This week, government representatives, members of civil society and human rights experts took stock of progress made by the Council while expressing their views on its future work.

Warring parties in Idlib have given little consideration for civilian lives and have caused massive displacements. UN experts propose recommendations to address the situation of the displaced.

“We are concerned about the punitive approach taken by some States toward children associated with armed groups, including mercenaries, and insist that the best interests of the child should be the primary consideration,” said Saeed Mokbil, Chairman-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries during the Human Rights Council.

Unilateral sanctions have negatively affected the rights of Syrians and impeded the operations of civil society and humanitarian actors in Syria, the UN expert on unilateral coercive measures says.