UN Human Rights Council Elections: India Wins Membership for 2026–2028

India was reelected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in 2026-2028 on 14 October 2025, and this reelection renewed its interest in ensuring that it advocated and defended human rights across the world. The election was conducted at the UN General Assembly in New York, where India was awarded one of the four Asia-Pacific seats with Pakistan, Iraq, and Vietnam. It is the seventh time India is in the 47-member Council, whose role is to deal with the violation of human rights and enhance global collaboration on issues of justice, equality, and dignity. The new term will start on 1 January 2026.

UN Human Rights Council: A Pillar for Protecting Human Dignity Worldwide

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is the main intergovernmental organization in the UN system charged with the responsibility of ensuring and enhancing human rights in the entire world. The UN General Assembly established the new Commission on Human Rights as a replacement for the previous Commission on Human Rights on 15 March 2006 to address human rights violations and enhance international accountability.

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

• Total Members: The UN General Assembly elects 47 countries to three-year terms on a regional basis.

• Current President (2025): Jurg Lauber

• Major Mechanism: Universal Periodic Review (UPR) - weighs the human rights practices of each member state of the UN.

• Functions: Identifies breaches, promotes collaboration, recommends reforms, and provides technical assistance to countries.

• Membership in India: India has been elected seven times.

Conclusion 

The UN human rights council is an important body that ensures the protection of human dignity, equality, and combating violations on the global front. It has 47 member states and mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review, which, by the way, guarantee accountability and cooperation. The seven times membership of India is an indicator of its adherence to international human rights.