Sessions of the Commission on Human Rights

Regular and special sessions

Regular sessions

The Commission on Human Rights meets each year in regular session in March/April for six weeks in Geneva.

60th (2004) - 15 March to 23 April
59th (2003) + Report of the session
58th (2002) + 18 March to 26 April and Part II
57th (2001) + Report of the session
56th (2000) + Report of the session and Addendum
55th (1999) + Report of the session
54th (1998) + Report of the session

Special sessions

The Commission on Human Rights was authorized by the Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 1990/48 of 25 May 1990, to meet exceptionally between its regular sessions, provided that a majority of the members of the Commission so agreed, mindful of the need for the Commission on Human Rights to deal with urgent and acute human rights situations in the most expeditious way.

The following special sessions were held in Geneva:

First: Situation of human rights in the territories of the former Yugoslavia, 13-14 August 1992
Second: Situation of human rights in the territories of the former Yugoslavia, 30 November-1 December 1992
Third: Situation of human rights in Rwanda, 24-25 May 1994
Fourth: Situation in East Timor, 23-27 September 1999
Fifth: Grave and massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel, 17-19 October 2000