Human Rights Council: Switzerlands Meisterstueck

The resolution is accepted: Picture from behind the Swiss delegation in the General Assembly hall.

They only joined the United Nations a bit more than three years ago, but today was proof that Switzerland can make itself and its ideas heard at the UN: A brainchild of Swiss human rights expert Walter Kaelin and high prioriety for Switzerlands agenda at the UN, the General Assembly today moved to creat a new human rights council which replaces the human rights commission in Geneva. Higher standards, less members, more rotation, better protection of the rights and a clear committment to upheld the human rights for every member in the council is what the new organisation will bring. The USA, Israel and the Marshall Island voted against it, the rest of the world pretty much can agree. Whether US ambassador John Bolton will be right and we will see human rights violators on the council, remians to be seen. For now, the UN can start to clean up and renew its human rights machinery. High time.