At its sixty-first session (23 February-31 March 2026), the Human Rights Council adopted several resolutions addressing the protection of human rights, including issues directly affecting children across contexts such as migration, minority rights, conflict and exploitation.
The resolution on “Human rights of migrants: mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants” extends the mandate and highlights the disproportionate impact of human rights violations on children in migration, including those in irregular situations. Barriers faced by migrant children, including lack of documentation and legal status, directly affect their ability to establish and access their legal identity.
The resolution on “Rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities” emphasizes the importance of birth registration, legal identity and nationality, and calls for non-discriminatory access to documentation for minority children. Ensuring equal access to civil registration and identity documents is central to preventing exclusion and statelessness among minority children.
The resolution on “Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children” renews the mandate and calls for strengthened prevention, protection, and access to justice for child victims, including in digital environments. Effective protection and recovery mechanisms rely on the ability to identify children and preserve their legal identity throughout justice and care processes.
The resolution on “Situation of human rights in Myanmar” expresses grave concern at widespread violations against children, including killings, forced recruitment and denial of access to basic services in conflict settings. Conflict-related displacement and disruption of civil systems heighten risks of unregistered births and loss of identity documentation for affected children.
The resolution on “Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” highlights systemic violations affecting children, including lack of access to basic rights, forced labour and widespread abuse within detention systems. Restrictions on movement, information and civil systems can undermine children’s access to documentation and recognition before the law.
CHIP welcomes these resolutions, which reinforce the importance of legal identity, protection and access to rights for children, particularly those in vulnerable and conflict-affected situations.
Sources: https://docs.un.org/A/HRC/61/L.4/Rev.1, https://docs.un.org/A/HRC/61/L.15, https://docs.un.org/A/HRC/61/L.20/Rev.1, https://docs.un.org/A/HRC/61/L.22, https://docs.un.org/A/HRC/61/L.24/Rev.1
