The United Nations Human Rights Council resumed its session on Monday, three months after it was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The 43rd session, which will run through Friday, is being held at United Nations headquarters in Geneva.
Since the HRC session was suspended on March 13, the council has since staged several virtual discussions, including one in April focused on the COVID-19 crisis on human rights.
Monday, the council was scheduled to debate "human rights bodies and mechanisms" and consider reports by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about Palestinian human rights and rights in "other occupied Arab territories."
The renewed session and discussion of Palestinian human rights comes amid plans by Israel to annex parts of the West Bank, which have been condemned by Palestinian leaders.
Wednesday and Thursday, the council will hold discussions on a U.N. plan of action to combat racism, discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance worldwide.
The council said it will also stage talks on human rights challenges in Ukraine, Libya, Afghanistan and Mali, and high-level dialogue on rights in the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo. The OHCHR said this month about 1,300 civilian Congolese have died in the past eight months due to attacks by government and opposition forces.
That report cited violence in the Congolese provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, where armed groups and government forces have been accused of war crimes and other violations.
Thursday and Friday, the council will act on decisions and resolutions and conclude the 43rd session. The 44th session, originally scheduled to begin Monday, will instead open a week later on June 22. The 45th session is scheduled for September.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
