6th Meeting - 60th Session of Human Rights Council
Human Rights Council
Date: 10 September 2025
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/hrc/60/6
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.

---

HRC · Vice-President [0:01]:

Dear colleagues, excellencies, distinguished colleagues, I hereby declare open the sixth meeting of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council. We will first continue with the rights of reply segment under the agenda item 2. May I remind the delegates that in accordance with the Council longstanding practice, Right of reply can only be exercised in response to statements made from the floor. Delegations may not exercise the right of reply against a statement made by a "presenter" on the podium during Council meetings. This includes the High Commissioner, a mandate holder, or any other expert or representative of a Council subsidiary body. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia. You have three minutes.


Indonesia [1:09]:

Mr. Vice President, Indonesia wishes to exercise its right of reply to the statement delivered by NGOs. The government reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights. We continue to uphold the freedoms of assembly, association, and expression, while ensuring that these rights are exercised peacefully and within the rule of law. In the context of recent demonstrations, the government has taken concrete steps to address concerns regarding the alleged excessive use of force. Investigations have been launched into the conduct of security personnel, with seven officers placed under investigation, and some already subjected to dismissal and legal sanction. We regret that certain demonstrations escalated into riots, resulting in civilian casualties and damages. These acts of vandalism cannot be overlooked, and we urge the NGOs to objectively assess the situation. Civilians and officers who sustained injuries have received medical care, with the government ensuring full access to treatment. Families of those who lost their lives have also received assistance. On the matter of alleged arbitrary arrests, the government rejects such claims and underscores that all arrests have been carried out strictly in line with the law and with full respect for due process. Many of these measures were taken as protests escalated into riots, marked with vandalism, looting, and threats to public safety, which resulted in fatalities and damage to public facilities. The government has assured that those who are detained will be guaranteed protection of their human rights and will undergo fair and legal process, while a majority have since been released. Mr. Vice President, Indonesia remains proud that as a democratic country, its people and civil society can freely and fully express their aspirations. A robust civic space is the strength of our nation, enabling us to continue improving and growing. The President has called upon all branches of the government to remain open to demands for reform. Immediate steps have already been taken by the Parliament, including the revocation of benefits deemed not in the interest of the people. We continue to engage with national human rights institutions, CSOs, and international mechanisms, reflecting Indonesia's openness to strengthen its democratic governance. Our commitment is crystal clear. We are committed to protecting democratic freedoms while upholding accountability, justice and rule of law. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [3:43]:

I thank you. The next speaker, also for three minutes, Bahrain, please, you have the floor.


Bahrain [3:53]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. My country's delegation would like to use its right of reply to the EU statement under item 2.

Regarding

civil justice and human rights, our authorities did not take any criminal sanctions against any legal person, personality, or others. Any criminalization is on the acts. Such acts are preserved our law, namely the law on societies, organizations and others. We resort to the law and we refrain from any reprisals against any community and we do not target human rights defenders. Our national laws and legislation protect everyone and we have remedial procedures to protect human rights, and we rely on further cooperation with the EU when it comes to human rights. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [4:56]:

I thank you. The next speaker, also for three minutes, Pakistan, please.


Pakistan [5:05]:

Mr. Vice President, there's a delegation which claims to be the world's largest democracy and brands itself as Vishwaguru. which is global teacher or the so-called leader of the world. India is anything but that. Let us see what this teacher teaches us. This global teacher illegally occupies a UN-recognized disputed territory, disregards UNSC resolutions, and shamelessly perpetuates its occupation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It violates every human right of the Kashmiris, who are forced to live under its illegal occupation. carries out perpetual demographic engineering projects, and perpetrates collective punishment. While constructing a political edifice on communal, ethnic hatred, and polarization, it not only threatens the enjoyment of human rights of its minorities, but assassinates dissidents extraterritorially in other sovereign states. India's perennial evasion of accountability for its crimes must come to an end. Mr. Vice President, India indeed is a global leader and global teacher when it comes to supporting, fueling, funding cross-border state-sponsored terrorism, while all the time it pretends to be a victim. While the list of crimes committed by this rogue state can go on, I wish to underline that the pain and suffering inflicted by its terror sponsorship has continually violated human rights of our people. Mr. Vice President, after launching unprovoked and unjustified cross-border attacks on civilians in Pakistan, India, in a deliberate act of incitement, blatantly weaponized water and gloated about threatening the well-being of 240 million people. Perhaps this is the ancient wisdom that the world's self-proclaimed teacher and leader aims to teach us. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [7:06]:

Thank you. The next speaker, also for three minutes, Rwanda, please.


Rwanda [7:15]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Some delegations mentioned Rwanda in their statements, endorsing the false, fact-twisting narrative and propaganda by the DRC against Rwanda. This is unacceptable. Rwanda's message is and will always remain very clear: First, The primary duty bearer for protecting civilians in the DRC is the DRC government itself. After decades of state failure to provide security, hundreds of armed groups continue to prey on civilians. Blaming neighbors is a diversion from that responsibility. DRC should cease its continued financing and support to the FDLR. A UN-sanctioned genocidal militia, which poses an existential threat to Rwanda and should be dealt with as such. The silence of the High Commissioner and that of MONUSCO head on the DRC-backed FDLR is a testament to the one-sided narrative which we strongly oppose. To find lasting peace, DRC should focus on resolving its serious, longstanding internal failings instead of making rounds in international forums, crying the force and blaming external parties. Countries that have adopted a hostile stance on Rwanda to protect their vested interests in the DRC crisis are equally guilty of the human violations that the RSI government continues to commit in a coalition with the FDLR and other armed groups, more than 260 in total. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [9:02]:

I thank you. I understand that the distinguished representative of United Arab Emirates wants to have a second right of reply. Please, you have two minutes.


United Arab Emirates [9:17]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President.

Once again, we see an attempt to mislead and distort facts

from the representative of the Port Sudan Authority in the morning session. Mr. Vice-President, the misuse of this Council as a platform for the repetition of such baseless allegations serves only one purpose: evasion of responsibility by those with direct responsibility. What the Sudanese people need is not misleading rhetoric or a refusal to participate in peace talks. What is needed is an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian aid, and a transitional process that is not under the control of the warring parties, which leads to the establishment of a civilian government independent of the warring parties and extremist groups. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [10:11]:

Thank you. This was the last speaker on my list. Is there any other delegation requesting to exercise the right of reply in relation to the statements made today? It's not the case. Thank you. Distinguished colleagues, excellencies, I declare open now the agenda item three entitled promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development. I will now begin the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence. The list of speakers will be closed in 15 minutes. I now give the floor to the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Bernard Guehm, to present his report. Sir, please.


UN · Special Rapporteur · Bernard Duhaime [11:35]:

Thank you. Honorable President, distinguished representatives, it is an honor to appear before the Human Rights Council to present my report on documentation of gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law, as well as the addendum on my country visit to Brazil. In my annual report, I highlight the activities carried out over the past year and inform about the status of country visits planned and requested. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Brazil for welcoming me on an official visit and for their exceptional cooperation, as well as to Guatemala, the Marshall Islands, and Nepal for extending invitations to visit in 2025 and 2026. I regret that the restrictions placed on the availability of the regular budget prevented the organization of a second country visit in the reporting period and hope to be able to schedule the visit agreed upon as soon as possible, subject to the availability of funds. I would also like to inform that next year I will devote my thematic report to addressing the challenges of negationism, revisionism, and politicization of transitional justice, as well as the question of emerging technologies in the context of transitional justice. Mr. President, Excellencies, This year's thematic report examines the expectations, state of affairs, and lessons learned concerning the collection, mapping, recording, preservation, and archiving of information, evidence, and testimonies of gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law. The comprehensive documentation of such violations is crucial for the successful implementation of transitional justice mechanisms Adequate documentation supports positive outcomes in the implementation of truth-seeking initiatives, the search for the missing persons, accountability processes, and reparation programs. It also helps maintain accurate accounts of past violations, thus promoting mutual understanding and preventing possible distortions of historical facts, which in turn furthers peace and reconciliation. International law places a duty on states to investigate and elucidate the truth about serious human rights violations, as well as to preserve evidence and archives, memorialize, and prevent the development of the nihilist themes about them. To fulfill these duties and adequately support transitional justice aims, documentation processes must be prompt, comprehensive, inclusive, participatory, context-specific, victim-centered and gender-sensitive. The adoption and discharge of adequate documentation processes ensure the legitimacy, credibility and coherence of transitional justice measures and the veracity of the information on which they are based, thus providing a solid foundation for the transitional justice system and a powerful antidote against the manipulation of historical facts, which can lead to the resurgence of social divides and violence. Excellencies, although the information generated by documentation initiatives constitutes the backbone of many transitional justice processes, they are rarely prioritized and is often overlooked in the design, financing, implementation, and monitoring of transitional justice systems. This can lead to serious failings in national processes to deal with past abuses, such as reports from truth commissions that present an incomplete depiction of the scale and breadth of human rights violations, stunted criminal investigations, reparation programs that exclude entire categories of victims, and negationist memorialization processes that foster division and risk the recurrence of violence. Faced with state inaction, civil society frequently takes a leading role advancing documentation efforts, but lacks adequate backing from donors and other actors. The report points to the concerning challenges observed in documentation as a result of inadequate investment and attention to this matter, including, firstly, the insufficient recording and mapping of gross human rights violations and the insufficient collection of testimonies of victims and witnesses; the lack of measures to safeguard evidence and information about these violations; the deliberate and/or unintended destruction or tampering of documentation relating to these violations; delayed documentation, which leads to the loss of evidence and testimony due to the passage of time or exposure to extrinsic factors, such as emergencies or natural disasters; the impeded access to records of these violations due to restrictions or obstacles imposed deliberately or sometimes inadvertently by states, international organizations, and non-state actors; serious capacity and resource constraints of national, international, and civil society actors engaged in documentation efforts; and inadequate safety measures to protect victims and witnesses who can provide testimony and evidence of these violations. Excellencies, Documentation has received limited attention in transitional justice processes. At the same time, the importance and effectiveness of documentation processes are increasing due to the availability of new technologies and methods that facilitate the collection and analysis of information. The international community has begun to recognize the importance of documentation efforts and decided to establish international investigative mechanisms in certain contexts. However, in most transitional justice contexts, documentation is still an afterthought for national and international actors. I call on states, the international community, and donor institutions to ensure that processes of documentation of serious human rights violations are integrated as a core element of transitional justice strategies, and that commensurate material and human resources are assigned to this task. I recall that this should not be perceived solely as a technical exercise, but as a human rights imperative and a prerequisite for realization of truth, justice, reparation, memorialization, and non-recurrence. My report offers concrete guidance for states, civil society partners, and international actors to ensure that documentation is adequately embedded in transitional justice processes from the inception to completion. I invite you to examine and implement these recommendations. Mr. President, Excellencies, I would like now to address the report on the country visit to Brazil that I carried out from 30 March to 7 April 2025 to assess the measures adopted by the Government to address the serious human rights violations committed during the dictatorship. from 1964 to 1985. In the report, I underscore the positive initiatives identified in the fields of truth-seeking, reparation, and memorialization, particularly the work carried out by the Special Commission on Political Deaths and Disappearances, the Amnesty Commission, and the National Truth Commission. I note, nonetheless, that their restricted mandates affected the scope, particularly regarding the categories of victims addressed. On the other hand, I express serious concerns about the lack of criminal accountability for serious human rights violations committed in this period, particularly as a result of the application of the Amnesty Law of 1979. The failure to address the incompatibility of this law with Brazil's human rights obligations remains a core barrier to truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence in Brazil. The lack of legal consequences for past abuses has reinforced a culture of impunity and established conditions for repetition. This challenge is compounded by the insufficiency of security sector reforms, the concerning militarization of education in certain parts of the country, and the lack of history teaching about the dictatorship in some states. The lack of a comprehensive transitional justice process to deal with the aftermath of the dictatorship has regrettably led to recurrent attacks on democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The alleged coup attempt of January 2023 and the continuity of state violence against marginalized groups demonstrate the dangerous effects of an incomplete transitional justice model and the urgent need to settle accounts with the past to avoid recurrence. To correct this path, Brazil must urgently implement the transitional justice package proposed in the final report of the National Truth Commission and the recommendations contained in my report. Excellencies, I would like to take this opportunity to unconditionally denounce the United States Government sanctions against the Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I express my full solidarity with my colleague. Sanctioning a special rapporteur appointed by the Human Rights Council violates international law and is a direct attack on the integrity of the human rights system, including special procedures as a whole. I call on all states to act decisively to denounce these sanctions and refuse to carry them out. I also call on the United States to immediately withdraw these illegal sanctions. With this, I conclude my presentation today. I remain at your disposal for questions and comments during the interactive dialogue that will follow. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [21:45]:

I thank you. Now, in accordance with our practice, we will now hear from the delegation of the country concerned. And therefore, I will give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil for five minutes, please.


