United Nations Commission on Human Rights facts for kids
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) was an important group within the United Nations. It worked from 1946 until 2006. Its main job was to promote and protect human rights around the world. The UNCHR helped create the famous Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Over time, some people felt it became too political, and countries with poor human rights records were sometimes elected to it. Because of these concerns, the United Nations General Assembly decided to replace it with the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006.
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History of the UNCHR
The UNCHR was started in 1946 by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It was one of the first groups created by the UN. Its purpose was set out in the United Nations Charter, which is like the UN's rulebook.
The Commission met for the first time in January 1947. It quickly set up a committee to write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This important document was adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948.
For its first 20 years (1947-1967), the UNCHR focused on encouraging human rights and helping countries create agreements. It did not usually investigate or criticize countries for human rights problems.
However, in 1967, the Commission changed its approach. Many countries, especially those in Africa and Asia that had recently become independent, wanted the UN to do more. They wanted the UNCHR to actively investigate and report on human rights violations, especially because of the terrible situation in apartheid South Africa.
To help with this new approach, the UNCHR created special groups. In the 1970s, they formed groups to look into problems in specific regions or countries, like Chile. In the 1980s, they added groups that focused on certain types of abuses, no matter where they happened.
Despite these efforts, the Commission faced challenges. It became less effective because some countries with poor human rights records were members, and the group often became too political. Over the years, many people felt the UNCHR lost its trustworthiness.
The Commission held its last meeting in Geneva on March 27, 2006. It was then replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
What the UNCHR Did
The main job of the Commission on Human Rights was to check, watch, and publicly report on human rights situations. This included looking at specific countries or areas, as well as major types of human rights violations worldwide. The UNCHR was also expected to support and protect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
How the UNCHR Was Organized
When it ended, the Commission had representatives from 53 member countries. These members were chosen by ECOSOC. There were no permanent members. Each year, about one-third of the seats were up for election, and new members were chosen for a three-year term.
The seats on the Commission were divided by region. This made sure different parts of the world were represented. In its last year, 2005, the members were from these regions:
- 15 from the African Group
- 12 from the Asian Group
- 5 from the Eastern European Group
- 11 from the Latin American and Caribbean Group
- 10 from the Western European and Others Group
The Commission met every year for six weeks, usually in March and April, in Geneva, Switzerland.
Sub-Commission on Human Rights
The Commission on Human Rights had a main helper group called the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. This group was made up of 26 experts. Their job was to study human rights issues, especially based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They also made suggestions to the main Commission about preventing discrimination and protecting minorities.
The Sub-Commission had several smaller working groups that looked into specific human rights concerns, such as:
- Minorities
- Transnational Corporations (big companies that operate in many countries)
- Administration of Justice (how laws are applied fairly)
- Anti-terrorism
- Contemporary Forms of Slavery (modern types of forced labor)
- Indigenous Populations (native peoples)
When the United Nations Human Rights Council took over in 2006, it also took responsibility for the Sub-Commission.
Special Human Rights Experts
The Commission on Human Rights also created 30 "special procedures." These were ways to deal with human rights issues in specific countries or on certain topics, like freedom of expression, preventing torture, the right to food, and the right to education.
Experts in different areas of human rights were chosen to be Special Rapporteurs. They were unpaid, independent experts who received support from the UN. Their main activities included checking, watching, advising, and publicly reporting on human rights situations. They could write to governments about reported problems and visit countries that invited them to investigate.
These special experts also included working groups of up to five experts who monitored specific human rights concerns. Some of these groups were:
- Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (looking into people being held without good reason)
- Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (investigating people who vanish, often taken by governments)
- Working Group on the use of mercenaries (paid soldiers) to stop people from having the right to self-determination (choosing their own government).
These special procedures are now managed by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
UNCHR and Genocide
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) passed several resolutions about genocide, which is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group.
In 1992, the UNCHR strongly condemned "ethnic cleansing" in the former Yugoslavia. While they didn't call it genocide at first, they later asked countries to consider if the actions in Bosnia and Croatia were genocide according to the Genocide Convention.
In May 1994, at Canada's request, an emergency meeting was held to discuss the ongoing genocide in Rwanda. A Special Rapporteur was appointed, who quickly visited Rwanda and reported on the terrible scale of the genocide.
See also
In Spanish: Comisión de Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas para niños
- United Nations Human Rights Committee
