Every year in October, Member States elect new members to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). For many victims of human rights violations and activists, the HRC is a critical arena to confront abuses of power and push for change in their countries. Its success depends at least in part on its members and their commitments to promote and protect human rights at home, as well as abroad. This is why, over the last several years, ISHR has campaigned for elections of Human RIghts Council members to be more transparent and to be competitive, and for voting States to only support candidates that fulfil membership criteria: to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, and to fully cooperate with the Council.
Until now, ISHR has focused its campaign on:
(1) Engaging with regional groups and calling on them to announce their candidates by March of the election year, and announce more candidates than there are seats so the election is competitive (voting States have genuine choice);
Until now, ISHR has focused its campaign on:
(1) Engaging with regional groups and calling on them to announce their candidates by March of the election year, and announce more candidates than there are seats so the election is competitive (voting States have genuine choice);
(2) Publishing scorecards that provide an overview of candidates’ records of cooperation and engagement with UN human rights mechanisms. These scorecards are intended to help UN member States cast informed votes; and,
(3) Creating spaces in which civil society and States can engage with candidates about their human rights records and intentions for their candidacy. Together with Amnesty International, we organise a pledging event in which candidates can elaborate on their pledges and commitments and in which civil society and voting States can ask questions to the candidate States.
We are now reviewing our priorities for this campaign on HRC elections and we would like to consider views and needs! To do so, please help us by filling out the following survey. It only takes 10 minutes. We might not be able to implement all your ideas but we promise to consider them carefully. If you want to provide more in-depth feedback, don’t hesitate to contact Marianne Bertrand (m.bertrand@ishr.ch).