Brazil [22:08]:

Mr. President, Mr. Special Rapporteur, distinguished delegates. It is with honor that I reaffirm Brazil's commitment to democratic values, the defense of the rule of law, and human rights. We understand that a full democracy must be anchored in the right to truth and memory, transitional justice, reparation for victims and their families, and measures to prevent serious human rights violations from reoccurring. Between 1964 and 1985, Brazil lived under a military dictatorship. In the decades since the end of that period, we have witnessed the leading role played by families and survivors committed to the consolidation of truth, memory, and justice. It was in this context that our federal constitution was created, known as the Citizen Constitution. It was thus that it was drafted. In 1990s and 2000s, the state adopted several measures aimed at enforcing the right to memory and truth, among which I highlight. First, the establishment of the Special Commission on Political Deaths and Disappearances in 1995, dedicated to analyzing cases of fatal victims and compensating their families; two, the Amnesty Commission in 2001, with the aim of compensating victims whose labor rights had been violated; and the National Truth Commission in 2011, the first official initiative dedicated to investigating crimes of military dictatorship, with its own team of researchers, which resulted in an internationally recognized report in 2014 when it concluded its work. Given the relevance of the issue, in 2023, the Lula administration established the Special Advisory Office for the Defense of Democracy, Memory, and Truth under the Office of the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship. In the same year, we resumed the work of the Amnesty Commission, which has already reviewed more than 80,000 requests for political amnesty since the commission was established, granting financial reparations and formal apologies on behalf of the state to recognized victims. It is important to highlight the granting of collective political amnesties in favor of historically marginalized groups or communities that were affected by the military regime for political reasons such as the Krenak and Guarani, Kayawa, indigenous communities, immigrant communities, peasants, and quilombola communities. In 2024, we reinstated the Special Commission on Political Deaths and Disappearances and approved the rectification of death certificates of people who were killed or disappeared during the military dictatorship, recognizing them as violent, unnatural deaths caused by agents of the Brazilian state in the context of systematic persecution. We resumed the search for the disappeared and the analysis of the skeletal remains from the clandestine burial sites in the district of Perus, the city of Sao Paulo, which resulted in new identifications of two political figures who had disappeared. The Places for Memory project aims to fill a historical gap in the surveys of sites in connection with the dictatorial past, including places associated with the repressive alliances between South American dictatorships, so-called Operation Condor. Some of these sites will be marked with signs identifying their relevance to national history and Mercosur, the government has also supported initiatives to establish memorials at sites identified for their significance, including the clandestine torture center known as the Petropolis House of Death in the state of Rio de Janeiro, reinforcing the principles of the Durban Declaration, the International Decade for people of African descent and recognizing that transitional justice in the country encompasses historical justice relating to slavery and structural racism, a specific area has been created to address the memory and truth about slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. In this context, places in connection with this chapter of history will also receive signage, such as the Valongo Wharf in Rio de Janeiro, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. That's the largest port of arrival for enslaved Africans in the Americas and a symbol of violence and slavery in Brazil. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, we reiterate our commitment to multilateralism and to the special procedures of this Council, a commitment that is reflected in the progress made in complying with the recommendations of the National Truth Commission. We value the Special Rapporteur's report and his recommendations, which will be carefully considered by Brazil as a tool to strengthen policies of memory and truth, reparation, justice, and measures of non-repetition in the country. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [26:30]:

I thank you. I thank you. I have to announce that the list of speakers is closed. And I invite interested delegations to ask questions and make comments on the report presented. So the first on the list of speakers, it's Lithuania on behalf of a group of countries, please.


Lithuania · Lublin Triangle States [26:55]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. I deliver the statement on behalf of the Lublin Triangle States, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. Mr. Special Rapporteur, we fully concur that documentation is critical for justice and echo your call for cooperation between states, civil society, and international organizations towards ensuring accountability. For example, the act of aggression committed by the armed forces of the Soviet Union against the independent state of Lithuania on the 13th of January 1991 was well documented. This contributed to a conviction of 67 foreign citizens for war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, accountability was difficult to ensure, as competent Russian authorities refused all cooperation, actively harbored the perpetrators, and initiated criminal proceedings against the impartial judiciary of another sovereign state. Today, Ukraine faces full-scale Russian aggression with atrocities committed daily. Documenting these crimes is vital to ensure justice and prevent impunity. A key tool in this regard is the Register of Damage established under the auspices of the Council of Europe. With 44 States and the EU already participating, we strongly encourage other States to join these efforts and support the compensation mechanism that must follow. Mr. Special Rapporteur, could you share your insights on ways to overcome the non-cooperation of certain States in the efforts to ensure accountability? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [28:21]:

Thank you. Now Belgium also on behalf of a group of countries, please.


Belgium · Benelux [28:26]:

Mr. Vice President, this statement is on behalf of the Benelux countries. We align ourselves with the EU statement and thank the Special Rapporteur for his report. Mr. Special Rapporteur, the preservation and availability of evidence plays a key role in guaranteeing the right to truth and inclusive memorialization efforts. We share your view that the documentation and the collection of evidence of violations and abuses of human rights need to be prompt, comprehensive, inclusive, participatory, context-specific, victim-centered, and gender-sensitive. Documentation processes guided by the highest international standards are essential, not only for the effectiveness of judicial and non-judicial accountability processes, but also for their credibility. This is especially true in transitional justice contexts. We stress the importance of the work done by the truth commissions, civil society and the investigative mechanisms, and we strongly condemn all attempts to hinder or hamper their work. As mentioned in the report, civil society plays a vital role in the documentation of human rights violations. are deeply concerned about the findings on the physical, digital and judicial retaliation against documenters of human rights violations, including victim associations, and call on all stakeholders to adopt effective protection measures. Mr. Special Rapporteur, what are the most pressing steps this Council should take to support the implementation of your recommendations aimed at better addressing the documentation gaps you highlighted? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [30:04]:

Thank you. Now, European Union.


EU [30:10]:

The EU welcomes the Special Rapporteur's second report, and particularly its focus on the documentation of gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of IHL. The EU shares the view that documentation of crimes is as important in ongoing conflicts as in the future transitional justice processes, especially in the early stages of transition. Access to information and to justice, disclosure of records, use of new technologies, and preservation of evidence in accordance with international standards remain a major challenge to ensure accountability and sustainable peace and to combat impunity. The EU supports process-related activities, such as documentation of violations and abuses and sensitization efforts, including victim centers and gender-responsive approaches.

In the design of transitional justice mechanisms and for the prevention of future violations.

Meaningful participation of victims and countering misinformation in a digital context are also essential in comprehensive truth and reconciliation mechanisms in order to build democratic, inclusive, and peaceful societies grounded in truth, justice, reparations, memory, and guarantees of non-recurrence. The EU continues to support transitional justice efforts globally through various financial instruments for implementing partners. Mr. Special Rapporteur, please elaborate further how we can better support the documentation through innovative means as a core component of such efforts. Thank you so much.


HRC · Vice-President [31:43]:

Thank you. Colombia, please.


Colombia [31:46]:

Mr. Vice President, Colombia thanks the rapporteur for the valuable report, and we support the recommendations. We agree that the rigorous documentation and its preservation are essential pillars for ensuring truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition in judicial transitional justice processes and during conflicts and occupation. The protection of testimonies, proof, evidence, and information are important for clearing up judicial processes and the identification of the victims as the centerpiece of this. In Colombia, following up on the due of memory of the state, we've created registries and protocols and archives that recognize the diversity of voices in a conflict, guaranteeing the participation and respect for free speech. However, there are still challenges, and they are significant, such as access to classified intelligence information, the risk of destruction and loss of community archives, barriers to access, and risks for vulnerable communities. Mr. Rapporteur, what best practices might be applied to improve the documentation of sensitive violence, such as sexual violence during armed conflict, in order to ensure safe and controlled access to intelligence files and to mitigate the risk of false information by AI? Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [33:05]:

Thank you. The Democratic Republic of Congo. Yeah, person. Okay. Armenia, please.


Armenia [33:25]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Armenia warmly welcomes Mr. Bernard Duhaime. With regard to the report for this session, we particularly value the emphasis on victim-centered approaches and agree that the recording and mapping of serious human rights violations can further peace and reconciliation. We recall that last year, during the visit to Armenia, previous mandate holder acknowledged Armenia's progress in providing reparations to victims of the past repression, to the families of soldiers and civilians affected by multiple conflicts. Armenia reiterates its long-standing support for this mandate, which remains crucial in advancing truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence in situations of conflict. We would like to emphasize the importance of strengthening this mandate to ensure full realization of the rights and dignity of the victims. Armenia is looking forward to further cooperation with the Special Rapporteur. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [34:26]:

Thank you. Sudan.


Sudan [34:34]:

Thank you, President. We have taken good note of the report as presented by the Special Rapporteur on promoting truth, justice, reparations and non-repetition. And we thank the Special Rapporteur for the recommendations, notably as regards the importance of well documenting evidence in order to ensure accountability, notably in countries of conflict or who are going through crises. This is vital in many different cases where there are complaints and lodged by victims in different jurisdictions. As regards rapid response militia of Sudan, we have seen attacks launched, supported by certain countries, against the state and the army. These are criminal acts. A commission was created to investigate the crimes committed by the rapid response force. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [35:44]:

Thank you, Mali.


Mali [35:49]:

Thank you, Vice President. Mali thanks the Special Rapporteur for presenting the report. My delegation notes with great concern that the collect of information on flagrant violations of human rights and serious violations of IHL still are confronted by numerous challenges linked to insecurity, terrorism, transnational crime, the loss of evidence or information due to slow collection of data, destruction or falsification of archives, and poor preservation of archives. To correct this, our government has created a Truth, Justice, Reconciliation Committee nationally with two mandates, participative inclusive involvement in investigations of serious violations, as well as building proposals for reparations. We have seen around 16 emblematic cases where new work has been required. We have put in place a new authority to help victims and a center for promoting peace and unity in Mali, focused on preserving the memory of serious human rights violations during various crises in Mali. To conclude, my delegation shares the idea that institutionalization of the collection of data on serious human rights violations is a decisive factor in the transitional justice process in order to ensure truth, justice, reparations, and a guarantee of non-repetition. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [37:15]:

I thank you and recognize Cambodia.

Yeah, Peru, please. El Salvador.


El Salvador [37:39]:

Thank you, Vice President. El Salvador recognizes. Truth, justice, and reparation, as well as the guarantees of non-repetition, these are essential pillars for consolidating peace and healing the wounds of the past. Along these lines, we have implemented meaningful progress that reflects our political will, strengthening the mechanisms for search for disappeared individuals through our national commissions and through the National Registry for Disappeared Individuals, RENAPAD. A clear example of the state's commitment to truth and justice is the current prosecution in the Eichmann case, that's allowed for the prosecution of those responsible for the execution of a group of Dutch journalists in 1982. in the context of our civil war. Likewise, we are moving forward with reparation measures that are symbolic, such as the recent inauguration of the Memorial Garden for the Disappeared Childhood. These efforts reflect the commitment of El Salvador to the victims and their family members. Our country reiterates its willingness to maintain ongoing cooperation in good faith with the special procedures, and in particular, with this mandate. Likewise, we thank the Special Rapporteur for the report. We have taken due note thereof. Thank you kindly.


HRC · Vice-President [39:01]:

Thank you. Togo.


Togo [39:07]:

Thank you, Vice-President. Togo thanks the Special Rapporteur for the report. We believe that access to genuine information on violations of human rights is an essential, even vital, step in finding truth and reconciliation. We call on all actors to work together to lift the obstacles to collect data preventing the destruction of archives, opacity in collection procedures, the non-inclusive character, and any kind of manipulation of data. In the case of Togo, the process of collecting data is conducted with our Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Committee, together with civil society, witnesses, and victims. We submitted a final report. from this committee of work that was done during investigations, the involvement of the media and so forth. The process of collector is also supported by a special program for protecting both data and individuals. This process allowed the High Commission for Reconciliation and ensuring national unity to ensure, calmly, in 2014, the implementation of recommendations for the reparations programme, with guarantees for non-repetition. I thank you, Vice-President.


HRC · Vice-President [40:28]:

I thank you and recognize Gambia.


Gambia [40:31]:

Thank you, Mr. President. We thank the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Bernard Dohem, for a timely report that rightly places documentation at the heart of transitional justice. While the capacity and delivery of the UN's human rights accountability mechanisms and systems have improved over time, there nonetheless remains an insufficient focus on the needs, hopes, and rights of victims, especially their right to remedy, redress, and reparation. From its very inception, The Gambia's transitional justice strategy made a conscious decision to prioritize a victim-centered process with documentation efforts shaped by victims' voices while considering their psychosocial, cultural, gender, and disability needs. By combining truth-telling, reparations, and accountability, The Gambia is now cited as a model by the UNPBSO for embedding victims' rights and participation at the core of transitional justice. Notwithstanding shortcomings in the preservation of certain physical sites, such as the former National Security Agency premises, at the early stages of our TJ process, corrective measures were subsequently put in place. In addition, the Truth Commission archives have been secured and are currently being digitized in cooperation with the United Nations and ECOWAS. The National Assembly has adopted the Special Prosecutors Office Act and the Special Accountability Mechanism Act, ensuring that documented evidence is properly channeled into prosecutions. In April 2025, our President inaugurated the Victim Reparation Commission, which now provides an institutional framework to support victims and preserve their testimony. Mr. Special Rapporteur, how can the Council promote the uptake of a victim-centered approach in transitional justice processes in states? Thank you.


Marshall Islands [42:19]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report, which highlights how documenting gross human rights violations and serious breaches of international humanitarian law advances justice and reparations. Between 1946 and 1958, 67 known nuclear tests took place in the Marshall Islands, causing intergenerational harm to our people, our culture, and our environment. These tests left behind a legacy of displacement, illness, and cultural loss that continues today, yet full transparency on these events and their consequences remains elusive. Many records remain classified or poorly documented, undermining efforts towards truth, justice, and reparations, and denying affected persons and entire communities their rights where these are concerned. Documentation goes beyond record keeping. It is about recognition, truth, justice, accountability, guarantees of non-recurrence, and memorialization. Moreover, we strongly support the Special Rapporteur's call for a victim-centered approach. Recognizing that victims, their families, and their communities' testimonies are not only vital pieces of evidence, but also the foundation for truth-seeking and reparations. Mr. President, we urge the international community to strengthen efforts to preserve archives, make records accessible, and advance truth-seeking initiatives in the context of transitional justice to achieve meaningful healing and reconciliation. The late Tony de Brum, a legend for nuclear justice, once said, "There can be no closure without full disclosure." I thank


HRC · Vice-President [43:54]:

Thank you. UN Women.


