United Nations Human Rights Council

The United Nations Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body that addresses human-rights situations, reviews countries’ records, and recommends action. It was established by the UN General Assembly in 2006.

Universal Periodic Review: A process in which the UN Human Rights Council reviews the human-rights records of all UN member states. This recurring peer review gives every state a formal examination by the Council.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/251: The 2006 General Assembly resolution that established the United Nations Human Rights Council. This resolution defines the Council’s mandate, membership, and review responsibilities.
Volker Türk: An Austrian jurist who became United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2022. The High Commissioner regularly briefs the Council and supports its human-rights work.
Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine: An independent international inquiry established by the Council in 2022 to investigate alleged violations in Ukraine. It illustrates how the Council can create investigations during an armed conflict.
United Nations Security Council: The UN organ responsible for maintaining international peace and security, with authority to adopt binding decisions in defined circumstances. Unlike the Security Council, the Human Rights Council generally cannot impose binding measures.
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council: Independent experts and working groups mandated by the Council to monitor human-rights themes or countries. These mandate holders investigate concerns and report findings to the Council.
Kofi Annan: A Ghanaian diplomat who served as United Nations secretary-general from 1997 to 2006. Annan advocated replacing the Commission on Human Rights with a stronger council.
Navi Pillay: A South African jurist who served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. Pillay led the Office during the Council’s early institutional development.
Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar: A Council-mandated mission that investigated alleged serious human-rights violations in Myanmar and reported in 2018. Its findings brought evidence of grave abuses to international attention.
Human Rights Committee: An independent treaty body that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It is an expert committee created by a treaty, unlike the Council’s state membership and political mandate.

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