Nigeria joins UN Human Rights Council for three years

Nigeria has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for a three-year term starting in January 2027.

The council made the announcement on its official X account, naming Nigeria as one of 15 countries chosen by the UN General Assembly to be part of the council from 2027 to 2029.

The other countries elected include Brazil, Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Nepal, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Zambia.

The new term will kick off on 1 January 2027 and wrap up on 31 December 2029.

Set up by the UN General Assembly in 2006, the Human Rights Council works to promote and protect human rights around the world. It also looks into human rights abuses and suggests ways for governments to deal with them.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the council has 47 member states, all elected by the General Assembly. The council's headquarters is located at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland.

It serves as a platform where governments, civil society groups, UN officials, and independent experts can talk about human rights issues. The council can pass resolutions on specific abuses, hold special sessions for urgent matters, and appoint independent experts to look into certain issues or monitor conditions in different countries.

The council also reviews the human rights records of all UN member states through a process called the Universal Periodic Review. In this process, countries review each other's records and suggest ways to improve.

If serious abuses are reported, the council can set up commissions of inquiry and fact-finding missions to gather evidence, including possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.

According to its official website, the council has held 36 special sessions to deal with urgent human rights situations.

While the council's resolutions and recommendations can pressure governments to tackle abuses, it does not have the power to enforce its suggestions.