UN Authority Figures

Here are some of the dictatorships and human rights basket-cases in UN leadership roles – positions that entail responsibilities diametrically opposed to their qualifications.

States in UN Leadership Positions

UN General Assembly, Vice-Presidents: China, Egypt, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Russia
UN General Assembly Sixth Committee (Legal), Chair: Qatar Vice-Chair: Egypt
UN Human Rights Council, Members: Cameroon, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Libya, Mauritania, Malaysia, Pakistan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela, United Arab Emirates
UN Commission on the Status of Women, CSW Members: Algeria, Bahrain, China, Congo, Iraq, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Turkmenistan
UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), Executive Board: Chad, Lebanon, Yemen, Zimbabwe
UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT), Advisory Board, Chair: Saudi Arabia
UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Members: Bahrain, Belarus, China, Cuba, Russia
UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Member: Afghanistan
UN Economic and Social Council, Vice-President: Tajikistan, ECOSOC Members: Afghanistan, Belarus, China, Eswatini, Kazakhstan, Oman, Russian Federation, Sudan, Turkey
UN Women Executive Board: Afghanistan, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Turkey
UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, Chair: Sudan Committee Members: Bahrain, China, Cuba, Libya, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey
UN Committee on Information, Executive Bureau, Rapporteur: Iran, Committee Members: Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Libya, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Executive Committee Members: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan
UN Development Programme (UNDP) Executive Board: Cameroon, China, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Myanmar, Qatar, Somalia
UN Commission for Social Development, Members: China, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Sudan

Individuals in UN Leadership Positions
with troubling histories and biases

World Tourism Organization Special Ambassador of Tourism and Sustainable Development: Talal Abu-Ghazaleh
World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador on Non-Communicable Diseases: Robert Mugabe, RESCINDED
UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories: Michael Lynk
UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food: Hilal Elver
UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, Expert: Jean Ziegler

UN Authority Figures

States in UN Leadership Positions

Individuals in UN Leadership Positions with troubling histories and biases

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Individuals in UN Leadership Positions
with troubling histories and biases