Madam President, Excellencies, Colleagues, Friends, Our comprehensive report on the situation of human rights in Belarus in the context of the 2020 presidential election – mandated by the Council last September – covers serious violations of human rights between 1 May and 20 December last year. The UNHRC has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. HRC Membership across the globe (2006 - 2020) Elections were held in New York. This is a criteria insisted on by States themselves when they adopted resolution 60/251 in March 2006 to create the Human Rights Council. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States will seek to rejoin the U.N. Human Rights Council when elections are held later this year. The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. With membership on the Council comes a responsibility to uphold high human rights standards. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. "I'm pleased to announce the United States will seek election to the Human Rights Council for the 2022-24 term," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the council in a video message. Pakistan on Tuesday was re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) with an overwhelming majority securing 169 votes in the 193-member UN General Assembly.. The United States is seeking to return to the UN Human Rights Council, three years after former president Donald Trump's administration withdrew. ISHR has published ‘scorecards’ for each of the States seeking election to the UN Human Rights Council for 2020- 2022. The headquarters of UNHRC is in Geneva, Switzerland.. To coincide with the #HRCpledging events in New York and Geneva hosted by ISHR and Amnesty International, ISHR has published a 'scorecard' for each State standing for election to the UN Human Rights Council. “These are not only basic human rights, they are also an absolute requirement for the holding of free, transparent and credible elections in a peaceful climate”, said a statement from the Commissioners leading the official Geneva-based Commission Inquiry on Burundi during an oral briefing to the UN Human Rights Council on 9 March. The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe. U.S. to seek election to United Nations Human Rights Council After the Trump administration pulled out in 2018, the United States is once again seeking a seat at the U.N. Human Rights Council. The 2020 United Nations Security Council election was held on 17 and 18 June 2020 during the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York City.The elections were for five non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council for two-year mandates commencing on 1 January 2021.. In accordance with paragraphs 4 and 5 of General Assembly resolution 65/281 from 2013, the Human Rights Council will start its yearly membership cycle on 1 January. Among the five candidates from the Asia-Pacific region vying for four seats, Pakistan secured the highest number of votes.