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. This Committee is scheduled to hold its 145th session in Geneva, Switzerland from March 2 to 19. During this session the Committee will consider the reports of Andorra, Canada, Chad, Republic of Moldova, and Slovakia; follow-up reports of Botswana, Cambodia, and Ukraine; lists of issues prior to reporting for Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Hungary, Mexico, and Senegal; and a list of issues for Rwanda. Despite the UN’s liquidity situation, these dates are confirmed. Members of civil society who wish to attend the session must register via the UN’s Indico platform. A provisional agenda and an information note for stakeholders are available on the session page.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is scheduled to hold its 34th session in Geneva, Switzerland from March 9 to 27. During this session, the CRPD will consider initial reports from Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Pakistan, Samoa; lists of issues for Colombia, Iceland, Ireland, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago; and lists of issues prior to reporting for Cyprus, and Luxembourg. Despite the UN’s liquidity situation, these dates are confirmed. A Program of Work and an information note for stakeholders are available on the session page. Registration is open for all in-person attendees. All public meetings of the Committee are also generally webcast live on UN WebTV.

The Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) is scheduled to hold its 30th session in Geneva, Switzerland from March 9 to March 19. During this session the CED will consider first reports from Malawi and Samoa; reports on additional information from Ecuador and Iraq; lists of issues for Cabo Verde, Denmark, and Republic of Korea; as well as lists of themes on additional information for Kazakhstan and Lithuania. Despite the UN’s liquidity situation, these dates are confirmed. A Program of Work and an information note for civil society actors are available on the session page. Registration for in-person attendance is open via the UN’s Indico platform. All public meetings of the Committee are also generally webcast live on UN WebTV.

Four of the UN Human Rights Council’s special procedures have country visits scheduled for March. 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 March.

• The UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights is scheduled to visit Mexico from March 9 to 20.
• The UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries will visit Colombia from March 16 to 27.
• The UN WG on discrimination against women and girls is scheduled to visit Armenia, March 16 to 25.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on Migrants is scheduled to visit Brazil March 16 to 27.

Please note that some of the UN special procedures have postponed country visits “due to the ongoing liquidity crisis.” [For example, the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls to Saudi Arabia and the visit of the UN Working Group on peasants to Ecuador.]

One of the UN Human Rights Council’s special procedures and one investigative body will be holding a session in March:

• The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions is scheduled to hold its 105th session from March 23 to April 1 in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement (EMLER) will hold its 5th session from March 23 to 27 in Geneva, Switzerland. Those participating in person must register through the UN’s Indico system by March 18. Individuals who are unable to participate in person may submit their contributions in writing in response to the call for inputs and follow the consultations via UN WebTV.

The African Court on Human & Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) will convene for its 80th Ordinary Session at its Seat in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania from March 2 to 27.

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) will hold a hearing in the case of Tergek v. Turkiye (no. 39631/20) on March 4 at 9:15 am at the Human Rights Building in Strasbourg, France. Court hearings are public and may be viewed via webcast or in person. Pre-registration is required for in-person attendance.

On March 25, the Grand Chamber of the ECtHR will hold another hearing in the case of Kavala v. Turkiye (no. 2170/24) at 9:15 am at the Human Rights Building in Strasbourg, France. Court hearings are public and may be viewed via webcast or in person. Pre-registration is required for in-person attendance.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is holding its 195th Period of Sessions from March 9 to 13 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The 195th Period of Sessions will include hearings on the following themes:

• Situation of judicial officers
• Human rights of Roma peoples
• Effects of practices aimed at changing sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression
• Impact of illegal mining on economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights

The full schedule of hearings for the session is now available on the Commission’s website.

Additionally, the IACHR will hold an open dialogue with civil society organizations to hear about the human rights situation in the region and challenges facing the Inter-American system on March 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (Salón Roble 1 at the Hotel Intercontinental). The meeting will be open to the public and held in person. Those interested in making a 3-minute intervention must register through the form available on the IACHR webpage by March 2. Participation in the open dialogue is in person only.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) is scheduled to hold its 186th Ordinary Session from March 9 to 13, and its 187th Ordinary Session from March 16 to 20. Agenda and more information forthcoming.

In preparation for its 117th session the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is accepting civil society reports that may inform its consideration of the regular periodic State reports of: Burkina Faso, Cuba, Cyprus, Serbia, Slovenia, and Uzbekistan. Deadline March 23. Additionally, the deadline to apply for accreditation for in person attendance is April 6.

