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Each year the Human Rights Council selects a different theme for the Social Forum. The topics are all related to global social issues. Browse materials for the former sessions below:

Year

Session number

Theme

More information

2022

18th

Water for human rights and sustainable development: good practices, lessons learned and challenges in the implementation of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028, with a view to making a human rights contribution to the conference on the midterm review of the Decade, to be held in 2023.

View session page

View report
A/HRC/52/73

2021

17th

Good practices, success stories, lessons learned and challenges in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, with a special focus on international cooperation and solidarity, and from a human rights perspective.

View session page

View report
A/HRC/49/79

2020

16th

Good practices, success stories, lessons learned and current challenges in combating poverty and inequalities

View session page

View report
A/HRC/46/59

2019

15th

The promotion and protection of the rights of children and youth through education

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View report
A/HRC/43/63

2018

14th

The possibilities of using sport and the Olympic ideal to promote human rights for all and to strengthen universal respect for them

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View report
A/HRC/40/72

2017

13th

The promotion and protection of human rights in the context of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and other communicable diseases and epidemics

View session page

View report
A/HRC/37/74

2016

12th

Human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities

View session page

View report
A/HRC/34/69

2015

11th

Access to medicines in the context of the right to health

View report
A/HRC/29/44

Illustrated report: Access to Medicines in the context of the Right to Health
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2014

10th

The rights of older persons

View report
A/HRC/26/46

Background report

2012

9th

People-centered development and globalization

View report
A/HRC/23/54

Background report

2011

8th

Promotion of the right to development

View report
A/HRC/19/70

Background report

2010

7th

Adverse effects of climate change on human rights

View report
A/HRC/16/62
and
A/HRC/16/62/Corr.1

Background reports A/HRC/SF/2010/2
and
A/HRC/SF/2010/2/Corr.1

2009

6th

Impacts of economic and financial crises on efforts to combat poverty

View report
A/HRC/13/51

Background report

2008

5th

Eradication of poverty and social dimension of the globalization process

View report
A/HRC/10/65

2006

4th

The fight against poverty and the right to participation: the role of women

View report
A/HRC/Sub.1/58/15

2005

3rd

Poverty and economic growth: challenges to human rights

View report E/CN.4/Sub.2/2005/21

2004

2nd

The relationship between rural poverty and the rights of peasants and other rural communities

View report E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/26

2002

1st

Globalization, the right to adequate food and poverty reduction

View report E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/18