The 57th session of the Human Rights Council commenced on Monday, 9 September, and will run until 11 October. The Czech Republic will continue to actively engage as an observer in discussions on priority human rights issues. The Czech Republic will present its national position in the general debate under items 2 and 4 and in the interactive dialogues on Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Moreover, it will engage in interactive dialogues on economic, social and cultural rights.

Approximately 40 resolutions will be discussed and adopted by the Council either by consensus or by vote at the end of the session. Together with the Kingdom of Netherlands, Botswana, Indonesia and Peru, the Czech Republic will table a resolution on equal participation in political and public affairs. Participation together with the freedom of assembly and association are cornerstones of the Czech foreign human rights policy. Within the EU27, the Czech Republic is co-authoring resolutions on the human rights situation in Afghanistan and Burundi and a resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on climate change. The latter resolution is co-authored by the Marshall Islands, Bahamas, Fiji, Panama, Paraguay and Sudan.

During the five weeks’ session, the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the UN in Geneva is co-organising side events on child participation and the human rights situation in Crimea.