Pakistan Monday won the election of United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), by securing 171 votes. Pakistan is elected for this important UN body for the third time.
Pakistan secured its first victory in 2006 when the body was created by the United Nations General Assembly. In the new term, Pakistan will serve on the Council from 2013 to 2015.
After winning the elections, while replying to a question from the Media Masood Khan, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan said, “Human rights are essential part of our genesis. Human rights are enshrined in our constitution and part of our national ethos”.
The success in the election demonstrates Pakistan’s strong commitment to human rights and the international community’s confidence in Pakistan’s substantial contributions at the Human Rights Council and its affiliated bodies.
In its election campaign, Pakistan’s Permanent Mission in New York highlighted that Pakistan’s Government, Parliament and judiciary have taken a series of steps in the last four years for the promotion and protection of universal human rights in Pakistan.
Special attention is being given by the Government of Pakistan to the social and economic emancipation of women and protection of the rights of other vulnerable groups including children and minorities.
“Our entire leadership, all political forces and national institutions support promotion and protection of human rights. We have put human rights as a top priority on our national agenda”, Ambassador Khan said.
This year Pakistan has contested the election for the term 2013-2015 on one of the five seats allocated to the Asia-Pacific Group, which endorsed its candidature.
Pakistani Permanent Representative said that Pakistan had always supported international human rights forums and machinery. Pakistan, he said, helped found the Council and would work to make it more effective by focusing on the whole range of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights.
The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe. The Council is made of 47 Member States, which are elected by the majority of members of the General Assembly of the United Nations through direct and secret ballot.