Part of: Prelims and GS II – International Relations
Context: Russia’s membership to the Human Rights Council (HRC), was suspended recently after the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted to adopt a resolution suspending Moscow from the UN body.
Russia was elected to UNHRC in 2020.
India abstained from voting during the resolution.
What is the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)?
The Council was created through the resolution 60/251.
Established in: 2006.
Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland
Aim: (1) To Promote and protect human rights around the globe; (2) To investigate alleged human rights violations.
Features: The UNHRC has 47 members elected for three-year terms on a regional group basis from 5 groups.
Membership: To become a member, a country must receive the votes of at least 96 of the 191 states of the UN General Assembly (an absolute majority).
Members are elected directly by secret ballot by the majority of the UN General Assembly.
Five regional groups for membership: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Europe and Eastern Europe.
The members are elected for a period of three years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
Sessions: The UNHRC holds regular sessions three times a year.
