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| [UN PHOTO/Rick Bajornas] |
New York: The General Assembly elected 18
countries to serve on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) for a
period of three years beginning on 1 January 2013.
Argentina, Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Estonia, Ethiopia, Gabon,
Germany, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Montenegro, Pakistan, Republic of
Korea, Sierra Leone, United Arab Emirates, United States and Venezuela were
elected by secret ballot during the elections held at UN Headquarters in New
York.
After the vote, US Ambassador Susan Rice told reporters that
the United States, which was elected for a second consecutive term, made the
decision in 2009 to seek a seat on the Council because it believes it
"must be at the forefront of speaking out against human rights abuses, and
speaking up in favour of those who are suffering and living under the grip of
the world's cruellest regimes."
Rice said her government is "convinced that we are more
likely and better positioned to strengthen the Human Rights Council by
continuing our participation in it."
Members of the Council serve for a period of three years and
are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.
Ambassador Jorge Valero Briceño of Venezuela to the United
Nations told reporters that this was "an unprecedented electoral
victory" for his country as there was an "intense and very diverse
campaign unleashed against Venezuela to prevent our country from joining the
Human Rights Council as a member."
Pakistan's new Permanent Representative, Ambassador Masood
Khan, acknowledged "some NGOs in fact gave their observations about
Pakistan's candidature."
He said "this was their right to do so" but
defended Pakistan's human rights record, saying his country attaches importance
to "all human rights, whether they are civil or political, or economic,
cultural or social."
For his part, Ambassador Peter Wittig of Germany said
"all candidates in the Western Group have an excellent human rights
record" and all of them actually "deserved a place in the Human
Rights Council, but there could be only three winners and we congratulate all
of them and we are looking forward to serve with them in the Human Rights
Council as of the next year."
The Council, composed of 47 members, is an
inter-governmental body within the UN system responsible for strengthening the
promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing
situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.
Membership is based on equitable geographical distribution
and seats are distributed as follows: 13 seats for African States, 13 seats for
Asian States, 8 seats for Latin American and Caribbean States, 7 seats for
Western European and other States, and 6 seats for Eastern European States. -UNifeed