The UN Human Rights Council explained

The UN Human Rights Council is the United Nations' main body for human rights, and a popular Model UN committee because its debates are about real situations in real countries. It is often confused with the body it replaced, and its powers are often overstated. This guide explains how the Council was created, who sits on it, how it works, what tools it has and how to prepare for it.

How the Council was created

The General Assembly created the Council on 15 March 2006 with resolution 60/251, which "Decides to establish the Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, in replacement of the Commission on Human Rights, as a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly." The old Commission on Human Rights was a different body, set up under ECOSOC. Resolution 60/251 asked ECOSOC to abolish it on 16 June 2006, and the new Council met for the first time on 19 June 2006.

Two points follow. The Council is not a renamed Commission; it is a new body. And it is a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly, not one of the UN's six principal organs and not part of ECOSOC.

What it is for

Resolution 60/251 makes the Council "responsible for promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind and in a fair and equal manner." It "should address situations of violations of human rights, including gross and systematic violations, and make recommendations thereon." Its work is to be guided by "universality, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity, constructive international dialogue and cooperation."

Its functions include serving as "a forum for dialogue on thematic issues on all human rights," making recommendations to the General Assembly on developing international human rights law, responding "promptly to human rights emergencies," and submitting an annual report to the Assembly.

Who sits on it

The Council has "forty-seven Member States," elected "directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly." Seats are divided by region: 13 for African states, 13 for Asian (Asia-Pacific) states, 6 for Eastern European states, 8 for Latin American and Caribbean states and 7 for Western European and other states.

• Terms: members serve three years and are "not eligible for immediate re-election after two consecutive terms."
• Who can stand: membership is "open to all States Members of the United Nations," and voters "shall take into account the contribution of candidates to the promotion and protection of human rights and their voluntary pledges and commitments."
• Suspension: the General Assembly, "by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting," may suspend the rights of membership of a member "that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights."
• Obligations: members "shall uphold the highest standards" and are themselves reviewed under the universal periodic review during their term.

In October 2025, the Assembly elected 14 members for terms beginning on 1 January 2026, including India, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Viet Nam. India's Ministry of External Affairs lists its term as 2026 to 2028.

When and how it meets

The Council is "based in Geneva." It must meet at least three times a year "for a total duration of no less than ten weeks." In practice, its regular sessions take place in February to March, June to July and September to October; in 2026, its 63rd session ran from 7 September to 7 October. It can also hold special sessions "at the request of a member of the Council with the support of one third of the membership." By January 2026, it had held 39 special sessions.

It decides by vote when needed. Its rules say "Decisions of the Council shall be made by a simple majority of the members present and voting," and meetings "shall be held in public" unless the Council decides otherwise. A President and four Vice-Presidents form its Bureau for a year at a time, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) acts as its secretariat. States that are not members, agencies, national human rights institutions and NGOs take part as observers.

The Council's main tools

• The universal periodic review (UPR): a regular review of every UN member's human rights record, which OHCHR calls "a State-led mechanism." Resolution 60/251 says it is "a cooperative mechanism, based on an interactive dialogue, with the full involvement of the country concerned."
• Special procedures: "independent human rights experts who serve as the eyes and ears of the Council." As of August 2026, there were 44 thematic and 12 country mandates. Mandate-holders are unpaid and serve at most six years.
• The Advisory Committee: 18 experts acting as a "think-tank for the Council."
• A complaint procedure: run through working groups on communications and on situations.
• A standing agenda: ten items, including "Human rights situations that require the Council's attention" and the universal periodic review.

What its resolutions mean

The Council makes recommendations. Its founding resolution gives it the power to "make recommendations," and it reports to the General Assembly. Like General Assembly resolutions, its texts are not legally binding; only Security Council resolutions can be. It also does not try or punish individuals. Its tools are dialogue, review, expert reports, complaints and recommendations.

India and the Council

India's Ministry of External Affairs sets out India's approach: "genuine improvement in human rights cannot be achieved by undertaking aggressive and overly intrusive methods without consultation and consent of the country concerned," and "only an approach based on dialogue, consultation and cooperation with non-selectivity and transparency as guiding principles will be effective." The ministry also records that Hansa Mehta, India's delegate to the old Commission in 1947 to 1948, changed the Universal Declaration's wording "from 'all men are created equal' to 'all human beings'."

How to prepare for a Human Rights Council committee

• Read your country's UPR. It shows what others recommended to your country and how it responded, which is a useful record of its human rights positions.
• Know your country's stance on country-specific resolutions. Some states favour naming situations; others, like India, stress dialogue and consent.
• Use the experts. Reports by special procedures are strong, citable evidence.
• Write recommendations, not orders. Ask states to act, invite cooperation with mandate-holders, or request reports.

What to do next

For procedure, read MUN rules of procedure explained and how to write an MUN resolution. The MUN glossary explains the terms you will hear in committee.

To practise diplomacy in a summit setting, Model G20 is One Young India's simulation of the G20 summit for students, held as a three-day residential summit at FLAME University.