U.S. to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council
- Posted By
10Pointer
- Categories
Science & Technology
- Published
8th Feb, 2021
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Context
- Biden administration moves to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council, reversing another key policy of the previous Trump administration.
Background
- Trump administration withdrew from the council, the world’s most important human rights body, in 2018 over what he and his allies called unfair targeting of Israel.
- The departure made the United States the first country to leave voluntarily.
The decision
- Washington is planning to return to the Geneva-based body as an observer to seek electionas a full member.
- The decision is likely to draw criticism from conservative lawmakers and many in the pro-Israel community.
- Although the U.S. will have only nonvoting observer status on the council through the end of 2021, the administration intends to seek one of three full member seats — currently held by Austria, Denmark and Italy — from the “Western Europe and other states group” that come up for electionlater this year.
About UNHRC
- The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body.
- The UNHRC was established by the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 to replace the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR, herein CHR).
- Its mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world.
- The UNHRC has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis.
- The headquarters of UNHRC is in Geneva, Switzerland.
- The UNHRC investigates allegations of breaches of human rights in the following cases:
- freedom of association and assembly
- freedom of expression
- freedom of belief and religion
- women's rights, LGBT rights
- rights of racial and ethnic minorities
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