Finland to focus on rights of women and LGBTI persons in UN Human Rights Council summer session

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will hold its 50th regular session from 13 June to 8 July 2022. It is the UN’s most important intergovernmental body protecting and promoting human rights.

This is the second session during Finland’s three-year membership in the Human Rights Council. As a member, Finland promotes gender equality and the rights of women. We prioritise the realisation of the rights of persons and groups in vulnerable situation.

The UNHRC summer session will have a strong focus on the rights of women and girls and on gender equality. Finland will be actively involved in the negotiations on these matters. We will highlight the importance of preventing violence and discrimination against women and of promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights. The diversity of women and girls must be recognised.

Finland will organise an event on preventing gender-based online violence. It is part of the international Generation Equality campaign that promotes the rights of women and girls globally. The event aims to bring together different actors for finding solutions to prevent violence. 

The Human Rights Council is to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Finland will advocate for the renewal of this important mandate. The UN must act strongly to prevent violence and discrimination in all situations.

UNHRC will be discussing many other important questions, such as the freedom of expression and opinion and assembly, climate change, and business and human rights. Another topic likely to come up in many discussions is food security.

Many countries’ human rights situation will be on the UNHRC agenda. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will present her annual report to the Human Rights Council and her oral updates on the situation in Afghanistan and Mariupol, among others. In addition, the Council will receive a report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus. Finland will participate in these interactive dialogues.

 

Inquiries

  • Ann-Mari Fröberg, Team Leader, Unit for Human Rights Policy, Tel. +358 295 350 896.
  • The Foreign Ministry’s email addresses are in the format [email protected].