Commentary and Newsletters

Anne Bayefsky

UN Human Rights Council Election Results

Friday, May 15, 2009

  • Number of fully free countries on the UN's lead human rights body

    -> less than 50%

  • Balance of power on the UN Human Rights Council

    -> Organization of the Islamic Conference

    (Islamic states elected enough states to form a majority of both the African and Asian regional groups; the African and Asian regional groups together hold a majority of seats on the Council)

  • Number of votes obtained by the United States as compared to the number of votes for Kyrgyzstan: 167 U.S. vs. 174 Kyrgyzstan

  • Number of votes for the three slots reserved for Western states, with only three Western states running (i.e. a fixed slate):

    -> Norway - 179

    -> Belgium - 177

    -> United States - 167 (the least number of votes)



Watch video here.
Human Rights Council Elections

held in the UN General Assembly;

Commentary, Anne Bayefsky

 May 12, 2009

New York, UN Headquarters