UN Women [43:57]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. UN Women thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report and welcomes the emphasis on integrating a gender perspective across documentation efforts. Documentation is vital for justice, central to truth-seeking, indispensable for reparations, and essential for exposing structural dimensions of violence and abuse, thereby guiding reform. It must therefore capture the experiences of women and girls and the role that sexual orientation, gender identity and expression play in violations. One year ago, the abuelas of Sepur Zarco from Guatemala, who serve as a powerful example of survivor-led documentation, were here in the Council. By courageously documenting violations and working with women's organizations, they built a case that revealed not only individual harms, but also the structural inequalities and discrimination that enabled them. The Sepur Zarco judgment was possible because of the Awala's leadership in preserving memory and the support of civil society and international partners in gathering evidence. This shows that documentation is not only a tool for accountability, but also an act of empowerment and transformation. Mr. Special Rapporteur, in partnership with Justice Rapid Response, UN Women has deployed over 200 gender experts, investigators, and other specialists to strengthen documentation and investigations mandated by this Council and in national and international transitional justice mechanisms. We stand ready to support your mandate, drawing on this experience and on our strong partnerships with civil society. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [45:27]:

Thank you, Azerbaijan.


Azerbaijan [45:33]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We welcome the Special Rapporteur and take note of the report submitted.

As highlighted in the report, comprehensive documentation of gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law is crucial

for the successful implementation of transitional justice mechanisms.

For over three decades, Azerbaijan has endured gross violations of international law, including acts of genocide,

widespread ethnic cleansing, enforced disappearances, and the forcible displacement from their homes.

Uncovering truth, condemning gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,

ensuring the accountability of providing, and providing redress to victims are not only important, but must be the logical

outcomes of the documentation efforts.

The recently initiated draft agreement on the establishment of peace and interstate relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan

and the Republic of Armenia address this issue by including through the exchange of all available information

about missing persons and enforced disappearances, acknowledging the importance of investigating the fate of those persons, the search

and return of remains, and ensuring justice through proper investigations as a means of reconciliation and building confidence. We firmly believe that addressing past violations and ensuring good faith cooperation are essential foundations for building trust

and achieving lasting reconciliation.

I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [46:54]:

Thank you. Chile, please.


Chile [46:58]:

President Chile thanks the Special Rapporteur for the conclusions and recommendations on the documentation of serious human rights violations and international humanitarian law. Our experience in Chile leaves us to agree with the Special Rapporteur in that civil society is essential in taking good care of documentation to ensure that there is non-repetition for victims. Truth commissions have been key when it comes to ensuring legitimacy of the transitional justice processes. They allow for the establishment of a common truth, and they favor the darning of social fabric. Chile would like to underscore the role of press in, revealing serious violations of human rights. For this reason, we express our concern over the critical situation of journalists and communications workers in Gaza. More than 250 professionals have died. This is one of the most lethal conflicts for those in this profession. This is another way in which the blockade of humanitarian assistance imposed by Israel has hindered the proper documentation of international humanitarian abuses. We'd like to underscore in particular the difficulties for documenting the use of hunger in Gaza as a means of war. Chile calls upon Israel to lift this blockade and the international organizations to grant technical assistance that will ensure due documentation of the violations committed since 2023, facilitating the process of transitional justice with a focus on the victims and their family members. Much obliged.


Switzerland [48:36]:

Vice-President, Switzerland thanks the Special Rapporteur for the report. In recent conflict situations or where conflict continues, civil society, with its deep knowledge of the local context and its proximity with the victims and witnesses, is often best placed to collect evidence of violations. The rapidity of the action of civil society allows it to collect and preserve sensitive testimony and evidence before it might be lost or deliberately destroyed. In some contexts, non-governmental organizations or third states have used or provided safe spaces to preserve documents threatened with destruction. This is the case of Switzerland. which, on the request of countries concerned, preserves secure digital copies of documents from Colombia, Guatemala and the Marshall Islands. Preserving and then furnishing such archives helps support evidence for peace done in the past. Switzerland cooperates, for example, with the Akivod Institute, which allows access to archives as well as tools for informing the political debate and decision makers, as well as civil society and research. This cooperation helps shed light on historic documents on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for example. Mr. Special Rapporteur, What specific measures would allow us to effectively shore up cooperation between governments and civil society in the area of protecting and preserving archives? Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [50:17]:

Guatemala, please.


Guatemala [50:20]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice-President. Guatemala thanks the Special Rapporteur for the report. We value the documentation on human rights violations. This is a crucial pillar when it comes to ensuring processes of truth, justice, and reparation. Aware as we are of the historic challenges that remain in the area of reparation and recognition, President Bernardo Arreola reaffirms his commitment to move toward national reconciliation, giving dignity to the memory of the victims, and ensuring non-repetition. In this framework, in February 2024, we saw the beginning of the process of drafting the national plan for bringing dignity and reparation to civilian victims. This was built in a participative manner with the victims' organizations. The plan takes into account three pillars: giving dignity and comprehensive reparation; are culturally relevant and sustainable. This includes the national registry for victims and the digitalization of archives. It also includes a national plan for the search of the disappeared that includes consultations with the families, and also democratic memory with acts of recognition and public apologies. Mr. Rapporteur, Guatemala has agreed to accept an official visit. This will contribute to enriching the national dialogue. It will provide guidance that strengthen collective efforts to bring true and lasting reconciliation for Guatemala. I thank you kindly.


HRC · Vice-President [51:51]:

Thank you, Albania.


Albania [51:55]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Albania would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for his report and recommendation on the issue of documenting gross violation of human rights and serious violation of international humanitarian law in the context of transnational justice processes. Ensuring the truth, justice, and reparation is fundamental to the dignity of the victims of gross human rights violation and essential to building lasting peace and reconciliation. Truth-seeking mechanisms such as registration, mapping, and preservation of archives and testimonies are indispensable tools for restoring the dignity of the victims and ensuring accountability. In Albania, the creation of the Authority for Information on Former State Security Documents and opening the documents of the former State Security was a difficult but necessary step. This process allowed the victim to learn the truth, foster the public dialogue, and help dismantle the culture of impunity. Our experience confirmed the importance of victim-centered, inclusive, and gender-sensitive documentation, supported by strong confidentiality and security guarantee. To conclude, Albania supports the call of Special Rapporteur to the state to embed robust, inclusive, and victim-centered documentation in transnational justice


HRC · Vice-President [53:22]:

Thank you. Bangladesh, please.


Bangladesh [53:28]:

Mr. Vice President, Bangladesh thanks the Special Rapporteur for his comprehensive report on the documentation of gross violation of human rights and serious violation of international humanitarian law. We take note of the emphasis of the report on embedding documentation as a core element of transitional justice strategy. We note that comprehensive, inclusive, and victim-centered documentation processes are essential to building trust, fostering reconciliation, and preventing the recurrence of violence. Equally critical is the call to ensure the safety and dignity of victims, witnesses, and other stakeholders engaged in documentation efforts. Mr Vice-President, Bangladesh notes the report's reference to international standards and good practices, as well as the role of civil society, national human rights institutions and truth commissions. We also note that the State needs to assume the primary responsibility in ensuring transparent, accessible and accountable documentation processes, while the partners in the international community should provide technical and financial support. Finally, Bangladesh underscores the importance of addressing resource constraint, capacity building, and access to archives so that transitional justice processes are credible, inclusive, and sustainable. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [54:51]:

Thank you. Morocco.


Morocco [54:54]:

Mr. Vice President, Morocco thanks the Special Rapporteur for his reports and welcomes the attention paid to the documentation of serious human rights violations in transitional justice contexts. Morocco attaches particular importance to truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-repetition. We were among the first countries in the Arab and African regions to undertake a comprehensive transitional justice process through the Equity and Reconciliation Commission. This national initiative led to the acknowledgment of past violations, individual and collective reparations, the preservation of memory, and far-reaching institutional reforms. Morocco is fully aware that time is a challenge to the pursuit of truth. It is precisely for this reason that Morocco acted early and decisively with the intent of closing a painful chapter of its history in a spirit of unity, accountability, and democratic consolidation. This commitment continues today through the strengthening of national institutions, including the National Human Rights Council and three national mechanisms dedicated to the prevention of torture, the protection of children's rights, and the rights of persons with disabilities. Morocco reaffirms its commitment to cooperation with the Council's mechanisms in the spirit of constructive dialogue, mutual respect and sovereignty. We will continue to share our experience and contribute to the collective efforts to promote peace, justice and reconciliation. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [56:14]:

Thank you. Malawi.


Malawi [56:19]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Malawi thanks the Special Rapporteur for the insightful report on the documentation of gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law. Malawi welcomes the emphasis placed on timely, inclusive, and victim-centered documentation as a cornerstone for transition justice. At the national level, Malawi continues to strengthen its institutions for accountability and reconciliation, such as the Malawi Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Legal Aid Bureau, the Peace and Unity Commission, among others, in monitoring and documenting violations, expanding access to community-based justice through paralegals, and integrating civic education and memorialization efforts to ensure that past harms are neither forgotten nor repeated. Malawi is also working towards digitizing records and improving archiving systems so that evidence is preserved and accessible to victims, families, and researchers. Malawi takes note of the Special Rapporteur's call for embedding documentation processes from the outset of transitional justice initiatives. Mr. Special Rapporteur, what further guidance would you offer to states with limited and technical and financial capacity such as Malawi to ensure that documentation processes remain credible, comprehensive, and sustainable? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [57:40]:

Thank you. Honduras.


Honduras [57:44]:

Gracias.

Thank you, Vice President. We receive with satisfaction that is to say we welcome the report from the Special Rapporteur. We reiterate the commitment of the Government of President Xiomara Castro and the State of Honduras with transitional justice. We are aware of the importance of documenting serious violations of human rights. Without serious documentation that is rigorous, then this system is undermined as it does not have a key basis for driving the actions that bring clarity and truth, guaranteeing comprehensive reparations to victims from the state. Honduras is driving forward strategies to guarantee access for the victims to truth and justice. This includes a program for memory, truth, reparation, justice, repetition, and non-repetition with holistic transitional justice system with transforming impact. We enacted the law on secrets and a DNA database that is aimed at strengthening forensic investigation and effective justice. Given this progress, we would like to conclude reaffirming our will to continue to work through multilateral cooperation to strengthen the international response and ensure that the victims of human rights violations have effective access to transitional justice. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [59:11]:

Thank you, Nepal.


Nepal [59:14]:

Mr. Vice-President, Nepal thanks the Special Rapporteur for presenting the report on the documentation of gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law. Effective conclusion of transitional justice with guarantee of non-recurrence is essential to ensure sustainable peace in post-conflict situations. A timely, credible and systematic documentation process is indispensable to deliver truth and justice to the victims. Mr. Vice President, Nepal has successfully completed its homegrown peace process in victim-centric approach. Following the appointment of the office bearers in last May, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons are carrying out the last mile works of the transitional justice process in close consultations with the victims. We look forward to the visit of the Special Rapporteur to Nepal in March 2026, which will be an opportunity to observe the progress made towards concluding transitional justice and ensuring sustained peace in the country.

Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:00:17]:

Thank you. Republic of Korea.


Republic of Korea [1:00:21]:

Vice President, the Republic of Korea welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur, which underscores the imperative role of documentation in transitional justice processes. Preserving evidence through effective archiving, aided by technological innovation, is indeed key for the realization of the right to truth and ensuring justice, reparation, and non-recurrence. The Republic of Korea, recognizing the value of preserving historical memory, fully shares this conviction. The documentary heritage of the May 18th democratic uprising in Gwangju and the Jeju April 3rd archives are inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. In addition, the Korean government is working together with the National Assembly to pass the amendment bill to establish the third Truth and Reconciliation Commission this year. The commission has made a significant contribution to social integration by conducting fact-finding investigations on incidents of past state violence, taking a victim-centered approach. With regard to the issue of comfort women, the Korean government will continue to strive to restore the honor and dignity of the victims and to heal their psychological wounds. We will actively join in the endeavors of the international community to ensure that future generations learn lessons from the history and to prevent wartime sexual violence from recurring in the future. Mr. Vice President, I'd like to reiterate Korea's firm commitment to the human rights, including truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence. And I take this chance to reaffirm our continued support for the work of Mr. Special Rapporteur. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:01:55]:

Thank you. Costa Rica.


Costa Rica [1:02:00]:

Thank you, Vice President. Costa Rica. Costa Rica thanks the Special Rapporteur for the presentation. of this report on the importance of documentation, there should be more attention paid to this portion of the process of transitional justice. We'd like to underscore this crucial point. Rigorous and early documentation of human rights violations is not a simple technical exercise, but rather it is a crucial pillar for accountability. It is the voice of the victims. It is the historic memory. It is an essential tool for justice. And most importantly, it is important to ensure that atrocities do not occur anew. Promotion and protection of human rights cannot be disassociated from a respect dignity of the victims. However, we'd like to underscore that this is an important work and there must be sensitivity to gender, ensuring that the voice of women and girls with frequent see disproportionately affected in conflict and post-conflict situations not be made invisible. In a session of the Council, Costa Rica and Qatar are working together on a resolution on the protection and promotion of human rights for women and girls in situations of conflict and armed conflict to ensure justice, reparations, and indemnity for the victims. We would like to end with a question: What concrete measures can be taken to ensure that documentation is given priority since the beginning, especially in fragile contexts or when conflict is underway, and at the same time, what processes can ensure that there is a victim-centered focus that is sensitive to trauma and that also protects dignity? Much obliged.


HRC · Vice-President [1:03:33]:

To Paraguay.


Paraguay [1:03:37]:

Thank you, Vice President. We thank the Special Rapporteur for the report in our region. We have learned that memory and truth are essential elements it comes to strengthening democracy and the rule of law. Paraguay has made progress in the preservation of historic files tied to past violations, putting them under judicial custody to protect them and ensure access to them. This effort reflects our commitment to transparency and to the need for future generations to have access to complete and truthful tales of what happened. As a preventative measure, given the possibility of negationist denialism, There is a sentence in what I need that focuses on this not reoccurring. There should be a victim-centered, focused approach with a focus also on historically marginalized communities, as indicated in the report. The Paraguayan Commission on Truth and Justice offers a concrete example, as it makes visible the specific realities of indigenous groups, women, and other groups, underscoring how these populations are particularly exposed to vulnerability during the period under study. We also reaffirm that international cooperation and the strengthening and capacity building are essential when it comes to ensuring that the documentation initiatives contribute effectively to truth, justice, and reconciliation. We ask, given the budgetary limitations and technical limitations faced by many states, what innovative mechanisms or operative mechanisms might be used for the preservation of of the documentation and guaranteeing the access to the sensitive information. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [1:05:17]:

Thank you. Now I will give the floor to the Special Representative for his intermediary comments, please.


