Country detail - yourHRC.org

Belgium

Regional group:

Western European & Others Group

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Council Bureau membership:	President (2009-2010) Vice-president (2016)
Coordinator of regional group:	1 (2011-2012)
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2021) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2022) Member of Working Group on Situations (2018)
OHCHR presence:	Regional Office
NHRI accreditation status:	B and Dissolved Institution

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Standing - Inter-Ministerial

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Extreme poverty and human rights; High-level panel on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Human Rights Council; Regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights; The question of the death penalty; Situation of human rights in Eritrea; Situation of human rights in Yemen.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2009, Belgium has either voted in favour of or has joined consensus on every resolution tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), and country-specific resolutions under item 2. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Belgium generally either votes in favour or abstains (almost equally). The only item 7 resolution it has voted against was a 2010 text on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Belgium has always joined consensus on item 10 resolutions (capacity-building). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, where a vote is called Belgium has abstained on 4 occasions (e.g. on African Group resolutions on ‘from rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action against racism’), voted in favour on 2 occasions (on democracy and rule of law, and on sexual orientation), and has voted against 3 times (2 texts on the right to peace, and 1 on defamation of religions). For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Belgium has joined consensus on a majority of texts. Where there have been votes on such texts, Belgium has tended to vote in favour of (NAM) resolutions on the right to development, and against texts on: the effects of foreign debt (Cuba); international solidarity (Cuba); and unilateral coercive measures (NAM). Texts Belgium has abstained on include: non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin; access to medicine; and the right to development (once).

View full voting record

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 73

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 36

201

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 51

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
None

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

None overdue

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2011, 2016,2021)

Mid-term report

1st and 2nd cycles

Level of delegation

Minister

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 87 / 192

2^nd cycle: 125 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2021)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 30

Belgium presented voluntary pledges and commitments in support of its candidature for membership for the period 2016-2018 in April 2015.

Key pledges include: Ensure that the Council fulfils its mandate to deal with both country situations and thematic issues; Cooperate actively with, and protect the independence of, Special Procedures; Engage constructively with the UPR mechanism, follow-up on accepted recommendations, and ensure that interactive dialogues remain inclusive; Ensure civil society participation in the work of the Council; Continue to support OHCHR, including financially; Maintain cooperation with Treaty Bodies, including by submitting periodic reports in a timely manner and by implementing recommendations; Ratify the OP-CAT; Continue to raise the question of the death penalty, and the role of regional organisations or arrangements, in the Council; and continue work towards the establishment of a NHRI in compliance with the Paris Principles.

An analysis of steps taken by Belgium in fulfilment of its international pledges shows that it has indeed ratified the OP-CAT. Belgium has participated in around half of all Council panel discussions and interactive debates. Regarding Special Procedures cooperation, Belgium has facilitated 80% of visit requests. Belgium has a strong record of reporting to Treaty Bodies, although it has one overdue report (CERD – 1 year). Likewise, it participated in its UPR review at ministerial-level and submitted a mid-term report on implementation. Belgium has continued to support the work of the OHCHR through voluntary financial contributions. Its new NHRI was accredited with B status by the GANHRI.

Belgium

Western European & Others Group

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 87 / 192

2nd cycle: 125 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 30

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 87 / 192

2^nd cycle: 125 / 192