In preparation for the 53rd session of the Universal Periodic Review in November 2026, the UPR is accepting written submissions from civil society on: Suriname, Greece, Samoa, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Hungary, Papua New Guinea,, Tajikistan, United Republic of Tanzania, Antigua and Barbuda, Eswatini, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Ireland, and United States of America. Deadline April 10.*

*Please Note: “Regarding the review of the United States of America, please be informed that, in accordance with established modalities, only those organizations that contributed to the 2025 pre-session UPR reports of the USA will be invited to submit an update, as this forms part of the continuation of that exercise. No new call for contributions will be opened. The Secretariat will not admit additional organizations and will not produce new pre-session documentation. Updates provided by eligible organizations will be uploaded as appropriate.”

• The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) has issued a call for submissions to inform their thematic report on enforced disappearances and memorialization. Deadline March 6.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons has issued a call for input to inform a thematic report examining how international humanitarian law is applied in practice to protect internally displaced persons in armed conflict. Deadline March 9.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health has issued a call for input in preparation for her visit to the Maldives. Deadline March 13.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures has issued a call for input to inform her upcoming thematic report on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the right to food. The call for input provides a full list of the key questions the rapporteur seeks to address and directs members of civil society to an online survey that may facilitate their responses. Deadline March 15.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism is calling for input as she prepares for a visit to Canada. Deadline March 16.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on Eritrea has issued a call for input to inform his 2026 report on the situation of human rights in Eritrea to the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. Deadline March 16.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on climate change is inviting young people to respond to a questionnaire designed for young people up to age 25. There is a separate questionnaire for children under age 18. Any young person over age 18 is welcome to choose that one instead, if they prefer. The deadline for both of these is March 16. Consultation of adults older than 25 has already closed.
• The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) is calling for contributions to inform its follow-up report on its country visit to Uruguay in 2022. Specifically, the WGEID is seeking observations from members of civil society on Uruguay’s progress in implementing the recommendations provided by the working group pursuant to the country visit. Deadline March 20.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples has issued a call for input in preparation for the upcoming country visit to Australia. Deadline March 20.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a healthy environment has issued a call for input to inform a thematic report on planning processes and tools for the advancement of the protection of the right to a healthy environment, to be presented to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Deadline March 30.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development has issued a call for input in preparation for their country visit to Kazakhstan. Deadline March 31.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls has issued a call for input on violence against older women to inform their report and recommendations to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. Deadline April 10.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development has issued a call for input to inform the 2026 thematic report on the right to development in the following themes: to the Human Rights Council “Participation in development” and to the United Nations General Assembly “Peace for development.” Deadline April 17.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on truth, justice and reparation has issued a call for input to prepare for its country visit to Nepal to address the human rights violations committed during the 1996-2006 civil war. Deadline April 30.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities has issued a call for input on the implementation of inclusive humanitarian assistance and safeguards for the rights of persons with disabilities on the context of current humanitarian reform processes. Deadline April 30.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 has issued a call for input on the role of media in the context of Israel’s policies and practices towards the Palestinian people particularly after October 7th 2023. Deadline April 30.
• The UN Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity has issued a call for input to inform a report on women and international solidarity that will be presented to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Deadline April 30.

• The UN’s International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement (EMLER) is calling for inputs to inform an upcoming visit to Colombia. Deadline April 6.
• The Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement (EMLER) has issued a call for input regarding systemic racism against Africans and people of African descent in the enforcement of drug laws and policies to inform the preparation of the Expert Mechanism’s fifth annual report to the Human Rights Council at its 63rd session. Deadline April 10.
• The Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development (EMRTD) has issued a call for input from diverse stakeholders regarding the role of peace and security as conditions for the full enjoyment of human rights and the right to development. Deadline April 15.
• The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel (COI-OPT/Israel) has issued a broad call for submissions of information concerning acts of killing and causing serious bodily or mental harm committed by any State or non-State actor since October 7, 2023. No deadline is specified, but this information will be used for a report that will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2026 and to the UN General Assembly during its 81st Session in October 2026.
• The Fact-Finding Mission on the situation in North and South Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.-OFFMK) has issued a call for submissions of information related to all 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. No deadline specified.
• The UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar has issued a press release calling for all those who witnessed or have direct information about an airstrike on a boarding school complex in Thayat Tabin village, Kyauktaw Township in Rakhine State, on September 12, 2025 to please share their evidence. The press release also contains instructions on how to share information with the Mechanism. No deadline specified.
• The UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar has issued a call for information calling for anyone who witnessed or has direct knowledge of the airstrike on Mrauk U General Hospital in Rakhine State on December 10, 2025 to please share their knowledge of the incident. The call for information contains instructions on how to share information with the Mechanism. No deadline specified.