UN · Special Rapporteur · Bernard Duhaime [1:05:26]:

Thank you, Mr. President, and I'd like to thank all the delegations who have taken the floor so far for their very encouraging statements, and I'm very pleased to see that the report is was so well received by the almost totality of the delegations that spoke. And I'd like to just reiterate that documentation is a priority that needs to be addressed from the outset of all transitional justice processes, but also sometimes before the transition occurs when armed conflicts or massive human rights violations are still ongoing. And this is not just a technical exercise. This is an obligation that states have to comply with. It is imperative for the realization of the human rights of the victims, but it's also imperative for the full realization of truth, justice, reparation, memorialization, and guarantees of non-recurrence. Now, with regards to the questions that I've received so far, with respect to the question asked by Lithuania on the ways to overcome the lack of documentation when there is no cooperation by certain states, and I think this is also related to the question raised by another delegation immediately after. It's essential that this not be a way to delay the documentation of human rights violations, even if there's a lack of cooperation on the ground. I think it's essential that international initiatives be undertaken, including the excellent examples, for example, of the commissions, numerous commissions of inquiry and other investigative initiatives set up by this Human Rights Council. Also, it's imperative that States, the international community, and donors support the civil society organization that are on the ground and are undertaking these efforts of documentation because the state is not doing it. And are doing, civil society organizations are doing so at great risk, often risking their lives and risking, taking other important risks for people around them. So they need support and they need your help. As far as steps that the Council could take to implement the recommendations that are contained in my report, in particular to fulfill the documentation gap as asked by Belgium. a few minutes ago. I think it's important that the Council consider taking bold steps. It could even be a resolution in this sense to emphasize the need to ensure the collection, mapping, recording, preservation, and archiving, and transmission of this information which result from documentation efforts. The Council could also encourage states that are exposed to these situations to act promptly to initiate the documentation process, even if transitions have not been completed. And also, the Council could ensure that the different documentation mechanisms that it has established, including commissions of inquiry, receive adequate resources and political support to complete their work. Um, as far as the questions raised by the European Union, and I think this relates as well to the questions raised by the delegation of Colombia regarding, uh, technological, um, a- advancements and, uh, innovative means as well as, uh… artificial intelligence. This is, these are elements that are raised in our current report referring to the promising developing, the technological developments in the field of documentation, including in the field of the digitalization of evidence and archives, as many of the delegations have explained in their, um, address a few minutes ago, and as recommended by different entities, I'm, I'm not the only one re- making these forms of recommendations, the Inter-American Court has said so and so forth. I would like to take this opportunity to say that actually my next report to this honorable council will address specifically how these new technological innovations may help not only documentation, but also transitional justice efforts in general. As far as the other questions that were raised about victims' participation, as well as the victim-centered approach, and the role of the necessity of adopting a gender-sensitive approach, I think it's essential that these documentation processes, from the start, implicate victims and civil society in the planification of these documentation efforts and their implementation. And this be done in a transparent manner in order to strengthen the credibility of these processes and to instore a culture of trust. This is especially, of course, necessary in the context of sexual crimes and similar types of violations where a gender approach is necessary in the planning of these strategies. in the type of analysis that is done, which is sensitive to specific issues, including intersectionality, for example, and trying to understand the different ways in which gender amplifies the type of violations that are suffered. I will stop here, as I say, I'm almost out of time. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:12:23]:

Thank you. Now, uh, I will turn to the list of speakers. The next is, uh, Afghanistan. Please, you have the floor.


Afghanistan [1:12:31]:

Mr. Vice President, we thank the Special Rapporteur for his important report. Since their military takeover, the Taliban have engaged in widespread and systematic violation of fundamental human rights. They have sought to conceal their crimes by destroying or falsifying documentary evidence, intimidating witnesses, and obstructing any form of independent investigation. Such actions not only deny justice to countless victims, but also undermine the very foundations of transitional justice, which requires transparency, inclusivity, and a victim-centered approach. Women and girls in Afghanistan bear the is border of these violations. Minorities, journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society organization also face relentless repression silencing voices that are indispensable for documenting abuses and preserving collective memory. We emphasize that the prompt and rigorous collection of information, evidence, and testimonies is indispensable to establishing the truth, providing reparations, and guaranteeing non-repetition. Yet the Taliban have consistently denied victims any enable right to truth and justice. Afghanistan, therefore, holds the international community to redouble its efforts to support independent mechanisms that safeguard evidence, amplify the voices of victims, and ensure that accountability is not denied. Justice must prevail and impunity must never be allowed to take root. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:13:57]:

All right, thank you. Argentina, please.


Argentina [1:14:03]:

Thank you. The Government of Argentina has reaffirmed its agreement with a conference of policy of memory, truth, and complete justice. The idea is not like the past with one eye closed, but rather two eyes wide open. The idea is to look comprehensively on the '70s. And let me say this clearly, this is not to create relativity between responsibility. To the contrary, the idea is to strengthen the truth to ensure that this never happens again and to seriously undertake the international commitments we made. This means to continue with investigations and with the trials for crimes against humanity. It means to protect archives and documents and testimonies of everything that happened, because without memory, there's no truth. Without truth, there is no justice. And without justice, there is no possibility of democracy. This is not a luxury. This is essential in transitional justice. It is a guarantee in and of itself of non-repetition. As we hear from the rapporteur in the report, all documentation must be kept in a database that is, as is our case, in the headquarters of the armed forces and the federal justice system to ensure that nothing is destroyed or altered, and that this must be protected for the trials today and tomorrow. I should also like to underscore the full force of the defence archive system. It is solid, it is robust, it ensures the comprehensive preservation of all of the documentation, and this contributes its to compliance with international duties by the Argentine State in its primary task of fully protecting human rights. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [1:15:40]:

Thank you. State of Palestine.


State of Palestine [1:15:45]:

Ms. President, we thank the Special Rapporteur for the important and timely report. We fully share his conclusion that documentation is the backbone of truth, justice, and non-reoccurrence. For the Palestinian people, this issue is not theoretical. We are enduring an ongoing genocide. Israel systematically obstructs documentation by destroying archives, bombing universities, cultural institutions, and media offices, concealing evidence, and withholding the bodies of our martyrs. It systematically denies access to UN mechanisms and blocks international journalists, while deliberately targeting and killing Palestinian journalists who document atrocities on the ground. The killing of those who hold the camera is as grave as the destruction of the evidence they seek to preserve. Our civil society organizations, the very actors the report recognizes as indispensable, face constant reprisals. Instead of supporting their work, some states punish them. Most recently, the United States imposed sanctions on Palestinian CSOs for exposing crimes, adding to Israel's campaign of delegitimization. Such measures undermine the right to truth and emboldens impunity. Mr. Vice President. The right to truth is inalienable, yet for Palestinians, it's under direct attack. We therefore echo the rapporteur's call. States must ensure safe havens for archives, protect documenters and journalists, and provide resources to preserve the memory and dignity of victims. Without documentation, there can be no truth, no justice, and no future free from reoccurrence. For Palestine, this matter is for survival. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:17:17]:

Thank you. Rwanda.


Rwanda [1:17:22]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. Rwanda thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report, particularly his emphasis on documentation, which fosters mutual understanding and helps prevent distortions of historical facts. In Rwanda, the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi left us a sad chapter, millions of lives lost and communities destroyed. Truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence became the foundation for restoring trust, unity, and dignity. Gacaca, a homegrown transitional justice, uncovered the truth, ensured accountability, and promoted reconciliation. It delivered justice swiftly by addressing the immense backlog of genocide cases, trying about 1.9 million cases in just over a decade, a feat impossible for ordinary courts. The Church upheld the rights of survivors and reintegrated those who showed genuine remorse, thus restoring social cohesion and advancing national healing. We enacted strong safeguards against recurrence, including laws against genocide ideology and hate speech, and designed education initiatives promoting "Never Again." Uganda continues to work with international mechanisms and partner states to pursue genocide fugitives, share experiences on transitional justice, and contribute to global conversations on atrocity prevention. We remain steadfast in our commitment to preventing recurrence through inclusive governance, promotion of social cohesion, and zero tolerance for genocide denial, hate speech, and divisive rhetoric. and we are open to share our experiences aiming at making never again a reality I thank you


HRC · Vice-President [1:19:18]:

thank you your Malaysia


Malaysia [1:19:22]:

Mr vice president

Malaysia thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report. Malaysia recognizes the importance of the promotion of truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence as key components in advancing accountability and reconciliation. We believe that transitional justice measures must be tailored to each country's unique context and led at the national level with due consideration given to the diversity of the social, political, and economic landscape of each state. Malaysia concurs with the special rapporteur that documentation of gross violation of human rights and international humanitarian law is essential to ensuring the credibility, coherence, and effectiveness of the transitional justice process. We agree that embedding and archiving of documentation should be prioritized from the outset, not only as a technical exercise, but as a human rights imperative in the continuous pursuit of justice. wish to draw the Special Rapporteur's urgent attention to the magnitude of atrocities inflicted upon Palestinians in Gaza, where the sanctity of international law continues to be violated by Israel. We call for unimpeded access for UN investigative mechanisms and fact-finding missions to the OPT, as efforts to document Israel's violations are clearly being obstructed. In this regard, we encourage the Special Rapporteur to work closely with other relevant mandates, including the COI on the OPT and Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the OPT. This is essential in the context of ensuring coherence and complementarity in documenting violations committed by Israel and, more importantly, pursuing accountability on behalf of the victims. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:21:08]:

Thank you. Egypt.


Egypt [1:21:17]:

President, we have taken note of the report from the Special Rapporteur and the recommendations contained therein. We must document serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law as well in the context of transitional justice. We must preserve national sovereignty and adopt processes of transitional justice that can be implemented also in the post-conflict period. It is essential as well that we bear in mind the national specific context. We must support national infrastructure, and we must ensure the collection of evidence without manipulating that evidence. The Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people which targets the civilian population and journalists are violations of international law. This aims at hiding the truth and weaken international efforts deployed to support the people, innocent people. To this end, I would ask of the Special Rapporteur the following: How is it that the international community can ensure documentation in such cases? in cases such as the conflict experienced by the in the opt when journalists and media are targeted and muzzled thank you


HRC · Vice-President [1:22:43]:

thank you uruguay uruguay


Uruguay [1:22:47]:

thank you vice president uruguay appreciates the report from the Special Rapporteur. We place particular value on the focus on the central analysis of the victims and documentation, as well as the crucial role played by civil society and the victims associations. In our country, we have seen meaningful progress made, such as the investigation and punishment for serious human rights violation, the early efforts to put these items on the public agenda, the establishment of a normative framework for reparations, as well as the consolidation of memory policies and guarantees of non-repetition. We recognize also that there are still important challenges. This includes ongoing obstacles on statutes of limitations for crimes committed during the civil-military dictatorship, as well as the historic debt of moving forth with the issue of access to archives, the disappeared, and human resource abuses in key institutions. Uruguay reaffirms its full willingness to comply with the mandate and contribute constructively to international efforts to ensure that truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-repetition become tangible realities for all victims. I thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [1:24:11]:

Thank you. The Sovereign Order of Malta.


 [1:24:15]:

Excellencies, Mr. President, the Sovereign Order of Malta would like to thank the Special Rapporteur, Professor Bernard Duhaime, for his report. Although it has received limited attention, the documentation of gross human rights violations and serious breaches of international humanitarian law is essential for initiating and successfully carrying out transitional justice processes. In these troubled times, the proper implementation of these processes is crucial for conflict resolution and preventing future human rights and international humanitarian law violations. Mr. Rapporteur, so in order, thanks you for highlighting the role of religious institutions in documenting serious human rights violations. Due to their unique presence and close engagement with local communities, religious institutions often serve as indispensable partners in these efforts. This has been demonstrated in various contexts, such as in South Africa and Latin America. In conclusion, Theodor Molter supports the Special Rapporteur's recommendation, especially regarding embedding documentation in traditional justice, strategy design, personal training, and ensuring documentation integrity. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [1:25:43]:

Bolivia, please.


Bolivia (Plurinational State of) [1:25:47]:

President.

Thank you, Vice President. We appreciate the presentation from the rapporteur that looks at the issue of the documentation of manifest violations of human rights. We agree in the value and importance of mechanisms for documentation to ensure the credibility, coherence, and the search for truth, accountability, and institutional reform, the plurinational state of Bolivia by law created a truth commission to shed light on serious human rights violations that were based on political and ideological stances in Bolivia between 1964 until 1982 72 to 84. We see eight tomes that include investigations on human rights violations. Further, after the massacre, numerous massacres that took place in November of 2019 during the Jeanine Añez government, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights put together the Interdisciplinary Group on Independent Experts for Bolivia. They issued a report on the violence and human rights abuses. Among other recommendations, they called for support for initiatives in civil society to commemorate and preserve the memory of what has happened without imposing single versions on the facts. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [1:27:19]:

Thank you.

Libya.


Libya [1:27:28]:

Thank you, Vice-President. We have taken good note of the report presented by the Special Rapporteur.

Thank you, Vice President. We would like to welcome the Special Rapporteur, and we offer our gratitude for the report, which highlights the need for well documenting serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in post-conflict societies, it is necessary to guarantee transitional justice, notably in societies which seek to restore democracy. Transitional justice is essential for a peaceful transition in the political realm. Libya is fully committed to this process. in order to ensure truth and non-repetition. Mr. President, we also need to ensure reconciliation, and that is what we are doing in our country. International mechanisms for finding facts and restoring justice must be allowed to do their work in order to render justice to victims and to get the justice that we all want. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:28:59]:

Thank you, Spain.


