The Ministry of Foreign Relations has submitted the candidacy of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations Human Rights Council, a 47-member body for the period 2024-26.
The Dominican Republic in the past held a seat on the Security Council as a non-permanent member.
In making the announcement, Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez said that the Ministry of Foreign Relations together with other state institutions and the foreign service, will campaign for the position. Alvarez says the country’s objective is to promote democratic values and human rights as established in the Constitution and international treaties.
Alvarez emphasized that the country is committed to continue advancing gender equality; working towards the abolition of the death penalty, child labor and child marriage; advocating for freedom of expression, social participation and non-impunity; supporting the independence of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; and strengthening the national implementation of human rights obligations.
“The Dominican government understands that occupying a seat on the Human Rights Council (HRC) would give the country the ideal space to position itself as a regional leader on issues related to fundamental rights and, in turn, promote a participatory and open dialogue from the vision of a receiving and sending country of migrants,” added the minister.
The election of the members of the HRC is scheduled for October 2023 at the United Nations General Assembly, and according to the statutes, the members of the UN body will be elected directly and individually by secret ballot and by majority vote.
The Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN) was created in March 2006, by UN resolution 60/251, as an intergovernmental body of the United Nations System that is composed of 47 member states that are responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world. The resolution establishing the HRC states that for reasons of geographic equity 13 of the member states should belong to the African Group; 13 from Asia and the Pacific; 6 from Eastern Europe; 8 from Latin America and the Caribbean; and 7 from the Western European and Others Group.
Council members serve a three-year term and are not eligible for immediate re-election after two consecutive terms. In addition, the Organization’s statutes provide for one-third of its members to be renewed annually.
The HRC meets three times a year, in March, June and September, at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. However, the body is empowered to convene urgent meetings to respond to emergency human rights situations.
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Mirex
Diario Libre
15 June 2022