Regular sessions

The Commission on Human Rights meets each year in regular session in March/April for six weeks in Geneva.

• 61st session (2005) - 14 March to 22 April
• 60th session (2004) - 15 March to 23 April
• 59th session (2003) - 17 March to 25 April
• 58th session (2002) - 18 March to 26 April
• 57th session (2001) - 19 March to 21 April - Documents archives
• 56th session (2000) - 20 March to 28 April - Documents archives
• 55th session (1999) - 22 March to 30 April - Documents archives
• 54th session (1998) - 16 March to 24 April - Documents archives

Information on previous sessions can be found on our human rights documents' system. Please visit our search page.

Special sessions

The Commission on Human Rights was authorized by the Economic and Social Council, in its resolution 1990/48 of 25 May 1990, to meet exceptionally between its regular sessions, provided that a majority of the members of the Commission so agreed, mindful of the need for the Commission on Human Rights to deal with urgent and acute human rights situations in the most expeditious way.

The following special sessions were held in Geneva:

• Fifth: Grave and massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel, 17-19 October 2000
• Fourth: Situation in East Timor, 23-27 September 1999
• Third: Situation of human rights in Rwanda, 24-25 May 1994
• Second: Situation of human rights in the territories of the former Yugoslavia, 30 November-1 December 1992
• First: Situation of human rights in the territories of the former Yugoslavia, 13-14 August 1992
  
Informal one-day meetings
• 28 September 2004
• 30 September 2003