Nepal has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2027-2029, winning 173 of the 180 votes cast in the UN General Assembly in New York on 13 October.
It was the highest tally among the countries elected from its regional group, according to Nepal's Permanent Mission to the UN.
The term starts on 1 January 2027 and will be Nepal's third on the Council.
What the vote showed
Nepal's Permanent Representative to the UN, Lok Bahadur Thapa, cast the country's vote. After the result, he thanked member states for trusting Nepal's commitment to multilateralism (cooperation among many countries), human rights, international law and a rules-based order centred on the UN.
A rules-based order means countries follow agreed international rules, not only the power of the strongest.
He said Nepal looked forward to working with member states and partners on human dignity, inclusion, social justice and equitable development, with a pledge to leave no one behind.
Candidates need a majority of the General Assembly's 193 members to win a seat, which is 97 votes. The ballot is secret, so the tally shows how much support Nepal had but not which countries gave it.
Fourteen other countries were elected for the same term.
Nepal congratulated Brazil, Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Moldova, Nigeria, Ukraine, Uruguay and Zambia.
What the Council does
The Council, set up in 2006 and based in Geneva, is the UN's main body of member governments for promoting and protecting human rights. It has 47 member states. The General Assembly elects them by secret ballot for three-year terms, and seats are spread across five regional groups.
Its work includes reviewing human rights situations in member states, discussing alleged violations, and issuing recommendations. It also carries out the Universal Periodic Review, which assesses the human rights record of all UN member states. In that review, each country's record is examined in turn, and other states make recommendations.
A resolution is a formal text the Council adopts, sometimes after a vote among its members. Each member has one vote. Votes on sensitive texts can draw attention because they show where each government stands.
What membership asks of Nepal
The membership gives Nepal both a diplomatic platform and duties. These include supporting the universality of human rights, engaging with international scrutiny and contributing to efforts to address human rights concerns.
Nepal's performance will be assessed against its commitments on human rights, inclusion, social justice and the protection of fundamental freedom, at home and internationally. recorded, so Nepal's position can be checked.
What this means for Nepalis abroad
Nepali work and study in many countries, and every UN member state faces the Council's Universal Periodic Review. Nepal's seat gives it a role in shaping Council resolutions and in reviewing other countries' records.
Background
Nepal served on the Council from 2018 to 2020 and from 2021 to 2023. The new term will be its third.
Council rules bar a member from immediate re-election after two consecutive terms.
Thapa also served as president of the UN Economic and Social Council during its 2026 session, which ended in July.
Nepal also remains a major contributor to UN peacekeeping, deploying military and police personnel to missions.
What comes next
Nepal's term begins on 1 January 2027.
