Country detail - yourHRC.org

Spain

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

2023

2024

2025

Council Bureau membership:	Vice-president (2018)
Coordinator of regional group:	1 (2013)
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2024) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2008-2009, 2020)
OHCHR presence:	– No field presence
NHRI accreditation status:	A

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

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Alliance of Civilizations; Contribution of parliaments to the work of the Human Rights Council and its universal periodic review; Human rights and access to safe drinking water and sanitation; Panel on the human rights of victims of terrorism; Promoting and protecting the human rights of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2010, Spain 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), Spain either votes in favour or abstains (almost equally). It has never voted against. For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, where a vote has been called, Spain has tended to vote in favour or abstain. Texts where Spain has voted in favour include: arms transfers (Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru); the question of the death penalty (core group); human rights, democracy and rule of law (core group); multiculturalism (Egypt); and sexual orientation (South Africa). In 2011 and 2013, Spain voted against Cuban resolutions on the ‘right to peace.’ For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights Spain has joined consensus on a majority of texts. Resolutions that it tends to vote against include: Cuban resolutions on the effects of foreign debt; Cuban resolutions on international solidarity; and NAM resolutions on unilateral coercive measures. It has abstained on votes on African Group resolutions on the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin. Spain has voted in favour on all resolutions on the right to development.

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: 98

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 46

270

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 61

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 >
SR on arbitrary detention, 2017

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

CEDAW
2.48 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Received Sub-Committee visit

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2010, 2015, 2020)

Mid-term report

1st and 2nd cycles

Level of delegation

Minister

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 118 / 192

2^nd cycle: 192 / 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: 1

Spain presented voluntary pledges in support of its candidature for membership for the period 2018-2020 on 8 September 2017. Key pledges include, inter alia, to:

Conduct inclusive and transparent consultations on all issues; Safeguard the role and contribution of civil society at the Council; Promote equality and non-discrimination, especially gender discrimination, gender-based violence, and trafficking and sexual exploitation; Defend the rights of persons with disabilities, including by promoting ratification of the CRPD and participating in relevant Council negotiations; Promote and protect economic, social, and cultural rights, including by continuing the Council initiative on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation; Promote democracy and rule of law; Combat racism, xenophobia, and hate crime. Contribute to reforms at the Council aimed at improving the body’s effectiveness; and Act as a bridge between North and South, East and West.

An analysis of steps taken by Spain in fulfilment of its international level pledges shows that it has high-levels of cooperation with Special Procedures, having accepted 55% of visit requests and responded to 88% of communications. Regarding UPR, the Spain’s own report was presented by a high-level delegation, and it submitted a detailed mid-term report on implementation. Spain actively participated in the UPR reviews of 192 other states during the second cycle. Spain has continued to support the initiatives it pledged to work on.

Spain

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: 118 / 192

2nd cycle: 192 / 192

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

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 1

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 118 / 192

2^nd cycle: 192 / 192