Newly formed Human Rights Council receives a mid-term grade

In its editorial, “A Discredit to the United Nations” the New York Times criticized the newly-formed Human Rights Council, stating “[if] this is the best the UN can do at reforming itself, it isn’t worth the effort.” Not even a year after its instatement, the body has already fallen into a “shameful pattern.” The Council has chosen to focus on broader issues, economic and social reform, instead of individual nations that are consistently violators of human rights, nations such as China, Iran, North Korean, Myanmar, and Sudan. In opposition to the position of the editorial, an ad-hoc group of human rights activists believes the Council should continue to focus on broader issues, instead of criticizing specific countries. However, claiming that this is a step backward, the editorial believes the critical reports and their follow-ups with single nations, measures that were inherent to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, are the Human Rights Council most effective course of action.

See the full editorial here.