The Marshall Islands has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), set to begin its term next year, with a focus on climate change and nuclear justice. This election, held on October 9, is significant as there are currently no Pacific island nations represented on the 47-member council.
The Marshall Islands received strong support from the Pacific Islands Forum, which includes 18 leaders from the region. The HRC’s objectives involve promoting and safeguarding human rights while overseeing UN processes and offering guidance to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
During her address at the General Assembly in September, President Hilda Heine expressed concerns that progress on global issues is faltering, potentially endangering human rights. She emphasized the need for accountability that applies universally, denouncing double standards.
Heine highlighted the Marshall Islands’ unique challenges with the legacy of nuclear testing and climate change, advocating that the voices of the vulnerable must not be overlooked. At the 57th session of the HRC in Geneva, she urged the council to acknowledge the impact of US atomic tests conducted in the Marshall Islands, noting that despite nearly 80 years having passed, there has been no official apology or meaningful reconciliation.
Between 1946 and 1958, 67 nuclear weapon tests occurred in the Marshall Islands while it was under UN Trusteeship managed by the United States. Heine described how the Marshallese people were misled, forcibly displaced, and subjected to scientific experimentation without their consent.
With the growing threat of sea-level rise and extreme weather events due to climate change, the Marshall Islands is seen as extremely vulnerable. A rise of 2 degrees Celsius in global temperatures is expected to significantly threaten the existence of the low-lying nation.
In 2011, the Marshall Islands and Palau called for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding climate change responsibilities of industrialized nations. Although unsuccessful at that time, this initiative led to a resolution adopted in 2023, with the ICJ expected to hold public hearings this December.
Heine has been vocal in criticizing wealthy nations for failing to meet their commitments, especially in relation to fossil fuel usage. She insisted that the current trend of leadership must change, calling for the halt of new coal mines, gas fields, and oil wells.
As the Marshall Islands prepares to take its seat on the council next year, it will join Indonesia and France, both of which have faced scrutiny concerning human rights issues in their respective regions. Heine expressed her desire for continued collaboration with Indonesia regarding the human rights situation in Papua.
She also mentioned the violence in New Caledonia linked to a disputed French government proposal affecting the Kanak vote. Heine anticipates a high-level visit by Pacific Islands Forum leaders to New Caledonia, although specific dates have not yet been arranged.
Countries elected to the HRC are expected to uphold UN human rights standards. An analysis of the Marshall Islands’ votes during its previous term in 2021 indicated strong support for council resolutions, with some exceptions on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
As part of its commitment to the council, the Marshall Islands pledged to review UN instruments it has not yet ratified, including those related to civil and political rights, the abolition of the death penalty, torture prevention, and children’s rights.