The United Nations Human Rights Council started its 22nd session on Monday to discuss the human rights situation in Syria, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Myanmar and Iran.

In her opening remarks, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the Security Council had so far failed with regard to Syria, "despite the repeated reports of widespread or systematic crimes and violations" by her office and other sources.

Reviewing the principal achievements of the Vienna Declaration in the past two decades, Pillay said "we still have a long way to go," before giving examples such as the situation in Syria not being referred to the International Criminal Court.

During the four-week session, the council will hold interactive dialogues with a wide range of special rapporteurs on the right to food, adequate housing, torture, arbitrary detention, and human rights and counter-terrorism.

The council will also hear the presentation of reports from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children and a fact-finding mission on Israeli settlements.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend the session and deliver a keynote speech on March 1.