Joint Statement from the United States, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom on UN Human Rights Council Reform

"The following is a joint statement from the United States, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom following a meeting on UN Human Rights Council reform, co-hosted by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, and British Foreign Secretary Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP:

The United States, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom co-hosted a meeting on reform of the UN Human Rights Council on the margins of the UN General Assembly on September 19, 2017. The three co-host nations thank the 37 countries that joined this meeting and helped lead a productive dialogue, making clear their commitment to achieving progress on meaningful reforms to strengthen the Human Rights Council.

We agreed that reform is urgently needed to ensure that the Council's status as a respected advocate for human rights is secured, noting that the Council cannot perform this function if serial human rights violators are continuously allowed to serve on it. We must seek reforms that help advance global human rights and ensure that the UN's premier human rights body lives up to its name.

Ten years from passing the Human Rights Council resolution that set out the Council's agenda and procedures is an appropriate moment to explore ways to make the Council more effective and we call on other UN Member States to stand with us in working to achieve progress on reforms this year, both in Geneva and New York."