Social, Humanitarian & Cultural Issues (Third Committee)
Third Committee
The Third Committee of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, is chaired by His Excellency Zéphyrin Maniratanga, Permament Representative of Burundi.
As in previous sessions, an important part of the work of the Committee will focus on the examination of human rights questions, including reports of the special procedures of the Human Rights Council which was established in 2006. Tthe Committee will hear and interact with special rapporteurs, independent experts, and chairs of treaty bodies and working groups as mandated by the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.
The Committee discusses questions relating to the advancement of women, the protection of children, indigenous issues, the treatment of refugees, the promotion of fundamental freedoms through the elimination of racism and racial discrimination, and the right to self- determination. The Committee also addresses important social development questions such as issues related to youth, family, ageing, persons with disabilities, crime prevention, criminal justice, and international drug control.
In line with General Assembly resolution 66/246, the formal meetings of the Third Committee are webcast live on UN Web TV. Live coverage of the formal meetings is available in the six official languages of the United Nations, including the original language of the speaker. Past meetings of the session will also be available from the Committee's dedicated video archives.
