, we thank the Secretary General and the OHCHR for the comprehensive synthesis report on opportunities, best practices, solutions, challenges, and barriers relevant to just transition. Vietnam welcomes the report's emphasis on protecting workers, safeguarding vulnerable groups, and ensuring that transitions expand to the enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights. We note in particular the findings on the risks faced by marginalized groups, the importance of universal social security, and the central role of international cooperation, technology transfer, and finance in enabling just transitions. Vietnam remains committed to a just energy transition and to protecting the rights of workers and communities. We are implementing national energy planning and green growth measures, engaging with international partners through the Just Energy partnership and pursuing reforms to broaden social insurance and social protection coverage so that no one is left behind. Mr. President, Vietnam looks forward to constructive dialogue on how state, international financial institutions, and partners can scale up climate finance, ensure technology transfer and capacity sharing, and strengthen universal social protection in developing countries. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:02:45]:

Thank you. The Distinguished Representative of Kenya is recognized.


Kenya [1:02:48]:

Thank you, Mr. President. We align with Africa Group statement. We stand at a crossroads in the fight against climate change, a fight that is not abstract, but real and urgent, defining the future of our people and planet. The Secretary-General's report rightly underscores the undeniable truth that the climate crisis exacerbates existing inequalities and threatens the rights and lives of millions, especially those in Africa and other vulnerable regions who have contributed least to this catastrophe. As a climate-vulnerable state, we affirm that the era of empty promises must end. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is not a slogan. It is the foundation of international climate justice. Developed countries must redouble their efforts to cut emissions aggressively and meet their climate finance commitments. The polluters must pay, not only for the damage inflicted, but in support of the transformative paths to sustainable development for those still left behind. We call for a just transition in line the historic ICJ advisory opinion that is bold, inclusive and rights-centered. This means creating quality jobs, extending social protections, empowering women, youth, indigenous peoples and informal workers who are the very backbone of our society. It means tackling debt burdens and ensuring that climate finance is accessible, adequate and aimed at building resilient green economies rooted in local realities. We call on the global community to translate words into action and advance solidarity, accountability and equity. I thank you.


HRC · President [1:04:19]:

Thank you. Distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia is recognized.


Saudi Arabia [1:04:28]:

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, we have carefully reviewed the report and regret that it does not reflect in a balanced manner the fundamental principles of the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement and namely the principle of equity and CBDRRC, the report emphasis on… specifics pathways such as the phase out of fossil fuels overlooks the diverse national circumstances of states and does not sufficiently account for considerations of energy security, affordability and others. We stress that climate action requires a comprehensive approach that ensures people's right to development, just Transition pathways must remain nationally determined, placing at the core poverty eradication, achievement of sustainable development and avoiding uniform imposed models. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is pioneering, leading, pioneering projects, circular carbon economy, Middle East Green Initiative, Riyadh Global Partnership for Drought Resilience are amongst the ambitious steps under our Vision 2030. These efforts embody our commitment to constructive engagement. and cooperation with the international community across all climate-related tracks. We reaffirm our determination to pursue a just and equitable transition that takes into account international agreements, supports climate, and safeguards national development priorities while ensuring the prosperity of our people. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:06:03]:

Thank you, distinguished representative of Nepal.


Nepal [1:06:06]:

Mr. President, Nepal thanks the Secretary-General for the synthesis report. Nepal is acutely affected by the climate change, melting and outburst of glaciers, erratic rainfalls, and frequent floods and landslides threaten lives and livelihoods of millions every year. As one of the world's mountain countries, Nepal continues to call for global action to fight climate change, to conserve mountains, and to contribute to the just transition to low carbon economy. In May this year, Nepal hosted an international multi-stakeholder dialogue, Sagarmatha Sambad, meaning the Mount Everest Dialogue, under the theme of climate change, mountains, and the future of humanity. Mr. President, climate change is a global problem. It is not just an environmental crisis. It is profound human rights challenge. It requires an urgent and ambitious global action. We call for an adequate and accessible climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building. Full implementation of the Paris Agreement, including the meaningful operationalization of loss and damage fund, is vital. Nepal remains committed to achieving net zero by 2050. I thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [1:07:37]:

Thank you, the distinguished representative of, uh, Cabo Verde has the floor.


Cabo Verde [1:07:43]:

Thank you. El Salvador would like to fully endorse the statement made by Ghana on behalf of the African Group. We would like to thank the Secretary-General for this very high-quality summary report, which emphasizes the relevance of the themes addressed and the depth and conclusions included in it. We would like to underscore the importance of international cooperation in creating enabling conditions for a just transition for all, particularly paying attention to equal access to finance, technology, and capacity building. For my country, a country like Cabo Verde, a country facing structural vulnerabilities, exposed to the effects of climate change, a fair transition can only be done if there is strong, inclusive international solidarity. Our goal is clear, to reach more than 50% renewable energy by 2030, and 100% by 2040. We see in a fair transition a strategic opportunity to address economic, social, environmental, and development challenges while promoting human rights. We therefore would like to call for strong commitments of the entire UN system, its member states, and the international community in order to focus our actions towards fair, inclusive, and people-centered transition. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:09:11]:

Thank you. Jamaica is recognized.


Jamaica [1:09:15]:

Mr. President, as a small island developing state on the front line of the climate crisis, Jamaica commends the Secretary-General for his report. The report emphasizes that a just transition towards sustainable economies and societies, centered on human rights, is essential to the future of the people and the planet. This is particularly relevant as the climate crisis undermines the ability of Jamaica and other states to pursue development in a sustainable and equitable manner, thus impeding the realization of broader human rights goals. The government of Jamaica attaches great importance and commitment to climate justice and social equity. However, based on our vulnerability to extreme climate-related events, Jamaica's just transition pathways require robust and consistent support through international cooperation, including financing, capacity building, and technology transfer. We therefore thank the UNDP and ILO through its Just Transition project, which is bolstering Jamaica's efforts to ensure our workers are protected. We welcome the convening of COP30 in Brazil later this year, where we will continue to advocate for the finalization of the operationalization of the loss and damage fund. Thank you.


Chair [1:10:48]:

Thank you. The distinguished representative of Oman is recognized.


Oman [1:10:55]:

Thank you. We have taken due note of the report, which shows the close link between human rights and the environmental and economic challenges that our world faces. The report shed light on such complicated challenges that encumber a just transition towards a sustainable economic environmental system that would take into account human rights. For example, the widening gap between countries in terms of climate mitigation adaptation. Also, limited funding and technological support for developing countries. also the absence of legal frameworks and institutional guarantees for environmental justice, which is why we call for the implementation of the recommendations included in the report. In order to have an all-embracing approach based on human rights as regards the environmental transition, it is important to take into account the needs of the most vulnerable communities. We welcome what the report mentioned calling the international community for greater cooperation for climate finance, technology transfer, and multilateral cooperation. Without political will, the structural reform of the environmental system will not be possible.


Chair [1:12:28]:

Trinidad and Tobago is recognized.


Trinidad and Tobago [1:12:32]:

Thank you, Mr. President.

We thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report and align with the CARICOM group statement. The report outlines critical recommendations for the advancement of a just transition, many of which are in consonance with policies being pursued by Trinidad and Tobago. As we continue in our efforts to diversify what has traditionally been an oil and gas-based economy to an environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient, and people-centered one, the government has been prioritizing social dialogue, decent work, and social protection, all key pillars of a just transition. Such priorities include establishing a living wage for all workers, modernizing labor legislation, and strengthening tripartism. As a small island developing state, technical cooperation and international collaboration have also been essential.

In this regard, work being undertaken through the ILO Caribbean Office and the UN Multicountry Office, both based in Trinidad and Tobago, remain paramount to advancing a just transition.

Most recently, during an inter-ministerial meeting held with UN agencies in Trinidad and Tobago, climate action, sustainable food production, and the transition to renewable energy were identified among the continuing priorities for the next phase of

cooperation between the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the UN.

In closing, we reaffirm our continued commitment to the realization of a just transition.

I thank you.


HRC · President [1:14:07]:

Thank you. The distinguished representative of Kuwait.


Kuwait [1:14:14]:

Thank you, Mr. President. We would like to endorse the comment made by the group that represents us, and we thank the Secretary-General for the report on energy transition, the enjoyment of human rights in the context of climate change, while recalling that this issue is a significant challenge worldwide, which calls for international cooperation based on common but differentiated responsibilities. to face that we need to take into account economic specificities in the national context of developing countries that face desertification, water rarefication, and food insecurity. It's a large challenge to reduce emissions by 2050. We are trying to produce 15% of our energy based on renewable resources by 2030. Implementing renewable energy projects. We have more energy efficiency to have greater consistency between climate needs and our policies. The energy transition needs financing, favorable conditions, and capacity building to allow developing countries to honor their commitments without affecting their inalienable rights to development and national resource sovereignty.

Thank you.


HRC · President [1:15:36]:

Thank you, UNDP.


UNDP [1:15:37]:

Thank you, Mr. President. UNDP welcomes the report of the Secretary-General and is grateful for the inclusion of UNDP program examples of rights-based action to advance the just transition. UNDP reaffirms its commitment to support countries in meeting the climate goals of the Paris Agreement.

Through our Climate Promise Initiative, we are

supporting governments in over 50 countries to integrate just transition in their climate chain policies, including the NDCs and LT-LEDs. This support includes conducting transition impact assessments to identify trade-offs of climate policies and sectoral measures, facilitating social dialogue, strengthening institutions and policies, and financing a just transition. UNDP's role in just transition also extends to global advocacy, knowledge management, and capacity building. UNDP has produced several knowledge products on just transition. including an issue brief, an online capacity building and practical guide on incorporating just transition into NDCs and LTLEDS. Our tools and resources are available online, and we welcome partners to explore and use them to strengthen just transition and client actions. Our work on just transition is delivered jointly with partners and other UN agencies, such as ILO and UNFCCC. We look forward to continuing working with governments and communities on just transition. I thank you.


