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Uncontested vote lands 15 new States at the UN Human Rights Council

In a mockery of an election at the General Assembly, States essentially appointed 15 new members of the Council. For the second year in a row, the vote was wholly uncompetitive.

The General Assembly elected 15 members of the Human Rights Council, based on lists put forward by the UN’s official regional groups.

For the second year in a row, and in keeping with many prior instances, all regional groups put forward only as many candidates as there were seats available.

Human Rights Council elections have frequently featured multiple uncompetitive regional slates since their first edition in 2007. Most elections have only involved one (2010, 2012, 2020, 2024) or two competitive slates (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023) at a time.

The 2026 vote marks the sixth time that all regional slates have been uncompetitive – alongside 2008, 2009, 2018, 2021 and 2025.

ISHR continues to urge States that are truly committed to protecting human rights and advancing multilateralism to stand for all elected positions at the UN, including at the Human Rights Council.

'Never has the work of the Council been so essential and impactful for human rights defenders and civil society around the world. States with a real commitment to upholding human rights should be doing everything they can to ensure the body includes States that uphold the highest human rights standards.'
Madeleine Sinclair, Director of ISHR’s office in New York

ISHR runs annual campaigns encouraging States to support and vote for only the most qualified candidates, for regional groups to field competitive slates, and for all States running to make and follow up on meaningful pledges if elected.

Based on the Human Rights Council’s membership criteria, ISHR produced individual and regional scorecards examining the records of all States seeking election. This year, only six of the 15 State candidates met the majority of the 17 criteria laid out in ISHR’s scorecards.

List of all States elected to the Council:

  • African States (4 candidates for 4 seats):
    • Burundi (160 votes), Ghana (173 votes), Nigeria (172), Zambia (177 votes)
  • Asia-Pacific States (4 candidates for 4 seats):
    • Japan (166), Jordan (171), Kuwait (173) and Nepal (173)
  • Latin American and Caribbean States (3 candidates for 3 seats):
    • Brazil (170), Dominican Republic (170) and Uruguay (165)
  • Western European and Other States (2 candidates for 2 seats):
    • Germany (163) and Ireland (165)
  • Central and Eastern European States (2 candidates for 2 seats):
    • Moldova (168) and Ukraine (162)

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