Disregarding the material reality of sex can have devastating effects, says Reem Alsalem | HRC59

On 25 June 2025, Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, updated the Human Rights Council at its 59th session. The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system comprising 47 States responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights worldwide. It holds regular sessions three times a year at the United Nations Office in Geneva. The Council’s decisions represent the common position of the Member States sitting on it, not the UN secretariat. Special Rapporteurs are experts, appointed by the Human Rights Council, who report back to Council and other UN bodies where Member States meet. Their reports help Member States form common positions on pressing human rights issues. Special Rapporteurs are not UN staff, and the UN does not pay them. They work voluntarily and independently to maintain the impartiality of their views. #HRC59