Summary:

Fourteen new States were elected to the UN's main human rights monitoring body this week. We take a look at some of the big one's children's rights records.

Fourteen new States were elected to serve on the United Nation’s main human rights monitoring body this week. The elections to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council (HRC) - whose role it is to monitor and protect fundamental human rights and freedoms around the world - saw Algeria, China, Cuba, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, the Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Vietnam all win a seat.

Elections to UN bodies often provide an opportunity to call on newly elected States to improve their respective human rights records. This recently occurred with Chad‘s election to the UN Security Council, as the State features on the UN's list of the worst States regarding children's rights violations in armed conflict.

Advocates also argue that States which are known to commit gross human rights violations and fail to respect the UN system must not be allowed to serve on the HRC. Prior to the elections, over 40 organisations sent a joint letter to the General Assembly expressing this concern. The letter, put forward by the International Service for Human Rights, made specific reference to Russia, China and Saudi Arabia and said "the ability of the Council in protecting human rights is undermined if its members do not take the effective measures to address violations of human rights for which they are responsible."

Based on a similar premise of accountability and suitability is CRIN’s Transparency Campaign, which among other things asks if the people appointed to the top children's rights positions are indeed the best people for the job. Now that China, France, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom occupy seats at the HRC (and four of these are also on the UN Security Council), we hope that they view their election as a steppingstone to improving their own human rights records.

This week’s CRINmail - the week in children’s rights - was a special edition featuring the HRC elections and looks at some of the new Members' track records in working with the UN. It also includes an analysis of the state of children’s rights in China, France, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom based on the Children’s Rights Wiki, which comprise a list of issues raised by more than one international human rights monitoring body. The issues looked at include juvenile justice, legalised violence against children (ie corporal punishment), discrimination against certain types of children, and restrictions on civil and political rights. Click here to read the special edition.

Further Information:

• CRIN’s transparency campaign - monitoring elections for the top child rights jobs

• Background to the Human Rights Council

• CRIN’s guide to UN human rights mechanisms

• TRANSPARENCY: Saudi Arabia snubs UN Security Council seat, while Chad, Nigeria, Chile and Lithuania join

• UNITED NATIONS: Deadline extended to apply for Special Procedure posts

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Previous CHR News items

• 05/10/2013: HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: Special Procedure appointments in 2014
• 07/03/2013: UN: UN expert in human rights and counter-terrorism asks for truth and accountability
• 29/04/2011: UN: Human Rights Council passes resolution on Syria in Special Session
• 21/04/2011: UN: Syria should not be allowed on UN Human Rights Council, rights groups urge
• 09/03/2011: UN: Schedule announced for Day on the Rights of the Child 2011

Organisation Contact Details:

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Tel: +44 (0)207 401 2257
Email: info@crin.org
Website: www.crin.org

Last updated 26/11/2013 11:19:35

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.