The UN General Assembly on Monday in New York has
elected, by secret ballot, Nigeria and 14 other States to serve on the Human
Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2018 to 2020 term. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
UNHRC is the highest intergovernmental body in the UN system for matters
relating to protection and promotion of human rights worldwide.
The other newly
elected countries to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council are Afghanistan, Angola,
Australia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan,
Peru, Qatar, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine. All would serve three-year terms beginning on
Jan. 1, 2018.
Africa and
Asia-Pacific have four seats each on the council; three seats for Latin
American and Caribbean; two seats for Eastern European States; and two seats
for Western European and other States. On the basis of equitable
geographical distribution, Council seats are allocated to the five regional
groups as follows: African States, 13 seats; Asia-Pacific States, 13 seats;
Eastern European States, six seats; Latin America and Caribbean States, eight
seats; and Western European and other States, seven seats.
Ghana and Nigeria
are already serving out their tenure for the 2015 to 2017 term while Ghana,
which initially sought re-election like Nigeria, stepped down for Nigeria to
get on board for another term. Nigeria
has illustriously served the global community on the UNHRC for three terms
since the establishment of the Council in 2006. These are 2006 to 2009, 2009 to
2012 and currently, 2015 to 2017, and with the reelection, would remain on the
Council till 2020.
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