Dominican Republic [1:17:04]:

Thank you. The Dominican Republic appreciates the report of the Secretary-General, and we appreciate that it places at the core the relationship between fair, just transition, climate justice, and human rights. As a small island developing state, we are among the most vulnerable to climate change. Hurricanes, coast erosion, and drought beset our communities, and they generate losses of approximately 2% of GDP per annum. which is why we have traced a roadmap towards a resilient, low-emission economy. Our National Transition Policy 2022-2036 determines that by 2030, 30% of the energy matrix will come from renewable resources. But a just transition for countries like ours means more than simply decarbonization. It means guaranteeing energy security, protecting the most vulnerable, and creating new opportunities. We underscore that this transition cannot be done alone. We reiterate the call to developing countries to increase financing, technology transfer, and technical support in order to guarantee a fair, just transition that leaves no one behind. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:18:17]:

Thank you, distinguished representative of Senegal.


Senegal [1:18:21]:

Sir, Senegal endorses the statement made by the African Group, and we take note of the measures endorsed in the summary report. Given the climate justice, we reiterate our call for a just, fair energy transition based on human rights respect. However, we note that a lack of resources to climate adaptation and resilience, as well as the general context characterized by many crises, slows down the pace of the implementation of SDGs, which puts vulnerable countries in vulnerable risk. we need to have greater social protection and participation of vulnerable groups and underscore, at the same time, the need for increased international solidarity to facilitate access to enough financing, technology transfer, and lightening the debt burden. My country has included the right to a safe environment in the constitution. Through a policy, Senegal now has more than 30% renewable energy in its energy matrix. We aim at 40% by 2030. Key projects, such as the Air Wind Project, has been developed in order to promote clean energy and inclusive growth. Lastly, to go beyond mere intentions and have specific actions, we call for renewed partnership respecting human rights and taking into account inclusivity and equality. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:19:47]:

Thank you. Botswana is not here, so we would like to give a floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines.


Philippines [1:19:56]:

Chair, President, we thank the Secretary-General for the synthesis report on transition pathways towards sustainable economies that are equitable and inclusive and grounded in human rights. The energy transition presents significant opportunities, but it also poses substantial risks if not managed with due diligence and consideration of the rights and needs of the most vulnerable in our societies. At its core, just transition is about the equitable distribution of costs and benefits arising from the process. We agree with the Secretary General that the shift to greener economy should necessarily involve all sectors, including the maritime transport, and that the focus of our thrust should be safeguarding workers' human rights and advancing inclusion and equality. Earlier this month, the Philippines launched the Manila Declaration on Seafarers' Human Rights, Safety and Well-being. This is our contribution to ongoing efforts towards a more just, sustainable and resilient shipping industry where no seafarer is ever left adrift, abused or abandoned. I thank you.


HRC · President [1:21:05]:

Thank you. Distinguished representative of Timor-Leste.


Timor-Leste [1:21:13]:

Mr. President. Timor-Leste welcomes the Secretary-General's report on just transitions and the full realization of human rights. We support a transition that addresses the environmental crisis while placing human dignity, equality, and justice at its core. As a small island developing state, Timor-Leste is on the front lines of climate change, despite contributing least to its causes. Our people face rising seas, natural disasters, and ecosystem degradation. Yet, we remain committed to sustainable development grounded in human rights and the well-being of our people. Transition must be guided by international human rights law and must not deepen inequality or marginalize vulnerable groups. more or less emphasized the following priorities: decent work and social protection must be central, especially for informal workers, women and youth at higher risk during transitions. Indigenous rights must be upheld, particularly regarding land, resources and free, prior and informed consent. Climate finance and international cooperation must increase, including grant-based support and debt relief for vulnerable countries. Inclusive governance is essential. Our democratic experience shows that meaningful participation builds public trust and resilience. In conclusion, Timor-Leste remains committed to a just, rights-based transition that leaves no one behind.


HRC · President [1:22:47]:

Distinguished representative of the UAE has the floor.


United Arab Emirates [1:22:53]:

Thank you.

We appreciate.

The report of the Secretary General and highlight the need for common action and the adoption of a general approach that takes into account the commitments the states have made under the Paris Agreement and under international human rights law. Sir, as part of our sustainable development commitment, We are implementing the carbon neutrality law, zero carbon emissions by 2050. We will continue to play a role in the troika along with Brazil and Azerbaijan so that COP30 attains palpable specific results, namely in terms of transition and adaptation. In keeping with the Belinda Parra Action Plan, the UAE would like to point to the need to confront climate change while supporting local communities and developing countries. To secure a green transition, renewable energy is needed. We would like to reiterate our commitment to be a partner in this process. so that our transition towards a low-emission economy be a long-lasting, sustainable one. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:24:28]:

Thank you. Distinguished representative of Colombia has the floor.


Colombia [1:24:35]:

Thank you, sir. The report of the Secretary-General on climate change highlights how important it is to move towards a just transition with a human rights focus and a focus on equality and inclusion as well. Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world, highly vulnerable to climate change, which threatens the enjoyment of human rights, and particularly for vulnerable communities. We support the recommendation to reduce global emissions by 1.5 percent, 1.5 degrees centigrade. and to progressively abandon fossil fuels. We cannot guarantee fundamental rights if there's still carbon dependence throughout the world, dependence on oil and gas. A just transition must be multidimensional, must be systemic, including energy, social, and territorial transitions, and addressing structural inequalities. This transformation must guarantee the participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities. fully respecting their rights and traditional knowledge. The transition will not be possible without proper financial resources that are foreseeable and accessible. New financing mechanisms for developing countries are needed. We note the importance of articulating climate action with the protection of biodiversity, promoting synergies between the Framework Convention of the United Nations on Climate Change and the Agreement on Biological Biodiversity. This will allow us to safeguard life and the rights of future generations. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:26:11]:

The representative of Belgium is recognized.


Belgium [1:26:13]:

Mr. President, my delegation aligns with the declaration of the European Union. Belgium welcomes this insightful and timely synthesis report of the Secretary-General. We couldn't agree more on the fact that human rights are fundamental to a just transition. Without a rights-based approach, transitions risk reinforcing existing inequalities and failing the communities they are meant to support. States must uphold their obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights. This includes the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, as affirmed in General Assembly Resolution 76/300. But human rights are not only safeguards, they can also drive solutions and help societies navigate transition challenges. As the report highlights, transitioning to more sustainable economies can create millions of jobs. These opportunities must be realized in ways that fully uphold labor rights and broader human rights. Finally, a just transition must be an inclusive transition. We stress the importance of meaningful and safe participation of all in shaping and implementing just transition policies. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:27:23]:

The representative of Armenia is recognized.


Armenia [1:27:27]:

Mr. President, Armenia welcomes Secretary General's report and supports its call for a just and equitable transition. We affirm that climate resilience must be grounded in justice, with policy design and implementation guided by principles of fairness, inclusion, and accountability. As the host of COP 17 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Armenia is committed to fostering a space where biodiversity, equity, and human rights are central pillars of climate action. Currently, Armenia is conducting key policy reviews, including of its national biodiversity strategy, to further strengthen the integration of biodiversity and human rights. This includes ensuring that the rights of all stakeholders, including traditional knowledge holders, rural workers, and environmental defenders, are comprehensively addressed. Armenia's draft climate law approved by government in August this year establishes the country's first comprehensive framework for climate governance, embedding principles of human rights and just transition to ensure that climate policies promote equity, protect vulnerable groups, and support inclusive socioeconomic transformation. Armenia remains fully committed to advancing human rights-based climate action and promoting a just transition that leaves no one behind. Thank you.


Bangladesh [1:28:48]:

Thank you, Mr. President.

Bangladesh.

Welcomes the Synthesis Report on Just Transition and Human Rights. Climate change has become an unavoidable reality for Bangladesh, one of the most climate-vulnerable countries. We face some of the gravest consequences of climate change: sea level rise, salinity intrusion, alteration in weather patterns, and displacement. The report rightly pointed out barriers and challenges that necessitate our decisive action, particularly phasing out fossil fuels, ensuring access to affordable and clean energy, robust business accountability, and equitable resource distribution. We also echo the call that just transition must be guided by the principle of justice, equality, non-discrimination, intergenerational equity, and the universality of human rights. This transition must be particularly attentive to the specific needs and challenges of the least developed countries and others who are affected most by the climate change. Mr. President, Bangladesh underscores that a just transition requires international solidarity and cooperation in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities. Scaled-up, ground-based climate finance, technology transfer, assistance for capacity building, and debt restructuring central to addressing the barriers to just transition and ensuring the attainment of a sustainable, dignified, and inclusive future for all. I thank you.


India [1:30:27]:

Mr. President, we thank the Secretary-General for his synthesis report and note the recommendations made therein. As also highlighted in the report, equity and climate justice must form the foundation of all transition efforts. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities remains central to ensuring that transitions are truly just and equitable. We welcome the report's recognition that developing countries require substantial support through international cooperation, including financing, capacity building, and technology transfer. India has demonstrated leadership in climate action while prioritizing the development and well-being of our people.


HRC · President [1:31:12]:

We lost the microphone, sorry. Sorry. Can you try again? We lost the microphone.


India [1:31:28]:

We are proud to share that India has achieved 50% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources five years ahead of its 2030 target under the Paris Agreement. This milestone is a demonstration of our commitment to clean energy and of how the right policies, investment and innovation can accelerate transition while respecting the right to development, ensuring that no one is left behind. We reaffirm our commitment to working collectively towards a greener, cleaner and healthier planet, guided by the principles of equity and justice. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:32:00]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Greece. Mr.


