GANHRI priorities at the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council
From 7 September to 7 October 2026, GANHRI together with its members will take part in the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC63), held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Resolution on NHRIs
A highlight of this session will be the presentation of the resolution on National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), led by Australia, together with Timor-Leste. During HRC63 Organisational Meeting in August 2026, Australia noted that, “NHRIs are among the most important actors and independent voices for the promotion and protection of human rights. They bridge the gap between international human rights standards and implementation on the ground, empowering individuals to understand and exercise their human rights and contributing to the work of the Council, and the broader multilateral human rights system.”
With civic space under growing pressure, having strong, independent and adequately resourced NHRIs matters more than ever. This resolution is a key part of keeping NHRIs able to respond to current and emerging human rights challenges. This year’s text will focus on their role in promoting and protecting human rights in digital space.
Key thematic discussions
Through its four weeks HRC63 will cover a wide-ranging agenda.
The Council will hold a panel discussion on progress, challenges and opportunities in promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities (9 September), followed by a biennial panel commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development (11 September) and a high-level panel will mark the 15th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human rights Education and Training (15 September).
On 17 September, the Council will hold a high-level panel on the 60th anniversary of the International Covenants on Human Rights, looking at the universality, indivisibility, and interdependence of all human rights, where GANHRI will call for stronger implementation of the Covenants
Later in the session, the Council’s annual panel on the rights of Indigenous Peoples will look at their rights and engagement under the Convention for the Protection of the World cultural and Natural Heritage (23 September).The Council will also hold its annual discussion on integrating a gender perspective throughout its work, this year focused on moving from gender stereotypes to structural discrimination (29 September). GANHRI will call for stronger NHRI mandates and resources to monitor and address gender stereotyping.
Alongside these panels, the Council will hold dozens of interactive dialogues with special procedure mandate holders and human rights bodies on both thematic issues and country situations. States will also adopt the outcome reports of the UPR working group session, covering Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Palau, Paraguay, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Somalia.
Secretary-General’s report on NHRIs: good practices, real impact
Published ahead of the session, UN Secretary-General’s report on NHRIs brings together concrete examples of how institutions are advancing human rights on the ground, with cases drawn from all four of GANHRI’s regions. Some of the examples below illustrate the breadth of their work.
Morocco’s Conseil national des droits de l’Homme, for instance, ran a 12-region awareness campaign on tech-facilitated violence against women and girls, while also supporting a child-led alternative report to the Committee on the Rights. During Costa Rica’s 2026 elections, the Defensoría de los Habitantes deployed 425 youth observers to polling stations, with a particular focus on the rights of older persons, persons with disabilities and persons deprived of liberty. The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, meanwhile, partnered with the Bureau of Corrections to process more than 400 requests from persons deprived of liberty, seeking access to records, parole or clemency. In Croatia, the Ombudswoman’s recommendations on adequate housing and rental market regulation helped shape the country’s 2025 national housing policy plan.
GANHRI ‘s engagement priorities
On the rights of older persons, GANHRI will engage with the report of the Independent Expert on cognitive impairment and the continuing exercise of the human rights of older persons. This builds on our ongoing engagement in the Intergovernmental Working Group on Older Persons. GANHRI took part in the organizational meeting and first drafting session earlier year, advocating for NHRIs to have a clear role in shaping the future international instrument.
GANHRI will engage with the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) during the discussion of its annual report, including the study on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in conflict and post-conflict situations GANHRI will also participate in the dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples on historical and contemporary violations of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of Indigenous women and girls.
During the interactive dialogue on the Secretary-General’s report on cooperation with the UN, GANHRI will address reprisals against NHRIs and human rights defenders. Threats and intimidation against NHRIs, defenders, and civil society actors remain a source of serious concern, undermining their ability to operate independently and cooperate safely with international human rights mechanisms.
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Editorial note: GANHRI Head Office provides support for member institutions wishing to engage with HRC63. Further information on the session, including reports and documentation, is available on the OHCHR website. Opportunities for NHRI engagement can be found here, and proceedings can be followed online at UN Web TV.