The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. The headquarters of the Council are at the United Nations Office at Geneva in Switzerland.
The Council investigates allegations of breaches of human rights in United Nations member states and addresses thematic human rights issues like freedom of association and assembly, freedom of expression, freedom of belief and religion, women's rights, LGBT rights, and the rights of racial and ethnic minorities.
The Council was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006 to replace the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR, herein CHR). The Council works closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and engages the United Nations special procedures. The Council has been strongly criticized for including member countries that engage in human rights abuses.
Infobox
Founded
15 March 2006; 19 years ago (2006-03-15)
President
Jürg Lauber
Seats
mw- African States (13) Asia-Pacific States (13) Eastern European States (6) Latin American and Caribbean States (8) Western European and Other States (7)
Tables
· Structure › Current members
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
2026-
2028
2026
2026–2028
2026-
2028
Term
2026-
2028
African States (13)
Angola
Egypt
Mauritius
South Africa
2025–2027
2025
2025–2027
2025–2027
Term
2025–2027
Asia-Pacific States (13)
Cyprus Marshall Islands Qatar South Korea Thailand
African States (13)
Benin DR Congo Ethiopia Gambia Kenya
Eastern European States (6)
Czechia North Macedonia
Latin American & Caribbean States (8)
Bolivia Colombia Mexico
Western European & Other States (7)
Iceland Spain Switzerland
2024–2026
2024
2024–2026
2024–2026
Term
2024–2026
Asia-Pacific States (13)
China Indonesia Japan Kuwait
African States (13)
Burundi Ivory Coast Ghana Malawi
Eastern European States (6)
Albania Bulgaria
Latin American & Caribbean States (8)
Brazil Cuba Dominican Republic
Western European & Other States (7)
France Netherlands
2023–2025
2023
2023–2025
2023–2025
Term
2023–2025
Asia-Pacific States (13)
Bangladesh Kyrgyzstan Maldives Vietnam
African States (13)
Algeria Morocco South Africa Sudan
Eastern European States (6)
Georgia Romania
Latin American & Caribbean States (8)
Chile Costa Rica
Western European & Other States (7)
Belgium Germany
Ranked list
Term
Asia-Pacific States (13)
African States (13)
Eastern European States (6)
Latin American & Caribbean States (8)
Western European & Other States (7)
2026- 2028
Angola Egypt Mauritius South Africa
2025–2027
Cyprus Marshall Islands Qatar South Korea Thailand
Benin DR Congo Ethiopia Gambia Kenya
Czechia North Macedonia
Bolivia Colombia Mexico
Iceland Spain Switzerland
2024–2026
China Indonesia Japan Kuwait
Burundi Ivory Coast Ghana Malawi
Albania Bulgaria
Brazil Cuba Dominican Republic
France Netherlands
2023–2025
Bangladesh Kyrgyzstan Maldives Vietnam
Algeria Morocco South Africa Sudan
Georgia Romania
Chile Costa Rica
Belgium Germany
· Structure › 2006-2024
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
2022–2024
2022
2022–2024
2022–2024
Term
2022–2024
African States
Benin Cameroon Eritrea The Gambia Somalia
Asia-Pacific States
India Kazakhstan Malaysia Qatar United Arab Emirates
Eastern European States
Lithuania Montenegro
Latin American & Caribbean States
Argentina Honduras Paraguay
Western European & Other States
Finland Luxembourg United States
2021–2023
2021
2021–2023
2021–2023
Term
2021–2023
African States
Côte d'Ivoire Gabon Malawi Senegal
Asia-Pacific States
China Nepal Pakistan Uzbekistan
Eastern European States
Russia Ukraine Czech Republic
Latin American & Caribbean States
Bolivia Cuba Mexico
Western European & Other States
France United Kingdom
2020–2022
2020
2020–2022
2020–2022
Term
2020–2022
African States
Libya Mauritania Sudan Namibia
Asia-Pacific States
Indonesia Japan Marshall Islands South Korea
Eastern European States
Armenia Poland
Latin American & Caribbean States
Brazil Venezuela
Western European & Other States
Germany Netherlands
2019–2021
2019
2019–2021
2019–2021
Term
2019–2021
African States
