Slovakia puts forward its candidacy for seat on UN Council on Human Rights

The Slovak delegation will use the session of the 70th UN General Assembly (UNGA) to engage in an intensive campaign for the 2017 election to the Human Rights Council (HRC), seeking endorsement by other UN-member states for the 2018-20 term. The Human Rights Council is a permanent UN body and is based in Geneva. It has 47 members that are elected by the UN General Assembly based on regional affiliation. Slovakia belongs to the Eastern European group. As the proposal of the Slovak delegation for the upcoming 70^th UN general assembly reads: Slovakia will put emphasis on the strengthening and effective protection of universal human rights and stress the irreplaceable role of UN bodies that concentrate on human rights. Slovakia will want to further participate in the fight against all forms of discrimination, racism and xenophobia. Moreover Slovakia is a strong proponent of reforms in the UN system. The assembly is to take place on September 15^th and leading the Slovak delegation will be Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák. In the past Slovakia has been a member of the UN Council on Human Rights in the years 2008 - 2011 and it was also once a member of the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council of the UN.