• Israel announced that it is disengaging from United Nations Human Rights Council

• The United States, Israel’s close ally, withdrew from the council on February 4. President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the UN Human Rights Council, prohibiting any future funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

• Israel’s Foreign Minister criticised the UNHRC for being biased against Israel. He argued that the council often shields real human rights violators while unfairly focusing its attention on Israel.

• Council members have frequently raised allegations of Israeli human rights violations in the Gaza war, while a UN inquiry it set up found last year that the immense scale of killings amounted to a crime against humanity.

• Israel rejected the finding and says it takes care to avoid civilian casualties. It has long criticised the Geneva-based body and has disengaged in the past.

United Nations Human Rights Council 

• The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them. 

• It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. 

• The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on March 15, 2006. 

• It replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

• The Human Rights Council meets for at least 10 weeks per year at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, in regular sessions usually taking place in March, June and September. The Council can also convene urgent meetings on short notice to respond to emerging human rights crises.

Membership of the Human Rights Council

• 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 General Assembly 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.

• The Council’s membership is based on equitable geographical distribution. 

Seats are distributed as follows:

•  African States: 13 seats

• Asia-Pacific States: 13 seats

• Latin American and Caribbean States: 8 seats

• Western European and other States: 7 seats

• Eastern European States: 6 seats.

• Members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.

• Membership is limited to two consecutive terms. 

• Rotating membership of the Council reflects the UN’s diversity and gives it legitimacy when speaking out on human rights violations in all countries.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)