Country detail - yourHRC.org

Ethiopia

Regional group:

African Group (AG)

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

Council Bureau membership:	Vice-president (2016)
Coordinator of regional group:	1 (2014)
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2023) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2018, 2019)
OHCHR presence:	Regional Office
NHRI accreditation status:	A

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Unknown

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Cultural rights and the protection of cultural heritage; Elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members; Strengthening efforts to prevent and eliminate child, early and forced marriage; The negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights; Assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights; High-level panel discussion on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of the Human Rights Council.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2013, Ethiopia has (in the absence of consensus) almost always abstained on resolutions tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), as well as on country-specific resolutions under item 2 (e.g. the situation in Sri Lanka). The only exception was a 2013 resolution on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, when Ethiopia voted in favour. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Ethiopia usually votes in favour, though on two occasions it abstained. For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Ethiopia has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, it has tended to vote in favour. Ethiopia voted against resolutions in 2013 and 2014 on the question of the death penalty, and against a 2014 resolution on sexual orientation. It has abstained on resolutions dealing with: peaceful protests; human rights, democracy and rule of law; and drones. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Ethiopia has either joined consensus on, or has voted in favour of, all adopted texts.

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:

262

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?

Empty chair alert

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in less 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 >
SR on torture

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
10 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2009, 2014, 2019)

Mid-term report

Level of delegation

Minister

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 7 / 192

2^nd cycle: 71 / 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' (2010-2023)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 8

Ethiopia circulated a note verbale informing UN member states of its candidature for membership of the Council for the period 2016-2018 in March 2015. The note verbale was not accompanied by voluntary pledges and commitments.

Ethiopia tabled voluntary pledges and commitments in support for its candidacy for membership for the period 2013-2015 on 18 October 2012.

Ethiopia’s pledges and commitments tend to describe existing contributions and practices, rather than pledging to take further steps. Of 18 paragraphs under the title ‘international contributions, pledges and commitments,’ only 9 include concrete commitments to take further steps.

Where Ethiopia does offer concrete pledges, they tend to be ‘specific, measurable and verifiable.’ For example, the country pledges to: expedite ratification of two Optional Protocols to the CRC, and the CRMW; report to the Council on the implementation of UPR recommendations; incorporate UN and regional human rights recommendations into its national human rights action plan; cooperate with OHCHR; submit proposals and organize side events at the Council; and engage with NGOs in the preparation of national reports. On Treaty Body reporting, Ethiopia does not commit to improving its performance, rather it promises to continue its efforts.

An analysis of steps taken by Ethiopia in fulfilment of its international level pledges shows that it has ratified both Optional Protocols to the CRC. But it has not yet taken action to become Party to the CRMW. Nor has Ethiopia reported to the Council (i.e. a mid-term report) on the implementation of UPR recommendations.

Ethiopia

African Group (AG)

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: 7 / 192

2nd cycle: 71 / 192

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

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 8

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 7 / 192

2^nd cycle: 71 / 192