The human rights council and its subsidiary bodies

The Human Rights Council is the most important intergovernmental human rights body in the United Nations. It provides a number of avenues through which various concerns, including minority rights, may be made known to United Nations experts and Government representatives. Among the relevant human rights mechanisms established by the Council is the Forum on Minority Issues, which meets annually to discuss particular thematic issues relevant to minorities; the universal periodic review, which considers the human rights situation in every State Member of the United Nations every four and a half years; and the complaint procedure, under which communications alleging a consistent pattern of gross violations of the human rights of minorities may be submitted to the Council for consideration.

Related Subject(s): Human Rights and Refugees