COVID-19 Human Rights Council
/
2:35
/
MP4
/
212.3 MB

Edited News | UNOG

COVID-19 Human Rights Council

Human Rights Council settles into new home in response to Coronavirus COVID-19 threat

In accordance with new coronavirus prevention measures proposed in consultation with host country Switzerland, the Human Rights Council on Tuesday adopted a series of precautionary changes so that its work could proceed safely at the UN in Geneva.

The development is also in line with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s recent appeal “to step up and do everything possible to contain” COVID-19 “without stigmatization and with full respect for human rights”.

Among the new measures is a change in venue for delegates, away from Room XX – famous for its dramatic, multicoloured ceiling sculpture by Spanish artist Miquel Barceló – to the even larger Assembly Hall, also at the Palais des Nations in the Swiss city.

With room for around 2,000 people, the vast hall “will allow for adequate space between delegates” attending the 43rd session of the Council, as its President, Austrian Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, said.

The decision was taken after a meeting on Monday between the Council Bureau “and all the vice-presidents and the regional coordinators from all the regions as well as with our representative of our host country Switzerland to discuss how to go on against a background of the COVID-19 situation and its implications, as well as some of the worries which some of you have expressed”, the Ambassador explained.

It follows a decision taken a week ago to cancel all side events linked to the Council – some 200 in all – and moves to encourage Special Rapporteurs and other speakers to address the forum by video, rather than to attend in person.

Listing the other proposals to be adopted by the Council, Ms. Tichy-Fisslberger added that “any delegate sensing that he or she has the slightest problem in terms of coughing or fever or whatever should stay at home. And people over 65 or 70 should stay at home as well.”

Until the current session ends on 20 March, participants would be asked to be present with no more than two delegates in the plenary room and empty seats “would be used to space out the delegations”.

In addition to asking delegates to follow all sanitary measures proposed by UN Geneva, such as refraining from shaking hands and using hand sanitisers provided, the Council President noted that all informal meetings would be moved to larger rooms -“again, with the purpose of allowing for adequate spacing between delegations, and would not allow more than two people per delegation and delegations would be invited to send only the number of people necessary.”

  1. Wide shot: exterior, flag alley, Palais des Nations, United Nations Geneva.
  2. Medium shot, panning: Human Rights Council delegates with country name plates in Room XX at UN Geneva.
  3. SOUNDBITE (EN) — President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger (Austria): “Yesterday, we held an extended Bureau meeting; so that was with all the Vice-Presidents and the regional coordinators from all the regions as well as with our representative of our host country Switzerland to discuss how to go on against a background of the COVID-19 situation and its implications, as well as some of the worries which some of you have expressed.”
  4. Medium shot: Human Rights Council delegates in Room XX, seated, one of whom is taking off his scarf.
  5. SOUNDBITE (EN) — President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger (Austria): “The plenary meetings would be moved away from Room XX to the Assembly Hall, which as you know is the biggest room in the building and can take around 2,000 people, which would allow us to space, to allow for adequate space between delegates.”
  6. Medium shot: Human Rights Council delegates in Room XX at UN Geneva; they are seated and one of them is smiling broadly.
  7. SOUNDBITE (EN) — President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger (Austria): “Any delegate sensing that he or she has the slightest problem in terms of coughing or fever or whatever should stay at home. And people over 65 or 70 should stay at home as well.”
  8. Medium shot: Human Rights Council delegate in Room XX at UN Geneva, wearing conference hearing device, looking around the chamber.
  9. SOUNDBITE (EN) — President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger (Austria): “Delegations would be asked to be present with no more than two delegates in the plenary room; the empty seats would be used to space out the delegations.”
  10. Medium shot: Human Rights Council delegates in Room XX at UN Geneva, seated, wearing conference hearing devices, looking ahead.
  11. SOUNDBITE (EN) — President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger (Austria): “All informal meetings would be moved to larger rooms, again with the purpose of allowing for adequate spacing between delegations, and would not allow more than two people per delegation and delegations would be invited to send only the number of people necessary.”
  12. Medium shot: Human Rights Council delegates in Room XX at UN Geneva, seated in front of country nameplates.
  13. Medium shot: Human Rights Council delegates in Room XX at UN Geneva, seated at some distance from each other.
  14. Wide shot: Assembly Hall at UN Geneva, temporarily housing the Human Rights Council, delegates standing and talking, others seated.
  15. Medium shot: showing President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger (Austria) speaking into desk microphone at the Assembly Hall at UN Geneva; UN flag and observer shown behind.
  16. Medium shot: Assembly Hall at UN Geneva, temporarily housing the Human Rights Council; delegates seating or taking seats.
  17. Medium shot: Assembly Hall at UN Geneva, temporarily housing the Human Rights Council; delegates, one wearing a face mask which has been lowered to reveal his mouth.
  18. Medium shot: Assembly Hall at UN Geneva, temporarily housing the Human Rights Council; delegates, seated.
  19. Medium shot: Assembly Hall at UN Geneva, temporarily housing the Human Rights Council; delegates, seated, semi-profile.
  20. Medium shot: Assembly Hall at UN Geneva, temporarily housing the Human Rights Council; delegates, seated.

