INDIA IS ELECTED to the United Nations top human rights body with maost number of votes from Asian Pacific region. India is elected to this body for a period of three years, starting from 1st of January 2019 by getting 188 votes. The 193 member United Nations General Assembly has held elections to the new posts and 18 members have won with absolute majority and India sailed through smoothly in these elections by crossing the 97 votes which is the minimum number of votes to get elected.
The Human Rights Council (HRC) is the key human rights body in the United Nations system. Its main goal is to promote all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
India was vying for a seat in the Asia Pacific category. Along with India, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Fiji and Philippines had also staked a claim in the same regional group. Given that there were five nations vying for five seats in the Asia Pacific category, India's election to the Council was all but certain. The new members will serve a term of three years beginning January 1, 2019. India had previously been elected to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council for the 2011-2014 and 2014-2017 term. Its last tenure had ended on December 31, 2017 and in accordance with the rules, it was not eligible for immediate re-election since it had already served two consecutive terms. When it nominated itself for the Council, India showcased its position as “the world’s largest democracy (and) India’s secular polity.”
It pledged that it will continue to support international efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. In the nomination pledge, India also presented a broader approach to human rights, emphasising climate justice, health and poverty alleviation
India was among the first batch of 47 countries elected to the Council in 2006 soon after it was set up and received an initial one-year term instead of three to facilitate a rotating roster of vacancies each year.
The Council was established in 2006 by the UN General Assembly resolution 60/251 to succeed the work of the UN Commission on Human Rights and to strengthen the human rights dimension of the UN system. The Council is comprised of 47 member states elected by the General Assembly for a three-year term with the possibility of re-election to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. The Council meets regularly three times a year (in March, June, and September), and also when the need arises, usually following the outbreak of a human rights crisis. During its meetings, the Council discusses situations in individual countries as well as thematic issues pertaining to human rights in all states. The objective of the HRC is to address situations of human rights violations, to prevent such violations through dialogue and cooperation, to promote the implementation of human rights obligations, to give recommendations to the General Assembly for development of international law or to promote the human rights education.