The UN General Assembly elects 18 new members to the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term.
International
On October 9, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elected 18 new members to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2025-2027 term.
- The 18 newly elected members are Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Iceland, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Mexico, North Macedonia, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand.
- These members will begin their 3-year terms on January 1, 2025.
Main Points:- (i) The UNHRC is composed of 47 member states, directly elected by the UNGA through a secret ballot, ensuring a democratic and transparent selection process.
(ii) The structure of the UNHRC ensures that its membership has an equitable geographical distribution, with 13 members from African countries, 13 members from the Asia-Pacific region, 6 members from Eastern European countries, 8 members from Latin American and Caribbean countries, and 7 members from Are from Western European and other countries.
(iii) Each member serves a three-year term and cannot be immediately re-elected for two consecutive terms. This rule encourages a rotation of member states, ensuring fresh perspectives are regularly introduced to the Council. The UNHRC membership cycle begins annually on January 1.
About the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
President: Omar Zniber
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
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