Embassy and Permanent Mission of the State of Eritrea in Geneva
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Human Rights Council: An Overview
The Human Rights Council serves as the primary intergovernmental entity within the United Nations dedicated to human rights. Established in 2006 by the General Assembly, its mission is to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide.
Comprising 47 Member States, the Council offers a multilateral platform to address human rights abuses and specific country situations. It actively responds to human rights crises and provides recommendations for improving the implementation of human rights practices.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) supports the Council and offers substantive, technical, and secretariat assistance.
The Human Rights Council succeeded the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Functions of the Council
- Acts as a global platform for discussions on human rights issues, engaging with UN officials, mandated experts, states, civil society, and other stakeholders.
- Passes resolutions or decisions during regular sessions that reflect the international community's stance on specific human rights issues or situations. These resolutions send a significant political message, encouraging governments to take corrective measures.
- Conducts special sessions or crisis meetings to address urgent human rights situations.
- Evaluate the human rights records of all United Nations Member States through the Universal Periodic Review process.
- Appoints Special Procedures, independent human rights experts who monitor specific countries or themes, acting as the Council's observant eyes and ears.
- Authorizes commissions of inquiry and fact-finding missions that gather compelling evidence regarding war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Council Membership and Elections
The Human Rights Council is composed of 47 Member States, which are elected directly and individually by a majority of the 193 states in the UN General Assembly. Elections are held annually. The seats are fairly distributed among the five UN regional groups, with one-third of the members up for re-election each year. Each member serves a term of three years and is allowed to hold office for a maximum of two consecutive terms. As of December 2022, 123 out of the 193 UN Member States have participated as Council members.
The Council's rotating membership reflects the UN's diversity and enhances its credibility when addressing human rights abuses globally.
Overview of the Council’s Mechanisms and Entities
The Human Rights Council comprises various mechanisms and entities, detailed in the Council's 'Institution-building package' (Resolution 5/1) from 2007. These include:
Additionally, there are other mechanisms, such as dialogue platforms and groups focused on advancing legal frameworks for human rights. Learn more about the Council's comprehensive range of activities.
Eritrea in the Council
Eritrea has had the privilege of serving on the Council for two consecutive terms, from 2019 to 2021 and again from 2022 to 2024. The Council convenes three times a year for several weeks to discuss critical issues and the situations of various countries.
Our Mission represents Eritrea at the Human Rights Council and its subsidiary mechanisms, advocating strongly for our national positions and policies. Eritrea believes that the Human Rights Council should address all human rights violations—regardless of when or where they occur—on an equal basis. As a signatory to all major human rights treaties, the Mission actively engages with the bodies established under these treaties to promote universal adherence and implementation.