VOA常速英语2016--美国再次当选人权理事会成员国（在线收听）

美国再次当选人权理事会成员国

The United States has been re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry thanked the General Assembly for its support and pledged to continue to work with the international community to address urgent human rights concerns.

U.S. engagement has helped transform the Council into a more balanced and credible organization and has helped focus the global spotlight on grave violations and abuses of human rights around the world. Since the U.S. joined the Council in 2009, it has created Commissions of Inquiry for Syria, North Korea, and Burundi; adopted country-specific resolutions on Sri Lanka, Iran, and Burma; passed groundbreaking resolutions promoting and protecting the rights of freedom of assembly and association; and created an independent expert on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Human Rights Council was established in 2006 to replace the 60-year-old UN Commission on Human Rights. The Council's 47 members are elected individually by an absolute majority of the 193 members of the General Assembly through secret ballot. Members of the Human Rights Council serve for a three-year renewable term and cannot seek immediate re-election after two consecutive terms.

The council membership is based on equitable geographical distribution.

As with all fora, the Human Rights Council is only as strong as its members, said Secretary Kerry, "and I encourage all countries that respect human rights to be steadfast in their pursuit of a seat on the Human Rights Council."

"While important challenges remain, including ending the Council's excessive and biased focus on Israel," said Secretary Kerry, "we look forward to cooperating with other Council members to address human rights concerns, advance human rights around the world, and ensure the Council fully realizes its purpose."

美国再次当选联合国人权理事会成员国。美国国务卿约翰克里对联合国大会的支持表示感谢，并承诺会继续与国际社会一道，解决紧迫的人权关切问题。

美国的参与已帮助让联合国人权理事会转变为平衡性更强、可信度更高的组织；在美国的参与帮助下，全球已聚焦全球严重违背滥用人权的行为。自美国2009年加入联合国人权理事会以来，已为叙利亚、朝鲜、布隆迪创建了咨询委员会；对斯里兰卡、伊朗、缅甸采用了因地制宜的决议；通过了开创性的决议，以提升并保护集会和结社自由的权利；创建了基于性别取向和性别身份的独立的暴力歧视专家组。

人权理事会成立于2006年，用以代替已有60年历史的人权委员会。人权理事会共有47个成员国，是由联合国大会193个成员国通过不记名投票求得绝对多数的方式选举出来的。人权理事会成员国有3年可持续任期，但在连任两届后不得进行第三届的连选。

人权理事会的成员国选择是基于平等的地理分配。

联合国人权理事会和其他组织一样，是成员强则其强的组织，克里这样说道，“所以我鼓励所有尊重人权的国家要坚定地寻求在人权理事会有一席之地。”

“虽然还有很多重要挑战等着我们，其中包括结束人权理事会对以色列过度的偏颇之见，”克里说道，“但我们希望能与人权理事会的其他成员国合作，解决一些人权问题，提升全球的人权状况，确保人权理事会充分实现其职能。”