8 October 2024
This week the UN General Assembly will elect 18 states to serve a three-year term on the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva. While Ethiopia is running under a non-competitive “clean slate” for the Africa Group, the upcoming election provides an opportunity for governments to demonstrate their unwillingness to vote for unfit candidates. States must receive a simple majority of votes to be elected (i.e., 97), and since voting takes place by secret ballot, states are under no obligation to vote for each candidate within a regional group. Therefore, we, the undersigned organizations, strongly urge your delegation to leave the ballot blank for Ethiopia.
This year, as well as in previous years, many member states seeking election do not live up to the standards set out by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 60/251, which requires states serving on the HRC to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.” The Resolution further specifies that “when electing members of the Council, Member States shall take into account the contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights and their voluntary pledges and commitments made thereto.” Due to these stipulations, we believe Ethiopia’s rights record should disqualify the country from being elected. Read more