Greece [1:32:04]:

President, Greece aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks the Secretary General for his report. A just transition towards sustainable economies and societies, firmly anchored in human rights, is essential for the future of both people and planet. Safeguarding the rights of present and future generations should be at the heart of these transitions. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Pact for the Future provide the collective framework and roadmap for building peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous societies. Indeed, just transition should be understood in a comprehensive manner as a shift to low carbon, sustainable economies and societies that creates decent work opportunities, reduces poverty and inequality, and strengthens the protection and enjoyment of all human rights. It also requires addressing the multiple and interlinked crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and land degradation. We recognize that war and conflicts over natural resources, as well as entrenched inequalities and discrimination, remain major obstacles. Moreover, gender equality is a precondition for successful just transitions, as women are at the forefront of sustainable agriculture, ecosystem conservation, and restoration.

We share the report's views that States should respect, protect and fulfil.

Human rights in all transition-related efforts, and we are committed to working with all our partners towards this direction. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:33:29]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the.

Distinguished representative of Honduras.


Honduras [1:33:36]:

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Honduras welcomes the report of the Secretary-General. that invites us to think about how to move towards just transitions that respond to the climate crisis, guarantee human rights, promote social equality, and attention to vulnerable populations. Even though our country contributes at a minimal level to global emissions, our country is one of the most vulnerable in the world, facing climate impacts that leads to human and economic costs that affect In a disproportionate manner, our population between 2021 and 24, we managed to reduce national poverty from 74.6% to 64% and extreme poverty from 66.1% to 52.5%. Also, we have moved forward in reducing fossil fuels in our energetic metrics, reaching 64.5% of generation from renewables with subsidies that protect the most vulnerable sectors, a clear commitment is reflected in the approval of special law on… forced carbon transactions for climate justice and the law on protection of women, the context of humanitarian crises, natural disaster, and emergency. Under this, agrees that to deal with these crises, we must play protection of human rights and the environment at the heart of that requires the corrective actions in terms of the international financial architecture.

Thank you.


HRC · President [1:35:12]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cameroon.


Cameroon [1:35:16]:

Thank you very much, President. Cameroon aligns itself with the statement made by the African group, and we take note of the report of the Secretary-General related to global challenges, connection with climate crisis. My delegation welcomes these discussions related to climate change and its negative impact. Climate action is one of the major focuses of our policies related to the establishment of an internal legal framework and also a ratification of numerous agreements linked to climate challenges, most notably the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Our budgetary policies take into account the problems related to the climate emergencies that focus on renewable energies and strengthen early warning systems that affect the national observatory on climate change coordinates its efforts in cooperation with the relevant ministries and local actors. Finally, my delegation would like to know what measures of, um, effective support can be provided in order to support resilience of countries in the face of climate change. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:36:35]:

Thank you. I give the floor to distinguished representative of South Sudan.


South Sudan [1:36:42]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, South Sudan aligns with the African statement, and thanks the Secretary General for his, uh, report. which actually enhances this Council's mandate to consider the human rights impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations. As one of the countries that experiences climate change effects, we are concerned that climate change has an increasing impact on the full enjoyment of human rights across the world, particularly on the developing countries and the small island states which bear the brunt of climate change-related challenges, and endangering, actually, millions of lives. Mr. President, We share Secretary-General's call for equity-based approaches and solutions to address the loss and damage from climate change, particularly in vulnerable settings, which to us actually requires action-oriented objective global cooperation and solidarity with due consideration to the core principles of equity, climate justice, and common but differentiated responsibilities. In closing, we believe that Besides the need for support for capacity building and technology transfer, as well as adequate climate financing in line with the promise of the Paris Agreement, it is necessary that decisions on climate change require taking on board views of the most vulnerable. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [1:38:07]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Costa Rica.


Costa Rica [1:38:11]:

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Costa Rica reiterates its firm commitment to a just transition based on a human rights-based approach. And we thank the Secretary General for the very relevant report. My country advocates the building of inclusive and democratic societies, the effective participation and protection of environmental human rights defenders as the basic foundation for any transition that is to be successful. We believe that transition models should not be guided solely by economic utility, but we support a proactive and rights-based approach that focuses on social, environmental, and climate justice, the transfer and co-development of clean technologies and mechanisms that correct intellectual property imbalances to share benefits in an equal manner. We applaud the International Court of Justice's strong conclusions that the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is crucial to the enjoyment of other rights. That recognition must be translated into effective obligations and accessible financing for vulnerable countries in their climate actions with a human rights-based approach. We would like to ask the following questions. How do you assess the ICJ's legal recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, environment, and how can this recognition contribute to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity, and pollutions, and to protecting environmental defenders?


HRC · President [1:39:47]:

I give the floor to distinguished representative of Iraq.


Iraq [1:39:50]:

Mr. Chair, we would like to welcome the synthesis report of the Secretary General, and we appreciate his efforts on climate change, as well as the efforts deployed by the UN in general in this context. The specific situation in Iraq places us in front of tremendous challenges due to climate change, such as desertification and water scarcity, which threatens our food security. And this requires us to achieve a transition that takes into account climate change and legitimate development needs, while reiterating the importance of the country's sovereign right to use their own natural resources. We are very concerned by the problems pertaining to climate and change. We passed Law No. 27 of 2009 on protecting and improving the environment and the National Strategy on the Environment for 2024-2030, which aims at countering the climate challenges such as desertification, biodiversity loss, and overuse of water resources. We are willing to protect the to fight desertification, and we invite you all to work together in order to achieve a sustainable, healthy, and safe environment free from pollutants, which allows future generations to enjoy a life free of pollution threats. Thank you, Mr. Chair.


HRC · President [1:41:21]:

Merci, Jean-Luc.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ghana.


Ghana [1:41:27]:

Mr. President. My delegation thanks the Secretary-General for his report, which examines how existing international human rights frameworks can help guide a just transition. We concur with the Secretary-General's recommendation that to advance just transitions that uphold the human rights of all, states should transition towards sustainable human rights economies by equitably phasing out fossil fuels while ensuring affordable and sustainable energy.

For all.

Mr. President, My country is advancing renewable energy projects, reducing deforestation, and promoting sustainable waste management. Our recent efforts include the expansion of solar energy initiatives, such as the 20 megawatt Kalu Solar Plant, and the enforcement of the Plastic Waste Management Policy. Also, we are undertaking reforms to balance with protecting vulnerable households from energy poverty. In this regard, we call on developed states to facilitate climate finance and technology transfer to support a just transition in all our countries. Mr. President, finally, in what specific ways could developing countries ensure that the implementation of investment treaties contribute to accelerating just transitions?

I thank you.


HRC · President [1:42:47]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the single representative of Burkina Faso.


Burkina Faso [1:42:53]:

Thank you very much, Mr. President. My delegation would like to congratulate the Secretary-General on the very own reports that refer to the role of international law and a just transition of economies and societies that is environmentally sustainable with a focus on human rights. In Burkina Faso, in order to better ensure the monitoring by the state of the activities and the political obligations of extractive companies, their human rights obligations, and to contribute to combating climate change, a study was carried out in 2023 on the consideration of human rights in the work of extractive industries. This report, based on inclusive and participative approach, includes recommendations that take into account human rights in the mining sector and that will lead to a plan of action for national implementation. In conclusion, Burkina Faso encourages the international community to continue promoting a climate justice that is sustainable and that leads to development. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:44:09]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire.


Côte d’Ivoire [1:44:13]:

Thank you very much, President. Cote d'Ivoire aligns itself with the statement made by the African group, and we thank the Secretary-General for his synthesis report that highlights the crucial link between human rights just transition and climate action. Climate change represent one of the most serious challenges of our times with a serious impact on all human rights, especially the right to life, to food, and to development. Cote d'Ivoire. has seen climate change impact leading to land degradation, coastal erosions, the reduction of water resources, and the drop in agricultural production, fragilizing and marginalizing vulnerable groups. Realizing these challenges, my country adopted a national plan for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptations through structured projects, for example, the National Program for the Sustainable Management of forest and establishment of a mechanism for community participation with a view of guaranteeing that climate policies are inclusive and leave no one behind. A just transition in terms of climate change should be based on inclusion and on participation of all stakeholders, social justice, as well as combating poverty and international solidarity. In conclusion, Cote d'Ivoire reaffirms its commitment to equitable and just transition in order to build sustainable development for future generations.


HRC · President [1:45:49]:

I give the floor to Egypt.


Egypt [1:45:53]:

Thank you, Mr. President. We take note of the report of the UN Secretary General on the just transition and the full fulfillment of human rights. The negative impact of climate change is having a great impact on the full enjoyment of human rights, such as right to food, health, right to development. We are also seeing increasing climate changes that are threatening decent living standards. We call to achieve economies with low carbon emissions and to make sure that no one is left behind. We would like to highlight the importance of observing the principles of CBDR in order to achieve climate justice and to reduce the gaps between peoples of the world and to prevent losses and damages that have a direct or indirect impact on full enjoyment of human rights. The developing countries should enjoy capacity building and financing that will protect the rights of current, of present and future generations when it comes to just transition and sustainable development. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:47:17]:

Thank you. That was the last speaker that we could listen to right now. We will now turn to NHRRs, and NGOs, I'd like to give the floor to the National Council for Human Rights of Morocco.


