India Re-elected United Nations Human Rights Council

• IAS NEXT, Lucknow
• 18, Oct 2021

India gets re-elected to UN Human Rights Council for 6th term with overwhelming majority.

• Besides, the US has also joined more than three years after the Trump administration quit the UNHRC over what it called chronic bias against Israel and a lack of reform.

Background:

Human Rights Council candidates are elected in geographical groups to ensure even representation.

About UNHRC:

UNHRC was reconstituted from its predecessor organisation, the UN Commission on Human Rights to help overcome the “credibility deficit” of the previous organisation.

• Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Composition:

• The UNHRC has 47 members serving at any time with elections held to fill up seats every year, based on allocations to regions across the world to ensure geographical representation.
• Each elected member serves for a term of three years.
• Countries are disallowed from occupying a seat for more than two consecutive terms.

Functions:

• The UNHRC passes non-binding resolutions on human rights issues through a periodic review of all 193 UN member states called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
• It oversees expert investigation of violations in specific countries (Special Procedures).

Challenges and Need for reforms:

• The human rights record of the member-states such as Saudi Arabia, China and Russia in the council has also not been in line with the aims and mission of the UNHRC, which has led to critics questioning its relevance.
• Despite the continued participation of several western countries in the UNHRC, they continue to harbour misgivings on the understanding of Human rights.
• Non-compliance has been a serious issue with respect to the UNHRC’s functioning.
• Non-participation of powerful nations such as the US.