Human Rights Council President
Members of the Human Rights Council elect a representative among themselves to preside over their sessions. The President of the Council serves for one year and carries out the following duties:
- Chairs meetings of the Council;
- Proposes candidates for Special Procedures mandates and expert mechanisms, to be appointed by the Council;
- Appoints experts to serve on investigative bodies; this is done through ad hoc consultations and outreach to different stakeholders to seek highly qualified and impartial candidates;
- Receives and responds to correspondence from Permanent Missions and other actors; and
- Builds awareness and trust in the Human Rights Council through outreach and diplomacy.
The High Commissioner has the principal responsibility for UN-led human rights activities and is very vocal in calling out human rights violations globally.
By contrast, the President is responsible for ensuring that the Council activities are led in a respectful and constructive manner, which requires neutrality.
See videos of the HRC President in action
Current president
Ambassador Václav Bálek has been the Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva since August 2021.
He was elected President of the Human Rights Council for 2023 on 9 December 2022. Watch the historic moment.
Read his full bio