Morocco · NHRI Representative [1:47:34]:

Thank you very much, President. Our organization has made the right to environment and sustainable development one of the priorities of our strategies through our follow-up action, reporting, and monitoring, and dealing with complaints at the national and regional levels, strengthening of capacities. Our national human rights institution promotes an approach that is based on human rights and the protection of the environment combating climate change. States have the responsibility to strengthen their cooperation and work on the basis of solidarity, noting that countries of the South are suffering from effects of climate change even though they are the least responsible for such emissions. In this respect, we praise the best practices implemented by in terms of protecting the right to environment that is healthy and promote a just transition. This recognition was reflected in the indication of performance in terms of combating climate change in Morocco occupying the eighth position. would like to recall the need to establish a legal framework that is global and consistent, related to all the laws related to the protection of the environment, based on a consultative and perceptive approach. We finally insist on the urgency to accelerate the adoption of national action plans on business and human rights and support the rapid adaptation of legal international legally binding instrument in order to support the have a framework for the work of transnational corporations and guarantee the effective enjoyment of human rights. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:49:14]:

I give the floor to the National Human Rights Institution of Burundi.


Burundi · NHRI Representative [1:49:19]:

Mr. President, since 2023, Burundi registered 2,003 victims of climate change related to the El Nino phenomenon. on Lake Tanganyika in the west of the country. We'd like to recommend to the country to harness necessary resources to ensure climate justice and to join international initiatives to combat climate change. Burundi has taken measures and initiatives to respond to climate change, especially through a reforestation program, Iwe Burundi Urumbi, the promotion of and the prohibition of the imports, production, trade and use of plastic packaging, raising awareness of non-use of toxic products. The Green Climate Fund is an opportunity that should be used. Our organization nevertheless notes that demographic pressure in Burundi has an effect on climate change through deforestation, forest fires and the development of mines. We'd like to recommend to the government take appropriate measures to deal with the negative impact of climate change. And finally, we'd like to recommend to our development partners to support the efforts of Burundi to ensure the application of the UN Framework Convention. Thank you.


HRC · President [1:50:51]:

Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.


Ethiopia · NHRI Representative [1:50:54]:

Distinguished President, members of the Human Rights Council, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission commends the work, underscoring the nexus between climate change and human rights. It serves as a critical reminder that climate change is a human rights issue that demands urgent, coordinated, and rights-based action. Ethiopia is highly vulnerable to climate change, with recurrent droughts, flooding, and erratic rainfall. Millions of Ethiopians are affected by food insecurity, displacement, and health challenges. The Ethiopian Commission acknowledges government efforts such as the adoption of comprehensive legal and policy framework for adaptation and education. However, there are significant gaps in implementation. We therefore urge the government to integrate a human rights based approach into its climate policies and actions, prioritizing the protection of vulnerable groups and the meaningful participation of affected communities. We urge the international community to strengthen its support for climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. I thank you.


HRC · President [1:52:12]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria.


Nigeria · NHRI Representative [1:52:27]:

The National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria welcomes the Secretary-General's synthesis report and affirms the human rights implications of climate change, particularly for vulnerable communities in Nigeria.

In the Niger Delta.

Oil pollution and rising sea levels have devastated livelihoods, while desertification and drought in the North have intensified farmer-herder conflicts.

And internal displacement.

Our investigations confirm that climate-induced resource scarcity is undermining food security and exacerbating insecurity. We welcome the outcomes of COP29, particularly the strengthened commitment.

Toward loss and damage financing and the emphasis on human rights-based approaches to climate adaptation. The National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria urges the Council.

To support right-based approach to climate action.

We recommend integrating climate justice into national development planning, ensuring the participation of affected communities, and holding corporate actors.

Accountable for environmental harm.

The National Human Rights Commission also calls on developed.

Countries to unlock climate finance pledges and support adaptation measures for developing countries like Nigeria. I thank you.


HRC · President [1:53:52]:

Thank you. I give the floor to Center for International Environmental Law.


CIEL [1:53:57]:

CIEL welcomes the Secretary General's synthesis report, which again demonstrates the need for an equitable transition away from fossil fuels for an effective just transition. The report highlights that realizing the rights of both present and future generations should be integral to a just transition. In this regard, we call upon states to build on the Maastricht principles on the human rights of future generations. The report rightly points out that the current regulatory gaps on corporate accountability are a serious barrier to a rights-based just transition, as are existing investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms, which allow private investors to hinder necessary policy changes. It also reiterates the centrality of the polluter pays and precautionary principles in informing states' human rights obligations in addressing the triple planetary crisis. In ensuring a just transition, states must also reject speculative and improving technologies, such as carbon capture, geoengineering, or offsets that delay real action and entrench inequalities. The recent advisory opinion of the ICJ on climate change has clarified state obligations with respect to climate change and the legal consequences of breaches, including with regard to a just transition. We call upon the Human Rights Council to build on this ruling and clearly call for a rights-based equitable phase out of fossil fuels. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [1:55:17]:

Thank you. I give the floor to Franciscans International by video.


Franciscans International [1:55:33]:

In line with the ICJ advisory opinion, affirming just transition as a cornerstone of international environmental law. States must urgently reduce emissions and ensure climate action as fair, inclusive, and rooted in human rights. The report identifies barriers such as fossil fuels dependence, critical mineral exploitation, precarious labor, widening inequalities, and North-South asymmetries. this requires transforming energy, labor, and governance systems in democratic and participatory ways. Polluters pay, developed countries take greater responsibility, and international cooperation through financing, technology transfer, and debt relief enables equitable transitions. While valuing human rights focus, we note the need for a deeper systemic critique and a vision of socio-ecological transformation beyond the economic model that caused the crisis. Transitions must recognize the intrinsic rights of nature, forests, rivers, ecosystems, and biodiversity, as affirmed in the 2019 SG report on harmony with nature. Integrating these perspectives is essential for the profound transformation our time demands.

Thank you.


HRC · President [1:57:01]:

Thank you. I give the floor to Act Alliance.


ACT Alliance · Program Director [1:57:03]:

I'm Tizwa, program director with the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, which is a member of the ACT Alliance. Thank you for allowing us to have this video intervention as the council is meeting to reflect on opportunities, actionable solutions, barriers and challenges towards building a climate resilient development and just transition.

Here in Zimbabwe, we have lived the realities of climate change.

We have seen increased floods, cyclones, extreme temperatures, and many other phenomenons of climate change, which have exacerbated food insecurity. Drought has contributed to poverty and inequalities among other socioeconomic vulnerabilities. And these socioeconomic vulnerabilities have also compounded and affected the full realization of civic and political rights for the affected communities. We call upon the Council as it is meeting that we strengthen learning and investing in local adaptation, but also the importance of restructuring the global structural, economic and financial.


HRC · President [1:58:32]:

I give the floor.

To Lawyers for Lawyers.


Lawyers for Lawyers [1:58:37]:

Mr. President, Lawyers for Lawyers together with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, Lawyers Without Borders Canada and the Law Society of England and Wales thank the Secretary General for his synthesis report and echo his call for just transitions to be guided by a rights-based approach. Among those at the forefront of advancing just transitions are environmental lawyers who play a vital but increasingly perilous role in promoting climate justice. They ensure accountability for environmental harms, provide access to justice, and equip marginalized groups with the tools necessary to defend their rights and livelihoods. Yet, these lawyers face escalating reprisals for their legitimate work. Our recent report documents widespread interference with their work, ranging from physical attacks and arbitrary prosecutions to surveillance and stigmatization. They are often vilified as anti-development or enemies of the state, undermining both their safety and their credibility. We condemn these attacks, which combined with persistent research constraints pose a chilling effect that deters other lawyers from taking up environmental cases. This ultimately leaves vulnerable communities without legal representation. Without independent legal counsel, meaningful redress for environmental harms is severely compromised, threatening global sustainability and human rights objectives, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. We urge states to fulfill their obligations by ensuring the independence, safety, and effective functioning of all environmental lawyers. We also call on UN bodies and professional associations of lawyers to recognize and support their indispensable role in advancing access to climate justice. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:00:04]:

Friends World.

I give the floor to Friends World.


Friends World Committee for Consultation [2:00:08]:

Friends World Committee for Consultation, Quakers, express our appreciation for this excellent synthesis report. We urge everyone in this room to send this report to your capitals, ministries, and policymakers, because this report offers a concise blueprint on how to implement climate policy that is transformative, effective, ethical, and fair. Climate policy that is experienced as fair is more likely to be successful and sustainable. This report demonstrates how just transition is central to right-based, community-led approaches to reduce conflict and promote fair and equitable benefit sharing. This report includes a human rights economy that shows how just transition enables rapid time bound and equivalent phasing out of fossil fuel production, essential for a livable planet. In sum, a just transition help builds peace and creates millions of new jobs. However, today, most wealthy fossil fuel economies are increasing fossil fuel production, not decreasing it. Additionally, governments are dramatically increasing military spending. Instead of sufficient finance for climate and humanitarian aid, approximately $2.8 trillion were spent last year on weapons to kill people. We must stop subsidizing the destruction of this planet and our future. Our question for the dialogue will be, how can just transitions be strengthened by the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on states' legal obligation under international law to act on climate change?


HRC · President [2:01:32]:

Next United thank you United Council agency has the floor.


United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation [2:01:43]:

On behalf of the United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation, I commend the Secretary-General's report and underline a truth we can no longer ignore: climate change is a human rights emergency. The Human Rights Council itself has affirmed in resolution 48/13 that a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a universal human right. And under the Paris Agreement, states committed not only to limit global warming, but to act on the basis of equity and the context of sustainable development. Yet, across the world, families are uprooted by rising seas, harvests fail from drought, children miss schools after floods, and women and indigenous people are pushed deeper into exclusion. These are not statistics, they are rights to life, food, water and health eroded before our eyes. We therefore propose that this Council integrate human rights reviews into all climate policies, establish a special mechanism to monitor climate relative rights violations and provide remedies for affected communities. and then foster a global pact for climate justice, ensuring finance and technology transfer for developing countries. Mr. President, we borrow the Earth from our children, and justice delayed is justice denied. Climate justice is human justice. Let us turn urgent word into urgent action. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [2:03:11]:

Thank you. INPUD is recognized.


