Annan: New Council Marks New Beginning for Human Rights Work
Annan: Upcoming elections for the new U.N. Human Rights Council will mark a fresh departure from its predecessor, the much-criticized Commission on Human Rights.
Upcoming elections for the new U.N. Human Rights Council will mark a fresh departure from its predecessor, the much-criticized Commission on Human Rights, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan wrote in an Op-Ed published Monday.
Annan’s comments in The Wall Street Journal came less than a week after the U.N. General Assembly voted ''overwhelmingly'' on a resolution to set up the new 47-member council last week following months of intensive negotiations.
“In just seven weeks time, on May 9, the U.N. will elect its first Human Rights Council. That moment can, and must, mark a new beginning for all the U.N.'s human-rights work,” Annan wrote in the Op-Ed piece, noting that 170 nations, including all of Washington’s NATO allies, voted last Wednesday for the resolution creating this new Council.
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“In short, there is every reason to hope that the new Council will combine the best features of the old system with some much-needed changes. All those who want it to fulfill this promise now have seven weeks to make it happen. Let no one who cares about human rights remain on the sidelines of this struggle.”
Earlier, in his end-of-year press conference at the U.N. Headquarters, Annan said he was hopeful to establish an effective, impartial Human Rights Council early in the New Year, before the regular session of the existing Commission on Human Rights, which opens in Geneva in March. The U.N. Secretary-General had suggested the new council in a report to the General Assembly one year ago and said it would give the United Nations “a much needed chance to make a new beginning in its work for human rights around the world.”
The new council would replace the 53-member Human Rights Commission, which has been criticized as ineffective and corrupt, allowing such governments as Sudan and Zimbabwe to have membership.
Last year, the Lutheran World Federation and 14 other groups presented a statement at the 61st Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights saying that the Commission was "undermined" and calling for "fundamental improvement" in the human rights system.
“Today we have a rare opportunity to bring about fundamental improvement in the human rights system, based on a clear vision that the protection of human rights is at the core of the United Nations,” the statement read. “We join the Secretary-General in calling on Member States to rise to this challenge and to swiftly translate words into deeds.”
Although Annan noted that “sadly, the U.S. voted against [the adoption of the new council], joined only by Israel, the Marshall Islands and Palau,” the Secretary-General wrote that it was “very encouraging” that U.S. Ambassador John Bolton had explained its position “in a constructive speech” and pledged that his country will work cooperatively with other Member States to make the Council as effective as possible.
“Ever since Eleanor Roosevelt helped to draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, the U.S. has been a leading champion of human rights at the U.N. I hope and believe it will remain so,” Annan wrote, referring to the wife of former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
While the first elections for the new Human Rights Council are scheduled for May 9, the first session will take place on June 19.
