Human Rights

The central human rights body in the United Nations is the newly-established Human Rights Council with headquarters in Geneva. The Council was established to replace the former Commission on Human Rights. The Council was established by the UN General Assembly on 3 April 2006 with Resolution 60/251 to replace the former Commission on Human Rights. It comprises 47 members running as candidates for three-year membership on the basis of regional groups. In the first year, the Council formulated the rules for its institutional functioning, which Council members endorsed by consensus on 18 June 2007. Thus, the Council has got an important opportunity to become the effective central human rights body within the United Nations.

Slovenia’s 3-year membership of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva began on 18 June 2007. Slovenia became a member of the central intergovernmental body for the protection and promotion of human rights for the first time, as it had never been a member of the former UN Commission on Human Rights. Slovenia was elected to the Council on 17 May 2007 and received a decisive majority of 168 votes (out of 192) of UN member states.

Slovenia’s membership of the Council began in an interesting period full of challenges. Based on the adopted institutional framework for the operation of the Council, we soon expect the implementation of an important novelty: Universal Periodic Review of the human rights situation by country. Every country will be reviewed, and Slovenia will be dealt with during its membership. Concurrently, Slovenia as a Council member actively participates in the process from the very beginning of the application of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism. The Human Rights Council is dealing with the human rights situation all over the world, where it is critical and where human rights are blatantly violated, whereas the country concerned refuses to effectively cooperate with the Council’s mechanisms. Moreover, through independent and effective thematic work of special rapporteurs through country visits, the Council deals with information on the situation and progress in the implementation of human rights in different countries and regions.

During its membership, Slovenia also strives for substantive inclusion of the voice of civil society in the Council’s work, as active cooperation between non-governmental organisations is a prerequisite for the Council’s credibility and effectiveness.

Following the wrap up of institution-building, the Human Rights Council has acquired a significant opportunity to make bolder substantive steps in the coming period.