Indonesia to Chair UN Human Rights Council Session in Geneva, Hundreds of World Officials to Attend
Indonesia, as President of the UN Human Rights Council, will chair the Council’s 61st session from 23 February to 31 March 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland. The forum will be attended by more than 100 world officials.
The session will be preceded by a High-Level Segment on 23-25 February 2026, to be opened by Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Sidharto R Suryodipuro.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono is scheduled to deliver a national statement on 23 February. In addition to Sugiono, the President of the UN General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will also deliver statements.
More than 100 high-level world officials, including several heads of state and government, have confirmed their attendance. Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta and Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego are planned to attend in person. Meanwhile, the President of the Marshall Islands, the Prime Minister of Nepal, and the Prime Minister of Somalia will deliver statements via video.
Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the UN Human Rights Council’s establishment, the 61st session is being held amid an increasingly complex global landscape marked by geopolitical tensions and financial pressures on the UN system. Under Indonesia’s presidency, the Human Rights Council will remain steadfast in carrying out its mandate consistently, maintaining an inclusive space for dialogue, and strengthening international cooperation for the equal and universal protection and advancement of human rights for all.
As President of the UN Human Rights Council in 2026, Indonesia is championing the theme “Presidency for All” — a commitment to ensuring the Council remains an inclusive space, bridging differences through constructive dialogue and strengthening cooperation as the primary foundation for universal human rights protection.
In line with the priorities of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, Indonesia will also promote the strengthening of children’s access to nutritious food and affirm that the fulfilment of the right to food and children’s rights is not merely a development agenda, but an essential part of human rights protection and a strategic investment in sustainable human resource development.
The 61st session will serve as an important forum for discussing both thematic issues and human rights situations currently attracting global attention. Thematic issues to be raised include the prevention of female genital mutilation, the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the promotion of a culture of peace, sustainable development financing, the rights of persons with disabilities, and children’s rights.
The Human Rights Council will also discuss technical cooperation and capacity building for several countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Ukraine, Haiti, the Central African Republic, and Georgia. Developments in human rights situations in Afghanistan, Sudan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Belarus, Venezuela, Syria, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, and Iran are also on the agenda.