Moroccan Presidency of UNHRC Focuses on Reform, Gender Equality – UNHCR President

Ambassador Omar Zniber, President of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), said, here Thursday, that the Moroccan presidency of the UNHRC has made significant efforts to reform the Council’s statutes in order to strengthen its capacity to adapt to emerging challenges. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the UNHRC Retreat, organized under Morocco’s presidency, Zniber stressed the need to provide the Council with the appropriate resources to fully fulfill its mandate. In this regard, he highlighted the importance of the UNHRC, the central organ of the United Nations in the field of human rights, as a unique multilateral forum for frank and open exchanges, adding that it offers an inclusive platform bringing together heads of State, ministers, government representatives, international organizations, UN agencies, experts, NGOs and all parties wishing to actively contribute to its work. He also recalled that the Moroccan presidency of the UNHRC took the initiative to organize two very high-level discussions, one on new technologies and artificial intelligence and their impact on human rights, while the second concerned the issues of climate change, food security and health security, with the participation of representatives of international organizations, the private sector and civil society, as well as academics. Zniber added that the Moroccan presidency of the Council also attached great importance to the issue of promoting gender equality. Attended by ambassadors, permanent representatives from HRC member States, and representatives of UN regional and political groups, the two-day retreat aims to address key challenges in human rights protection, while exploring potential reforms to the Human Rights Council, the UN’s central human rights body. The gathering marks another step in the ongoing dialogue on strengthening the global human rights system.