On 12 November, the UK was elected to the UN Human Rights Council with broad support from the General Assembly, garnering 171 votes (97 were needed to ensure direct election). Along with France, the UK contested one of two seats available to the Western European & Other States Group.
UNA-UK has been supportive of the UK's candidacy, and now looks forward to seeing the UK use its 2014-16 term to become an even more effective partner at the UN, and to help strengthen the Council's human rights mechanisms.
UNA-UK is not, however, supportive of 'clean slates' - where the number of states contesting an election is equal to the number of available seats. As part of its 2011 review of the Council, UNA-UK published a number of recommendations with a view to improving Council processes and mechanisms, including the need for competitive elections.]
Click here for the full election results.
UK commitments
Both on and off the Council, the UK has in recent years helped to secure a number of vital resolutions, promoted cross-regional working, and made a strong contribution to improving the Council’s work, including via the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
UNA-UK has created a human rights 'report card' for the UK, which collates information on the UK's engagement with all nine core UN human rights conventions and their corresponding treaty bodies.
Click here to read the UK's human rights 'report card'.
The UK announced its campaign for a Council seat in 2012 by issuing a number of pledges, including:
- making a living reality of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- increasing support and protection for children and their families
- supporting freedom of expression, including on the internet
- the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of religion or belief
- the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace
and Security - tackling violence against women and girls
Click here to read the UK's pledges and commitments in full.
