ELECTING THE 2018-2020 MEMBERS OF THE U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
Ahead of the Human Rights Council elections by the General Assembly
at United Nations Headquarters, New York, October 16, 2017
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report evaluates the country candidates for the October 16, 2017 election of 15 new members to the U.N. Human Rights Council. Our evaluations applied the membership criteria established by UNGA Resolution 60/251, which requires members to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights” and to “fully cooperate with the Council.” In particular, we examined (a) each candidate’s record of domestic human rights protection; and (b) its U.N. voting record. The report finds as follows:
UNQUALIFIED
7 out of 16 candidates have poor records and fail to qualify: Afghanistan, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Qatar
QUESTIONABLE
4 candidates have problematic human rights and/or U.N. voting records: Mexico, Nepal, Senegal and Ukraine
QUALIFIED
Only 5 out of 16 candidate countries are qualified to be council members: Australia, Chile, Peru, Slovakia and Spain
The absence of competition this year in four out of the five regional slates undermines the very premise and rationale for holding elections. Nevertheless, this report emphasizes to U.N. member states that they have the legal right—and moral obligation—to refrain from voting for an Unqualified candidate—even if those happen to be running on closed slates.
Instead, as detailed in the report, during the ballot they can actually defeat such candidacies, thereby freeing up the process for qualified alternatives to come forward. In regard to candidate countries deemed Questionable, they should, at a minimum, be asked to commit to redress the shortcomings identified in this report.
ANALYSIS OF “UNQUALIFIED” CANDIDATES
Afghanistan
Angola
DRC
- Click here for human rights record
Malaysia
Nigeria
- Click here for human rights record
Pakistan
Qatar
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE PDF OF REPORT ON UNHRC CANDIDATES
CLICK HERE FOR PRESS RELEASE FROM UN WATCH
