Human Rights Bodies’ Hearings & Sessions:
October 2026

The Human Rights Committee is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) by its States parties. The Human Rights Committee is scheduled to hold its 146th session in Geneva, Switzerland from October 19 to November 6. “During this session the Committee will consider the reports of Austria, Cameroon, Jamaica, and Rwanda; follow-up reports of Bolivia, Iraq, Luxembourg, and Uruguay; and lists of issues prior to reporting for Bahrain, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, El Salvador, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uzbekistan.” The programme of work, NGO information note, NHRI information note, and registration information (Human Rights Committee) are available on the session page.

“The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) will hold its 93rd session in Geneva, Switzerland from October 5 to 30. During this session, the Committee will consider the reports of the following States parties: Angola, Cabo Verde, Cook Islands, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Paraguay, Republic of Moldova, and Togo. In addition, the Committee will formally adopt a list of issues in relation to the combined ninth and tenth periodic reports of Bangladesh, and the tenth periodic report of the Russian Federation; as well as lists of issues prior to reporting for Barbados, Burundi, Guinea, Haiti, Jordan, Mali, Micronesia and Nigeria. Civil society organizations may participate in person by registering via the UN’s Indico platform (CEDAW registration), or they may submit a pre-recorded video statement up to one week before the beginning of the session. Further information on participation is available on the session page.”

The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) is also scheduled to visit Paraguay from October 25 to November 3. The OHCHR treaty body country visits page should be consulted for updates.

The Working Group on Situations, part of the UN Human Rights Council’s Complaint Mechanism, will host its 38th Session from October 28 to 29 in person in Geneva, Switzerland.

Four of the UN Human Rights Council’s special procedures have country visits scheduled for October. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights provides a list of country visits that are forthcoming, including those scheduled beyond the month of October.

• The UN Special Rapporteur on climate change is scheduled to continue her official visit to Mozambique. This visit began on September 21 and will continue until October 2.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism is scheduled to continue her visit to Canada. This visit began on September 28 and will continue until October 9.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing is scheduled to continue his visit to Ghana. This visit began on September 28 and will continue until October 9.
• The UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights is scheduled to continue her visit to Zimbabwe. This visit began on September 28 and will continue until October 10.

One of the UN Human Rights Council’s special procedures and one of its expert mechanisms will be in session this month:

• The UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls is scheduled to hold its 45th session on October 5 in person in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The UN Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development will hold its 14th Session from October 26 through 28 in person in Geneva, Switzerland. Registration information and the programme of work are available via the UN’s Indico platform (EMRTD).

In preparation for its 80th session, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is accepting written contributions (CESCR) from NGOs and other civil society actors to inform the Committee’s review of state reports from Austria, Eswatini, Mexico, and Pakistan, and follow-up reports from Cambodia and Portugal. An information note on how to participate in the session and submit information to the Committee is available on the session page. Deadline October 2.

In preparation for its 85th session, the Committee against Torture (CAT) is accepting written contributions (CAT) from NGOs and other civil society actors to inform the Committee’s consideration of State reports from Angola, Belize, Norway, and Republic of Moldova. Deadline October 9.

During the current intersession period, the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers (CMW) encourages representatives of NHRIs and national and international CSOs to provide written contributions (CMW) on the implementation of the Convention by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malawi, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Submissions related to Bosnia and Herzegovina must be received no later than October 5. Submissions related to Malawi must be received no later than October 29. Submissions related to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines must be received no later than November 13.

• The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education has issued a call for input on her upcoming country visit to Bangladesh from November 23 to December 4. She is seeking information regarding access to public education as well as recommendations for people or places to visit. Deadline October 1.
• The UN Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt has issued a call for input. The Expert is seeking contributions from States, civil society, NHRIs, and relevant stakeholders to inform a report on international financial architecture, debt and States’ capacity to realize human rights. Deadline October 12.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food has issued a call for input to inform a report that analyses the impact of digital technologies on the right to food, particularly the rights of women, small-scale food producers, peasants, Indigenous Peoples, agri-food workers, low-income consumers, people living in poverty, people living in conflict zones and other populations depending on humanitarian aid. Deadline October 14.
• The UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent has issued a call for input relating to land rights. Information received will inform preparations for the working group’s upcoming 39th Session. Deadline October 15.
• The UN Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity has issued a call for input to inform a report on international solidarity and faith-based and humanist organizations. Deadline October 16.
• The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights has issued a call for input to inform a report on closing remedy and accountability gaps in business and addressing legacy human rights harms. Deadline October 28.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities has issued a call for input to inform her upcoming country visit to India. The Special Rapporteur will use the information received to inform her assessment and formulate recommendations to strengthen the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities across India. Deadline October 30.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression has issued a call for input. The rapporteur asks Member States, civil society organizations, journalists, academics, human rights defenders, digital and technology experts, international organizations and other interested stakeholders to submit information, views and recommendations that will inform the 2027 vision-setting report and the development of the mandate’s strategic priorities for the period 2026-2029, to be presented to the Human Rights Council in June 2027. Deadline October 31.
• The UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls has issued a call for inputs that will inform a thematic report on climate change and the rights of women and girls. Deadline October 31.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities has issued a call for input to inform a thematic report on the human rights of migrants with disabilities. Deadline October 31.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 has issued a call for input to “inform a study on environmental destruction and degradation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including immediate, cumulative, trans-boundary and intergenerational impacts, particularly the unprecedented destruction in Gaza since 7 October 2023.” Deadline November 1.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls has issued a call for input to inform her country visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The objective of the country visit is for the Special Rapporteur to gain a first-hand understanding of issues related to her mandate, and particularly in relation to measures taken to prevent, combat, and eliminate violence against women and girls, and to provide redress for victims. Following a country visit, the Special Rapporteur presents a report to the UN Human Rights Council outlining her findings, conclusions and recommendations to the State concerned. The conclusions and recommendations provided by the Special Rapporteur are a useful tool to guide States when adopting measures to prevent and eliminate violence against women.” Deadline November 11.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights has issued a call for input on: (1) Transnational repression in counter-terrorism contexts; and (2) Concepts of “violent extremism” and “extremism.” Objectives include: “identifying the forms of transnational repression in counter-terrorism contexts and the obligations of States to prevent and suppress it; and examining concepts and definitions of ‘violent extremism’ and ‘extremism’, the legitimacy of their purposes, and their consistency with international law.” Deadline November 15.
• The UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity has issued a call for input on the human rights situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and other gender-diverse (LGBT) persons deprived of liberty. Deadline November 30.

• The Fact-Finding Mission on the situation in North and South Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (OFFMK) has issued a call for submissions of information related to alleged human rights violations and abuses committed in the context of the latest and ongoing escalation of hostilities in January 2025 in the provinces of North and South Kivu. Deadline October 31.
• The UN Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development (EMRTD) has issued a call for input to inform a thematic study that focuses on “Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) and the Right to Development.” Deadline November 16.
• The UN Group of Independent Experts on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus has issued a call for input seeking information and documentation relevant to the investigation of all alleged human rights violations and abuses committed in Belarus since 1 May 2020. The call for submissions contains further instructions on how to share this information. Deadline November 30.