UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that the work of the UN Human Rights Council in Sri Lanka and other places helped the international community to respond to human rights emergencies and work towards accountability.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary celebrations of the UNHRC yesterday, he pointed out that human rights are, sadly, “under attack” worldwide and that the UNHRC must increase its impact on the ground over its second decade.

The UN chief said an important task for the 47-member Human Rights Council is to reinforce the links between human rights, peace and security, and development. This interdependency is also at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the Assembly last year, which serves as the global blueprint for ending poverty and building a safer, healthier world.

“While Member States have the primary responsibility for upholding rights, it is Member States that are all too often in breach of their commitments,” he said, urging the Human Rights Council to more than ever pursue its work with courage and persistence.