Spain [1:29:03]:

Thank you, Vice President. Spain joins the European Union in its statement, and we thank the Special Rapporteur for the report. The human rights violations should be prevented, and when they happen, they should be duly documented since the beginning. Thank you for recalling this anew, Mr. Rapporteur. Accountability and memory require that truth have light shined on it. An international justice system, international human rights protection system, and national mechanisms are all essential. international law, and all cannot become cannot allow for impunity. As regards the genocide in Gaza, we must prosecute those responsible and support the Palestinian people, including through documentation. Access to territory, truth, and testimonies by victims, by international mechanisms is essential when it comes to ensuring impartial investigations in the Middle East and in all parts of the world where human rights are violated. States must also undertake a process of self-reflection. Spain is commemorating 50 years of freedom. The instruments created by the law and democratic memory, including the access to documentation, is allowing us to shed light on the dark phase of our dictatorship. allowing for transitional justice to democracy, which is important for the youth. We should not undermine the importance of this. Thank you, Special Rapporteur, as we mentioned, for incorporating the gender perspective in the documentation of human rights violations and as a sine qua non factor for the process. How can we improve the training for the technical experts in this matter? Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [1:30:43]:

Thank you, India.


India [1:30:50]:

We take note of the report presented by the Special Rapporteur. India's commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights is firmly anchored in our strong democratic credentials and supported by robust constitutional and institutional frameworks. An independent judiciary, a free and vibrant media, and an active civil society continue to play a vital role in monitoring and ensuring India's full compliance with its human rights obligations and commitments. In further strengthening our criminal justice system, India has undertaken historic reforms through the enactment of legislations effective from 1st July 2024 that have replaced the British era laws. This comprehensive modernization reflects India's determination to deliver justice in a responsive, transparent, and equitable manner. The new framework seeks to guarantee access to justice and fair compensation for victims while ensuring that the rule of law applies equally to all citizens without exception. India also upholds its obligations under international humanitarian law through the Geneva Conventions Act 1960, which incorporates core IHL principles into domestic law and provides for punishment of grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. Mr. Vice President, through inclusive policies, collective efforts, and the active participation of all stakeholders, India continues to make significant strides towards ensuring a life of equality, dignity, and justice for every individual. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:32:13]:

Thank you. South Africa.


South Africa [1:32:17]:

South Africa concurs with the Special Rapporteur's view that comprehensive documentation of human rights violation is crucial for the successful implementation of transitional justice mechanisms and certainly supports positive outcomes in the implementation of truth-seeking initiatives. The search for missing persons, accountability processes, reparations programs, memorialization efforts, and guarantees of non-recurrence. Indeed, documentation helps to maintain and disseminate accurate accounts of past violations, thus promoting mutual understanding and preventing possible distortions of historical facts for political reasons. It was in recognition of this crucial need that the South African government appointed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1996 to investigate and document gross human rights violations committed within and outside South Africa during the apartheid period. The aim was not to just compile comprehensive documentation of the apartheid violations, but to ensure accountability and to foster the much needed nation building and development following the attainment of freedom in 1994. South Africa supports the Special Rapporteur's call for states to solicit the support of national and international partners specialized on the subject if unable to document or preserve documentation related to these violations due to prevailing circumstances. In addition, states must adopt all necessary legislative, judicial, and administrative measures to prevent the deliberate destruction, degradation, and tampering of loss of evidence. I thank you, Chair.


HRC · Vice-President [1:33:49]:

I thank you. Cameroon, please.


Cameroon [1:33:54]:

Thank you, Vice-President. Cameroon thanks the Special Rapporteur for the thematic report, which is extremely instructive on the collection of data in the area of transitional justice. We are committed to international tools, and we are deeply committed to the fourth pillar, transitional justice, in line with the recommendations. We are working to put in place an inclusive, participative approach focused on the victims, whilst shoring up institutional and community capacities. For example, the National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, put in place in 2018, up until today has hosted more than 3,400 ex-combatants in its sentence. This process is supported by new initiatives, supporting documentation local mediation and sustainable reintegration, working with local stakeholders. Cameroon is also happy to see the priority placed on preserving archives, protecting witness statements and training those responsible for handling documents. The efforts conducted by administrations allows a structured collection of sensitive data, avoiding revictimization. My country welcomes the importance placed on guarantees of non-repetition, indispensable for sustainable peace. This is why we have a presidential plan for reconstruction focused on social cohesion, rehabilitation of infrastructure, and economic recovery. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:35:29]:

Thank you, China.


China [1:35:37]:

Thank you, Vice President. The Chinese delegation has taken note of the report by the Special Rapporteur. China always stands up against any act violating humanitarian law and human rights. recourse to fair reparations is vital for everyone. No state or government can be allowed to falsify or distort history. We call on the countries concerned to honor effectively their commitments for the respect and protection of human rights and to take effective action to repent deeply for serious racial discrimination, xenophobia, violations of the rights of refugees and immigrants, and as well as treatment of indigenous children and to investigate fully for accountability and reparations as regards the countries and regions which have the face of, were faced with the challenge of reconstruction after conflict. China calls for the responsible authorities to work for transparent, reliable and responsible accountability. We consider the international community should work on the basis of the United Nations Charter for human rights and international law, universally recognized, respecting sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of all countries, respecting the countries concerned which promote the transitional justice process in the appropriate ordered fashion without any external intervention. Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [1:37:04]:

Okay, thank you. This was the last speaker we could accommodate for this dialogue, dear colleagues. We will now turn to the list of speakers for the non-governmental organizations. The first speaker, and I invite, it will be a video message from Ethiopia, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.


 [1:37:25]:

Distinguished President, members of the Human Rights Council, and the Special Rapporteur. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission takes note of the report of Special Rapporteur. The Ethiopian Commission welcomes the adoption of a national transitional justice policy in April 2024 and an implementation roadmap in June 2024. We further note the preparation of draft proclamations to establish transitional justice institutions and international crimes bill and a strategy to engage victims and vulnerable groups. However, the Ethiopian Commission is concerned that The roadmap has not been fully implemented, including public consultations on the draft laws. We continue to monitor, investigate, document, and report human rights violations and disseminate findings through thematic and annual reports. The Ethiopian Commission further supports civil society and victims organizations in documenting human rights violations. Only a genuine, inclusive, victim-centered and human rights compliant transitional justice process can ensure justice and non-recurrence.


HRC · Vice-President [1:38:43]:

I thank you.

Now we have a second video message from Colombia, from Defensoria del Pueblo.


 [1:38:54]:

Although Colombia is going through a complex time, the system of truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-repetition has made progress in documentation and punishment of serious human rights and crimes against humanity. Progress also been made in registering and identifying thousands of the disappeared through our search unit. The truth unit has documented history of our country and three years ago put together its final report. Documenting is essential in the fight against impunity. Today, the challenge of our bodies is to focus on the effective trial for those who are responsible for is efficient and pragmatic steps to be in step with the peace accords and to not just lead to a case-by-case trial. Meanwhile, the armed conflict continues and growing, and there is ongoing and growing violence by organized crime. The Colombian Ombudsperson's Office is monitoring the situation in our territories. It has issued 338 warnings in nine years. This is a great deal of preventative documentation. Efforts in Colombia to bring peace and put an end to violence have not ceased and will not cease.


HRC · Vice-President [1:40:20]:

Okay, another video message from Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales, CELS.


CELS [1:40:27]:

Thank you, President. Normally here we speak of memory in the past. However, we have come to speak of the urgency of activating present memory. In different places such as Gaza, we see indiscriminate killings, massive killings, forced displacement, the denial of the crucial basic conditions for life. There is starvation and killing of people searching for food. We call We underscore the need for non-repetition, which is the basis of the memory. The repetition of genocide does not mean that extermination should not be allowed. We must look at what there is in common, human extermination. What other destiny might there be for institutions knowledge than that of alerting to those events should that events that should never happen are happening. The work in Argentina began at the same time as the disappearances. National and international reflexes to compile and protect documents, testimonies, and archives are the basis that made it possible for us to have our Never More report and the prosecution of those responsible. In Israel, there are efforts to document what is going on. We call upon UN to protect these documents, to ensure that they are protected, and to leverage them. They're the basis for truth and justice. We call for urgent memory for what is happening now, and we should not have to do this in hindsight. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [1:41:55]:

Now, the representative of Conectas Derechos Humanos.


 [1:42:00]:

Vice President, CONAQUA would like to draw the Human Rights Council's attention to the absence of accountability and reparatory policies regarding violence perpetrated by the Brazilian state. As highlighted in the report, the grave human rights violations committed against black indigenous peoples persist to this day, revealing the shortcomings of the traditional justice process. In this sense, we once again draw attention to the May 2006 crimes, one of the most brutal episodes of state violence since the country's redemocratization, in which more than 500 people were killed or disappeared at the hands of the Brazilian state. As indicated in the report, the absence of accountability for the past violations allows for their repetition in the present. Brazil continues to rank among the countries with the highest rates of police lethality in the world, with the vast majority of the victims being black individuals. As the Special Rapporteur recommended, Brazilian institutions must refrain from applying legal or political obstacles to accountability for serious human rights violations, such as amnesties or statutes of limitations. Crimes committed by the state as the May 2006 crimes must be recognized as serious human rights violations, not subject to statutes of limitations. The justice we demand today is not only justice for the mothers of the victims, it is the justice that a democracy owes to itself in order to survive. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:43:28]:

Thank you. Now we have Message from Instituto de Desenvolvimento e Direitos Humanos, IDDH.


IDDH [1:43:38]:

Mr. President, I speak on behalf of the Instituto de Desenvolvimento e Direitos Humanos, IDDH, a Brazilian NGO that has been promoting human rights education in our country and Latin America for 21 years. We would like to congratulate the Special Rapporteur for his mandate and especially for his recommendations to Brazil in the field of education. As noted, although there are federal policies that foster the inclusion of human rights education in curricula, many provinces fail to comply and persecute educators who seek to implement them. Furthermore, practices such as creating and maintaining civic military schools in some states highlight this inconsistency. Both the Committee of the Rights of the Child and the Special Rapporteur on the right to education have already warned that such practices are incompatible with national and international standards on the right to education. Regarding the report, we highlight the important recognition of the historical violations against Indigenous Peoples and people of African descent, which were aggravated during the dictatorship and persist today, revealing the limitations of transitional justice in Brazil. And to build a society capable of confronting the truth of the past, ensuring reparations and no recurrency in a future of justice and equality, we urge the Brazilian State to include this broader perspective of your report to the ongoing review of our national plan of human rights education. Thank you, Mr. President.


HRC · Vice-President [1:45:08]:

Another video from the Colombian Commission of Jurists.


 [1:45:14]:

Vice President, in the weeks still ahead, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, the JP, will offer its first rulings. This has generated much expectation in Colombia, particularly by the victims, who hope that these decisions will ensure their rights to truth and justice. Issuing these first rulings will be also a test for restorative justice. It is hoped that the punishments will all be able to repair the damage caused to victims. It is important that the Special Rapporteur and the Human Rights Council undertake follow-up on the implementation of these rulings. Further, we would like to express our concern over the fact that the Chamber on Judicial Situations of JEP is granting benefits to the members of the armed forces who are material authors of extrajudicial killings, despite the fact that they were sentenced in the ordinary justice system for these crimes. We invite Special Rapporteur Douaime to monitor the situation closely to ensure that a rigorous verification is undertaken regarding the requirements to have access to these benefits, particularly among those that are not considered to be the most responsible, in order to offer the benefits or impose upon them sanctions that do contradict international standards for investigation and punishment. Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [1:46:44]:

Another video from the Bureau International de Droits de l'Homme, Action Colombie.


 [1:46:53]:

We appreciate the information from the Special Rapporteur. We support the emphasis on the value of civil society in documenting human rights violations. The presence of this work allows for confidence among victims and also allows for deep understanding of the context. Unfortunately, the Rapporteur notes often there are clear obstacles when it comes to undertaking this work, including lack of financial resources. Hence, we call upon Colombia and all States here present to double their cooperation and financial support to Colombian organizations participating in truth, the search for justice, and the guarantee of non-repetition. Likewise, we call for the support of the UN system in Colombia. It's not possible to think about guarantees of non-repetition while we continue to see murders and killings. According to the observatory in the past, So far this year, 110 human rights defenders and social leaders and 31 of those who signed onto the peace accords were killed. It is essential that the that there be comprehensive implementation of the peace accords of 2016, in particular point 3.4 on protection and guarantees for human rights defenders. Nor is it possible to think of guarantees for non-repetition if we do not show the shine the full light on the truth of those who are financing and benefiting from our conflict. Colombia must establish a legal framework to establish to, to investigate quickly, uh, and timely the economic and political powers dependent of conflict. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:48:22]:

Yes. Now it's, um, I invite the representative of the International Commission of Jurists.


ICJ [1:48:30]:

The ICJ concurs with you that the proper documentation of human rights violations and abuses is key, including for the right to an effective remedy and reparation, as in the case of Syria. The efforts of the IIIM, the COI, and civil society in documenting violations and abuses and preserving evidence is crucial for the transitional justice process. The ICJ calls on the Syrian interim authorities to ensure that this process brings truth, justice, and redress for all victims, and that there is no impunity for past and ongoing crimes. Transitional justice is also about establishing lasting governance structures that can fairly administer justice to address impunity. In Nepal, we have witnessed in the past days a general collapse in governance following demonstrations. While the situation is complex, some of the impetus reflects accumulated frustration at the state's failure to ensure good governance, address past violations, establish accountability, and strengthen the rule of law. Thousands of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed during Nepal's internal conflict remain unaddressed. The ICJ recalls that amnesties for crimes under international law are never appropriate, and we condemn laws that foster impunity. Nepal's transitional justice law continues to allow for amnesties for certain crimes. The UN and international community should ensure their involvement in transitional justice processes does not serve to legitimize impunity. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:49:57]:

Thank you. Now the representative of the Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations.


Levana Zamir [1:50:05]:

Your Excellencies, I appear before you as the voice of almost one million Jews uprooted from 11 Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa, one of the largest cases of ethnic cleansing in modern history. My name is Levana Zamir. I'm Jewish, born in Cairo. I was sent out with my parents and my six siblings in 1949 after all our property was confiscated. The only reason, because we were Jews. The truth is that the Jews have been indigenous to the region for more than 2,500 years. Under Islamic rule, we often lived as dhimmis. in mid 20th century, persecution and expulsion uprooted nearly all of us. Today, we released a groundbreaking report documenting this disturbing history and $263 billion in losses. The justice we seek is for the United Nations and the international community to acknowledge this historic injustice. We also seek reconciliation. Peace cannot be built on half-truth. In the spirit of the Camp David Accords and Abrahamic Accords, let us pave the way for reconciliation and enduring peace through truth and justice for all. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:51:33]:

Thank you. Now the representative of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression.


