International Service for Human Rights

On 24 December 2008, the main session of the General Assembly concluded, following the adoption of over 50 resolutions on human rights issues. Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, a number of significant initiatives were undertaken during the session to mark the occasion. These included the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the adoption of a declaration on the UDHR, and a number of historic statements on sexual orientation and gender identity by States and NGOs.

ISHR has published detailed reports on the work of the 63rd session of the Third Committee of the General Assembly in its New York Monitor reports

This New York Alert summarises some of the outcomes, including the voting patterns on the more controversial human rights resolutions, including extrajudicial executions, moratorium on the death penalty, follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Program of Action, and the human rights situation in Iran.