EU introduces five resolutions at the 49th session of the Human Rights Council

The Human Rights Council adopted today five resolutions introduced by the European Union:

Myanmar: The recent reports of the High Commissioner and Special Rapporteur on Myanmar  provide a harrowing account of the human rights situation in Myanmar, and the downward spiral of violence in the country since the coup of February last year. The resolution led by the EU condemns in the strongest terms the military coup and the violence and repression inflicted by the military on the people of Myanmar. The resolution also calls for accountability for all past and present human rights violations, that have been perpetrated by the Myanmar military and security forces and expresses its strong support for ongoing efforts by the Independent Investigative mechanism for Myanmar, the ICC and the ICJ.  In addition, it calls for the free, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all persons in need and an immediate halt of these blatant violations of international humanitarian law. Finally, the resolution urges all countries to halt all arms transfers to Myanmar to prevent the Myanmar military from inflicting further violence on its population.

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Belarus: One year ago, the Human Rights Council, deeply concerned about the rapid deterioration of the human rights situation in Belarus in connection with the 2020 presidential election, established a mandate of the High Commissioner with assistance of independent experts to carry out a comprehensive examination of alleged grave human rights violations to contribute to accountability for perpetrators and justice for victims. The scale and severity of the human rights violations reported by the High Commissioner and the further escalation on the ground deepened our concerns. The number of arbitrary detentions and arrests of peaceful protesters reached an unprecedented scale. Almost 40,000 people have spent time in detention since 2020 because of exercising their human rights. Belarus currently holds around 1100 political prisoners and continues with the mass eradication of independent media and civil society and politically motivated repressions. We are shocked by the widespread and systematic use of force, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by the Belarussian authorities against the protesters and persons detained. Consequently, thousands of people have already been forced to flee the country to avoid persecution. The resolution presented by the EU at HRC49 extends the High Commissioner’s mandate with assistance from the three appointed experts for another year to continue investigating violations committed in the context of the 2020 presidential elections and in its aftermath, to facilitate holding those responsible fully accountable and bringing justice for victims. Given the scale and severity of the human rights violations committed in Belarus in connection with the 2020 presidential election and in its aftermath and the total lack of accountability, it is indispensable that the Council continues its scrutiny with a robust mechanism, which has already proved to be able to carry out a comprehensive examination. Its investigations are also vital for further assessment of evidence from the perspective of applicable international criminal law.

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DPRK: The EU has been at the forefront of bringing the human rights situation in the DPRK to the attention of the Human Rights Council for eighteen years now, starting with the creation of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and later with the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry, which released its landmark report eight years ago. Building on its findings, the EU has led efforts to contribute to accountability for human rights violations in the DPRK, notably through the work of the dedicated accountability team of the Office of the High Commissioner in Seoul, including the establishment of a central repository of information and evidence. We remain deeply concerned by the human rights situation in the DPRK, with on-going, systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations, some of which may amount to crimes against humanity. The Special Rapporteur further highlighted this in his report presented earlier in this session. The need for accountability was reflected in the oral update of the High Commissioner, presented by the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights. The resolution presented by the EU aims to address the most pertinent issues related to the human rights situation in the DPRK. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resolution urges the government of the DPRK to allow access for international staff and to cooperate with the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator initiative and its COVAX facility to ensure the timely delivery and equitable distribution of vaccines. It also stresses again the increasing urgency of the issues of abductees as well as that of separated families, bearing in mind that those involved are aging. Furthermore, the resolution includes the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for one year and requests that the High Commissioner provides a full report to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-second session that will include additional options for strengthening, institutionalising, and further advancing the work on accountability in the DPRK.

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Rights of the child: Millions of children are on the move, both within and between countries, with or without their parents. Russia’s illegal military aggression against Ukraine alone has caused against Ukraine has caused 2 million refugee children and 2,5 million children to internally displace within their country. The resolution stresses that all unaccompanied children and children separated from their families due to climate change, armed conflict, humanitarian and other disasters, or for their own protection, should have their rights upheld without discrimination of any kind, including by family reunification procedures. The resolution also highlights the importance of acknowledging the gender dimensions that are at play in the context of migration and family reunification. Girls separated from their caretakers are at greater risk of various forms of discrimination, violence, exploitation and abuse. More adolescent boys than girls are however living without parental care due to preconceived gender stereotypes and gender roles. Family reunification procedures need to be gender-responsive in order – inter alia – to ensure that boys are considered for reunification on an equal basis with girls and that all children receive the adequate protection measures and services to address the trauma and violence that they might have suffered on their journeys. Ensuring non-discrimination for children with disabilities and substantive equality for girls with disabilities requires providing reasonable accommodation measures and individual support, considering the whole of the person's situation and identity. The resolution calls on States to undertake disability responsive measures.

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Freedom of Religion or Belief: We continue to bring this resolution annually to the Human Rights Council because the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief remains a major priority for the European Union. The EU is a staunch advocate of all aspects of FoRB, including the right not to believe and the right to change, manifest and practice one’s religion or belief. The free exercise of the right to freedom of religion or belief directly contributes to democracy, development, rule of law, peace and stability. The resolution extends the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on FORB for three years.

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The EU also fully supported resolutions introduced by other countries, including on the role of states in countering the negative impact of disinformation on human rights, a resolution on Human Rights Defenders, a resolution on the situation of human rights in South Sudan, a resolution on protection and promotion of human rights in Nicaragua, a resolution on the rights of persons belonging to minorities, a resolution on the situation of human rights in Iran, a resolution of human rights in Syria and a resolution on cooperation with Georgia.

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