Iceland has taken a seat in the United Nations Human Rights Council. Iceland, was elected to the Council by the General Assembly on 9 October 2024, for the second time. The first time was in 2018 after the resignation of the United States.
“The international community is facing significant challenges with human rights increasingly under threat in too many places,” said Thórdís Kolbrún Gylfadóttir Iceland´s Foreing Minister after the election of Iceland to the Council. “Our main priority for our upcoming term on the Council will be working together with other states to promote and protect human rights for all. We will focus especially on gender equality, children’s rights and LGBTQI+ rights,”
47-member council
The Council is made of 47 Member States, which are elected by the majority of members of the General Assembly of the United Nations through direct and secret ballot. The General Assembly takes into account the candidate States’ contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard.
Members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.
