The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council approved today (28) the holding of a debate on the war between Russia and Ukraine. The session will take place next Thursday (3) in Geneva (Switzerland).
Requested by the Ukrainian delegation, the debate was approved by 29 votes in favour, five against and 13 abstentions. Brazil voted in favor of the proposal. Among the votes against are Russia, China and Cuba.
In a speech, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, called for “the rights and aspirations of the world’s population to be placed at the center” of the debates. According to her, there are no winners or losers in the current situation, and the clashes are creating “humanitarian needs on a scale that exceeds the existing capacity to provide assistance”.
Bachelet recalled that the UN Charter must be respected and called on the Human Rights Council to do more to prevent conflicts and crises. She also asked member countries to overcome polarization, discuss differences and unite to advance the fundamental rights of all human beings.
UN Secretary-General Antônio Guterres sent a message highlighting that human rights are under attack across the planet, with “autocracies on the rise” and “populism, nativism, racism and extremism undermining societies. Guterres was due to attend the Human Rights Council session in Geneva, but canceled the trip because of the escalating conflict in Ukraine.
The secretary called for the resumption of dialogue and assured that the UN humanitarian agencies will increase operations in Ukraine. Guterres cited other current crises, such as the covid-19 pandemic, digital divides, disinformation and cyber attacks, the climate crisis and conflicts in several countries, such as Afghanistan and Myanmar.
