New UN Human Rights Council

UN - In ‘historic' vote, General Assembly creates new UN Human Rights Council. Culminating months of intensive negotiations, the United Nations General Assembly today voted overwhelmingly on a resolution setting up a new Human Rights Council to replace the much-criticized Human Rights Commission – prompting Secretary-General Kofi Annan to hail this as an “historic” development which will help improve the lives of millions of people worldwide.

Welcoming the vote, which was greeted by prolonged applause, Mr. Annan, who first suggested the creation of the new Council in a report to the General Assembly one year ago, said it gave the UN “a much needed chance to make a new beginning in its work for human rights around the world.”

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 170 in favour with 4 against – the United States, Israel, the Marshall Islands and Palau – with Venezuela, Iran and Belarus abstaining.

New UN Human Rights Council

In opening remarks to the Assembly before the vote, General Assembly President Jan Eliasson, who led the often contentious negotiations on the issue, called today's session a “decisive moment” not only for human rights but for the standing of the UN as a whole.

Highlighting several elements that would make the Council a “significant improvement” over the much-maligned Commission, he noted the Council's higher status as a subsidiary body of the General Assembly, its increased number of meetings throughout the year, equitable geographical representation and also the voting rights associated with membership.

“Members of the Council would be elected by the majority of the members of the General Assembly, in other words by an absolute majority. Each candidate would be voted on individually and directly and would have to obtain at least ninety-six votes of support in a secret ballot,” Mr. Eliasson said.

“The General Assembly, by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting, could suspend the rights of membership of a Council member who commits gross and systematic violations of human rights,” he added.

The new Council will have 47 members. The first elections are planned for 9 May and the first session will take place on 19 June, according to the resolution.

In a statement, Mr. Annan, who is travelling in Africa, thanked the Assembly President for his efforts in bringing this “sensitive matter to a conclusion,” but acknowledged that this was “only the first step in a process of change,” adding that “now the real work begins.”

“The true test of the Council's credibility will be the use that Member States make of it. If, in the weeks and months ahead, they act on the commitments they have given in this resolution, I am confident that the Council will breathe new life into all our work for human rights, and thereby help to improve the lives of millions of people throughout the world,” Mr. Annan noted.

He went on to say that while the resolution “gives us a solid foundation, on which all who are truly committed to the cause of human rights must now build,” no country would be wholly satisfied with every paragraph, although such was “the nature of international negotiations.”

Annan confident US, despite objections, will work with Human Rights Council. Secretary-General Kofi Annan today expressed confidence that the United States will be able to work with the new United Nations Human Rights Council despite its opposition to a draft framework for the body that he has called an essential element in reforming the world organization.

“My understanding is that the US, even though they may not be able to vote for the Council as it is now currently proposed, it will be able to work with the Council,” Mr. Annan told reporters in South Africa just hours before the General Assembly was to vote on setting up the body to replace the much-criticized UN Commission on Human Rights.

“I think in a normal democratic process, if you can get unanimity, well and good,” he said in Johannesburg after meeting with former South African President Nelson Mandela during a two-week visit to Africa. “But if you can't, and an overwhelming majority of the members go for something, I think it should work…

“And I am sure the US, which has done so much for human rights, will find a way to work with the other Member States to make the council what it ought to be.”

The United States feels that as proposed the Council does not go far enough and has called for renegotiation, a move that Mr. Annan has said “chagrined” him, warning that the new body could “unravel” in renegotiations.

As proposed, the Council would have a higher status and greater accountability than the Commission that meets yearly in Geneva. It would be a subsidiary body of the General Assembly, meet year round as opposed to the six-week annual session of the Commission, and its members would be elected by a majority of all 191 UN Members.

In presenting his proposed reforms a year ago, Mr. Annan wanted election to be by a two-thirds majority, and failure to achieve this has been cited by the US as one of the main elements in its opposition.

But while conceding his inability to reach this goal, he has repeatedly stressed that the Council as proposed by General Assembly President Jan Eliasson after months-long consultations with Member States could be a basis for more effective human rights protection.

“The President of the General Assembly has done a great work, working with all the member states to come up with a document that gives a credible basis to move forward,” he said today.

Human Rights Council : Today, by this historic resolution, the General Assembly has established the new Human Rights Council that world leaders resolved to create at the summit last September. This gives the United Nations the chance – a much-needed chance – to make a new beginning in its work for human rights around the world. I congratulate General Assembly President Jan Eliasson, and thank him for his patience and tenacity in bringing this sensitive matter to a conclusion. No country will be wholly satisfied with every paragraph in the resolution, but such is the nature of international negotiations. It preserves important strengths of the Commission on Human Rights, such as the system of special procedures and the participation of NGOs, while also setting forth important innovations to address the Commission's weaknesses. Taken as a whole, the resolution gives us a solid foundation, on which all who are truly committed to the cause of human rights must now build. I believe they will succeed in building a framework within which governments from all parts of the world can work together to promote human rights, more effectively than ever before.

This is only the first step in a process of change. In the coming weeks states wishing to be elected to the new Council will put forward their pledges and commitments to protect and promote human rights. It will be up to their fellow member states to evaluate these promises, and to hold the successful candidates to them. The General Assembly will vote on all candidates, and thereafter will have the responsibility to suspend any of the Council's members that commit gross and systematic violations of human rights. The members will have committed themselves to uphold the highest standards of human rights, cooperate fully with the Council, and have their own human rights' records reviewed during their term of membership. The universal review mechanism will allow the Council to hold all member states to their human rights obligations fairly and equally, without selectivity or double standards. The Council will meet regularly throughout the year, and can hold special sessions when needed. This should enable it to deal with human rights crises immediately, whenever they arise.

Now the real work begins. The true test of the Council's credibility will be the use that member states make of it. If, in the weeks and months ahead, they act on the commitments they have given in this resolution, I am confident that the Council will breathe new life into all our work for human rights, and thereby help to improve the lives of millions of people throughout the world.”

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