Context:
The UN calls for an investigation into violations during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
About UNHRC
- An intergovernmental body within the United Nations system
- Established in 2006 by the General Assembly
- Responsibility – strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe.
- It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year.
- It meets at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG).
- Membership – 47States
- Elected directly and individually by a majority of the 193 states of the UN General Assembly.
- 3-year terms
- Elections take place every year.
- Seats are equitably distributed among the five UN regional groups
Functions of UNHRC
- Serves as an international platform for dialogue on human rights, involving UN officials, mandated experts, states, and civil society.
- Adopts resolutions during regular sessions to express the international community’s will on specific human rights issues, signaling governments to take action.
- Conducts special sessions, totaling 36 to date, to address urgent human rights situations.
- Reviews the human rights records of all UN Member States through the Universal Periodic Review.
- Appoints Special Procedures, independent human rights experts, to monitor specific countries or themes.
- Authorizes commissions of inquiry and fact-finding missions to gather evidence on war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Source: The Hindu
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Previous year question
With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, consider the following statements:
1. A coastal state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baseline determined in accordance with the convention.
2. Ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea.
3. The Exclusive Economic Zone shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
Which of the statements given above are correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d)
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