The UN Human Rights Council

UNHRC is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for addressing and investigating human rights violations.

UNHRC is also responsible for promoting human rights education and learning, as well as advisory services, technical assistance and capacity-building, for example, by assisting states in creating and developing legal systems.

Last but not least, UNHRC is mandated to make recommendations to the General Assembly of the United Nations for the further development of international law in the field of human rights and to promote full implementation of human rights obligations undertaken by States. With the creation of UNHRC, human rights were placed high on the UN agenda and today UNHRC has formal status within the UN.

UNHRC at a glance

UNHRC meets at the UN office in Geneva, answers to the General Assembly and replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights created in 1964 under ECOSOC, the United Nations Social and Economic Council.

UNHRC is composed of 47 Member States, with seats distributed as follows: 13 to Africa, 13 to Asia, 6 to Eastern Europe, 8 to Latin America and the Caribbean, and 7 to Western Europe and Others. All members are elected by a majority of members of the General Assembly.

Members of the UNHRC serve for a term of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.