Similar Stories

HRC Press Conference:  Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran - 14 March 2025

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC , OHCHR

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran - 14 March 2025 ENG FRA

Human Rights Council (HRC) - Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran launches its latest report.

HRC - Press Conference: Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory 13 March 2025

2

1

1

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC - Press Conference: Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory 13 March 2025 ENG FRA

Senior human rights investigators reporting to the Human Rights Council alleged on Thursday that sexual and gender-based violence by Israeli security forces against Palestinian men, women and children have been increasingly used “as a method of war” following the 7 October 2023 attacks that sparked the Gaza war.

Rohingya Cox's Bazar update - UNICEF

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF

Rohingya Cox's Bazar update - UNICEF ENG FRA

Bangladesh: Humanitarians describe ‘extreme desperation’ as aid cuts deepen Rohingya children’s suffering

In Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar refugee settlements, child malnutrition has surged and cuts in aid funding risk creating a humanitarian “catastrophe”, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Syria

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Syria ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday gave an update on the situation in Syria’s coastal region as reports continue to emerge of the distressing scale of violence there since 6 March. 

DR Congo crisis update - UNHCR 07 March 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR

DR Congo crisis update - UNHCR 07 March 2025 ENG FRA

The aid response in Burundi to the crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) “is literally buckling”, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned on Friday, as it relayed dramatic testimonies from people forced to flee the unchecked advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.

DRC displacement crisis - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR

DRC displacement crisis - UNHCR ENG FRA

Close to 80,000 have fled DR Congo amid fighting, sexual violence: UNHCR

In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), insecurity and horrific sexual violence have pushed tens of thousands to flee across borders with no sign of the exodus stopping, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday.

HRC58 - UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk  global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC58 - UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the Human Rights Council, highlighting key issues and trends, and the human rights situation in more than 30 countries. 

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on the human rights situation in Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on the human rights situation in Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that the human rights situation in Myanmar was among the worst in the world. 

Haiti children in armed groups - UNICEF 28 February 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF

Haiti children in armed groups - UNICEF 28 February 2025 ENG FRA

Haiti: Massive surge in child armed group recruitment – UNICEF

The ongoing emergency in Haiti is crushing children’s chances of an education and a better future as scores of youngsters are recruited by heavily armed and violent gangs, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on situation in Sudan

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on situation in Sudan ENG FRA

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today called on UN member states to act with urgency towards a ceasefire and to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory ENG FRA

“We are at an inflection point in the crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva.  

Nicaragua - Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | HRC

Nicaragua - Human Rights Council ENG FRA

Investigators tasked by the UN Human Rights Council to track alleged grave abuses of power by top Nicaraguan officials on Wednesday insisted that the International Court of Justice should prosecute what they called the systematic and systemic repression of the country’s people.