UNITED
NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (UNHRC) - INTERNATIONAL
News:
Protect Manipur-based
rights activist, family: U.N. Human Rights Council
What's
in the news?
●
The United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC) urged the authorities to protect the family of Manipur-based human
rights activist Babloo Loitongbam whose house was attacked by Meitei Leepun and
Arambai Tengol groups in the conflict-hit State a day earlier.
UNHRC:
●
The Human Rights Council (HRC or Council)
is the only intergovernmental organisation responding to all human rights
abuses across the globe by exposing violators and demanding change.
Membership:
● The
Council is made of 47 Member States,
which are elected by the majority of members of the General Assembly of the
United Nations through direct and secret ballot.
The membership of the Council is
based on equitable geographical distribution.
● African
and Asia-Pacific states have 13 seats each.
● Latin
American and Caribbean states have 8 seats.
● Western
European and other states have 7 seats.
● Eastern
European states have 6 seats.
● The
UNGA takes into account the candidate States’ contribution to the promotion and
protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments
in this regard.
Tenure:
● The
members serve for three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election
after serving two consecutive terms.
Funding:
●
Two-thirds
of UN Human Rights income comes from voluntary contributions from the Member States and other donors.
●
The UN regular budget, approved by the General Assembly, is funded by
“assessed contributions” from each Member State.
● These
are determined according to a formula that takes into account the size and
strength of their respective national economies.
Leadership of the Council:
●
The Council
has a five-person Bureau, consisting of a president and four vice-presidents, each representing one of the
five regional groups.
● They
serve for a year each, in accordance
with the Council’s annual cycle.
Functions:
● The
Council serves as a forum for dialogue
among States, with input from other stakeholders.
● As
a result of its discussions, the Council may issue resolutions calling on
States to take specific actions or uphold certain principles, or it may create
mechanisms to investigate or monitor questions of concern.
● The
Human Rights Council has created or
renewed the mandates of various “special procedures.”
● The
Council also manages the Universal
Periodic Review, a process through which each UN Member State’s overall
human rights record is reviewed.
● In
addition, the Council receives
complaints alleging patterns of human rights violations, which are considered
by the Working Group on Communications and may be referred to the Working
Group on Situations.