The Human Rights Council convenes for its 59th session between 16 June and 9 July 2025. You can find all our statements delivered during this session below as they become available. Our past advocacy interventions are available here.
Written statements
Shrinking Civic Space in the Philippines: Attacks against Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society Organizations
Despite a vibrant civil society comprising over 60.000 organizations, the environment for those critical of state policies and working on issues related to grave human rights violations and accountability remains extremely challenging in the Philippines. Attacks against and harassment of human rights defenders are frequent and occur with impunity. Documenting many such cases with local partners, Franciscans International offered a set of recommendations to the government to strengthen civic space and protect those working to defend human rights.
Human Rights of Migrants
According to IOM estimates, at least 52.500 people have died during migration linked to humanitarian crises since 2014. These numbers are almost certainly a vast underestimation of the actual number of missing people whose fate remains unknown: for 2024 alone, the non-governmental organization Caminando Fronteras found that 9.757 migrants were lost trying to cross between Africa and the Canary Islands. Franciscans International reintegrated the need for States to provide migrants with safe and viable routes to their destination and called for multi-disciplinary efforts in identifying and informing the families of migrants who have been found, either alive or dead.
Human Rights Situation in Sri Lanka: Accountability, Truth and Justice with regard to the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks
Six years after the Easter Sunday Attacks, the exact number of people killed in the bombings remains uncertain, with a difference of 56 victims across different investigations and inquiries by authorities. The impact on their families has been profound, as they are ineligible to receive compensation or support. Although more than 40 criminal cases have been filed relating to the attacks, most remain ongoing. Notably, those against powerful officials have repeatedly been delayed. Ahead of the 59th session of the Human Rights Council, Franciscans International submitted several recommendations to ensure transparency, accountability, and justice for the victims of the attacks.
Thumbnail photo: UN Photo / Jean Marc Ferré