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

SG Guterres Early Warnings - WMO

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO , UNITED NATIONS

SG Guterres Early Warnings - WMO ENG FRA

UN chief urges boost to life-saving weather warning systems, stresses role of climate change science

No country is safe from the devastating impacts of extreme weather — and saving lives means making early-warning systems accessible to all, UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday.

Gaza aid update - WFP

1

1

1

Edited News | WFP

Gaza aid update - WFP ENG FRA

Gazans’ response to food distributions ‘overwhelming’ as humanitarians scale up under fragile ceasefire

In Gaza, the ceasefire is enabling UN humanitarians to reach more desperate people with life-saving food, but greater access is needed to contain the spread of famine.

Gaza aid and border crossings - WFP, OCHA 17 October 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WFP , OCHA

Gaza aid and border crossings - WFP, OCHA 17 October 2025 ENG FRA

UN urges opening of all Gaza crossings to deliver three-month food supply

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned food aid cannot reach everyone in Gaza unless all border crossings are opened, particularly in the north where famine was declared in August. The agency says it already has enough supplies in place to feed the entire population of the Strip for three months – if full access is granted by Israel.

Gaza update – UNDP, UNICEF, OCHA, ICRC 14 October 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNDP , UNICEF , OCHA , ICRC

Gaza update – UNDP, UNICEF, OCHA, ICRC 14 October 2025 ENG FRA

Around $70 billion will be needed to reconstruct Gaza and make it safe after two years of war, UN development experts said on Tuesday, while aid agencies reported that far too little aid continues to reach  desperate Palestinians.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Machado: reaction from UN rights office

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Machado: reaction from UN rights office ENG FRA

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday welcomed the Nobel Peace Prize committee’s decision to name Maria Machado as this year’s laureate, in recognition of her work promoting the Venezuelan people’s democratic hopes.

Gaza ceasefire agreement – UNRWA, UNICEF, WHO 10 October 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , UNICEF , WHO

Gaza ceasefire agreement – UNRWA, UNICEF, WHO 10 October 2025 ENG FRA

As Gazans jammed the main route leading north on Friday after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced, UN aid teams repeated their call to open all crossings into the devastated enclave to prevent famine spreading.

Gaza - Israel war 7 October 2025 - OCHA - UNICEF - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , WHO

Gaza - Israel war 7 October 2025 - OCHA - UNICEF - WHO ENG FRA

Two years of Gaza-Israel war bring ‘indescribable’ pain: UN humanitarians

Two years since the Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel, UN humanitarians on Tuesday reiterated calls for the release of all hostages in Gaza, an immediate ceasefire and an aid surge to alleviate Palestinians’ suffering, as talks on a US-driven peace plan continued in Egypt.

Justice for Syria's disappeared - Riyad Avlar – 06 October 2025

1

1

1

Edited News

Justice for Syria's disappeared - Riyad Avlar – 06 October 2025 ENG FRA

Syria prison survivor seeks justice for the missing with UN backing.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk at Human Rights Council on Ukraine: “This war needs to end”

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk at Human Rights Council on Ukraine: “This war needs to end” ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday warned that three and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous and deadly stage for Ukrainian civilians, under relentless bombardment of their schools, hospitals, and shelters.

30 minutes in a Gaza hospital - UNICEF - WHO - ICRC

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF , WHO , ICRC

30 minutes in a Gaza hospital - UNICEF - WHO - ICRC ENG FRA

Quadcopter victims, terror and death: 30 minutes in a Gaza hospital 

UN aid teams on Friday highlighted the disturbing situation in Gaza’s makeshift hospitals, where premature babies cry for scant oxygen and medics attempt to save child survivors targeted by airstrikes in their tents and quadcopter victims reportedly shot while fetching bread.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk’s Oral update to the Human Rights Council on the situation in Haiti

2

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk’s Oral update to the Human Rights Council on the situation in Haiti ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday delivered his oral update to the UN Human Rights Council’s 60th session on the human rights situation in Haiti.

The High Commissioner welcomed Wednesday’s decision of the UN Security Council to strengthen the Multinational Security Support mission by transitioning to the Gang Suppression Force for Haiti, stating it is a strong signal of international support for the Haitian people.

Gaza aid update - UNICEF, OCHA 30 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF

Gaza aid update - UNICEF, OCHA 30 September 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: As world waits for US peace plan news, UN aid teams stress need for ceasefire

UN agencies reiterated calls for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday to help alleviate Palestinian suffering, as a new US 20-point plan raised hopes of a halt to the fighting.