The Human Rights Council, created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006, is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe, addressing situations of human rights violations, and making recommendations on them.
The Council is made up of 47 Member States which are elected by members of the General Assembly of the United Nations through direct and secret ballot. Members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.
The Council’s rotating membership is based on equitable geographical distribution of the following seats: African States: 13 seats; Asia-Pacific States: 13 seats; Latin American and Caribbean States: 8 seats; Western European and other States: 7 seats; Eastern European States: 6 seats.
By Madaline Keros, FAWCO UN Representative in Geneva
Human rights is one of FAWCO’s core, four pillars. In the issue of migration, human rights violations and protection of migrants’ and refugees’ rights is a spotlight issue as the international community struggles with appropriately handling it. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center asserts that about 60 million people were on the move...
One of the world’s most critical challenges despite significant progress over the last decade is maternal deaths. Although maternal deaths worldwide have decreased in recent decades approximately 800 women still die each day from largely preventable causes before, during, and after the time of birth. These deaths are not equally distributed. Ninety-nine percent of preventable maternal deaths occur in low...
The human rights to water and sanitation are derived from other rights, notably the right to an adequate standard of living, which is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). As part of thematic issues dialogs, the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC33) held an interactive...
During the 33rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), Geneva, we heard from Ms. Urmila Bhoola, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery. She underscored what we hear often; that millions of women, men and children continued to be trapped in various forms of slavery which created an urgent imperative to review the impediments to the global...
The 33rd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) opened today with a sweeping address by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. The address was full of purposeful intent to gain Member States attention and call to action.
The High Commissioner expressed critical concern over an emerging pattern of the “growing refusal on the part...
The 33rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council runs from September 13- October 2, 2016 at the United Nations in Geneva. This 33rd session is slated with an agenda of relevant and timely issues. Take a look at the Inside Track to learn what's ahead in the coming few weeks.
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