NEW YORK — The United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Raad Al Hussein said that the United States' decision to pull out of the UN Human Rights Council was disappointing, but not really surprising .
"Given the state of human rights in today's world, the US should be stepping up, not stepping back," Prince Zeid explained.
A statement issued by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the Geneva-based Human Rights Council was a part of the UN’s overall "Human Rights architecture", which "plays a very important role in the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide." "The Secretary-General would have much preferred for the United States to remain in the Human Rights Council," the statement added.
The President of the General Assembly, Mr Miroslav Lajcak, regretted the decision of the United States to withdraw from the Human Rights Council.
Created by the General Assembly in 2006, the Human Rights Council is the main body of the UN entrusted with strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. "Through its various mechanisms, procedures and resolutions, it gives a voice to people everywhere, including the most vulnerable", the president noted.
(Petra)
