Pakistan has been fulfilling its role in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) since 1st January, 2018. After a successful re-election, the country will continue as an active member for another term of three years, starting from 1st January, 2021. This election was not specific to Pakistan only. In fact, fifteen different countries were elected to the 47-nation council. The Asia-Pacific region saw representation from four countries, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Nepal, and China.
Issues with UNHRC Election Process
There has been considerable opposition against Pakistan’s re-election due to its abysmal record of human rights violations. Based on the ‘Human Rights and Democracy’ report from the British Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, many cases of serious human rights concerns became evident in Pakistan in 2019. These included a lack of freedom of expression, restrictions on civic space, and unabashed discrimination and intolerance towards minorities.
Issues arise not only from Pakistan’s election but also from that of other countries with questionable records on human rights. This throws a spotlight on the urgency of reform in UNHRC’s system of entry. States like China and Russia, their elections tarnishing the reputation of HRC within the international human rights committee and beyond.
Another concern lies in the non-competitive nature of elections. For example, the Eastern European group had two seats but only two countries were nominated, leading to no competition for the seats. Except for the competition in the Asia-Pacific region, the election of the 15 members to the 47-member council was predetermined due to a lack of opposition.
The Silver Lining
Despite the controversies surrounding the elections, there are potential benefits to having nations with dubious human rights records on the council. Their role as guardians of human rights makes it more challenging for these countries to hide their own human rights abuses.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
Established in 2006, with its headquarters located in Geneva, Switzerland, the UNHRC’s aim is to protect and promote human rights around the globe, while also looking into alleged violations of human rights. The UNHRC consists of 47 members, who are elected for three-year terms on a regional group basis from five groups – Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe. To become a member, a country must secure votes from at least 96 of the 191 states of the UN General Assembly.
The Council holds regular sessions three times per year, in March, June, and September. Their Universal Periodic Review allows civil society groups to direct attention to human rights violations in member states.
The Role of India and the USA
The USA withdrew its membership from the UNHRC in 2018, pointing to the council’s ineffectiveness and bias. For India, Pakistan’s re-election poses a challenge given Pakistan’s questionable status regarding human rights. However, India’s commitment towards respecting institutions of global governance mandates having a critical voice against certain events, rather than quitting the membership without reasons supported by principles.
Last Modified: February 9, 2024