 [1:51:43]:

We thank the Special Rapporteur on justice and guarantees for non-repetition for the valuable report that highlights the challenges facing communities emerging from conflict like Syria. Syrians for years have suffered from gross violations and delay in operationalization. The path of transitional justice perpetuates impunity and also denies the truth for families of victims. There is concern that justice in Syria is selective in the absence of a clear roadmap and that the mandate of the National Commission for Transitional Justice is confined to violations committed by Assad regime. The genuine justice takes into account all victims without exception, without exception, and taking into account all narratives without exclusion. The transitional justice should be premised on exposing truth, reparation, and guarantees of non-repetition. Victims and civil society should participate in drafting and elaborating policies and laws. We call on the Syrian authorities and the Commission on Transitional Justice to focus on the crucial objectives and that the process should be Syrian-led to pave the way for just transition. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:53:09]:

Now there is a video from the Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights.


 [1:53:14]:

President, the report of the Special Rapporteur highlights the importance of documentation of violations of international law as crucial for the successful implementation of transitional justice mechanisms. The Israeli regime has not only been allowed to obstruct documentation, but to continue to perpetrate these violations, denying the Palestinian people their right to reparation for over 77 years of ongoing forced displacement and transfer, colonization, and apartheid. Furthermore, the reparations owed for the Israeli genocide, famine, forced displacement and transfer, willful killing, wanton destruction, and many other crimes committed in the Gaza Strip have been brushed aside and replaced with plans for ethnic cleansing and colonization. Reconstruction alone is not reparations, nor does it ensure non-repetition and allows the Israeli regime to avoid its legal and financial obligations. The deal calls on the Special Rapporteur to articulate what can and must be done by the UN and its member states and organs to ensure that the right to reparation, including voluntary repatriation, property restitution, compensation, and importantly, guarantees of non-repetition owed to the Palestinian people since the start of Israeli crimes in 1948 to the genocide today is fulfilled.

Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:54:43]:

And now another video from the Global Institute for Water, Environment and Health.


 [1:54:49]:

Thank you, Mr. President. We remain gravely concerned about the worsening situation in Sudan, where continued violence and external interference are undermining the path to peace, justice, and sustainable development. The role of the United Arab Emirates in fueling the conflict through supports that prolong hostilities and deepen divisions directly contradicts the principle of truth, justice, reparation, and guarantee of non-recurrence. Such actions not only exacerbate human suffering and displacements, but also erode prospects for reconciliation, inclusive governance, and the realizations of the right to development for the Sudanese people. We urge all actors, in particular the UAE, to end support that sustains arms conflict, and instead contribute constructively to peace efforts, accountability, and dialogue. international community must remain firm in ensuring that external involvement does not undermine Sudan's sovereignty or the right of its people to peace, dignity, and sustainable development. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:55:59]:

Now, this was the last speaker we could accommodate for this dialogue. And now I will give the floor to Mr. Bernard Duhem for his concluding remarks. Sir, you have one minute, I'm sorry.


UN · Special Rapporteur · Bernard Duhaime [1:56:11]:

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like first to thank all the stakeholders who took the floor to address the both reports that I submitted to the Council today. I would like to answer quickly both questions that were formulated, but first by Spain regarding education and training. There are standards that address this, including Minnesota Protocol, Istanbul Protocol, the Mendez Principles, civil society organizations, academia, and so forth are relevant in this field. As far as the current difficulties of documenting violations in Gaza, I think this reiterates the importance of supporting international initiatives, including the independent international commission of investigation of this Human Rights Council, as well as the international judicial initiatives of the ICJ, the ICC, but mostly the initiative of civil society organizations, which are under sanctions as well today. The lack of previous transitional justice initiatives in the region illustrate well why this time transitional justice needs to take place once the conflict has ended, but the conflict needs to end now. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [1:57:20]:

I thank you, sir. So, dear colleagues, this brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue. I want to thank once again Mr. Duham for his participation. And now we'll have a very, very short break before holding the interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the right to development. Okay. Welcome back, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues. We will now begin the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to development. And it is my honor to welcome the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Surya De Silva. And I would very much appreciate you if you are quiet because he's about to present his report. And we should listen to it. So, sir, please, you have the floor.


UN · Special Rapporteur · Surya Deva [2:00:39]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. I'm honored to present to the Human Rights Council my report on nexus between gender equality and the right to development. I'll also be reporting on a country visit to Honduras conducted in November 2024. However, before presenting my report, let me address a serious concern. As the chair of the Coordination Committee of the UN Special Procedures, I condemn strongly the U.S. Government sanctions against my colleague Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory. Sanctioning a Special Rapporteur appointed by the Human Rights Council violates international law and is a direct attack on the integrity of the entire UN human rights system. I call on the Council to denounce these sanctions and request the General Assembly to seek an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on this particular issue. Mr. Vice-President, the right to development is sometimes considered to be in opposition to the achievement of gender equality. The polarization between States championing gender equality and States promoting the right to development reflects that divide. This report seeks to overcome such misconceptions. It elaborates the mutually reinforcing nexus between gender equality and the right to development. The enjoyment of gender equality by girls and women in all their diversity would lead to the realization of their right to development. Conversely, realizing the right to development of girls and women would result in gender equality. Distinguished delegates, gender equality is a cross-cutting foundational human rights that must not fluctuate with changes in the political climate. Despite progress made over the years, girls and women continue to face various forms of discrimination in both private and public spheres due to discriminatory laws, patriarchal norms, and structural barriers. According to the 2024 Gender Snapshot, none of the SDG 5 targets have been met. Women enjoy less than two-thirds of the legal rights available to men. The age of retirement for women is lower than that of men in 62 economies. Women spend 2.5 times more hours than men on unpaid domestic work. Girls and women are also disproportionately affected by poverty, austerity measures, climate change, conflicts, new technologies, and unilateral sanctions. Moreover, women human rights defenders and girls climate activists continue to face sexist attacks in all world regions. These worrying trends must be reversed because girls and women, that is about half of the world's population, cannot realize their economic, social, cultural, and political development unless there is substantive gender equality. Mr. Vice President, gender equality is critical not merely for girls and women. Gender equality is beneficial for all human beings. At the same time, girls and women should not be seen as recipients of empowerment by others. Rather, when girls and women are enabled as agents of change, they can contribute to creating a more inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable world. In a recently published leaflet, I have tried to demystify the right to development. The right to development is a transformative human right because it seeks to address various historical injustices. As the international community commemorates the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, I urge all the states, UN entities, businesses, and other actors to leverage this transformative potential of the right to development to address the root causes of gender inequality. Distinguished delegates, in my report, I highlight five illustrative aspects of the right to development that could be employed to achieve substantive gender equality, namely, the collective dimension of this right, active, free and meaningful participation, fair distribution, intersectionality and international cooperation. These aspects of the right to development can create enabling conditions for girls and women to become change makers. Mr. Vice President, I also have the pleasure to present my report of my country visit to Honduras conducted in November 2024. During the visit, I met with the representatives of several government ministries, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industry associations. I expressed my gratitude to the government of Honduras for its cooperation and to the representatives of various stakeholders for their valuable input. I observe that the Government is committed to embracing a more sustainable and inclusive model of development and has taken some initial steps in this direction, such as the abolition of employment and economic development zones, a ban on extractive exploitation licences, the prohibition of open-pit mining, giving priority to social programmes to address inequality and improve living conditions, providing free meals in schools, and offering solidarity scholarships to low-income students. At the same time, Honduras faces multiple challenges, such as systemic discrimination against Indigenous peoples and Afro-Hondurans, law and order problems, land conflicts, weak environmental governance, climate crisis, attacks against human rights defenders, a high national debt burden, and multiple arbitration claims by foreign investors. In my report, I have made recommendations to operationalize a model of planet-centered participatory development, which balances economic growth with social inclusion and environmental sustainability. For example, the government should take measures to address poverty, socioeconomic disparities, improve access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, and protect human rights defenders. Moreover, the government should strengthen land rights and secure land titles for indigenous communities and develop a national policy on investment governance that provides incentives only to responsible investors. Thank you very much for your kind attention, and I look forward to the interactive dialogue.


HRC · Vice-President [2:07:09]:

I thank you. I should have announced that the list of speakers is open. It will be Shortly it will be closed. But now I will give the floor to the distinguished representative of Honduras, who is having a video intervention.


Honduras [2:07:27]:

Vice President of.

The State of Honduras welcomes the report presented by Mr. Soureya Deba, the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations. We appreciate the opportunity to hold a frank, constructive dialogue that strengthens our actions and public policies aimed at inclusive development that is respectful of human rights and the environment. We recognize that while we have seen meaningful progress in the protection of human rights and in the reduction of inequalities, we still see meaningful challenges in rural areas where the economic and social gap is a priority challenge. The consequences of the coup d'etat of 2009 and the excess of benefits granted business sector in the 12 years and seven months that followed continue to weigh on the factors of impunity and corruption, which are still identified as challenges for the state of Honduras. In this context, the government of President Xiomara Castro, working together with other state institutions, reaffirms the commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights as reflected in the measures adopted since 2022. These are aimed at strengthening the constitutional rule of law, and transforming the development model to one that ensures dignity, equality, and well-being for all people. We thank the Special Rapporteur for having recognized these important efforts made throughout the report. We desire to broaden and strengthen this information presented in the report. As regards the SDGs, Honduras has seen a meaningful reduction in poverty, down to 64% in 2024, down from 74% in 2021. This is a 10%, 10.7% reduction. And reduction in extreme poverty from 66% in 2021 to 52% in 2024. This means a reduction of 13.6%. Turning now to the rights of indigenous peoples and access to land, we have created a technical roundtable for participation of civil society. This is aimed at reforming, bringing reform, and overturning provisions, the undue use of which can lead to the criminalization of human rights defenders. With the technical support of the High Commissioner's Office, as well as the support from different state institutions, the Supreme Court of Justice has taken the steps necessary to create jurisdictional bodies that are specialized in matters of land and the environment. Turning to gender equality, we saw the approval of a geo-referencing tool for the national system for countrywide care. As regards the indigenous peoples and access to land, we saw the creation of an interdisciplinary group of independent experts in Honduras. Their goal is to move forward in the search for comprehensive justice for Berta Caceres, as well as addressing other related crimes, including recommendations on reparations and guarantees of non-repetition. As for SDGs, we see eight hospitals being built strategically around the country with the primary goal of improving access to healthcare for the entirety of the population. 247 municipalities have been declared territories free of illiteracy. That covers 82% of our national territory. The reparation of more than five reparations and repairs rather in more than 5,000 educational centers for a total of 12 of a total of 12,000 some centers have been addressed as they have become abandoned. We have also seen de-fossilization of our energy matrix, with 64% being non-fossil, that is to say, hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal. I would like to conclude by reiterating the commitment of Honduras to international cooperation in human rights. It is for this reason that we maintain an open invitation to all special procedures. We have received in the last four years six visits with this spirit. Then we maintain our will to continue to work together in solidarity with the conclusions and recommendations presented in this report. I thank you kindly.


HRC · Vice-President [2:12:28]:

Okay. And now the list of speakers is closed. And I now invite interested delegations to ask questions to the Special Rapporteur and make comments on his report. I remind you that the speaking time is one minute and 30 seconds for all. I will start with Lithuania to speak on behalf of a group of countries. Please.


Lithuania · Nordic-Baltic States [2:12:53]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. I have the honor to deliver the statement on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States. Mr. Special Rapporteur, development policies must ensure that growth is inclusive, justice is upheld, and no one is left behind. The key principle of the right of development is the full, equal, and meaningful participation and contribution by all groups of society. However, as your recent report highlights, women and girls do not equally enjoy the right to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from economic, social, cultural and political development. They continue to face numerous challenges, being disproportionately affected by poverty, climate change, conflicts, multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and gender digital divide. The harmful practice of child early and forced marriage continues to impact millions of young women and girls. undermining their access to health, education, safety, and comprehensive development. Women and girls are among the most affected by the development policies, yet they remain among the least heard in shaping them. The full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in shaping and implementing development strategies is a necessary condition to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth. Mr. Special Rapporteur, to address gender bias in artificial intelligence systems, What measures should states take towards responsibly governed AI systems that support inclusive development? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:14:21]:

I thank you. Now, Kuwait to speak on behalf of GCC.


Kuwait · GCC [2:14:31]:

Thank you. We would like to renew, this GCC would like to reaffirm its attachment to development as a fundamental right. a human right, we would like to insist that this right should be envisaged in its entirety, with no limitations imposed upon it, as the rapporteur has said. But, Mr. President, we afford the greatest of importance to the autonomy of women, the empowerment of women. This includes protection of women from all forms of violence and access to health and education, ensuring their economic participation in society. For us, the family remains the fundamental unit of society. It's for this reason that we also reject all concepts and all terminology that is not internationally agreed upon to include religious specificities and cultural specificities. We remain firmly committed to equality and the empowerment of women, including with a respect for national sovereignty, cultural and religious specificities, and through international cooperation that is equitable and that allows for a fair distribution of resources.


HRC · Vice-President [2:15:44]:

Thank you. Now the European Union.


EU [2:15:49]:

Thank you, Mr. President. The EU thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report and its focus on the nexus with gender equality. Gender equality is a core value of the EU, enshrined in the Treaty on European Union and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. EU legislation aims to eliminate discrimination based on gender, ensure equal pay for equal work, promote work-life balance, as well as equal participation in decision-making process. thus improving women's economic independence. The EU is fully committed to achieving sustainable and inclusive development and implementing the SDGs and 2030 agenda. The indivisibility, interdependence and universality of all human rights is a cornerstone of human rights system. The right to development, like all human rights, is universally applicable and should be enjoyed equally by all persons, including women and girls, and other persons who have not benefited equally from development. The EU's commitment to gender equality and the full enjoyment of all human rights by all women and girls is unwavering. We prioritize gender equality in our external action. We support women's right and empowerment globally through advocacy, funding, and partnerships. Mr. Special Rapporteur, in your report, you recommend that states and other actors pay attention to the nexus between gender equality and the right to development. How do you see the Council's contribution in this regard? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:17:20]:

I thank you. Now, Pakistan on behalf of OIC.


