Romania elected for new term in UN Human Rights Council

Romania was recently elected for a new term in the UN Human Rights Council during a plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly. 176 states voted in favor of Romania’s membership to the Council.

The seat that Romania will occupy was reserved for Eastern Europe. The term will end in 2025.

Romania had two previous terms on the Human Rights Council, for the years 2006-2008 and 2011-2014.

“The candidacy for this new mandate within the CDO was based on Romania's determined action in favor of promoting effective multilateralism and on our country's principled approach to international relations, as well as on our country's firm commitment to the promotion and respect of human rights domestically, regionally and globally,” said Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu in a statement cited by Calea Europeana.

The minister also argued that the vote was the result of Romania’s position on the war in Ukraine. “Romania has consistently spoken out against the illegal, unprovoked, and unjustified war carried by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, [a war] which violates the fundamental principles of the international order based on norms, as well as human rights, with attacks on civilian targets and the killing of innocents,” he said.

As part of the UN Human Rights Council, Romania will work towards the protection of human rights, democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and freedom of expression, and will support the fight against discrimination of any kind. It will also be able to continue pursuing objectives that it took on during its mandate as President of the Community of Democracies, a position that Romania held between 2019 and 2022.

The UN Human Rights Council, created in 2006, is made up of 47 member states elected by the majority of the members of the General Assembly through direct and secret voting. Six of the 47 seats on the council are attributed to Eastern Europe.

(Photo source: George Calin | Inquam Photos)