INPUD [2:03:16]:

One of the greatest threats to human health, well-being and prosperity is climate change.

In the past two years.

Alone, climate-related crises have risen exponentially with immense and detrimental consequences for the health of societies and.

Capacities of their health and community systems.

In an era where health crisis and social injustices intersect with systemic challenges like pandemics and climate catastrophes.

The necessity of fostering resilient communities is and will be instrumental. The changes brought by the climate change have an immediate and direct effect on the health, well-being.

Safety and security of people who use drugs.

This includes experiencing intensified barriers to accessing equalities, health and social services, surges in human mobility and migration.

Upsticking the human rights abuses.

Violence, harassment, policing and punitive legal environments, increased loss of housing, income and livelihoods, matched with rising food insecurities.

Climate change has also been associated with increasing rates of HIV transmission and a decline in health.

Outcomes among people who use drugs.

Climate change health nexus poses substantial risk to the success of the SDG agenda.

Thank you.


HRC · President [2:04:43]:

Thank you. IDDH has the floor.


IDDH [2:04:47]:

Mr. President, I am Ananda Redart from Araguaian Amp and Amazon Institute, speaking on behalf of ECOA, from a network of human rights defenders, coordination by IDDH. We welcome the Secretary General's Synthesis Report, which highlights opportunities and challenges to a just transition. In Brazil, the Rio Doce social environmental disaster remains without full reparation. In the Amazon, the toxic spill in Barcarena, Para, in 2018, still harms quilombola and riverine communities. This is why we call on this council to support binding international rule for transitional companies and to create strong reparation mechanism of justice and no recurrence. At the same time, indigenous people, peasants, and traditional communities are leaders of community-based transitions in Brazil. The Indigenous Council of Roraima, for example, develops climate adaptation plans that combine traditional and scientific knowledge, show how indigenous land serves as barriers against deforestation. Support such initiative while also demand cooperation and accountability is essential for fair and active transition. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [2:06:10]:

Thank you. Earth Justice has the floor.


Earthjustice [2:06:12]:

Earth Justice commends this report as it takes stocks of the ongoing discussion and underlines how human rights are crucial to this issue. As reported, just transition must be understood comprehensively as a transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies. Since the concept's development by labor unions, Its understanding includes now an integrated justice framework encompassing all people, countries and sectors, as well as local, national and international levels, formal and informal economies. It includes various needed transformational measures, including decent work and the reduction of inequalities and poverty. As we have seen in discussions here in this Council, as in several of its bodies, To remain meaningful, the right to development must be understood as the right to a sustainable development aiming at the realization of the right for all to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The challenge we all have now is to ensure that just transition becomes central in all policies and does not become one more greenwashing exercise or a cover, adding to the human rights violation due to the current fossil-fueled economies Those of a false green economy with a rush for critical minerals at any cost, human rights must remain our compass. Thank you for your attention.


HRC · President [2:07:35]:

Thank you. FIAN International has the floor.


FIAN [2:07:38]:

Thank you, Mr. President. FIAN International welcomes the report of the Secretary General and strongly supports the reference to the polluter pays principle, the realization of the rights of remedy and healthy environment, and the rights enshrined in UNDRIP and UNDROP. Industrial food system, including large scale monocropping, are major drivers of the planetary crisis. As highlighted by the Secretary General, a just transition to equitable economic models and sustainable food systems is strongly linked to the transition towards agroecology, which stands out for its low carbon emission, conservation of ecosystems, and positive impacts on livelihoods. Just transition needs to prominently consider the positive contributions of small-scale food providers, indigenous peoples, and other rural communities. and their role as stewards of territories and ecosystems. They can only fulfill this role if their right to land and tenure system is effectively protected. States must ensure broad, equitable, and sustainable distribution of land and other natural resources, each through agrarian reforms and tenure policies, including recognition, restitution, redistribution, and restoration of land, along with clear regulations and adequate financing. The support of the upcoming second international conference On agrarian reform and rural development, ICAR 20 plus is key in this context. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:09:09]:

Thank you. That was the last statement we had time for. Now I'd like to give the floor to the representative of the High Commissioner for concluding remarks.


OHCHR · Director [2:09:16]:

Yes, Mr. President. Thank you all for your insights on just transition and the full realization of human rights for all. I want to particularly recognize a number of groups of states most affected and their calls to address deepening inequalities and the need for scaled-up support. The Secretary-General's report in this discussion have made clear that human rights obligations apply across all aspects of just The International Court of Justice's advisory opinion has crystallized what has long been said at this Council and known on the front lines of climate change. Protecting the climate system and other parts of the environment is a binding obligation under international law, including international human rights law. The Court affirmed that states must take measures to protect the climate system, regulate private actors, and provide reparation for climate harm. This includes cessation of harmful activities that perpetuate the climate crisis. Just transition requires concrete action in this regard, including the rapid and equitable phase out of fossil fuels. Today's discussion in the SDGs report have highlighted four interconnected pathways for achieving a human rights based transition. First, we must advance sustainable human rights economies. This includes implementing the recommendations of the SDGs panel on critical energy transition minerals to center human rights throughout value chains and implementing measures of progress beyond GDP that consider planetary boundaries, and human rights. Second, we must implement social and labor rights throughout transitions. This includes advancing rights at work for workers in the informal and formal sectors, prioritizing universal social security, public services, and education, and taking transition measures that realize the potential to create millions of new decent jobs from care and support to adaptation. Third, we must strengthen rights-based democratic governance, integrating human rights through transition-related laws, policies, and activities. This includes ensuring meaningful participation and access to information, protecting environmental human rights defenders, and guaranteeing the rights of indigenous peoples, including their sovereignty over natural resources. Fourth and finally, the international community must work together in solidarity to ensure the financing, capacity building, technology transfer, and co-development necessary to achieve just transitions for all people. COP 30 in Brazil offers the first opportunity to act upon the findings of the world's highest court in the context of international climate regime. We urge states to transpose these findings into action and implement the recommendations of the SG's report as discussed today, including integrating rights-based pathways into the just transition work program. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:11:52]:

Thank you.

Excellencies, dear colleagues, we will continue the interactive dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on the debate on the promotion of economic, social, and cultural rights in the context of the fight against inequalities. The list of speakers will be closed in 15 minutes. I would like to give the floor to Mr. Turk, High Commissioner for Human Rights, to present the report through a video statement.


OHCHR · High Commissioner for Human Rights [2:12:25]:

Mr. President, Excellencies, While the world's attention is often focused on the devastating wars raging today, another insidious crisis affecting millions of people unfolds away from the headlines. Our world is scarred by deep inequalities within and between countries. In 2024, almost 300 million people globally suffered from crisis-level food insecurity, which is a record high. Some 3.4 billion lacked access to sanitation. And 251 million children and youth are still out of school due to conflict, underinvestment in education, gender inequality, and other obstacles. More than 40% of the global population live in countries that spend more on servicing their debt than on education or health. And the development finance they need is dwindling. as major economies shift their priorities and expend defense budgets to record levels. Nearly two-thirds of the world's poorest people live in middle-income countries, demonstrating that governments also need to tackle inequality at the national level. Over half the world's population work in the informal economy, often without access to social security or any or other forms of protection. Women are particularly overrepresented, Trade wars always hit the most vulnerable hardest. Higher tariffs could put healthcare and education out of reach for many. They disproportionately affect jobs traditionally done by women, threatening to undo progress on gender equality. Corruption and illicit financial flows continues to steal common resources that should benefit all. Laws and policies from countries around the world continue to perpetuate discrimination against marginalized groups, including minorities, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, older people, and people in rural areas. Distinguished delegates, realizing all economic, social, and cultural rights for all people is one of the best ways to reduce these unacceptable disparities. And there have been important global efforts to address inequalities. The Pact for the Future adopted last year calls for reforming our international financial system, tackling the high cost of debt, and strengthening representation of developing countries in decision making. The Zevia commitment adopted at the fourth international conference on financing for development reaffirms that economic, social, and cultural rights are vital to reducing inequalities, promoting inclusion, and fostering sustainable development. I urge all countries to work together to implement the pact and the commitment. At the national level, my office is assisting states to meet their human rights obligations and to help make positive lasting change in people's lives. My office is advocating for a human rights economy in which all economic policies from taxation and public spending to climate action and the just transition focus on advancing human rights. For example, in Chile, we held a workshop on embedding economic, social, and cultural rights in budget processes and led a regional dialogue in the Caribbean on linking human rights with climate finance and justice. In Cambodia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, and beyond, we have supported governments to strengthen labor laws and policies, expand social security coverage, empower workers, and facilitate policy dialogues. In Guatemala, we organized workshops with indigenous women to inform them about their rights and international standards, which helped them participate in discussions on a new water law. In Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Nepal, Peru, and Somalia, we're helping integrate the right to health into laws and policies, advancing access to medicines, vaccines, and health care. We are also advancing cultural rights. with the Federated States of Micronesia, and with civil society in Africa and Southeast Asia, with strengthening collaboration on cultural rights with national human rights institutions across Africa. We have also supported national human rights institutions in the Gambia and Sri Lanka, and anti-corruption authorities in Egypt and Iraq to address the negative impact of corruption on human rights. This year, we released new guidelines on how cities and local governments can realize human rights. I'm encouraged by the growing number of human rights cities around the world, and I invite all local governments to join them. Finally, I'm pleased to report that my office is documenting practices that have a positive impact on human rights through the Knowledge Hub on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which was mandated by this council. Later this year, my office will launch the Human Rights Knowledge Gateway, and online platform for this hub and the other two hubs mandated by this council. I encourage you to share your challenges and experiences to promote mutual learning so that my office can support you effectively. Distinguished delegates, food, education, decent work, healthcare, adequate housing, clean water, these are not privileges. They are fundamental rights that are crucial for people everywhere to live a decent life. They are the building blocks of just, equal, and peaceful societies. Let us renew and redouble our efforts to achieve this vital goal.


