The Human Rights Council closed its 60th session after adopting 35 resolutions, one decision, and one President’s Statement. The Council established one new mandate, merged two mandates into one, and extended 14 country-specific and thematic mandates. As the session ends, FIDH urges States to turn Council decisions into concrete protection and accountability and to safeguard the independence and resourcing of UN human rights mechanisms.
Geneva, 9 October 2025 - The Human Rights Council closed its 60th session after adopting 35 resolutions, one decision, and one President’s Statement. The Council established one new mandate, merged two mandates into one, and extended 14 country-specific and thematic mandates. As the session ends, FIDH urges States to turn Council decisions into concrete protection and accountability and to safeguard the independence and resourcing of UN human rights mechanisms.
FIDH welcomes the establishment, by consensus, of an independent international investigative mechanism on Afghanistan a long-overdue breakthrough for justice. The mechanism will collect, preserve, and analyse evidence of international crimes and serious human rights violations, particularly against women and girls a demand long championed by FIDH and Afghan civil society partners. States must now ensure it is fully funded and politically supported so that evidence leads to accountability.
The Council also renewed key country and thematic files. FIDH welcomes the renewal on Sri Lanka, preserving OHCHR’s capacity to collect and analyse evidence of serious violations, while regretting that accountability language was softened in negotiations. In Cambodia, although the technical-assistance resolution renews the Special Rapporteur’s mandate and the OHCHR Phnom Penh office, its Item 10 framing remains inadequate given accelerating restrictions on civic and political space and the continued targeting of defenders, journalists, and opponents.
FIDH notes additional outcomes : the Russia resolution renewing the Special Rapporteur’s mandate amid continuing repression ; the extension of the mandate of the independent international fact-finding mission on Sudan ; action on the DRC, with the Council maintaining scrutiny and moving to operationalise the Commission of Inquiry mandated at the February special session and continued scrutiny of Burundi through renewal of the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, which remains essential to prevent backsliding and address election-cycle risks.
The Council must respond commensurately to grave violations in Occupied Palestine, Yemen, and Libya. The stark deterioration of civic space and continuous reprisals against human rights defenders and journalists in Tunisia, Algeria and India must also be addressed. During the session, FIDH hosted and supported defenders in Geneva including Nassera Dutour (Collective of Families of the Disappeared, Algeria) and a delegation from Georgia, DRC and the Philippines.
FIDH calls on States to :
- stop reprisals against human rights defenders and UN actors. Publicly condemn, prevent, and investigate reprisals ; provide remedies and protection (including visas and safe participation in Geneva/online) ; and sanction perpetrators. Refrain from any measures targeting UN mandate holders or those cooperating with them ;
- pay assessed contributions on time and increase flexible funding for the human rights pillar ;
- protect the independence and capacity of Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures, and investigative mechanisms.
FIDH also joined partner organisations in a joint statement at the closing of the session, presenting a detailed overview of civil society’s key takeaways from the 60th session of Human Rights Council.
