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.
Current president
Ambassador Jürg Lauber, President of the 19th cycle
Since 1 September 2020, Jürg Lauber has been the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations and to the other international organizations in Geneva.
On 9 December 2024, Mr. Lauber was elected President of the Human Rights Council for 2025.
Read his full biography.