The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva has announced that it will hold a special session on Friday, 14 November 2025, to discuss the human rights situation in the city of El Fasher and its surrounding areas, in the context of the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan.

According to the official statement issued by the Council, the session will take place in the main hall of the Palais des Nations in Geneva, starting at 9:00 a.m. Geneva time, and will be broadcast live on the official UN channel (UN Web TV) in the six official languages of the organization.

The Council explained that the request to convene the session was submitted by the United Kingdom, jointly with Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Norway, on 5 November 2025. The request has so far received the support of 24 member states of the Council, exceeding the required threshold (one-third of the members).

The Council also announced that 31 observer states have expressed their support for holding the special session, including Canada, Australia, Sweden, Italy, and Austria, noting that the list of supporting states will remain open until the session convenes.

The meeting is scheduled to address recent human rights reports concerning the escalation of violations in El Fasher, including mass killings, sexual violence, and widespread displacement, in preparation for adopting new UN resolutions aimed at expanding international accountability and ensuring the protection of civilians.

This special session is the 38th in the history of the Human Rights Council. The Council previously held two sessions on Sudan in November 2021 and May 2023, following the escalation of the conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.

In this context, the El Hak Foundation for Freedom of Expression and Human Rights – Cairo welcomes the convening of the special session, affirming that it represents a positive step toward strengthening international justice and ending impunity. It also comes in response to the demands expressed by civil society organizations in the statement issued by the El Hak Foundation on 29 October 2025, which condemned the crimes committed in Sudan and was co-signed by 12 African and European human rights organizations.