The fifth session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law will convene on 13–14 October 2025 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, focusing on the
urgent intersection of democracy and climate change. Following Human Rights Council resolution 52/22, adopted in April 2023, the Forum will spotlight practical solutions to global climate challenges while safeguarding human rights.
H.E. Mr. Ioannis Ghikas, Greece’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, will chair the session. Appointed in August 2022, Mr. Ghikas will guide discussions and prepare a summary of outcomes for participants.
The Forum’s programme includes six panels over two days. Discussions will range from legal frameworks and democratic governance in climate action, to participation, accountability, and rights-based approaches to environmental protection. Key sessions include:
- Climate change in a rule of law(less) context
- Participation, accountability, and fundamental freedoms as enablers of a climate-just world
- Reimagining climate governance
- Legal clarity, democratic defence, and creativity
- Harmony with nature: advancing human rights, including the right to a healthy environment
- Interconnected solutions for interconnected problems
A variety of side events and artistic activities will complement the panels. Highlights include a documentary screening, youth-focused climate initiatives, a global ethical stocktake, and artistic installations such as a ceramic globe and collaborative stamp mosaic, created by artists from AwareNearth.
The Forum is open to accredited participants from states, UN agencies, international organizations, national human rights institutions, academics, and non-governmental organizations. All interventions are limited to two minutes and will be interpreted in the six official UN languages. Live webcasts will ensure broad access.
Contributions have been received from a diverse array of member states, human rights institutions, NGOs, and academic experts, including input from Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, the NHRI India, UNDP, and the Global Network for Human Rights and the Environment.
The session underscores the growing recognition that democracy and human rights are central to effective climate solutions. By combining policy dialogue, legal analysis, and creative engagement, the Forum aims to chart actionable paths toward a climate-just world. Photo by Palais des Nations in Geneva, Wikimedia commons.