46th UNHRC Sessions commence

Colombo (News 1st): The 46th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council began earlier today (22) in Geneva and will run until the 19th of March. This year, in contrast to others the sessions will be held virtually owing to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. Nazhat Shameen Khan, the President of the Human Right Council kicked off the session and was followed by opening remarks from the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights. " I commend the human rights decision to report on systemic racism, accountability and redress, and responses to peaceful anti-racism protests and look forward to concrete action. We must also place a special focus on safeguarding the rights of the minority communities, many of whom are under threat around the world", Antonio Guterres the UN Secretary-General expressed in his opening remarks. "Of course, there are a number of extremely concerning county situations, some of them very prolonged and this is where the human rights council and its mechanisms are so vital in raising awareness, protecting people, maintaining dialogue and finding solutions", he added. UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called on member countries to assess their own human rights records. Delivering his speech at the high-level segment, Dominic Raab, the First Secretary of State and Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the UK said, " finally we will continue to lead action in this Council: On Syria, as we do at each session; on South Sudan; and on Sri Lanka, where we will present a new resolution to maintain the focus on reconciliation and on accountability. Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena is expected to deliver his speech at the session tomorrow (23). The discussion on the UN High Commissioner's report on Sri Lanka will be taken up on Thursday the 25th of February.