Is the UN living up to its founding principles ?
This UN Watch database monitors the actions and composition of key UN bodies, highlighting the pernicious elevation of dictatorships to high positions, and the world body’s peculiar obsession with scapegoating Israel.
Scroll down for key facts
Dictatorships on UN bodies
Absurdly, repressive regimes are routinely elected to key UN bodies mandated to protect human rights (Human Rights Council), promote women’s rights and gender equality (UN Women & Commission on the Status of Women), promote education and protect freedom of the press (UNESCO), and oversee the work of human rights groups (Committee on NGOs).
Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council is responsible for ensuring protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, and addressing human rights violations, including “gross and systematic violations.” Its work is supposed to be guided by principles of “universality, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity.”
Members
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Burundi
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China
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Cuba
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Egypt
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Pakistan
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Qatar
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Angola
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Democratic Republic of Congo
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Indonesia
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Iraq
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Kuwait
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Vietnam
Percentage of Non-democracies
Percentage of Countries Not Rated Free
Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women is the 45-nation intergovernmental body that is exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
At its annual two-week session, representatives of UN member states, civil society organizations and UN entities gather to discuss progress and gaps in the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the key global policy document on gender equality, as well as emerging issues that affect gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Members
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China
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Cuba
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Qatar
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Saudi Arabia
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Zimbabwe
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Bangladesh
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Democratic Republic of Congo
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Gabon
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Nigeria
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Philippines
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Sri Lanka
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Belgium
Percentage of Non-democracies
Percentage of Countries Not Rated Free
Committee on NGOs
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is a 19-nation standing committee of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), established in 1946. It accredits and oversees the work of non-governmental human rights groups at the UN, and has the power to grant and suspend their UN credentials.
Members
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China
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Cuba
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Eritrea
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Pakistan
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Turkey
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Zimbabwe
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Algeria
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Bahrain
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Cameroon
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Nicaragua
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Armenia
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Chile
Percentage of Non-democracies
Percentage of Countries Not Rated Free
UN Women
UN Women is a UN agency of 2,000 employees, working in a global network of country offices, dedicated to women’s equality and empowerment. It supports UN member states in setting global standards for achieving gender equality. The 41-nation Executive Board governs the operational activities of UN Women and provides it with operational policy guidance.
Executive Board Members
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China
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Equatorial Guinea
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Russia
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Saudi Arabia
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Bahrain
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Burkina Faso
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Democratic Republic of Congo
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Kyrgyzstan
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Mauritania
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Philippines
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Uganda
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Vietnam
UNESCO
UNESCO’s mandate is to promote peace through education, science, and culture, and is most famous for its world heritage designations.
UNESCO also has a human rights committee (Committee on Conventions and Recommendations), that rules on individual human rights complaints where a government is alleged to have violated freedom of speech, opinion, thought, conscience, assembly or association. The 58-nation Executive Board is responsible for the overall management of UNESCO, including its program of work and budget.
Executive Board Members
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China
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Cuba
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Egypt
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Equatorial Guinea
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Pakistan
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Qatar
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Saudi Arabia
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Turkey
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Zimbabwe
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Bangladesh
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Burkina Faso
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Cameroon
Members of UNESCO Executive Board (208)
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Human Rights Council47
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Burundi
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China
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Cuba
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Egypt
-
Pakistan
-
Qatar
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Angola
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Democratic Republic of Congo
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Indonesia
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Iraq
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Kuwait
-
Vietnam
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Albania
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Benin
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Bolivia
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Brazil
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Bulgaria
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Chile
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Colombia
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Cyprus
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Czechia
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Dominican Republic
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Ecuador
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Estonia
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Ethiopia
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France
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Gambia
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Ghana
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Iceland
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India
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Italy
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Ivory Coast
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Japan
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Kenya
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Malawi
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Marshall Islands
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Mauritius
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Mexico
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Netherlands
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North Macedonia
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Slovenia
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South Africa
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South Korea
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Spain
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Switzerland
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Thailand
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United Kingdom
-
-
Commission on the Status of Women45
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China
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Cuba
-
Qatar
-
Saudi Arabia
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Zimbabwe
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Bangladesh
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Democratic Republic of Congo
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Gabon
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Nigeria
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Philippines
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Sri Lanka
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Belgium
-
Belize
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Bolivia
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Brazil
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Cape Verde
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Chile
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Colombia
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Czechia
-
Dominican Republic
-
Ethiopia
-
India
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Italy
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Ivory Coast
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Japan
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Liechtenstein
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Lithuania
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Maldives
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Mali
-
Mexico
-
Mongolia
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Morocco
-
Mozambique
-
Netherlands
-
Portugal
-
Romania
-
Rwanda
-
South Africa
-
South Korea
-
Spain
-
Tanzania
-
Ukraine
-
United Kingdom
-
United States
-
Uruguay
-
-
Committee on NGOs19
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China
-
Cuba
-
Eritrea
-
Pakistan
-
Turkey
-
Zimbabwe
-
Algeria
-
Bahrain
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Cameroon
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Nicaragua
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Armenia
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Chile
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Costa Rica
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Georgia
-
India
-
Israel
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Liberia
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United Kingdom
-
United States
-
-
UN Women Executive Board39
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China
-
Equatorial Guinea
-
Russia
-
Saudi Arabia
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Bahrain
-
Burkina Faso
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Democratic Republic of Congo
-
Kyrgyzstan
-
Mauritania
-
Philippines
-
Uganda
-
Vietnam
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Albania
-
Antigua and Barbuda
-
Belgium
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Bolivia
-
Canada
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Cape Verde
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Colombia
-
Croatia
-
Dominican Republic
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Finland
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Germany
-
India
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Japan
-
Lesotho
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Mexico
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Nepal
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Netherlands
-
Norway
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Peru
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Rwanda
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Senegal
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South Africa
-
South Korea
-
Spain
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Switzerland
-
Ukraine
-
United Kingdom
-
-
UNESCO58
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China
-
Cuba
-
Egypt
-
Equatorial Guinea
-
Pakistan
-
Qatar
-
Saudi Arabia
-
Turkey
-
Zimbabwe
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Bangladesh
-
Burkina Faso
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Cameroon
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Gabon
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Indonesia
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Iraq
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Jordan
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Kyrgyzstan
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Malaysia
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Nigeria
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Oman
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Sri Lanka
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Uganda
-
Albania
-
Argentina
-
Australia
-
Bolivia
-
Brazil
-
Czechia
-
Dominican Republic
-
Ethiopia
-
France
-
Germany
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Guyana
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Haiti
-
India
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