HRC · President [2:18:30]:

Thank you. I'd.

Like to invite interested delegations to ask questions or make comments on this report. Distinguished representative of the European Union.


EU [2:18:45]:

Thank you, Mr. President. The EU welcomes today's dialogue advancing Council's work on economic, social, and cultural rights. The EU member states lead on a number of resolutions on ESCRs, including the omnibus resolution on the question of the realization in all countries of economic, social, and cultural rights adopted by consensus, which this year focused on financing for development. Other resolutions are on key issues such as safe drinking water and sanitation, education, health, adequate housing, extreme poverty, and protection of cultural heritage. The EU reiterates the importance of placing the individual as the central subject of human rights, recognizing every person as a rights holder and states as duty bearers. The principle of universality and indivisibility, interrelatedness and interdependence of all human rights must guide our efforts. It is not about the needs of states, but about their responsibility to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of individuals. A human rights-based approach promotes design and implementation of social and economic policies in ways that advance accountability as well as the enjoyment of human rights by all. As the report points out, building inclusive human rights economies facilitates a just transition. Lastly, we commend the Office for its work on ESCRs and encourage the High Commissioner to continue his work. We are following with interest the launch of the Knowledge Hub.


HRC · President [2:20:16]:

I thank you.

Thank you. The distinguished representative of Ghana on behalf of the Group of African States.


Ghana · Africa Group [2:20:26]:

Mr. President, the African Group thanks the High Commissioner for his report. The report reveals worsening economic and social inequalities driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, mounting debt, environmental crisis, and ongoing marginalization of vulnerable groups. For Africa, where millions still face poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to basic services, these challenges constitute a direct threat to realization of human rights. The African Group shares the conviction that effective implementation of economic, social, and cultural rights is central to building just, inclusive, and peaceful societies. This requires strengthening social protection systems, investing in health, education, housing, and decent work, and combating all forms of discrimination. We stress the need to place the economy at the service of people through a human rights-based approach. However, developing countries, particularly in Africa, cannot achieve these objectives without a more enabling international environment. A more equitable international environment is therefore necessary, in particular through reform of the global financial architecture, enhanced technical and financial support, and a greater role for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in assisting states in their national efforts. The African Group reaffirms that economic, social, and cultural rights are inseparable from civil and political rights and must be advanced in a spirit of solidarity, multilateralism, and international cooperation. I thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [2:21:56]:

Thank you. I would like to recognize the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, speaking on behalf of a group of countries.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) · Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations [2:22:05]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Venezuela has the honor to take the floor to speak on behalf of a group of friends in defense of the Charter of the United Nations. The group of friends reaffirms that all human rights are universal and indivisible, interrelated, interdependent, and mutually reinforcing, and should be treated in a fair, equal manner. It is our view that the full and effective enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights, exercised without discrimination of any kind, contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, Goal 10, to reduce inequalities within and between countries and ensure that no one is left behind. The group of friends believes that the application of illegal unilateral coercive measures not only generates and deepens poverty and inequality, but it also negatively impacts the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights by hindering access to food, medicine, technology, financial resources, among others, directly impacting the most vulnerable populations. Lastly, the Group of Friends would like to reaffirm its commitment to the promotion, protection, and full enjoyment of all human rights in accordance with the purposes and principles set out in the UN Charter. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:23:24]:

Thank you, distinguished representative of China.


China [2:23:28]:

Mr. President, as the core co-sponsor, As a co-sponsor of the resolution on this item, China welcomes the High Commissioner's presentation of the report of the panel discussion, including the establishment of the knowledge hub. We commend the OHCHR for its efforts to strengthen economic, social, and cultural rights in the context of addressing inequality and listened carefully to the measures and the challenges encountered by various countries in realizing these rights. Ensuring equal enjoyment of economic, social, cultural rights by all is a fundamental objective in realizing all human rights. To this end, we must uphold genuine multilateralism, respect each country's independent choice of human rights development paths, foster dialogue and cooperation based on equality and mutual respect. We must adhere to the principle of putting people first, increase input in economic, social, and cultural rights, and address imbalances in development. We must also strengthen solidarity and cooperation and encourage developed countries to provide greater support to developing countries, ensuring no one is left behind. At this session, the Core Group has already once again tabled the resolution on economic, social, and cultural rights. This resolution is grounded in present and oriented towards future. It seeks to bridge conceptual differences, promote concrete action, and establish effective mechanism. We will look forward to the active participation of all parties in the consultation so as we can contribute to the healthy and sustainable development of the global human rights course. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:25:06]:

Thank you.

Distinguished representative of Portugal is recognized.


Portugal [2:25:15]:

Thank you, President. Thirty years ago, Portugal presented for the first time the omnibus resolution on economic, social, and cultural rights. Back then, the idea of a hierarchy of rights still prevailed, a misconception later dispelled by the recognition that all rights are universal, interdependent, and indivisible. Today, States must continue to ensure that economic, social, and cultural rights are upheld on an equal footing with civil and political rights. In HRC 58, the omnibus ESCR resolution was once again adopted, this time focusing on the importance of financing for development in realizing economic, social, and cultural rights to eradicate poverty and to achieve the SDGs. The current polycrisis exacerbated by preexisting social, gender, and economic inequalities with disproportional impact on persons in vulnerable situations. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda is delayed. Many countries, trapped by debt servicing commitments, find themselves unable to fund essential public services and social protection, as well as to address climate change. We must not forget that individuals are right holders and that all States, all States, as duty bearers, must fulfill their obligation to respect, protect, and fulfill economic, social, and cultural rights. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:26:41]:

Thank you.

Distinguished representative of Nigeria has the floor.


Nigeria [2:26:48]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to the promotion and protection of economic, social, and cultural rights as enshrined in chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution under the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy. These principles guide our national development efforts and reflect our determination to make these rights a reality for all Nigerians. In line with our constitutional mandate and international obligations, we have expanded social programs to support vulnerable households while also undertaking reforms in healthcare and education to improve access. Furthermore, ongoing efforts are underway to enhance fiscal transparency, broaden social protection, and promote inclusive economic growth that prioritizes equity and human dignity. Mr. President, we acknowledge that challenges remain, particularly in the context of resource constraints and global crisis. That is why we emphasize the importance of international cooperation and technical assistance at this critical time. To this end, Nigeria welcomes the continued support of the OHCHR and remains committed to close collaboration with UN agencies regional bodies, and developmental partners. As we strive to build a more equitable and resilient society, Nigeria calls for renewed global solidarity and genuine multilateralism to address structural barriers, including debt and resource constraints, and to uphold the universality and indivisibility of human rights for all. I thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [2:28:18]:

Thank you. The list of speakers is now closed, and I would like to recognize the distinguished representative from Mexico. Thank you, sir.


Mexico [2:28:27]:

We appreciate the High Commissioner's report, in which he stresses the importance of promoting international cooperation in order to address growing inequalities and to step up efforts in order to make progress in economic, social, and cultural rights. It is in accordance with this objective that Mexico has implemented public policies and programs to guarantee economic, social, and cultural rights. with a particular focus on people in vulnerable situations. With these, poverty was reduced by 12.4% between 2018 and 2024, which is a milestone in our country's history. And over this period, population incomes increased by 15.6% through new social policies, new labor and wage policies that doubled minimum wage by 110% in real terms, and that led to greater spending in social programs and public investment. From the perspective of multidimensional poverty, these policies have made it possible to improve access to social security, housing, basic services, and nutritious food. Mexico reaffirms its commitment to the mandate of the High Commission and recognizes its efforts to support states in this area, which is why we ask, what measures do you foresee to continue improving your ability to support states in having sustainable, effective public policies against poverty with a human rights-based approach. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:29:53]:

Thank you, distinguished representative of Egypt.


Egypt [2:29:58]:

Mr. President, we take note of the report of the High Commissioner, and we are proud to be one of the core group of countries that tabled the resolution leading to the report. Economic, social, and cultural rights are an integral part of the international human rights framework. However, enjoying them continues to face profound structural obstacles manifested in imbalances within the international financial and economic system. This has uh, reduced the capacity of governments into, uh, to fulfilling their obligations. Uh, we affirm that these re- rights represent a fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable development. Uh, we express our deep, um, concern regarding the uh uh violation of the rights of the Palestinian people due to the uh aggression that destroyed the infrastructure and constitutes a blatant violation of international human uh human rights law and international human humanitarian law Lifting the blockade, ensuring the access of humanitarian assistance is a precondition to fulfilling these rights. We need to find inclusive solutions towards a more just and equitable world. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:31:28]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone.


Sierra Leone [2:31:34]:

Mr. President, We align with the statements of the African group and thank the High Commissioner for his report on the panel discussion addressing economic, social, and cultural rights in the context of inequalities. We reaffirm our belief that these rights constitute the very foundation upon which just, inclusive, and equal societies are built. The emphasis on this core human rights aligns closely with Sierra Leone's big five national priorities, which include nutrition and food security, human capital development, youth empowerment, technology and infrastructure, and transformation of the public service sector. We believe that, um, realizing The rights embedded in these priorities is essential not only to addressing the root causes of inequality, but also to guide in Sierra Leone's transformation into inclusive and green middle income country by 2039. We therefore welcome and endorse the recommendations outlined in the High Commissioner's report, including the repeal of discriminatory laws, adoption of programs to combat inequality, and expansion of offices field facing work to capacity building and technical assistance. Sierra Leone has made significant progress in addressing these challenges. We have fully implemented free and compulsory education with radical inclusion to empower the girl child and enacted a national science, technology, and innovation policy. I thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [2:33:01]:

Thank you. I give authority to your inhabitant.

Microphone for UNOPITAT. They're not here.

