Nigeria and Ghana are two countries which have been re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council this week. See http://j.mp/ZNaYNa .
However Nigeria ranks 28th out of 52 African Union states in the Human Rights indicator of the 2014 Ibrahim Index of African Governance. This reflects a negative change in the country's score over the past five years, despite an improvement in its overall performance.
Actually, as we know according the UN Human Right chater, the Council is made up 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.
Some of the criterias are obviosly *the candidate States’ contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard, and also base on equitable geographical distribution.
But in the case of Nigeria, as you stated, the criteria for its selection may not be based on these, but actually to incentivise Nigeria to do more in this regard. And i think that's good to be taken into consideration, because Nigeria's domestic affairs are centered around casualties of different kinds, and Nigeria has been doing very little about these issues, not to mention Boko Haram, which is not "THE PROBLEM" but one of the results of the issues and problems Nigeria has to be dealing with, strongling correlated to human rights issues. Thus, states should not be voted only because they are doing well in this aspect, considering the fact that none of the states in the counsel is without a "stain"(http://www.ihrri.com/index.php?iso=RU), so many of them have to be "incentivise", bringing them under "pressure" in this case to implimente policies that might reduce their "disregard for human rights" in thier nations.
Thanks for your contribution Richmond. It does make sense to "incentivise" states to promote human rights where they are monitored and held accountable for human rights violations. E.g. Nigeria's ranking in the Index has marginally improved overall; however its re-election to the UN Human Rights Council should not deter international civil society and the UN from holding the Nigerian government accountable for its obligations to progressively realise the universal human rights of its citizens. .
To answer your pertinent question : States which have submitted applications for membership of the Council are elected directly and individually by secret majority of the members of the General Assembly vote. In the election of Board members, Member States must take into account the contribution of candidates brought to the cause of promotion and defense of human rights and their voluntary pledges and contributions he has the commitments made in this regard. The General Assembly may, by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting, may suspend the rights of a member state of the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights. Indeed, this is how the distribution of seats is made :
African States: 13 seats
Asia-Pacific States: 13 seats
Latin American and Caribbean States: 8 seats
Western European and other States: 7 seats
Eastern European States: 6 seats
Answer of your question is available in detail on following website:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/Membership.aspx
@ Aqeela " candidate States’ contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights" do not appear the sole reason for entry into that exclusive club. It may be more of "incentivising" those states whose human rights record may be "stained" ... ihttp://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/wr2014_web_0.pdf explains it more clearly.
A Google scholar search comes up with a University of London on the Council that includes something on the process for selecting/electing members. I attach it. Jill Cottrell (Ghai) (not an expert on international law! But I used to teach legal research)
Thanks Jill, that's an excellent publication providing an interesting critique of the politics, theories, practice etc of the UN Human Rights Council. Hopefully I can use it constructively as an example of legal research in the field of human rights.
'Incentivising' could be the key, else how does one explain Africa Region with 13 members! Possibly, as indication of the Region's poor human rights image.
Unfortunately, the answeres that have been given are theoretically correct, but realistically wrong. There are preconditions that are not written on the books but are "understood" wink wink by all:
1. Need to bribe the UNHRC civil service (similar to FIFA)
2. Need petro-dollars to hand around to other members (Saudi and UK)
3. Must be a serious violator of human rights (similar to all the new members just elected) - if they have committed a genocide or about to - even better.
4. Must be anti-Israel and Anti-Semitic (not a must but helps a lot).
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