Country detail - yourHRC.org

Costa Rica

Regional group:

Latin American & Caribbean 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

2023

2024

2025

Council Bureau membership:	–
Coordinator of regional group:	1 (2010-2011)
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2024) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Working Group on Situations (2013)
OHCHR presence:	Human Rights Adviser
NHRI accreditation status:	A

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

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Fifteenth anniversary of the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, as enshrined in the World Summit Outcome of 2005; World Programme for Human Rights Education; Consideration of the elaboration of a draft declaration on the promotion and full respect of human rights of people of African descent; Human rights and the environment; Human rights education and training; The promotion and protection of human rights in the context of peaceful protests; The question of the death penalty; Conscientious objection to military service; Impact of arms transfers on human rights in armed conflicts; Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; Mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; Promotion and protection of human rights in Nicaragua; Situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2011, Costa Rica has either voted in favour of or has joined consensus on all resolutions 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), Costa Rica has generally voted in favour (although on two occasions it abstained – in 2012). On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), Costa Rica has joined consensus on all resolutions except for one that was voted on (during the period of its membership): on cooperation with Ukraine (Costa Rica voted in favour). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Costa Rica has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, Costa Rica has always voted in favour. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Costa Rica has either joined consensus on, or has voted in favour of, nearly all adopted texts. The exceptions are a 2014 NAM resolution on unilateral coercive measures (Costa Rica abstained), and a 2012 Cuban resolution on the effects of foreign debt (Costa Rica abstained).

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: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

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 >
WG on arbitrary detention, 2018

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

CERD
6 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Received Sub-Committee visit

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2009, 2014, 2019)

Mid-term report

1st & 3rd cycles

Level of delegation

Special Commission

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 27 / 192

2^nd cycle: 162 / 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' (2010-2024)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 9

Costa Rica tabled its commitments and voluntary pledges in support of its candidacy for membership for the period 2012-2014 on 11 April 2011.

Domestically, Costa Rica pledged to: promote vigorous public policies regarding gender equality and the participatory rights of vulnerable groups; establish an inter-institutional committee on human rights to work on national reports to Treaty Bodies and the UPR mechanism; and follow up on accepted UPR recommendations.

At international level, Costa Rica committed to: continuing the process of signing and ratifying the OP-ICESCR; achieving legislative approval of the CPED; promoting initiatives on important topics, including education and environmental conservation; standing against no-action motions on draft resolutions; participating in different areas of work of the Council; promote the independence of and cooperate with Special Procedures; and contribute financial resources to the promotion of human rights.

An analysis of steps taken by Costa Rica in fulfilment of its pledges made at international level shows that it continues to make voluntary contributions to OHCHR. Regarding cooperation with Special Procedures, Costa Rica maintains a Standing Invitation and accepted and facilitated most visit requests received. In 2012, Costa Rica ratified the CED and in 2014 the OP-ICESCR. Regarding participation at the Council, Costa Rica has participated, individually, in around a quarter of all panel discussions, interactive dialogues and general debates.

Costa Rica

Latin American & Caribbean 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: 27 / 192

2nd cycle: 162 / 192

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

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 9

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 27 / 192

2^nd cycle: 162 / 192