Should I give the floor to the Council of Europe?


CoE [2:33:32]:

Mr. President, we thank you for today's report. For the Council of Europe, social, economic and cultural rights are universal and inseparable from civil and political rights, as reaffirmed in the Vienna, Reykjavik and Vilnius declarations. The European Social Charter, serving as Europe's social constitution and the counterpart to the European Convention on Human Rights, offers the most complete framework for protecting social rights. Social justice is the oxygen of democracy and security. As stipulated in the Reykjavik Declaration, rights such as decent housing, education, healthcare, and fair work create social cohesion and reduce inequality. These rights are not optional, but essential to strong and stable societies. The Council of Europe calls for a new democratic pact, placing social rights at the heart of democratic resilience. To reaffirm and strengthen social rights, including their link with democracy, we'll hold a second high-level conference on the European Social Charter in March 2026 in Chisinau, Moldova. Ahead of the UN Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, the Council of Europe has also promoted a human rights-based approach to social development, notably through a June 2024 event in Brussels with the European Economic and Social Committee. This testifies our continued commitment to social rights as a foundation of democracy and sustainable development. I thank you.


HRC · President [2:34:55]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cyprus.


Cyprus [2:34:58]:

President, thank you for presenting the conclusion and the recommendation of this pertinent panel. Cyprus aligns itself with the EU statement. International cooperation is essential for the promotion of economic, social, and cultural rights.

This is a common endeavor and not a solitary one.

A collaborative approach the development and implementation of policies that aims to address inequalities, especially for persons in vulnerable situation, and enable the implementation of SDGs. Cyprus is strongly committed to strengthening the promotion and protection of economic, social, and cultural rights, and consequently achieving the vision of the 2030 UN agenda. We remain firmly engaged in promoting cultural rights and the rights of enjoyment of cultural heritage. The establishment of robust growth model, strengthening our economy's resilience and our potential for economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable long-term growth and welfare lies at the heart of our policies. Distinguished panelists, how do you envisage addressing structural barriers such as debt and corruption? I thank you.


HRC · President [2:36:06]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the.

Distinguished representative of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.


Lao People's Democratic Republic [2:36:15]:

Mr. President, my delegation thanks the High Commissioner for the insightful presentation of this report. My delegation emphasize that inequality is the major obstacle to the realization of the rights to development within and across the country. The Lao PDR attached great importance to the promotion and protection of human rights, including enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights by all. The evidence was so in the progress made in improving access to health care, expanding educational opportunities, strengthening social protection system, and greater public participation in development. In order to fulfill the obligation under international law, especially the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, the Lao delegation will be presenting the national report in the 78th session of the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which is scheduled 18 to 19 September, 2025, today and tomorrow. The Lao PDR would like to express its sincere thanks to UNHCR Southeast Asia Regional Office in Bangkok for the technical assistance and financial support during the treaty body reporting and preparing the interactive dialogue with the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. I thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [2:37:49]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ecuador.


Ecuador [2:38:00]:

Mr. President, my delegation would like to thank the High Commissioner for his report, and we agree that it is crucial to step up efforts to build human rights-based inclusive economies that facilitate a just transition, aligning economic and social policies with human rights, and giving priority to populations in a situation of vulnerability. In this regard, we have in Ecuador a comprehensive social protection system a mechanism that provides assistance and accompany to priority attention groups. The system operates through cash transfers, for example, the human development bonus with variable components, the My Best Years pension, the Joaquin Gallego Solara bonus, and contingency coverage. We implement comprehensive care and attention services for people in conditions of poverty, extreme poverty, or vulnerability, and who belong to a priority care group, with the aim of ensuring their well-being, equity, and access at all stages of life. We also continue to strengthen institutional mechanisms to defend economic, social, and cultural rights with a comprehensive and sustainable approach to gender equality and human rights, incorporating programs to eradicate violence and promote women's autonomy and leadership, particularly in rural and indigenous areas.

Thank you.


HRC · President [2:39:19]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the State Representative of Algeria.


Algeria [2:39:28]:

Thank you very much, President. Algeria aligns itself with the statement made by the African Group, and we affirm our commitment to multilateralism and the visibility of human rights. Economic, social, and cultural rights are crucial to ensure human dignity, and they're necessary for the realization of political and civil rights in a real way. We see growing inequalities around the world related to debt and unilateral measures that undermine the right to development. We join the call for the reform of the global financial system to ensure greater levels of solidarity and equality. At the national level, Algeria continues its efforts to guarantee access to education, health, and social protection for all, while limiting inequalities between regions and to promote An economy that supports the population investment, public services is an essential element for greater social cohesion. And we invite the High Commissioner to provide technical assistance in line with the needs of developing countries. Finally, Algeria recalls the importance of international cooperation and solidarity and South-South cooperation to ensure that everyone can enjoy their rights. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:40:55]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bolivia.


Bolivia (Plurinational State of) [2:41:02]:

Thank you, President. We thank the presentation of the report of the High Commissioner. We affirm our commitment to the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights under the principles of universality and indivisibility and equal footing, giving them equal importance, we cannot set aside the attention that we give to inequalities and the needs to promote fundamental freedoms and human rights of individuals and groups. Also, we have to recognize the consequences of colonialism, the exploitation of natural resources, economic exploitation, and the structural causes of inequalities. The very valuable report contains conclusions that state that there's a need to reform the international financial systems, deal with structural obstacles, defend multilateralism, and promote international cooperation and to deal with inequalities, giving priority to vulnerable and marginal groups of the population. In conclusion, I would like to urge countries to strengthen the work of the Office of the High Commissioner, providing necessary budgetary resources, and expand knowledge on economic, social, and cultural rights as an accelerator that helps us spread good practices, protect good practices, support learning, and protect the economic, social, and cultural rights. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:42:36]:

I give the floor to South Africa.


South Africa [2:42:40]:

Thank you, Mr. President. South Africa welcomes this report and aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Africa Group. We speak today not only as a nation committed to realization of economic, social, and cultural rights, but as part of a continent where these rights remain under siege. from deepening inequality, unsustainable debt burdens, and the enduring legacy of colonial exploitation. We must be clear, these rights are not optional. They are foundation of human dignity and development. Yet many developing countries are forced to choose between servicing the debt and investing in education, healthcare, housing, and social protection. This is a false choice, one that undermines the very essence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. South Africa calls for a global economic order that is just, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of the global south. We urge the international financial institution and donor partners to align their policies and human rights obligations and to support countries in building resilient, rights-based economies. We reaffirm our commitment to working with all partners to ensure that economic, social, and cultural rights are not sidelined, but placed at the heart of recovery. development and justice. I thank you.


HRC · President [2:43:54]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq.


Iraq [2:43:58]:

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We would like to thank the High Commissioner for the panel and for the report, which reflects the challenges and opportunities on the economic, social, and cultural right in the context of addressing inequalities. We support the report, especially that increasing truly threat the enjoyment of basic human rights. There is an urgent need to take efficient measures in order to address the situation. We also highlight the importance of international cooperation and exchange of expertise to achieve these rights. based on the fundamental principle of countries' rights to fulfill their obligations under the ICESCR. However, challenges such as climate change, public health, foreign debts, and security challenges undermine our treaty obligations. We are exerting many efforts to achieve the economic, social, and cultural rights in order to reduce inequalities, to tackle and address inequalities, and to improve infrastructure, create job opportunities, and to pass laws on gender equality and fighting discrimination in all its forms. Thanks, you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [2:45:23]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.


Cuba [2:45:27]:

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I would like to thank the delegations of China, Bolivia, Egypt, and South Africa on presentation of resolution 54/22 related to the Panel on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. We also like to extend our gratitude to the Office of the High Commissioner for organization of the panel and presentation of the report. Despite the national and international efforts, economic, social and cultural rights continue to be relegated. We agree with the report on the need of a broad consensus on the need to reform the international financial architecture, strengthen international government and face structure, and deal with structural challenges like foreign debt, these questions should be a priority in the exercise of human rights. In light of current realities, we should start to reform the rules of the game that are now obsolete, we recommend to the offices to have an analysis of the impact of the natural course of measures in the realization of economic, social, and cultural rights. These measures not only violate the UN Charter, international law, and international human rights law, but they are a direct obstacle for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Also, we believe that we have to deal with the impact of noncompliance by developing countries with their commitments in terms of financing for development, including ODA. Thank you very much.


HRC · President [2:47:00]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya.


Kenya [2:47:07]:

Mr. President, aligning with the African Group, Kenya thanks the High Commissioner for the comprehensive report and welcomes this timely opportunity for focused dialogue. As highlighted in the report, serious barriers persist in realizing economic, social, and cultural rights for all. For Kenya, escalating the public debt and the continuing inequalities embedded in the international financial system severely hamper the country's capacity to provide essential services, invest in education, health, and climate adaptation, and to reduce entrenched inequalities. The mounting challenges posed by climate crisis further erodes progress, placing the greatest burdens on our most vulnerable communities and exacerbating cycles of poverty and marginalization. Kenya strongly aligns with the report's call for urgent and far-reaching reforms in the international financial architecture for enabling a global environment that empowers developing countries to mobilize resources through fair tax, cooperation, and debt relief. We acknowledge and commend the pivotal role of technical and advisory support by the Office of the High Commissioner, which has been instrumental in illustrating for Kenya the essential nexus between economic policy and human rights realization. We welcome sustained engagement through regional dialogues and the operation of the Knowledge Hub as a key example of impactful and context-specific support. High Commissioner, what concrete steps do the High Commissioner and Panel recommend to unlock necessary resources and target support for continued countries striving to address both debt and climate-driven inequalities?


HRC · President [2:48:38]:

Thank you.

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Eritrea.


