Switzerland pushes for new Geneva-based human rights body News
Switzerland pushes for new Geneva-based human rights body

[JURIST] Swiss President Samuel Schmid [official website; Wikipedia profile] joined other world leaders calling for UN reform [JURIST news archive] Thursday, saying in his address [PDF statement] to the UN's 2005 World Summit [official website] that the UN must prioritize the creation of a new Human Rights Council. Schmid called for the Council to be based in Geneva and said its purpose should be to make human rights as much of a priority as development, peace and security. The Council would replace the current Human Rights Commission [official website], which has suffered from declining credibility [JURIST report] that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said has "cast a shadow" over the whole UN. Swissinfo has more.