Nepal\u2019s long-standing wish of winning membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has finally come true.<\/p>\n
The United Nations (UN), in its official release on October 16, 2017, declared Nepal\u2019s election as a UNHRC member<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNepal has been elected as a member of the UNHRC for the term 2018-2020, today. Nepal will be serving in that capacity for the first time since HRC\u2019s creation in 2006,\u201d said UN in its official release on October 16, 2017.<\/p>\n UN\u2019s announcement followed a strong pitch made by Nepal for UNHRC membership in the 72nd<\/sup> United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2017.<\/p>\n \u201cNepal secured 166 votes, the highest in the Asia-Pacific Group. Together, Qatar, Pakistan and Afghanistan were elected from the Asia-Pacific, as part of a total of 15 States elected from different geographical regions, by a secret ballot at the 72nd<\/sup>\u00a0UNGA session<\/a> in New York,\u201d noted the release.<\/p>\n Elated at the announcement, Ambassador Durga Prasad Bhattarai, Permanent Representative of Nepal to UN, said this election is of paramount importance for Nepal.<\/p>\n He added that it also reflects the international community\u2019s acknowledgment of Nepal\u2019s efforts and accomplishments in the field of human rights at home and globally.<\/p>\n \u201cThis election offers the post-conflict Nepal an unprecedented opportunity to prove its worth as an international contributor in the cause of human rights in Nepal<\/a> and around the world, over and above its contribution as a UN peacekeeping and civilian protection partner since 1958,\u201d read a statement by Bhattarai.<\/p>\n Following this announcement, Nepal\u2019s term in UNHRC office would begin on January 1, 2018 and lasts till December 31, 2020.<\/p>\n Prior to this, Nepal had served as the member of the Commission on Human Rights during 1995-2000 and 2004-2006, wherein, the country served in Vice-chair (in 1999) and Chair (in 2000) positions.<\/p>\n The Commission on Human Rights was later replaced as HRC in 2006 with UNGA as its own subsidiary body.<\/p>\n Now, HRC is a combination of 47 member states across the geography with 13 nations from the Asia-Pacific group.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Nepal\u2019s long-standing wish of winning membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has finally…<\/span><\/p>\nBack to Seat After a Gap<\/h4>\n