Burkina Faso Cameroon Eritrea Somalia Togo
Asia-Pacific States
Bahrain Bangladesh Fiji India Philippines
Eastern European States
Bulgaria Czech Republic
Latin American & Caribbean States
Argentina Bahamas Uruguay
Western European & Other States
Austria Denmark Italy
2018–2020
2018
2018–2020
2018–2020
Term
2018–2020
African States
Angola DR Congo Nigeria Senegal
Asia-Pacific States
Afghanistan Nepal Qatar Pakistan
Eastern European States
Slovakia Ukraine
Latin American & Caribbean States
Chile Mexico Peru
Western European & Other States
Australia Spain
2017–2019
2017
2017–2019
2017–2019
Term
2017–2019
African States
Egypt Rwanda South Africa Tunisia
Asia-Pacific States
China Iraq Japan Saudi Arabia
Eastern European States
Croatia Hungary
Latin American & Caribbean States
Brazil Cuba
Western European & Other States
United Kingdom United States (left in June 2018) Iceland (from 13 July 2018)
2016–2018
2016
2016–2018
2016–2018
Term
2016–2018
African States
Burundi Côte D'Ivoire Ethiopia Kenya Togo
Asia-Pacific States
Republic of Korea Kyrgyzstan Mongolia Philippines United Arab Emirates
Eastern European States
Georgia Slovenia
Latin American & Caribbean States
Ecuador Panama Venezuela
Western European & Other States
Belgium Germany Switzerland
2015–2017
2015
2015–2017
2015–2017
Term
2015–2017
African States
Botswana Congo Ghana Nigeria
Asia-Pacific States
Bangladesh India Indonesia Qatar
Eastern European States
Albania Latvia
Latin American & Caribbean States
Bolivia El Salvador Paraguay
Western European & Other States
Netherlands Portugal
2014–2016
2014
2014–2016
2014–2016
Term
2014–2016
African States
Algeria Morocco Namibia South Africa
Asia-Pacific States
China Maldives Saudi Arabia Vietnam
Eastern European States
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Russian Federation
Latin American & Caribbean States
Cuba Mexico
Western European & Other States
France United Kingdom
2013–2015
2013
2013–2015
2013–2015
Term
2013–2015
African States
Ethiopia Côte D'Ivoire Gabon Kenya Sierra Leone
Asia-Pacific States
Japan Kazakhstan Pakistan Republic of Korea United Arab Emirates
Eastern European States
Estonia Montenegro
Latin American & Caribbean States
Argentina Brazil Venezuela
Western European & Other States
Germany Ireland United States
2012–2014
2012
2012–2014
2012–2014
Term
2012–2014
African States
Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Congo
Asia-Pacific States
India Indonesia Kuwait Philippines
Eastern European States
Romania Czech Republic
Latin American & Caribbean States
Chile Costa Rica Peru
Western European & Other States
Italy Austria
2011–2013
2011
2011–2013
2011–2013
Term
2011–2013
African States
Angola Libya Mauritania Uganda
Asia-Pacific States
Qatar Malaysia Maldives Thailand
Eastern European States
Moldova Poland
Latin American & Caribbean States
Ecuador Guatemala
Western European & Other States
Switzerland Spain
2010–2012
2010
2010–2012
2010–2012
Term
2010–2012
African States
Djibouti Cameroon Mauritius Nigeria Senegal
Asia-Pacific States
Bangladesh China Jordan Kyrgyzstan Saudi Arabia
Eastern European States
Russian Federation Hungary
Latin American & Caribbean States
Cuba Mexico Uruguay
Western European & Other States
Belgium Norway United States
2009–2011
2009
2009–2011
2009–2011
Term
2009–2011
African States
Burkina Faso Gabon Ghana Zambia
Asia-Pacific States
Bahrain Japan Pakistan Republic of Korea
Eastern European States
Slovakia Ukraine
Latin American & Caribbean States
Argentina Brazil Chile
Western European & Other States
France United Kingdom
2008–2010
2008
2008–2010
2008–2010
Term
2008–2010
African States
Egypt Angola Madagascar South Africa
Asia-Pacific States
India Indonesia Qatar Philippines
Eastern European States
Bosnia and Herzegovina Slovenia
Latin American & Caribbean States
Bolivia Nicaragua
Western European & Other States
Netherlands Italy
2006–2009
2006
2006–2009
2006–2009
Term
2006–2009
African States
Djibouti Cameroon Mauritius Nigeria Senegal
Asia-Pacific States
Bangladesh China Jordan Malaysia Saudi Arabia
Eastern European States
Azerbaijan Russian Federation
