2022-04-16 20:21:10
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHT COUNCIL
About
It is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system founded in 1950 which is 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.
Functions
To prevent and oppose human rights violations, including systemic violation and raise concern regarding these violations.
To promote and coordinate the mainstreaming of human rights within the UN system
As a subsidiary of the UN General Assembly, it reports directly to the Assembly’s member states.
Working mechanism
Conduction of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) which serves to assess the human rights situations in all United Nations Member States.
The complaining procedure of Human Right Violation- It allows individuals and organizations to bring human rights violations to the attention of the Council.
UN Special Procedures- These are made up of special representatives, independent experts and working groups that monitor, examine, advise and publicly report on thematic issues or human rights situations in specific countries.
Concern with UNHRC
Members become abusers- Critics have raised concern that countries like China, Cuba, Eritrea, Russia and Venezuela who have been accused of human rights abuses are the members of the council.
Creating a balance between human right violation and sovereignty of the state is one of the challenges for UNHRC many recommendations of UNHCR are rejected on one basis.
Biasness- Many member countries including have alleged the role of the excessive and disproportionate emphasis on Israel on human rights violations it received more attention than North Korea and Yemen. Due to this, the US has stepped down from UNHRC but after renegotiations, it has decided to rejoin it.
UN Human Rights Council and India
India was elected to the Council for three years. In 2020, India’s National Human Rights Commission submitted its mid-term report to the Council as a part of the third round of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
Issues raised by UNHRC on India
With the rollout of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 UNHRC filed a plea in Supreme Court for the violation of human rights.
UNHCR also raised concern over the Human Rights violation in Jammu and Kashmir by detaining activists and political leaders under house arrest.
Recently A group of Special Rapporteurs sent by UNHRC has expressed their concerns over the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020 and written to the Indian government abo
Conclusion
In the present scenario when a violation of human rights has become a common incident it is important to robust the UNHRC. Stepping down democratic countries would be a free trial for those countries who are or might one day be the target of oppression and violence. These countries rely on the protection the UN might offer however in perfect and even more on those committed to human rights to work within the UN to strengthen that protection and make it truly universal.
Way Forward
The model of work of UNHCR should be less politically influenced and more practical based.
The effort of UNHCR goes into some country-specific resolutions that might be better invested in addressing visibly deteriorating human rights situations before they become chronic or crises.
More needs to be done to ensure that substantive outcomes in the Council are catalysts for change, especially at the national level.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights and its office must complement and be complemented by an effective HRC.
Members and observers should invest greater effort in connecting HRC work with that in other parts of the UN system. They should also cooperate on more forward-looking thematic issues like biotechnology, the administration of justice and healthcare.
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