United Nations Radio

The UN Human Rights Council concluded its first session for 2008 in Geneva on Friday. Claire Doole reports on some of the highlights of the month-long work of the Council.

During its four-week sitting, the Council took positions on human rights issues ranging from genocide and counter-terrorism to extreme poverty and the right to food.

It renewed mandates for investigating human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Sudan, Myanmar and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

More provision was made for technical assistance and advice for Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Two new mandates were added: one for climate change, the other for drinking water and sanitation.

During a general debate on human rights commitments, a number of countries raised concerns about the situation in Tibet . China objected to the singling out of one country on that agenda item. Its representative said criticism on Tibet was out of place and a blatant disregard of the facts.

Asian non-governmental organizations called for a special session on the human rights situation in Tibet.

But Council president, Doru Costea, told journalists at a closing news conference this failed to get the backing of enough countries for a special session to be called.

The president said the real work of the Council would begin next month, with new system to review the human rights record of every country.

"I am rather optimistic about the process and what results it may lead to. The proof of the pudding is in eating it and staying healthy afterwards."

Ambassador Costea expressed concern that the North-South divide, so evident in the former Human Rights Commission, had not been bridged.

He called for new ways of persuading countries to cooperate.