Zambia Tops UN Human Rights Council Vote With 177 Votes

**LUSAKA, 15 October 2026.** Zambia has won a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, topping this year's election with 177 votes, more than any other country. The UN General Assembly held the vote in New York on Tuesday, 13 October. Zambia secured 177 of the 181 valid ballots cast in the African group, with no abstentions. Ghana, Kuwait and Nepal came joint second with 173 votes each. In the African group, Nigeria won 172 votes and Burundi 160. The four African countries were standing for the four seats set aside for Africa, so all four were elected. Fifteen countries won seats in total. Alongside Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Burundi, the Assembly elected Kuwait, Nepal, Jordan, Japan, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Ireland, Germany, Moldova and Ukraine. As in last year's election, each regional group put forward only as many candidates as it had seats. ## Zambia's three-year term Zambia's term begins on 1 January 2027 and runs for three years. The Geneva-based council has 47 members and renews about a third of them every year. It examines human rights situations around the world, reviews countries' records and makes recommendations. ## What the council seat involves The Human Rights Council is the UN's main body for human rights. It meets in Geneva in three regular sessions a year, usually in February to March, June to July and September to October. Zambia will send a delegation to each session and take part in the debates. As a member, Zambia will vote on the council's resolutions. Only the 47 members can vote, while other UN countries can speak and propose texts but cannot vote. Resolutions express the council's position on a human rights issue or a country situation, and they put political pressure on governments to act. The council's work covers several areas that Zambia will now help decide on: - **Country situations.** The council debates abuses in specific countries and can pass resolutions condemning them. Recent subjects have inc