Brasília – With 184 votes, Brazil was elected for the Human Rights Council (HRC) of the United Nations (UN) for the third time. The election was held this Monday (12th). The Council is entrusted with promoting and protecting human rights worldwide, warning of violations, and making recommendations. The term will last from 2013 to 2015.
Prior to the announcement of the election, the Brazilian minister of the Secretariat for Human Rights of the Brazilian presidency, Maria do Rosário Nunes, had stated that a new term in the Council would be an important achievement for the country, “but would only make sense if Brazil manages to ensure all its citizens their rights.” Maria do Rosário said the State must promote human rights education to all. “Our role is to put the State at the people’s service.”
The minister talked about the election at the opening of the 2nd National Meeting of Human Rights Reference Centres, which discusses the work of government and non-government organizations in human rights promotion, training and education, and provides services to people whose rights were violated.
The United Nations Human Rights Council, in Geneva, comprises 47 members, which are chosen for three-year terms based on geographical placement. Brazil has been a member from 2006 to 2008 and from 2008 to 2011. From Latin America, Argentina and Venezuela have also been elected. The three Latin American countries are replacing Cuba, Mexico and Uruguay.
United States, Cote D’Ivoire, Estonia, Ethiopia, Gabon, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Pakistan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Montenegro, and Sierra Leone will also be members of the HRC.
The council is distributed equally through different geographical regions: there are 13 seats for African countries, 13 for Asia, eight for Latin America and the Caribbean, seven for Western Europe, and six for Eastern Europe.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
