New York — October 2, 2026
General Discussion of the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (Third Committee) at its 81st Session
Unofficial Translation
Libya Statement
Delivered by Mr. Ahmed I A Aldredi, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the State of Libya to the United Nations
Mr. Chair,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Libya extends to you and to the distinguished members of the Bureau its warmest congratulations on your election to steer the work of the Third Committee at its eighty-first session, and is fully confident that you will lead the Committee’s work to positive outcomes that strengthen respect for human rights and human dignity everywhere. Libya expresses its full support for the statement delivered by the distinguished representative of the Republic of Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and the statement delivered by the distinguished representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt on behalf of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Libya affirms its firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and to the international human rights system in all its pillars, civil, political, economic, social, and cultural alike, foremost among them the right to development.
Mr. Chair,
In affirmation of its commitment to inclusive social development, Libya wishes to present to the Committee some of its national efforts in this regard. In the area of youth, Libya is implementing its National Youth Strategy, in cooperation with the United Nations system, to ensure the enhancement of their participation in public life, the building of their institutional and professional capacities, and their empowerment to contribute effectively to the process of reconstruction and development the country is witnessing. In the area of the advancement of women, Libya continues, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme, to develop national mechanisms to enhance women’s participation in political, economic, and social life and in decision-making, in the belief that women’s empowerment is an indispensable pillar for achieving inclusive sustainable development that leaves no one behind. Libya also wishes to highlight its attention to the situation of older persons and persons with disabilities, and the need to integrate them into social protection programmes and basic services on an equal footing with all other members of society.
From this standpoint as well, Libya underscores its particular attention to combating trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, and renews its call for strengthening international and regional cooperation in information exchange, building national capacities, and combating transnational organized crime networks that exploit fragile situations to make gains at the expense of the lives and dignity of victims, most of whom are women and children. In this regard, Libya stresses the importance of cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and all relevant United Nations agencies in building the national capacities of law enforcement bodies and addressing victims’ issues from a human rights-based perspective.
Mr. Chair,
Turning to an issue no less urgent, Libya expresses its deep concern over the continuing impact of armed conflicts on children, including the risks of landmines and explosive remnants of war, and the need to pay special attention to the protection, rehabilitation, and reintegration of conflict-affected children, including missing children, whose tracing and reunification with their families remain an urgent humanitarian priority. At the national level, Libya has signed a joint action plan with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to strengthen child protection systems and support child rights-sensitive legislative reforms, and has begun preparing the second generation of its National Plan to Combat Child Labour, affirming its commitment to providing a safe and dignified environment for all children.
On the broader human rights front, Libya renews its commitment to full cooperation with the United Nations human rights mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review, as a constructive tool for dialogue based on respect for national sovereignty, non-selectivity, and objectivity, away from double standards. Libya also affirms its support for transitional justice and national reconciliation efforts as an essential pillar for building sustainable peace, and highlights its efforts to develop its national legislative and institutional framework in a manner that strengthens the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms of all without discrimination.
Mr. Chair,
In this regard, Libya wishes to draw the Committee’s attention to the continued rise of hate speech and incitement around the world. It expresses its categorical condemnation of all forms of hate speech and incitement to violence and discrimination based on race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, and stresses the need for effective international measures to confront this growing phenomenon, including in the digital space and on social media. Libya calls for strengthening awareness and education programmes on the values of tolerance and respect for diversity as the first line of defense against these dangerous phenomena.
Consistent with its steadfast positions in this regard, Libya renews its condemnation of all forms of intolerance, discrimination, incitement to violence, and violence against persons based on religion or belief, condemns the rise of hate speech against religions, and calls for adherence to the principles of non-selectivity, objectivity, and the rejection of double standards, in a manner that takes into account the religious and cultural specificities of peoples and consolidates a culture of dialogue and coexistence among followers of different religions and cultures.
Mr. Chair,
On a matter at the very core of just causes, Libya takes this opportunity to renew its steadfast and principled support for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. It also affirms its historic stance in support of the right of all peoples under occupation or colonialism to attain their independence in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy. Libya renews its support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and calls for the provision of adequate financial and political support to enable it to continue carrying out its vital and humanitarian functions towards Palestine refugees.
Mr. Chair,
In concluding this statement, Libya reaffirms its full commitment to constructive engagement with all brotherly and friendly delegations, and its complete readiness to participate actively in the deliberations of this Committee on all items on its agenda, with a view to achieving outcomes that strengthen respect for human rights and human dignity everywhere. Libya wishes the work of this session every success.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.