Pakistan · OIC [2:17:26]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The OIC Group welcomes the Special Rapporteur and thanks him for the presentation of his latest report. The OIC reaffirms its commitment to the realization and enjoyment of the right to development by everyone, everywhere, as half of humanity upholding the right to development of women and girls and ensuring their freedom from all forms of discrimination remains essential for operationalizing this vital human right. We appreciate the report's acknowledgement of this disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women and girls. In illegally occupied Palestinian territory of Gaza, women, girls and children make up nearly two-thirds of those killed in Israel's unceasing genocidal onslaught. Repeated Israeli strikes on medical facilities and critical civilian infrastructure also has a disproportionate impact on the wounded, displaced, and often women and children. Mr. Vice President, the greater integration of the right to development into the international human rights framework remains key upholding the indivisibility, interdependence, and interrelatedness of all human rights. international cooperation, development support, and reform of the international financial architecture as essential pillars in pursuit of all human rights, sustainable development, and meaningful gender equality. The UN Covenant on the Right to Development remains the best way to address deep-seated challenges, including inequalities within and across countries, poverty, malnutrition, food insecurity, and climate change. The Covenant should therefore be adopted without delay. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:19:11]:

Thank you. Please respect the one minute and 30 seconds. Ghana, on behalf of the African Group.


Ghana · Africa Group [2:19:19]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group. The African Group recognizes the importance of an integrated and holistic approach that considers gender equality as an essential component of the right to development. In the world, and particularly in Africa, where half of the population is made-up of women, It's impossible to achieve sustainable development without their full participation and inclusion in all spheres of social, economic and political life. While acknowledging the enormous challenges that persist, African governments have been strengthening their commitment through public policies that advance both the right to development and gender equality. in line with the African Union's Agenda 2030 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Such policies aim to foster inclusive growth, reduce poverty, and enhance human capital, especially among women and youth. Mr. Special Rapporteur, with regard to the recommendations contained in your report, we would appreciate your views on how the United Nations, member states, multilateral institutions, and also the private sector could further reinforce their contributions to ensure the effective implementation of existing and any future international and regional instruments and agendas concerning gender equality and the right to development. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:20:40]:

I thank you. Now, Algeria, on behalf of the Arab Group.


Algeria · Arab Group [2:20:49]:

Thank you, President. I am speaking on behalf of the Arab Group. The Arab Group has taken good note of the report from the Special Rapporteur on the right to development and the link between gender equality and the right to development. We would like to affirm that the right to development is a fundamental right. It is inalienable and it is indivisible. Indeed, gender equality also is part of ensuring these rights. The right to development favors equality. President, development is a comprehensive process. It requires efforts from all stakeholders. Development cannot come in a context of conflict, of war, of human rights violations, because these are elements that hinder the right to development in developing countries. The international community must be able to guarantee technology transfer. and best practices in order to ensure the right to development for all people. Gender equality is part and parcel of the 2030 agenda. It is for this reason that we must bring about this right with a focus on the realities in each country. The Arab Group would like to reaffirm the need for the international community to take measures to support developing countries in their development processes. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:22:19]:

Thank you. Now Venezuela on behalf of a group of countries.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) · Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations [2:22:27]:

Thank you, President. Venezuela has the honor of taking the floor on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations. The Group of Friends affords great importance to the promotion and protection of all human rights. In this context, the right to development we consider to be a universal human right, inalienable right, and the rights of peoples that must enjoy this, particularly as a measure to address the increasing economic inequality and social inequality. This is owed to a large degree of the exploitation of the resources of the South and an international system that focuses on wealth, generating poverty and inequality. Some countries claim to be exceptional and claim the right to dominate other sovereign states, the imposition of unilateral coercive measures. This has become an obstacle to the 2030 agenda. This affects millions of people. It is We have seen progress in this area. However, much road remains to be covered, particularly to adopt an international legally binding instrument on the right to development. The Group of Friends would like to reiterate its determination to actively participate and constructively participate in this process until this inalienable human right is enjoyed by all people of the world, honoring the promise to not leave anyone behind. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:24:02]:

Thank you. Now it's Uganda on behalf of for NAM.


Uganda · NAM [2:24:07]:

Thank you, Vice President. The NAM welcomes the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Mr. Suryadevara. We thank you very much for your report. Again, the NAM expresses the most unrestricted support to your fulfillment of your mandate as a Special Rapporteur. This mandate remains a very important addition to the work of this Council in advancing the right to development, and your current report confirms that. The movement therefore looks forward to the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for the next three years, and we invite this Council to unanimously adopt the resolution on the right to development that will help us realize this. We re-echo the urgent need to make the right to development a reality for everyone, including women, and call upon the OHCHR to prioritize the promotion and protection of the right to development for all our people. In this regard, the NAM calls for the urgent need to adopt a legally binding instrument, the Covenant on the Right to Development, that enhances cooperation among states and sets an enabling environment for states to hold each other accountable in delivering the right to development for all. Once again, Mr. Vice President, the NAM appreciates the participation of the Special Rapporteur and strongly value this interaction that continues to spotlight the importance of the right to development and its close link to the enjoyment of other human rights for all our people. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:25:30]:

Thank you. Djibouti, please.


Djibouti [2:25:35]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

President Djibouti associates itself with the groups to which it belongs, and we thank the Special Rapporteur for this report, which addresses the link between gender equality, the points of view of girls and women, and the enjoyment of the rights to development, underscoring certain aspects of this that can contribute to real equality between men and women in society. My delegation takes note of your evaluation and your evaluation of international instruments in human rights and the right to development and the primary obstacles to true equality between men and women. Djibouti affords great importance to the need to afford particular importance to groups living in vulnerability, particularly women and girls, in order to respect the right to development. Djibouti believes that the acceleration of policies favoring inclusion empowerment and the effective participation of women and girls in society require mechanisms to support this process and the establishment of standards based on equality and equity. You underscore in your report that international cooperation is an essential principle for the right to development. In what way might this international cooperation be strengthened in order to become a pillar of social transformation promoting the equality between men and women. I thank you kindly.


HRC · Vice-President [2:27:00]:

Thank you.

I now give the floor to the representative of the UNDP.


UNDP [2:27:05]:

Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President. Thank you for the report. UNDP welcomes this very timely report, reinforcing the link between gender equality and the right to development. It also arrives at a very pivotal moment, 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and 25 years of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. For UNDP, gender equality is an accelerator of system change and ensures that investments in governance, climate resilience, peace and prosperity deliver inclusive, sustainable results. It is central to unlocking development and lies at the heart of our mission. But despite strong evidence that investing in gender equality is transformative for development outcomes, progress remains slow and uneven. It is undermined by compounding crisis, democratic backsliding, declining trust in institutions, erosion of rule of law, social unrest, economic inequality, and rollbacks on women's rights. Development stands on the edge with many being left behind and hard-won gains at risk. In our strategic plan 2026-29, we stand firm. We are sharpening our focus and responding to member states' call, accelerate gender equality. By integrating gender equality into fiscal reforms, helping to expand care systems, digital transformation, and gender-responsive green transitions, UNDP aims to generate multiplier effects that reduce poverty faster, strengthen institutions, and expand opportunities for all. The cost of inaction is staggering. Gender inequality drains $10 trillion from the global economy annually. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [2:28:39]:

Thank you. India, please.


India [2:28:44]:

Indian delegation takes note with appreciation the report of the Special Rapporteur focusing on the nexus between gender equality and the right to development. Government of India remains committed to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment through comprehensive social, educational, economic and safety measures. Reserving one third of seats in the lower house of the Parliament and state legislative assemblies for women marks a historic step in political empowerment. Inclusive learning environment is promoted through flagship initiatives such as Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child, and is supported through the National Education Policy 2020, which prioritizes equitable access of girls to quality education. On economic empowerment, women's employability and entrepreneurship are strengthened through various initiatives such as the Skill India Mission, vocational training institutes, and labor law reforms. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act ensures a minimum one-third participation of women in rural employment. Safety and protection are addressed through robust legal measures, including the reform of criminal laws, Domestic Violence Act, Dowry Prevention Act, and the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, complemented by Fast Track Special Court. Mr. Vice President, India remains firmly committed to the effective implementation of the right to development and will continue to support the activities of the Special Rapporteur. And lastly, Excellencies and distinguished delegates, we look forward to your participation in the side event on gender equality and the right to development, strengthening the alliance, organized by the Permanent Missions of India, Kenya, Mexico, Spain, and Thailand, and the SR on the RTD. The event will take place on Friday, 12 September 2025, at 2:00 PM in room 7. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:30:21]:

Thank you. Malawi, please.


Malawi [2:30:25]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Malawi aligns itself with the statement of the African group and welcomes the Special Rapporteur's report. Malawi concurs with the central message that gender equality and the right to development are mutually reinforcing. Without gender equality, the right to development cannot be fully realized, and conversely, realizing the right to development creates conditions for substantive gender equality. At the national level, Malawi continues to implement the Gender Equality Act and has taken steps to empower women and girls through targeted agricultural support, women's cooperatives, provision of technical and vocational training, and social protection programs that benefit female-headed households. Malawi has also prioritized women's participation in decision-making. However, we recognize that persistent challenges, including structural inequalities, the effects of climate change, and limited resources, continue to hinder progress. Malawi therefore echoes the Special Rapporteur's call for greater international cooperation, including development assistance, technology transfer, to accelerate gender equality. Malawi believes that treating women and girls as agents of change is essential for building an inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable societies. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:31:39]:

I thank you. Mozambique.


Mozambique [2:31:43]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. Mozambique thanks the Special Rapporteur for his insightful report, which highlights the vital link between gender equality and the right to development. We fully agree that gender equality and the right to development are mutually reinforcing, as the lack of equality hinders the realization of economic, social, cultural and political rights. while progress in these areas advance gender equality. In Mozambique, advancing gender equality is central to our national development priorities. We implementing gender sensitive policy, immediate increasing women participation in political and economic decision making, promoting equitable access to quality education and health care, and expanding opportunities for women and girls in rural and urban areas alike. We are also working to strengthen legal frameworks and community initiatives that address gender-based violence and empower women as drivers of sustainable development. Mr. President, Mozambique calls for strong international cooperation and solidarity, especially in supporting countries of the Global South to achieve gender-responsive development. To conclude, we once again thank the Special Rapporteur for his work and reaffirm Mozambique's commitment to continuing this important dialogue. Thank you, Mr. Vice-President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:33:11]:

Thank you. Uganda.


Uganda [2:33:14]:

Mr. President, Uganda aligns with the statements of the NAM. We extend our appreciation to the Special Rapporteur and support the mandate for their work. We appreciate the report's acknowledgment of the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women and girls. The right to development is a fundamental human right and is an integral pillar to the enjoyment of all other rights. Issues of poverty, underdevelopment, marginalization, and political instability cannot be divorced from meaningful discussion relating to human rights, and we applaud the Special Rapporteur for his report and continued highlights to the key issues that inform the right to development. And on this premise, we invite all states to finalize the covenant on the right to development that will pave a legal path and responsibilities for states to collectively and individually ensure promotion and protection of the right to development. Finally, Uganda reassures the rapporteur of our support and reiterates our commitment in the promotion of the right to development for our people. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:34:43]:

Thank you, Sri Lanka.


Sri Lanka [2:34:48]:

Mr. Vice President, Sri Lanka welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to development. Its comprehensive approach and recommendations closely align with the actions being carried out by the government to achieve gender equality. Sri Lanka is concerned that none of the targets of SDG 5 have been met, with only five years down the road to 2030. Mr. Vice President. Sri Lanka has a separate ministry for women and child affairs, and a wide range of legal, policy, and institutional framework are in the place to advance their rights, including an inter-ministerial mechanism to take follow-up on the action recommendations of the CEDAW Committee. Women in Parliament in Sri Lanka has increased in the 2024 election, and the government is committed to increase women's political participation by 50% by making necessary structural and social reforms. Mr. Vice President, Sri Lanka experiences most challenging economic period in recent times, compounded by the cumulative effect of global crisis. Special empowerment measures are introduced for women, while social protection measures are strengthened as they play a crucial role in economic recovery and stabilization in Sri Lanka. In conclusion, Sri Lanka reaffirms its commitment to achieving gender equality through empowerment of women and elimination of all discriminated barriers and challenges, ensuring their active contribution towards the achievement of a fair and inclusive society and sustainable economic growth in the country. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:36:23]:

Thank you. UNFPA.


UNFPA [2:36:26]:

Vice President, UNFPA concurs with the Special Rapporteur that without gender equality, the right to development cannot be realized. Patriarchal social norms and cultural barriers, discrimination within the family, discriminatory laws, limited access to education, neglected sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls, the digital divide and poverty continue to undermine gender equality and sustainable development. Building on the rapporteur's framework to unlock the transformative potential of the right to development to achieve gender equality, UNFPA works alongside governments, women's and youth-led organizations and community actors to change negative social norms that perpetuate intersectional discrimination. Moreover, the promotion of measures to safeguard the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and women is central to the vision set forth by member states in the ICPD Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This requires an array of deliberate measures enabling women to make autonomous decisions concerning what happens to their bodies, lives and futures, and have the information, services and means to do so free from discrimination, coercion and violence. Access to comprehensive sexuality education is vital to inform decision making and empowerment of women and girls. The right to development and sexual and reproductive health and rights converge in promoting self-determination from our bodies to our households, communities, and nations. UNFPA stands ready to support governments in unlocking the potential of the right to development towards achieving gender equality and sustainable growth. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:37:58]:

Thank you. UN Women.


