Summary
The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the UN system made up of 47 States responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The Council was created by the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 with the main purpose of addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.
Website: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/
General Assembly resolution 60/251 establishing the Human Rights Council (url: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/A.RES.60.251_En.pdf ) with additional documents listed at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/BackgroundDocuments.aspx
Related Bodies and Agencies
There are eight human rights treaty bodies that monitor implementation of the core international human rights treaties :
- Human Rights Committee (CCPR): monitors implementation of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Actor Atlas page)
- Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR): monitors implementation of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Actor Atlas page)
- Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
- Committee Against Torture (CAT) & Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) - Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT)
- Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW)
- Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
Aim & Objectives
Addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.
Core Values
The Council is responsible for promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms1 for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner;
The Council should address situations of violations of human rights, including gross and systematic violations, and make recommendations thereon. It should also promote the effective coordination and the mainstreaming of human rights within the United Nations system;
The work of the Council shall be guided by the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity, constructive international dialogue and cooperation, with a view to enhancing the promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development;
The Council shall, inter alia: (a) Promote human rights education and learning as well as advisory services, technical assistance and capacity-building, to be provided in consultation with and with the consent of Member States concerned; (b) Serve as a forum for dialogue on thematic issues on all human rights; (c) Make recommendations to the General Assembly for the further
development of international law in the field of human rights; (d) Promote the full implementation of human rights obligations undertaken by States and follow-up to the goals and commitments related to the promotion and protection of human rights emanating from United Nations conferences and summits; (e) Undertake a universal periodic review,… (continues, Art. 5 of General Assembly resolution 60/251 )
Activities
Operations
- Institution Building
- Universal Periodic Review (Interaction Dictionary page): a state-driven process under the auspices of the Human Rights Council
- Think Tank
- Complaints Procedure
- UN Special Procedures: this is the general name given to the mechanisms established by the Commission on Human Rights and assumed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world.
Strategic Plans
Institution Building Package (HRC resolution 5/1 (at OHCHR website) providing a road map guiding the future work of the Council, and defining the modalities of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism (Part I).
Issues
There is a list of issues at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pages/ListofIssues.aspx
Resources
The Universal Human Rights Index provides instant access for all countries to human rights information from the United Nations system. The index is based on the observations and recommendations of the following international expert bodies:
- the seven Treaty Bodies monitoring the implementation of the core international human rights treaties (since 2000)
- the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council (since 2006)
