Campaigners have faulted the new Human Rights Council for failing to take action against reported abuses in Darfur, Burma, and Uzbekistan.
Last week, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he hoped the body would broaden its work beyond focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
UN Human Rights Council
UN General Assembly delegates applaud the creation of the UN Human Rights Council on March 15, 2006 (epa)
A FRESH START ON HUMAN RIGHTS: The United Nations General Assembly on May 9 elected members to its new Human Rights Council, a step that reformers hope will help improve the United Nations' sullied record on defending human rights. The UN's old human rights watchdog -- the Commission on Human Rights -- had long been criticized for granting membership to countries with dismal human rights records, such as Cuba, Sudan and Zimbabwe.
Every member of the new body has to pledge to promote human rights. (more)
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