UN Women [2:38:01]:

Mr. Vice President, UN Women welcomes the Special Rapporteur's focus on gender equality. We are pleased to have contributed to the report's development, its highlighting of WEPs and other key efforts from UN Women on financing for development that enhances all women's and girls' rights. This month, UN Women and UNDSA will launch the 2025 Gender Snapshot, the world's leading source of data on gender equality. With only five years remaining to deliver the 2030 agenda, the data is clear. Without bold investment, hundreds of millions of women and girls will remain in extreme poverty, and SDG 5 will remain unmet. The Beijing+30 Action Agenda, launched in Geneva by the Gender Advisory Board of the HRC on Monday, encourages member states to prioritize actions that accelerate concrete investments in gender equality and empowerment of women and girls by 2030. The agenda identifies six priority areas, a digital revolution, freedom from poverty, zero violence, full and equal decision-making power, peace and security, climate justice, and a seventh cross-cutting emphasis on youth. Today, more than 80 member states have submitted over 140 priority actions to the Beijing+30 agenda, and we will formally announce the national actions at the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Beijing+30 to be held on 22 September 2025. We stand ready to work with you to make the ambitions of the Beijing Declaration a reality for all women and girls everywhere. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:39:31]:

Thank you.

Venezuela.


Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) [2:39:38]:

Thank you. Vice President, we appreciate the report from the Special Rapporteur. We reiterate our firm commitment to support mandate and we value the content and the conclusions, recommendations. We underscore the mentions in the report to policies, public policies implemented in Venezuela. for gender equality and the right to development. We underscore the implementation of social programs such as the great mission for Venezuelan women with variables such as ethnicity, class, disability, and the mothers of the neighborhood mission, which focuses on indigenous women, Afro-Surinamese women, working with different social groups for local policy design that is inclusive. Venezuela also has reported on the broadening of the aggressions from the government of the United States, which has been escalating in recent years with unilateral coercive measures that has campaigns to discredit our system and also with a lack of recognition of our legitimate institutions. There have also been a threat of deployment of forces of military forces in the Caribbean. We appreciate the report, and we urge states to abstain from unilateral coercive measures, and we urge that there be measures taken to reject threats of use of force against territorial integrity and political independence of any state that puts into danger the human rights and full enjoyment thereof, particularly for the development of our people. Thank you very much.


HRC · Vice-President [2:41:10]:

Thank you. Nepal.


Nepal [2:41:14]:

Mr. Vice President, Nepal thanks the Special Rapporteur for the report and condemns his efforts to advance the right to development. We believe right to development is fundamental to achieving sustainable development and fostering equal opportunities for all. Nepal's constitution enshrines the right to development as a fundamental right. We place priority to inclusive growth, social justice, poverty reduction, and the empowerment of all sections of society, particularly the marginalized and vulnerable groups. Mr. Vice President, the structural barriers in trade, finance, technology transfer, and the impacts of climate change hinder the realization of right to development for all, primarily the LDCs. Therefore, we call for a strong and robust development cooperation and access to finance. We also call for the effective operationalization of the UN Declaration on the Rights to Development and enhanced support for countries in special situations. I thank you, Mr. Vice President.


HRC · Vice-President [2:42:25]:

Thank you. Kenya.


Kenya [2:42:28]:

the Vice President, as we mark 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and approach the Agenda 2030 mark, Kenya thanks, Sarah, for this illuminating report that affirms gender equality and the right to development as mutually reinforcing. Our constitution guarantees equality, and Kenya has taken key measures, including the two-thirds gender principle, gender-responsive budgeting, and the Women Enterprise Fund, which seek to expand women's participation in politics, access to finance, and support entrepreneurship. Women are driving progress in Kenya, not only in parliament and government, but also across peace building, the green and care economies, and climate resilience, where women innovators and cooperatives are vital to sustainable development. Kenyan women's active roles in mediation and community resilience, especially in the Horn of Africa, embody the principle that women and girls are dynamic agents of growth, peace, and sustainability. Yet challenges remain, and we echo the SR's call for global solidarity to close gender gaps through cooperation, invest in gender-responsive public services and climate finance, and ensure women's full participation in global decision-making processes. SR, in this regard, we reiterate our call for strengthened international cooperation and political will to advance consensus on normative clarity and implementation mechanisms for the right to development. We must elevate it beyond rhetoric to concrete legal and policy actions that empower women and that facilitate women and girls as agents of change in their societies. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:44:01]:

Thank you, Mali.


Mali [2:44:07]:

Thank you, Vice-President. Mali aligns itself with the statements made by its groups and thanks the Special Rapporteur for presenting the report on links between gender equality and the right to development. My delegation of the scores, gender equality is a major issue for development. Its absence has direct impact on economic, social, cultural, development and politics and is at the origins of various inequalities, notably education, healthcare, justice, jobs, access to land and important official positions. In the framework of shoring up gender equality, we introduced a roadmap starting 2024, integrating effectively gender issue in elections, this was a major step towards moving towards a more egalitarian, inclusive society. This is why we believe it is useful to have active, free and constructive participation by women and girls in decision making, in developing policies that are more capable of boosting parameters linked to gender equality, notably as regards the right to development, the SDGs, annual budgets, climate change, conflicts, new technologies. trade and investment agreements and public debt.


HRC · Vice-President [2:45:24]:

I thank you.


Egypt [2:45:28]:

I thank you and recognize Egypt.

Vice President, the delegation of Egypt welcomes the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development and we take note of the report that reflects on the nexus between the right to development and gender equality. Women is a driver of development and transformation towards a peaceful and inclusive society, including ensuring gender equality is not confined to sustainable development goals, but it is one of the pillars for the implementation of human rights. In this respect, Egypt is keen on empowering women, promoting their decision-making as a partner in building of society and its renaissance, and we have provisions to ensure discrimination against women and to ensure representation in public life in order to achieve inclusive or comprehensive development. And in view of growing geopolitical tensions that affect the fruits of development and the implementation of human rights, especially in the occupied Palestinian territories, we agree with the report that there is a need to promote the role of institutions to prevent violations of human rights against women and girls and to hold to account those responsible for these violations. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:46:47]:

Thank you. Uh, merci, uh, Luxembourg.

Thank you. I recognize Luxembourg.


Luxembourg [2:46:52]:

Vice President, Luxembourg aligns itself with the statement by the European Union. We thank the Special Rapporteur for the report, as well as the recommendations. In your report, you underscore, quite rightly, the universal, indivisible, interdependent nature of all human rights, which mutually shore up each other, whether they are economic, social, cultural, civil or political. States have the responsibility of respecting, protecting and implementing all human rights in compliance with their commitments under international law. in order that the enjoyment of the right to development becomes a reality in the lives of everyone, men and women, individually and collectively. We, this year, celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Declaration of the Beijing Programme of Action, which establishes a fundamental bond between progress and empowerment of women and sustainable development. However, we must note that progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular number five on gender equality, remains insufficient across the world. Special Rapporteur, in your report, you recommend mobilizing tools and international cooperation, as well as development aid, to achieve genuine gender equality. Women and girls should be involved actively as participants in implementing their rights? How can we guarantee that intersectional approaches and efforts aimed at achieving gender equality remain at the very heart of international cooperation and our hearts to achieve the Agenda 2030? Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:48:39]:

Thank you. I recognize Malaysia.


Malaysia [2:48:41]:

Mr. Vice President, Malaysia thanks the Special Rapporteur for his report. We concur that the right to development cannot be fully realized without gender equality, and that progress in one will naturally advance the other. We appreciate the recognition reflected in the report of Malaysia's effort, including the expansion of maternity and paternity leave, protections for pregnant women, as well as measures on equal pay and women's access to employment opportunities. These reforms underscore Malaysia's commitment to enabling the equal participation of both women and in national development. Looking ahead, the 13th Malaysia Plan under the Madani vision incorporates gender responsive policy across our development agenda. This includes raising women's labor force participation to 60%, narrowing the wage gap, strengthening childcare support, and promoting women's leadership. The plan also adopts a needs-based approach and extending support to marginalized groups. Malaysia reaffirms that advancing gender equality is not only a national priority, but also integral to achieving inclusive, peaceful and sustainable development in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:49:59]:

Thank you. Vietnam.


Viet Nam [2:50:02]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We thank the Special Rapporteur for his comprehensive report. We share the view that gender equality and the right to development are mutually reinforcing and dispensable for achieving sustainable development. This year, as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 10th anniversary of the 2030 Agenda, we reaffirm our commitment to their full and accelerated implementation. Mr. Vice President, gender inequality remains a structural barrier to the realization of the right to development. Addressing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination is essential to leave no one behind. We believe priority should be given to ensuring full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in decision-making, advancing their leadership in science, technology, and digital transformation, strengthening their role in peace and security processes and climate action, and promoting gender-responsive capacity building to support national implementation. Mr. Special Rapporteur, how can international cooperation best support developing countries in overcoming barriers to gender equality and integrating women's perspectives systematically into peaceful building, climate action, and digital transformation? I thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:51:35]:

Thank you. Eritrea, please.


Eritrea [2:51:39]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Eritrea expresses its appreciation to the special repertoire for highlighting the critical synergy between gender equality and the right to development. We affirmed enabling that enabling women and girls as agents of change is foundational to building inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable development. In Eritrea, this nexus is reflected in tangible progress. Education is guaranteed as a fundamental right and is provided free of charge from primary to higher education. Girls now nearly achieve parity in secondary schools, constituting almost half of all 12th grade students. Over three decades, Eritrean women have shattered outdated norms, excelling as health care professionals, community health workers, and educators, while also playing vital roles in agriculture, engineering, mining, and sports. These gains reflect not only policy, but also a broader cultural transformation, progressive laws, community awareness, and affirmative measures have created an enabling environment to allow women to fully participate as equals in all spheres of life. Therefore, Eritrea reiterates that gender equality is not merely a desired outcome, but a strategic pathway to realizing the right to development. Empowering women through education, inclusion, and recognition reinforces our collective progress. Eritrea remains firmly committed to advancing this agenda and to constructive engagement within this Council.

Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:52:57]:

Thank you. I will stop here with the list, because we are approaching 6:00 p.m., and I will invite the Special Rapporteur to have his intermediary remarks before closing the session. So, Mr. De Waal, please, you have the floor.


UN · Special Rapporteur · Surya Deva [2:53:17]:

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. At the outset, I would like to thank all the delegations for their appreciation of the report and all the questions and comments. I gather that there is almost unanimity in terms of appreciating the nexus that the report tries to make between gender equality and the right to development. So in my remarks, I would like to deal with some specific questions that were posed by different delegations. So let me do that. But before I do that, I also want to acknowledge the appreciation of the Government of Honduras for the country visit. We had a very good cooperation. And what I appreciated is the openness of the government to move towards a model of development which is more inclusive and sustainable, and try to rectify some of the past mistakes. And I will be visiting Germany in November, and I look forward to similar collaboration with the government of Germany. And of course, that is also an invitation to other governments to consider inviting for the country visit. So let me start with the delegation of Lithuania, gender bias in artificial intelligence. There are several things that can be done. One is the participation of girls and women in all these processes of data and system management. Because what we see is that women are not having adequate equal representation in STEM courses, for instance. So if AI tools are developed by males, Especially those males who are not gender responsive and gender sensitive, then the bias is going to be reflected. So I think we need to start, uh, the full life cycle approach of any technology that has to be gender responsive and that applies to AI as well. I want to reflect briefly the observations made by Kuwait. I think we should have more bilateral conversation. I'll welcome that opportunity because in my report, I do not place any limitations whatsoever on the right to development. Rather, what I'm trying to highlight is that the right to development should be seen as a holistic right, focusing on economic, social, political, and cultural development. And of course, the focus of this report was on gender equality and the right to development nexus. I understand there are sensitivities in relation to culture, language, and religion in certain countries, certain regions. But in my view, those sensitivities can be used to promote gender equality. I give a very concrete example. When we meet each other in different parts of the world, there are different ways to greet each other. That is diversity. We don't need to make it universal that we have to follow one particular way of greeting each other. And this diversity can be respected and can be used to promote the equality and dignified existence of everyone. There was a question from EU delegation about the role of Human Rights Council in this nexus, and I suggest that Human Rights Council, one key role it can play is build bridges and alliances, because often In the world, we have too much polarization, and on matters of gender equality, and I would add on right to development, there should not be any polarization. And my report tried to show that, that we need to break those barriers and boundaries, and we need to work together to create a world in which no one is left behind. In relation to the question from Ghana, what UN agencies, states, businesses, and others can do in integrating gender equality in regional and international processes, I suggest that whenever we are developing any national plans, regional plans, gender equality should be a cross-cutting issue in all these processes. But I will suggest that it is not merely about right to development. Any process, whether it is about climate change, migration, technologies, or anything else, sustainable development goals, we should try to integrate gender equality as a cross-cutting issue in all these processes. For instance, ASEAN is developing a declaration on the right to development and peace, and I hope it will be adopted next month, so we can apply a gender approach to that ASEAN declaration. We are having African Commission developing a general comment on the right to development so gender equality can be integrated in the drafting and in the interpretation of the general comment going forward. Uganda, I appreciate what you mentioned, that the mandate should be renewed by consensus. As delegates may appreciate, in the last two and a half years, that is what I have tried to do, to build bridges, to build consensus. a normatively sound interpretation of right to development, but without compromising the key elements of the right to development. I understand I should pause here, and the other questions, I take note of it, and I will try to respond to these questions on Friday morning, but I appreciate everyone for engaging with the report. Thank you.


HRC · Vice-President [2:58:42]:

Thank you. So, dear colleagues, I have been informed that the delegation of Timor-Leste has requested to be inscribed to speak for this dialogue after the list of speaker had closed. And if I see no objection and in accordance with the established practice, I will allow the delegation to be added to the list of speakers. Any objection to it? I can see none. So, the Timor-Leste will be included on the list of speakers. So, this brings us to the end of today's meeting. We will reconvene Friday. Please, tomorrow stay home. 00 a.m. to continue the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development and to begin the interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, to be followed by the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. So I declare hereby the sixth meeting of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council closed. Good evening. Okay.