In her first address to the 3rd Committee, Assistant Secretary-General Fuentes Julio presents 17 reports to the General Assembly

Mr. Chair,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour to address this Committee for the first time as Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, and I look forward to our continued engagement. I am pleased to present 17 reports of the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights under agenda item 70 (a) to (d), on the promotion and protection of human rights, as mandated by the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council.

Under sub-item (a) Implementation of human rights instruments, I have the honour to introduce the Secretary-General’s report on reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations (A/81/135) as the designated senior official leading system-wide prevention and response. This year’s report includes cases from 32 States, the same as last year. Regrettably, verified cases concerning four Member States were not included because of serious risks to the victims. The report details deepening concern over four trends: increasing transnational repression across borders, with incidents documented in nearly half of the States; online and offline surveillance (reported in almost half of the States, compared with one third last year); the persistent misuse of laws and regulations on counter-terrorism, cybercrime and national security to deter and hinder cooperation with the United Nations; and continued pressure leading people to self-censor, decline engagement or seek anonymity. The report also underscores the increased targeting of those engaging with United Nations human rights mechanisms, which deters cooperation. I call on the General Assembly and all States to protect those who engage or seek to engage with the United Nations.

The Secretary-General’s report on the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery (A/81/264) reviews activities from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. In 2026, 38 grants supported direct services for more than 11,000 victims and survivors in 31 countries. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is grateful for contributions received, but notes they remain insufficient to meet growing demand and the Fund currently faces a funding gap of nearly $4 million.

The Note by the Secretariat on the human rights treaty bodies (A/81/291) contains the report of the thirty-eighth meeting of treaty body chairs, held in Geneva from 15 to 19 June 2026. The Chairs focused on the United Nations liquidity crisis and its impact on the treaty bodies’ ability to fulfil their mandates, as well as follow-up to their previous meeting. They considered proposals to reform the treaty body system set out in an OHCHR working paper. They also reviewed treaty body implementation of the Addis Ababa guidelines on members’ independence and impartiality and the San José Guidelines against Intimidation or Reprisals.

The Secretary-General’s report on the status of the human rights treaty body system (A/81/355) underscores both the indispensable role of the treaty bodies in upholding States’ human rights obligations and the severe challenges facing the system. Amid ongoing liquidity constraints and chronic underfunding, treaty bodies continue to face delays in reviewing State reports and considering individual communications. In 2025, 40% of the meeting time was cancelled due to the liquidity situation and has led to reduced deliverables, and has limited access and remedies for right holders and victims of human rights violations.

The Secretary-General’s report recommends that Member States, inter alia, ensure timely submissions of their reports; ensure sustainable, predictable and adequate funding and resources for the treaty body system, as committed to in the Pact for the Future; ensure support for the implementation of the proposals in the OHCHR working paper; support the development of an integrated and automated digital case management system for individual communications, and urgent actions; and expand accessible and secure hybrid participation modalities for States and stakeholders.

Turning to sub-item (b), Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Note by the Secretariat on the right to development (A/81/129) transmits the High Commissioner’s annual report to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/63/43). The report reviews activities to advance the right to development and examines key barriers to its realization, particularly unilateral coercive measures, the non-repatriation of illicit funds and unsustainable debt burdens. Together, these challenges underscore the urgent need for stronger international cooperation, solidarity and structural reform to build a fairer global economic order. Marking the Declaration on the Right to Development’s fortieth anniversary, the report calls for renewed commitment to cooperation and global justice and encourages consideration of a legally binding instrument to give its principles practical effect.

The Note by the Secretariat on the one-day intersessional panel discussion on harmful narratives about migrants, hate speech, xenophobia and related intolerance (A/81/248) transmits to the Assembly the High Commissioner’s report to the Council (A/HRC/62/29). It links such narratives to discrimination, violence and restrictions on migrants’ rights, and calls for rights-centred narratives that include migrants’ voices, stronger border monitoring, accountability, and remedies.

