Human Rights Council Appoints Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment

Sustainable Development Policy and Practice

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The 19th regular session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) concluded with the adoption of 41 texts on promoting and protecting human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, as well as the right to development.  

The session convened in Geneva, Switzerland, from 27 February - 23 March 2012. The adopted resolutions and decisions focused on, inter alia: issues relating to Special Rapporteurs on various human rights obligations; human rights and the environment; and human rights and terrorism.

On human rights and the environment, the HRC adopted a resolution appointing a Special Rapporteur, for a period of three years, on human rights obligations related to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, who would be required to, inter alia, make recommendations for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), take account of the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and contribute to follow-up processes.

The HRC also reviewed urgent human rights situations through debates and presentations of reports on, among other things: the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Myanmar and Iran; technical assistance and capacity building in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Guinea and Yemen; technical assistance and capacity building in Haiti; the human rights situation in Palestine and other Occupied Arab Territories; the issue of economic, social and cultural rights of women; the right of the child. 

 [OHCHR Press Release] [19th regular session of the HRC][Human Rights and Environment decision]