UK sets out human rights priorities at UN Third Committee, from Gaza to civic freedoms

The United Kingdom set out its human rights priorities at the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee in New York on 1 October 2026, calling for civilian protection in conflicts and stronger scrutiny of abuses. A transcript of the address by UK ambassador Sarah MacIntosh was published on 2 October. Its positions matter because the committee is a forum for governments to debate human rights and humanitarian issues, although the speech itself does not establish that any of the UK’s demands have been carried out.

MacIntosh said conflict, repression, discrimination and the misuse of power and technology were putting rights under pressure. She urged governments to turn shared commitments into practical change and said the UK would defend universal rights ‘without fear or favour’. The address ranged from wars and humanitarian access to the treatment of women, LGBT+ people and human rights defenders.

What the UK said about Gaza and the West Bank

On Gaza, MacIntosh said basic humanitarian needs remained unmet and called on all parties to uphold international law, protect civilians and allow rapid, unimpeded humanitarian access. She condemned abuses by Hamas and other non-state actors, said Hamas should dismantle its weapons and terror infrastructure, and opposed any role for it in Gaza’s future governance. These were the UK’s stated positions, rather than findings established by the address.

The UK said it supported full implementation of the 20-Point Plan and remained committed to a credible political process towards a two-state solution. In the West Bank, MacIntosh said settlement expansion, settler violence and displacement were undermining that prospect. She cited recent UK restrictions targeting settlement activity and people who support, facilitate or profit from it, without setting out their effects in the speech.

Calls for scrutiny in Ukraine and Sudan

On Sudan, the UK pointed to atrocity crimes, conflict-related sexual violence, displacement and hunger. MacIntosh said the flow of weapons and external support was sustaining the conflict and called on states to stop supporting the warring parties, protect civilians and secure humanitarian access. She backed continued work by the UN Fact-Finding Mission to preserve evidence for accountability.

The address also raised concerns about renewed political tensions and attacks on civilians in South Sudan, military abuses in Myanmar, restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan, and executions and repression in Iran. On Syria, MacIntosh welcomed steps she said the government had taken towards political transition and accountability, while urging an inclusive settlement and justice for abuses. Each assessment was made by the UK in its address.

Women’s rights, LGBT+ people and civic space

Beyond the conflict settings, MacIntosh raised concerns about rights in Xinjiang and Tibet and the effect of Hong Kong’s National Security Law on political expression. She condemned intimidation and reprisals against civil society and human rights defenders, including for cooperating with the UN, and said the UK supported the Lighthouse Fund, which provides protection for defenders under threat.

The UK also pledged to tackle violence against women and girls, promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, and support women’s economic empowerment and participation in public life and decisions about peace and security. MacIntosh said universal rights applied equally to LGBT+ people, who should not face violence, criminalisation or exclusion because of who they are or whom they love.

How the UK address fits the committee debate

The European Union’s separately issued statement said the UK had aligned itself with the EU’s address to the committee, alongside several other countries. The EU likewise emphasised gender equality, protection of civil society, accountability and the need to protect the UN human rights system. Its statement described the Third Committee’s remit as social, humanitarian and cultural issues, including the promotion of human rights.

The EU also set out a specific procedural step: it said it would not present its annual resolution on freedom of religion or belief this year. It described that decision as part of efforts to make the committee’s work more efficient and said it did not lessen its commitment to the issue. The UK address made no comparable announcement about a new resolution or enforcement mechanism.

MacIntosh argued that the UN system was valuable for independent scrutiny, credible evidence, accountability and protection of people whose voices are silenced. The published UK statement gives no timetable or measurable next step for most of its commitments. Its immediate development is the position the government placed before the committee; whether other governments act on its calls remains open.