Latin American & Caribbean States
Cuba Mexico Uruguay
Western European & Other States
Germany Canada Switzerland
2006–2008
2006
2006–2008
2006–2008
Term
2006–2008
African States
Gabon Ghana Mali Zambia
Asia-Pacific States
Japan Pakistan Sri Lanka Republic of Korea
Eastern European States
Romania Ukraine
Latin American & Caribbean States
Brazil Guatemala Peru
Western European & Other States
France United Kingdom
2006–2007
2006
2006–2007
2006–2007
Term
2006–2007
African States
Algeria Morocco South Africa Tunisia
Asia-Pacific States
Bahrain India Indonesia Philippines
Eastern European States
Poland Czech Republic
Latin American & Caribbean States
Argentina Ecuador
Western European & Other States
Finland Netherlands
Ranked list
Term
African States
Asia-Pacific States
Eastern European States
Latin American & Caribbean States
Western European & Other States
2022–2024
Benin Cameroon Eritrea The Gambia Somalia
India Kazakhstan Malaysia Qatar United Arab Emirates
Lithuania Montenegro
Argentina Honduras Paraguay
Finland Luxembourg United States
2021–2023
Côte d'Ivoire Gabon Malawi Senegal
China Nepal Pakistan Uzbekistan
Russia Ukraine Czech Republic
Bolivia Cuba Mexico
France United Kingdom
2020–2022
Libya Mauritania Sudan Namibia
Indonesia Japan Marshall Islands South Korea
Armenia Poland
Brazil Venezuela
Germany Netherlands
2019–2021
Burkina Faso Cameroon Eritrea Somalia Togo
Bahrain Bangladesh Fiji India Philippines
Bulgaria Czech Republic
Argentina Bahamas Uruguay
Austria Denmark Italy
2018–2020
Angola DR Congo Nigeria Senegal
Afghanistan Nepal Qatar Pakistan
Slovakia Ukraine
Chile Mexico Peru
Australia Spain
2017–2019
Egypt Rwanda South Africa Tunisia
China Iraq Japan Saudi Arabia
Croatia Hungary
Brazil Cuba
United Kingdom United States (left in June 2018) Iceland (from 13 July 2018)
2016–2018
Burundi Côte D'Ivoire Ethiopia Kenya Togo
Republic of Korea Kyrgyzstan Mongolia Philippines United Arab Emirates
Georgia Slovenia
Ecuador Panama Venezuela
Belgium Germany Switzerland
2015–2017
Botswana Congo Ghana Nigeria
Bangladesh India Indonesia Qatar
Albania Latvia
Bolivia El Salvador Paraguay
Netherlands Portugal
2014–2016
Algeria Morocco Namibia South Africa
China Maldives Saudi Arabia Vietnam
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Russian Federation
Cuba Mexico
France United Kingdom
2013–2015
Ethiopia Côte D'Ivoire Gabon Kenya Sierra Leone
Japan Kazakhstan Pakistan Republic of Korea United Arab Emirates
Estonia Montenegro
Argentina Brazil Venezuela
Germany Ireland United States
2012–2014
Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Congo
India Indonesia Kuwait Philippines
Romania Czech Republic
Chile Costa Rica Peru
Italy Austria
2011–2013
Angola Libya Mauritania Uganda
Qatar Malaysia Maldives Thailand
Moldova Poland
Ecuador Guatemala
Switzerland Spain
2010–2012
Djibouti Cameroon Mauritius Nigeria Senegal
Bangladesh China Jordan Kyrgyzstan Saudi Arabia
Russian Federation Hungary
Cuba Mexico Uruguay
Belgium Norway United States
2009–2011
Burkina Faso Gabon Ghana Zambia
Bahrain Japan Pakistan Republic of Korea
Slovakia Ukraine
Argentina Brazil Chile
France United Kingdom
2008–2010
Egypt Angola Madagascar South Africa
India Indonesia Qatar Philippines
Bosnia and Herzegovina Slovenia
Bolivia Nicaragua
Netherlands Italy
2006–2009
Djibouti Cameroon Mauritius Nigeria Senegal
Bangladesh China Jordan Malaysia Saudi Arabia
Azerbaijan Russian Federation
Cuba Mexico Uruguay
Germany Canada Switzerland
2006–2008
Gabon Ghana Mali Zambia
Japan Pakistan Sri Lanka Republic of Korea
Romania Ukraine
Brazil Guatemala Peru
France United Kingdom
2006–2007
Algeria Morocco South Africa Tunisia
Bahrain India Indonesia Philippines
Poland Czech Republic
Argentina Ecuador
Finland Netherlands
· Structure › Presidents
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
Jürg Lauber
Jürg Lauber
No.
19
Name
Jürg Lauber
Country
Switzerland
Time
1 January 2025 – Incumbent
Omar Zniber
Omar Zniber
No.
18
Name
Omar Zniber
Country
Morocco
Time
10 January 2024 – 31 December 2024
Václav Bálek (wd)
Václav Bálek (wd)
No.
