The United Nations General Assembly elected eighteen members of the Human Rights Council for a three-year term 2022-2024, which will begin on January 1, 2022. Lithuania foreign ministry informed about their selection during UN Assembly on October 14, 2021, in New York, which is looking forward to work with different states and societies from all the regions.
Lithuania has received 178 votes from all 193 UN member states, the foreign ministry of Lithuania informed. Until now, Lithuania remained an observer of the UN Human Rights Council but now it will become a full member of the United Nations for three years from January 1, 2022.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said it would be a great opportunity for the country to demonstrate its leadership.
?Congratulations to all the newly elected @UN_HRC Members for 2022-2024!
??is looking forward to working closely with different states & civil societies from all regions to ensure that no one is left behind, no #HumanRights ignored.#UNHRC @LtGva @LithuaniaMFA pic.twitter.com/IezBidZwfV
— LithuaniaUN?? (@LithuaniaUNNY) October 14, 2021
According to the Foreign Ministry of Lithuania, Lithuania’s priorities and prime focus during its membership period will be on the protection of disabled children and people, the security of activists, human rights in conflict zones of the world, and a well-timed response to human rights violations.
Moreover, Lithuania will continue to work on defending women’s and girls’ rights, freedom of speech, the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the freedom of religions and beliefs and to ensure the protection of journalists and media.
Honored to announce that Lithuania ?? has been elected to @UN_HRC for 2022-2024!
?? will pay special attention to the protection of human rights defenders, rights of the child, rights of persons with disabilities, as well as human rights in conflict areas. pic.twitter.com/vFdUpNJCwf
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) October 14, 2021
United Nation Members
The Human Rights Council has 47 member states and UN General Assembly established it in 2006. The total members of the United Nations are 193 countries and Lithuania got the support of over 178 members.
Lithuania remained an active member for over 30 years. The other countries elected by the UN General Assembly are Argentina, Benin, Cameroon, Eritrea, Finland, The Gambia, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Montenegro, Paraguay, Qatar, Somalia, United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America for the Human Rights Council (HRC) for the 2022-2024 term.