Key votes during the 59th UN Human Rights Council

During the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which convened in Geneva from June 16 to July 9, a total of 25 resolutions and one decision were adopted. Nineteen resolutions (76%) were adopted by consensus and six after a vote. However, a resolution that sought to discontinue the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea was rejected after a vote. Women's rights, as well as issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, were central themes of the Council's June sessions. Several texts were adopted by consensus, such as the mandate of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls and a first dedicated resolution on female genital mutilation (FGM). On the other hand, the extension of the mandate of the Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) was put to a vote again. Other texts that required a vote included a text on supporting Ukraine in the field of human rights and on access to medicines, vaccines, and other health products, an issue that also caused controversy at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) and in the debates on the so-called system for access to and equitable sharing of benefits from pandemic-relevant materials and data, or “PABS” for short.