Eritrea [2:48:44]:

Thank you, Mr. President. Eritrea thanks the High Commissioner for his report and the summary of the panel discussion. We welcome the renewed attention to the promotion of economic, social, and cultural rights, especially in addressing inequalities that remain a central concern for all states. For Eritrea, the realization of these rights is central to national development. The government continues to prioritize health, education, housing, social protection, and culture as foundations for equality, social cohesion, and peace. Despite limited resources and external measures, Eritrea has expanded access to education and health care, reduced preventable diseases, empowered women, and supported vulnerable groups. We share the concern about growing inequalities within and among states. Global crisis, debt burdens, and UCMs hinder developing countries, including Eritrea, from mobilizing resources and investing in essential services. These barriers must be addressed if the pledge to leave no one behind is to be fulfilled. In conclusion, Eritrea reaffirms its commitment to promoting economic, social, and cultural rights for all its citizens. A fair international economic order grounded in solidarity is vital. Eritrea is also pleased to inform the High Commissioner that it is preparing its first national report under the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. I thank you.


HRC · President [2:50:03]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Chile.


Chile [2:50:08]:

Thank you, President. We're grateful to the High Commissioner for the report, which reminds us that inequalities are not a statistics. They're the face of millions of people deprived of rights and opportunities. Dealing with them is an obligation of human dignity and an essential condition for peace. Earlier this week, Chile held its dialogue with the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, reaffirming our commitment to These rights by highlighting both the progress made and the challenges that we should face with perseverance. The dialogue reinforces our determination to integrate human rights as a whole in all public policies, and it requires planning, public spending, and national budgets with a human rights focus, ensuring progressivity, and prioritizing those who need it most. Mr. President, times marked by escalating conflicts, exclusion, and persecution, this message is needed more than ever. The main protection of peace is not military arsenals, but investment in social spending. Chile defends that this vision should prevail at the multilateral through international cooperation. We strengthen our support to the Office of the High Commissioner, support to states through technical assistance and capacity building. as well as launching the Knowledge Clearinghouse on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. The realization of human rights transcends contingent politics. There are commitments to peace, social cohesion, and human dignity. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:51:40]:

Thank you. Thank you. I give you the floor to distinguished representative Bolivar in the Republic of Venezuela.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) [2:51:47]:

Thank you, President. During the panel that was held during the 57th session of this Council, Venezuela stressed the importance of promoting, protecting, and guaranteeing all human rights, understood as the totality of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, including the right to development. This is a fundamental basis for ensuring a greater possible amount of well-being and happiness for our people, in line with our constitution, laws, and national plans. In this respect, we appreciate the presentation of report, which reflects the different positions of delegations that participated in that work, especially the concern about the increase in economic and social inequality in recent years. Among the causes that have a negative impact on the realization of economic, social and cultural rights, unilateral coercive measures were mentioned. We announced that the Venezuelan people are victims of illegal and criminal imposition of 1,042 coercive measures, that is 112 more than listed in the 2024 panel imposed by the United States and the European Union. These measures significantly affect the enjoyment of human rights by Venezuelan people. High Commissioner, we'd like to ask: What specific actions beyond condemnation will your office undertake in order to achieve the eradication of the application of UCMs that violate the UN Charter? Venezuela respectfully urges your office once again to act decisively and firmly on this issue. Thank you very much.


HRC · President [2:53:12]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to distinguished representative of Colombia.


Colombia [2:53:19]:

Thank you very much, President. We value the call of the High Commissioner to overcome structural inequality through economic and policies consistent with these rights. In Colombia, the peace agreement and truth commission have indicated priority fields for such types of actions to which we are committed. One is the profound inequality in land tenure, for which we have adopted a comprehensive rural reform policy. Another is related to the end of the persecution of small producers and consumers and the intensification of actions against large investors in the drug issue. To this end, we adopted a national drug policy that guarantees the right to health and promotes equality and non-discrimination. Measures such as the decriminalization of consumption, risk reduction, differential and gender approach, and affirmative action against the incarceration of vulnerable women show the way in which drug policies can contribute to the advancement of human rights. It is therefore important that the future general comment on drugs of the Committee on Economic and Social, uh, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights provides guidance that will strengthen the coherence of public policies with the obligations of the Covenant and recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:54:39]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Pakistan.


Pakistan [2:54:45]:

Thank you, Mr. President. As a co-sponsor of this Council's resolution 54/22, Pakistan thanks the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and his office for presenting the report. We welcome the opportunity to reflect on the proceedings of the panel discussion last year on ESC rights in the context of addressing inequalities. At its strongest, humanity, like human rights, is indivisible. The progressive realization of ESC rights in developing countries is disproportionately affected by crises. emanating from conflict, climate change, crushing debt burdens, and commodity market volatility. Addressing inequalities within and among states, therefore, remains an urgent necessity, as the panel has made clear. Mr. President, Pakistan has been a consistent proponent of the office playing an active role in the protection and promotion of ESC rights. We remain concerned that resource and funding shortfalls disproportionately constrain the Office's ability to bring ESC rights at par and respond to Member States' requests for technical assistance, development of specialized tools, or dissemination of best practices. My delegation welcomes the OHCHR's efforts to operationalize the Knowledge Hub on ESC rights and looks forward to its early launch. I thank you.


HRC · President [2:55:55]:

Thank you. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malaysia.


Malaysia [2:56:00]:

Malaysia thanks the OSCHR for the presentation of the summary report. Addressing inequality is a continuous work in progress. Malaysia remains committed to promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights as we recognize that these rights play an outsized role in ensuring equality, inclusivity and sustainability for all. Malaysia further recognizes the urgent need to address the disparities of opportunity, wealth, and power, persistent gender imbalances, and the challenges faced by marginalized and vulnerable populations, including women.

Children, people with disabilities, and older persons.

Building on our government's Madani economic framework, which prioritized economic, social, and cultural rights, the 13th Malaysian Plan 2026 till 2030 was launched with the theme redefining development. It is by three key pillars, namely strengthening governance, raising the ceiling and raising the floor. This plan is ultimately intended to improve the well-being of all our people and restructure Malaysia's economy for long-term growth. In this regard, we reaffirm our resolve to continuously integrate human rights considerations, particularly economic, social and cultural rights into our policies and practices. We sincerely believe that this is the only way to achieve a more stable, inclusive green and just future. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:57:28]:

Thank you very much. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Togo.


Togo [2:57:31]:

Thank you, President. Togo would like to thank the High Commissioner for his report that highlights the challenges related to the inequalities in the implementation of economic, social, and cultural rights. Togo believes that inequalities require adequate resources and the effective participation of concerned populations. In this respect, we'd like to share with you some of the programs that we adopted in our country. The program strengthening the security of communities, focusing on the resilience of vulnerable communities, thanks to drinking water, education, and support for local actors and also access to basic health services. Also, Togo has expanded the network of universal health centers, ensure equitable access to health care centers for all, especially for vulnerable and rural populations. These initiatives are part of the roadmap of the government 2020-2025 that focus on social inclusion, equal quality of opportunities in line with national priorities. We have to note, however, the full realization of those rights requires international cooperation that is strengthened, transfer of technologies, and sustainable financial support. Thank you.


HRC · President [2:59:00]:

I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Maldives.


Maldives [2:59:04]:

Thank you, Mr. President. The Maldives expresses our gratitude to the High Commissioner for his report. We reiterate the need for states to fully incorporate international standards into domestic law, mobilize maximum available resource, and implement inclusive rights-based policies. Mr. President, for states like the Maldives, international cooperation, including debt relief, reform of the international financial architecture, and equitable access to climate finance are essential. The Maldives is actively working to establish transparency mechanisms and ensure accountability in debt management practices. The 2024 Fiscal Responsibility Act and the 2025 National Debt Act are a few initiatives taken by our government with the aim to achieve fiscal stability and sustainability. They are designed to improve the fiscal transparency and increase accountability of the government. Mr. President, the Moldus welcomes OHCHR's efforts to enhance its field facing capacity and the establishment of the knowledge hub on economic, social, and cultural rights. We encourage OHCHR to expand its regional presence and to provide tailored technical and financial assistance to developing countries, including SIDS, to support the realization of these rights. In conclusion, could the panelists highlight some practical steps OHCHR and the international community can take to ensure the structural inequalities do not prevent SIDS from realizing economic, social, and cultural rights? Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · President [3:00:24]:

Thank you. Distinguished representative of Indonesia.


Indonesia [3:00:26]:

Mr. President, we welcome the successful convening of the panel discussion, which renewed our collective commitment to redouble efforts in realizing ESC rights. For Indonesia, the fulfillment of ESC rights is a national priority. To address inequalities, we have adopted a comprehensive approach through affirmative policies and inclusive programs, prioritizing access to healthcare, quality education, and social protection. Flagship initiatives such as the National Health Insurance, the Indonesia Smart Card, and the Family Hope Program have reduced disparities and ensured that no one is left behind, particularly the most vulnerable. Yet, we recognize that national efforts alone are insufficient. Like many developing nations, Indonesia also confronts systemic challenges rooted in an imbalanced global architecture, unsustainable debt, volatile commodity prices, and the disproportionate impact of climate change. We therefore echo the urgent call to reform the international financial architecture so as to be inclusive, representative, and equitable, with human rights and sustainable development at its core. We are convinced that only through reinforced multilateralism and general global partnerships based on mutual respect and shared responsibility can we address the root causes of inequalities and advance ESC rights for all. Thank you.


HRC · President [3:01:47]:

Thank you. That was the last statement we could accommodate during this meeting. Excellencies, dear colleagues, this brings us to the end of this meeting. We will reconvene this afternoon at 1500 hours to continue our interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner's report on economic, social, and cultural rights in the context of fighting inequalities, and begin our interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner's report on the right to private life. followed by the presentation of the report on item three of the agenda. The 16th meeting of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council is adjourned. Thank you. Enjoy your lunch.