In the recent UN General Assembly elections, 17 countries were elected to the Human Rights Council for the term 2025-2027, with 25 members committed to the Responsibility to Protect. While the elections signal a commitment to human rights, concerns arise over the credibility of the Council, especially with members like Ethiopia and others implicated in severe human rights violations.
On October 9, the UN General Assembly cast its votes, welcoming Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Iceland, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Mexico, North Macedonia, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand into the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term. Notably, with the inclusion of members like Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and others, 25 of the 47 Council seats in 2025 will feature representatives who are considered “Friends of the Responsibility to Protect” (R2P), indicating their commitment to preventing mass atrocities and safeguarding human rights. The Human Rights Council, with its array of mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and various special procedures, is charged with the critical duty of monitoring flags that could signal impending crises—those dark clouds of potential crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. However, the election of Ethiopia poses a blow to the Council’s credibility, as the elected states are expected to uphold outstanding human rights standards in compliance with UN General Assembly Resolution 60/251. The unsettling reality is that some current members, including Cameroon, China, Eritrea, and others, are implicated in grave human rights violations on their home turf or beyond. Since the inception of the HRC, there have been over 80 echoes of the imperative for states to protect their populations in thematic and country resolutions since 2008. Yet, the urgency for transitioning from mere warnings to decisive actions is palpable. The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect urges all members of the Council to prioritize this responsibility seriously. To facilitate understanding, the Centre has also curated profiles of the new Council members, showcasing their involvement in R2P and related mass atrocity prevention initiatives.
The UN Human Rights Council, often seen as a beacon for global human rights, faces a challenging landscape amidst political maneuverings and varying commitment levels from its members. The Responsibility to Protect (R2P), an international norm that mandates states to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, stands as a key guiding principle for the HRC’s mission. The council utilizes various mechanisms to address potential human rights violations and prevent emerging crises. However, the mere presence of states with questionable human rights records raises concerns about the HRC’s effectiveness and integrity, necessitating focused efforts to reinforce the principles of R2P.
The recent elections to the Human Rights Council brought a mix of optimism and concern. While the inclusion of several states committed to R2P is a positive sign, the election of members like Ethiopia, alongside the ongoing violations by current members, casts a shadow over the Council’s credibility. Moving forward, a stronger commitment to the principles of R2P is vital for preventing mass atrocities and ensuring accountability. The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect emphasizes the necessity of transforming early warnings into decisive actions by all members, reinforcing their duty to safeguard human rights on a global scale.
Original Source: www.globalr2p.org
