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BLUE SMOKE: A monthly column, from PassBlue and UNA–UK, spotlighting senior appointments at the UN

Human Rights Council elections

The US’ Humble Approach to Running for a Human Rights Council Seat, Albeit on a Clean Slate

Lucas Dias Rodrigues dos Santos
• August 5, 2021

GENEVA — The United States is campaigning for election to the Human Rights Council in October for the 2022-24 term, starting a new chapter in its volatile relationship with the Geneva-based body. Its current re-engagement, including more acceptance of…

Categories: Human Rights, US-UN Relations

China and Russia Win Human Rights Council Seats, but the Saudis Get Rejected

Dulcie Leimbach
• October 13, 2020

Nearly two and a half years after the United States withdrew from the Human Rights Council, China and Russia have just won elected seats in the body. Both countries suffer from human-rights abuses against their own populations. China and…

Categories: Human Rights, US-UN Relations

OPINIONS

It’s All Clean Slates for the Next Human Rights Council Vote

Opinion by Peter Splinter
• October 8, 2018

GENEVA — The annual ritual of holding elections for vacant seats on the United Nations Human Rights Council for a three-year term is set for Oct. 12. All five regional groups have clean slates: the number of candidates is…

Categories: Human Rights, OPINIONS

OPINIONS

Four Easy Steps to Reform the UN Human Rights Council

Opinion by Bertrand G. Ramcharan
• October 15, 2017

Problems encircling the United Nations Human Rights Council are verging toward a major crisis. The same crisis had engulfed its predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights, leading the secretary-general at the time, Kofi Annan, to call to replace it…