Abstract

SHORT, Katherine. From commission to council: Has the United Nations succeeded in creating a credible human rights body?. Sur [online]. 2008, vol.4Selected edition, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1806-6445.

In 2006 the United Nations underwent its greatest reform since its foundation in 1945, showing a renewed commitment to human rights protection. The replacement of the Commission on Human Rights with the Human Rights Council signifies the growing strength of the international human rights regime. However, this change has not been without criticism.  In particular it has been alleged that the Council suffers from various political biases to the detriment of its effectiveness: for example, disproportionately focusing on the Occupied Palestinian Territories while failing to swiftly respond to abuses in Darfur. Further, the Council is arguably undermined by both its failure to implement effective mechanisms to prevent its own membership consisting to include acknowledged human rights violator and its continuing inability to harness US support. This paper analyses such criticisms.

Keywords : United Nations; Human Rights Council; Commission on Human Rights; Politicisation.