The Note by the Secretariat on early warning and genocide prevention (A/81/266) transmits to the Assembly the Secretary-General’s report to the Council contained in A/HRC/63/84, which calls for stronger early warning, legal safeguards, accountability and cooperation to address genocide risks, including hate speech, discrimination, violence and attacks on cultural heritage. It also includes recommendations on the human rights-based use of data and artificial intelligence.

The Secretary-General’s report on the role of the Ombudsman, mediator and other national human rights institutions (A/81/280) finds that these institutions strengthen accountability, the rule of law and public trust. It recommends safeguarding their independence, funding and merit-based appointments; protecting them from reprisals; applying the Paris Principles to monitoring mandates; and including them in national Sustainable Development Goal reviews.

The Secretary-General’s report on the effective promotion of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (A/81/281) reviews efforts from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, noting key anti-racism anniversaries and persistent structural discrimination, socio-economic exclusion, hate speech and violence against minorities.

The Secretary-General’s report on combating intolerance, negative stereotyping, stigmatization, discrimination, incitement to violence and violence against persons, based on religion or belief (A/81/299), covering 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, warns that suppressing freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief fuels fear, exclusion and violence. It highlights promising measures by States, national human rights institutions, civil society, United Nations entities and human rights mechanisms that can be adapted and scaled across contexts.

The Secretary-General’s report on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty(A/81/316) reviews developments from mid-December 2024 to June 2026. Executions continued and sometimes increased, with most carried out by a few States. It documents non-compliance with human rights standards and steps to resume or expand capital punishment.

The Secretary-General’s report on the question of human rights in the administration of justice (A/81/351) examines the growing use of neurotechnology in justice systems and the human rights risks arising from its convergence with artificial intelligence. It warns of risks to dignity, privacy, freedom of thought, fair trial rights, liberty and protection from ill-treatment, especially for marginalized groups. It urges prohibitions on coercive and abusive uses, and stronger safeguards, informed consent, scientific validation, oversight, accountability, and protection of neural data.

The Secretary-General’s report on missing persons (A/81/352) reviews measures taken from July 2024 to June 2026 to prevent disappearances, locate and identify missing persons, promote accountability and support families. It notes persistently high numbers in conflict settings and growing recognition of families’ rights and needs.

Turning to sub-item (c), Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives, the Secretary-General’s report on the situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimea and Sevastopol (A/81/317) covers 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. Based on rigorous remote monitoring, it examines the implications of the political, legal, administrative, law-enforcement and judicial systems imposed by the Russian Federation. It documents violations of international human rights and humanitarian law affecting Ukrainian civilian detainees and restrictions on fundamental freedoms.

The Secretary-General’s report on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (A/81/346) covers 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026. It addresses accountability, disappearances, detention, separated families, digital developments, and economic, social and cultural rights. The report concludes that the overall situation has not improved and calls for renewed efforts, particularly in confidence building measures for engagement, as human rights in the DPRK are intrinsically linked to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

The Note by the Secretariat on the situation of the human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar (A/81/265) transmits to the Assembly reports of the High Commissioner to the Council (A/HRC/63/21 and A/HRC/62/51), which document systematic abuses by all parties, particularly against civilians and the Rohingya. The reports contain targeted recommendations to the Myanmar military, the National Unity Government, anti-military armed groups and States, including members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian aid, and support peace, democracy and human rights in Myanmar.

Finally, regarding the Secretary-General’s report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran (A/81/371), I wish to inform you that circumstances beyond our control delayed its timely finalization. It was recently circulated as an unedited advance version. Covering 1 August 2025 to 10 May 2026, the report updates on the human rights situation, with particular focus on the nationwide protests from December 2025 to February 2026 and the use of military force against Iran by Israel and the United States, which reportedly caused thousands of civilian deaths, significant damage to civilian infrastructure, and the targeted killing of senior political and military officials. The report also addresses concerns about domestic repression and the challenges arising from what was, as of the reporting period, the largest internet shutdown recorded globally.

Thank you.