UN Human Rights Council: With Only 3 Votes Nigeria Misses Out, As Kenya, Benin, Others Elected

Kenya, Benin, and other nations secure seats on the UN Human Rights Council for 2025-2027 term, while Nigeria misses out

In a major shake-up, five African countries—Benin, Congo DRC, Gambia, Ethiopia, and Kenya—have secured seats on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2025-2027 term. Nigeria, a contender, missed out on the election by getting just 3 votes, which was decided through a secret ballot at the UN General Assembly.

Vote Breakdown:

• In a recent vote by the UN General Assembly, Nigeria was not elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term, despite being a candidate. Instead, five African nations—Kenya, Benin, Gambia, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo—secured seats, joining 13 other countries from across the globe. The vote, held by secret ballot, saw Kenya receive 185 votes, Gambia 183, Congo DRC 172, Benin 162 and Ethiopia 162, while Nigeria got 3 votes.
• Other elected members include Bolivia (172 votes), Colombia (161 votes), Cyprus (157 votes), Czechia (151 votes), Iceland (154 votes), Marshall Islands (142 votes), North Macedonia (153 votes), Qatar (173 votes), Republic of Korea (169 votes), and Thailand (137 votes).

A total of 18 countries were elected, including Bolivia, Cyprus, Colombia, and Switzerland. These nations will replace outgoing members such as Argentina, Cameroon, and India, whose terms will expire at the end of 2024. The council is an essential intergovernmental body responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights globally.

The Council, made up of 47 states, is responsible for promoting and protecting human rights globally. Of the 47 members in 2025, 25 will be part of the “Friends of the Responsibility to Protect” group, an initiative supporting global accountability for protecting civilians from atrocities.