17
Name
Václav Bálek (wd)
Country
Czechia
Time
1 January 2023 – 31 December 2023
Federico Villegas
Federico Villegas
No.
16
Name
Federico Villegas
Country
Argentina
Time
1 January 2022 – 31 December 2022
Nazahat Shameen Khan
Nazahat Shameen Khan
No.
15
Name
Nazahat Shameen Khan
Country
Fiji
Time
1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021
Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger
Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger
No.
14
Name
Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger
Country
Austria
Time
1 January 2020 – 31 December 2020
Coly Seck
Coly Seck
No.
13
Name
Coly Seck
Country
Senegal
Time
1 January 2019 – 31 December 2019
Vojislav Šuc
Vojislav Šuc
No.
12
Name
Vojislav Šuc
Country
Slovenia
Time
1 January 2018 – 31 December 2018
Joaquín Alexander Maza Martelli
Joaquín Alexander Maza Martelli
No.
11
Name
Joaquín Alexander Maza Martelli
Country
El Salvador
Time
1 January 2017 – 31 December 2017
Choi Kyong-lim
Choi Kyong-lim
No.
10
Name
Choi Kyong-lim
Country
Republic of Korea
Time
1 January 2016 – 31 December 2016
Joachim Rücker
Joachim Rücker
No.
9
Name
Joachim Rücker
Country
Germany
Time
1 January 2015 – 31 December 2015
Baudelaire Ndong Ella
Baudelaire Ndong Ella
No.
8
Name
Baudelaire Ndong Ella
Country
Gabon
Time
1 January 2014 – 31 December 2014
Remigiusz Henczel
Remigiusz Henczel
No.
7
Name
Remigiusz Henczel
Country
Poland
Time
1 January 2013 – 31 December 2013
Laura Dupuy Lasserre
Laura Dupuy Lasserre
No.
6
Name
Laura Dupuy Lasserre
Country
Uruguay
Time
19 June 2011 – 31 December 2012
Sihasak Phuangketkeow
Sihasak Phuangketkeow
No.
5
Name
Sihasak Phuangketkeow
Country
Thailand
Time
19 June 2010 – 18 June 2011
Alex Van Meeuwen
Alex Van Meeuwen
No.
4
Name
Alex Van Meeuwen
Country
Belgium
Time
19 June 2009 – 18 June 2010
Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi
Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi
No.
3
Name
Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi
Country
Nigeria
Time
19 June 2008 – 18 June 2009
Doru Romulus Costea
Doru Romulus Costea
No.
2
Name
Doru Romulus Costea
Country
Romania
Time
19 June 2007 – 18 June 2008
Luis Alfonso de Alba
Luis Alfonso de Alba
No.
1
Name
Luis Alfonso de Alba
Country
Mexico
Time
19 June 2006 – 18 June 2007
Ranked list
No.
Name
Country
Time
19
Jürg Lauber
Switzerland
1 January 2025 – Incumbent
18
Omar Zniber
Morocco
10 January 2024 – 31 December 2024
17
Václav Bálek (wd)
Czechia
1 January 2023 – 31 December 2023
16
Federico Villegas
Argentina
1 January 2022 – 31 December 2022
15
Nazahat Shameen Khan
Fiji
1 January 2021 – 31 December 2021
14
Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger
Austria
1 January 2020 – 31 December 2020
13
Coly Seck
Senegal
1 January 2019 – 31 December 2019
12
Vojislav Šuc
Slovenia
1 January 2018 – 31 December 2018
11
Joaquín Alexander Maza Martelli
El Salvador
1 January 2017 – 31 December 2017
10
Choi Kyong-lim
Republic of Korea
1 January 2016 – 31 December 2016
9
Joachim Rücker
Germany
1 January 2015 – 31 December 2015
8
Baudelaire Ndong Ella
Gabon
1 January 2014 – 31 December 2014
7
Remigiusz Henczel
Poland
1 January 2013 – 31 December 2013
6
Laura Dupuy Lasserre
Uruguay
19 June 2011 – 31 December 2012
5
Sihasak Phuangketkeow
Thailand
19 June 2010 – 18 June 2011
4
Alex Van Meeuwen
Belgium
19 June 2009 – 18 June 2010
3
Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi
Nigeria
19 June 2008 – 18 June 2009
2
Doru Romulus Costea
Romania
19 June 2007 – 18 June 2008
1
Luis Alfonso de Alba
Mexico
19 June 2006 – 18 June 2007
References
French: Conseil des droits de l'homme des Nations unies, CDH