State Dept. Human Rights Report on UN Human Rights Commission
Several countries are understandably apoplectic about receiving failing grades on human rights in the latest U.S. State Department Human Rights Report.
China, Cuba and Zimbabwe issued a joint statement declaring
As bona fide members of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, we find it laughable and illogical that our nations should be singled out for criticism by a government that funds less than one-quarter of the annual U.N budget, and which is responsible for Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and the still-unexplained death of Root Boy Slim.
After running two phrases through Google conducting extensive research, I manufactured discovered this document which neatly cross-references the new State Department report with the current members of the UN Commission on Human Rights.
It makes for an enlightening session of Web surfing. For example, my faith in the UN is now greatly bolstered by the fact that less than 40 percent of the countries holding membership on this Commission are places I wouldn't want to be caught dead in.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTSThe Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat. It is mandated to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all rights established in the Charter of the United Nations and in international human rights laws and treaties. The mandate includes preventing human rights violations, securing respect for all human rights, promoting international cooperation to protect human rights, coordinating related activities throughout the United Nations, and strengthening and streamlining the United Nations system in the field of human rights. In addition to its mandated responsibilities, the Office leads efforts to integrate a human rights approach within all work carried out by United Nations agencies.
OHCHR's priorities are set by the General Assembly and are contained in the Medium-Term Plan for 2002-2005 . The plan follows the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which was developed out of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, and the Charter of the United Nations.
(2006)
1 Argentina 2008
2 Armenia 2007
3 Australia 2008
4 Austria 2008
5 Azerbaijan 2008
6 Bangladesh 2008
7 Bhutan 2006
8 Botswana 2008
9 Brazil 2008
10 Cameroon 2008
11 Canada 2007
12 China 2008
13 Congo 2006
14 Costa Rica 2006
15 Cuba 2006
16 Dominican Republic 2006
17 Ecuador 2007
18 Egypt 2006
19 Eritrea 2006
20 Ethiopia 2006
21 Finland 2007
22 France 2007
23 Germany 2008
24 Guatemala 2006
25 Guinea 2007
26 Honduras 2006
27 Hungary 2006
28 India 2006
29 Indonesia 2006
30 Italy 2006
31 Japan 2008
32 Kenya 2007
33 Malaysia 2007
34 Mauritania 2006
35 Mexico 2007
36 Morocco 2008
37 Nepal 2006
38 Netherlands 2006
39 Nigeria 2006
40 Pakistan 2007
41 Peru 2006
42 Qatar 2006
43 Republic of Korea 2007
44 Romania 2007
45 Russian Federation 2006
46 Saudi Arabia 2006
47 South Africa 2006
48 Sudan 2007
49 Togo 2007
50 United Kingdom 2006
51 United States of America 2008
52 Venezuela 2008
53 Zimbabwe 2008
And no, I don't have 'too much time on my hands.' Sure, Chloe could have produced the above list in about three seconds, but it only took me about 35 minutes, and that was planned leisure time. I'll be back to work by the time you read this.
NOTE: Togo holds a permanent seat on all UN standing committees by virtue of a 1997 directive supporting that nation's thus far futile attempt to convince anyone in the world there is really a country called 'Togo.'
