Kazakhstan applies for membership in UN Human Rights Council

We have put forward Kazakhstan's candidature for membership of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) from 2013 to 2015. Kazakh Minister for Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Kazykhanov announced it at the Council's 19th session in Switzerland.

The Council has played a leading role in a timely and serious response to the events in North Africa and the Middle East. Through extensive improvements to the Council's working methods and its special procedures, we can achieve rapid progress without excessive politicization of human rights issues," he said.

According to him, Kazakhstan welcomes the implementation of the Universal Periodic Review, which has become one of the Human Rights Council's key control mechanisms. This has eliminated the main shortcoming for which the Council's predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights, was criticized. It is worth noting, in that context, that Kazakhstan is doing its home work, having nearly implemented 88% of the HRC recommendations.

The selection of candidates for the position of Special Rapporteurs still does not reflect a fair geographical representation. Greater effort is needed to be made to ensure the information used by special rapporteurs is more balanced. We also feel that reports might benefit from the opportunity for governments to supply them by written comments.

There is room, too, for improved co-ordination between the HRC and other human rights bodies within the UN system.

I can promise that we will remain fully committed to playing a full role in the Council's vital work as we continue our own journey of economic and democratic reform.