Michelle Bachelet: Appointed UN High Commissioner

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet (66) was appointed as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

• She was nominated by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and her appointment was approved by the UN General Assembly.
• She will have a four year term and shall replace Jordanian diplomat Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein (served a single term, beginning in 2014).
• Bachelet most recently had served as the President (first woman) of Chile (from 2014 to 2018 and 2006 to 2010).
• She was the first Executive Director of UN-Women between 2010 and 2013.
• She has also served as the Minister of Defence and Minister of Health in Chile.

Role of the UN Human Rights High Commissioner:

• He/she is mandated to promote and protect the universal exercise and full realization of human rights, across the world, as established in UN Charter.
• He/she is also the principal official who speaks out for human rights across the whole UN system, strengthening human rights mechanisms, enhancing equality, fighting discrimination in all its forms, strengthening accountability and rule of law, widening democratic space and protecting the most vulnerable from all forms of human rights abuse.
• The Office was created in 1993.

Interesting to know:

• Bachelet will be overall the seventh High Commissioner since its creation.

Questions:

Q1. Who got appointed as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights?
a. Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein
b. Antonio Guterres
c. Michelle Bachelet
d. None of the above

Q2. When was the office of the UN Human Rights High Commissioner created?
a. 1993
b. 1994
c. 1995
d. 1996