After a heated debate lasting almost four hours, the 47-member state forum overcame strong objections by Saudi Arabia and Muslim countries to adopt a Western-backed resolution by a vote of 23 states in favour and 18 against with six abstentions.
The United States and major European countries backed the resolution, while China, Russia and 16 African and predominantly Muslim states rejected it. India, South Africa and the Philippines were among the abstainers.
The United Nations expert, still to be named, will have a three-year mandate.
Mexico, which led Latin American states that were the main sponsors of the text, said that thousands of people are exposed to violence and discrimination due to their sexual orientation and gender identity.
"Remember Orlando," Mexican Ambassador Jorge Lomonaco told delegates, referring to the massacre of 49 people at a gay club in Florida on June 12. "Let us give hope to millions."
Early in the session, Saudi Arabia Ambassador Faisal Trad brought a "no-action motion" to quash any debate on the resolution, but his move was defeated.
Nigeria called the resolution "divisive" and said that the sponsors also wanted to promote same-sex adoptions.
Pakistan speaking on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) of 57 states - decried the "promoting of certain notions, concepts and lifestyles on which there is no consensus"
About United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
The UNHRC is the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights(UNCHR, herein CHR), and is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly
The UN General Assembly established the UNHRC by adopting a resolution (A/RES/60/251) on 15 March 2006, in order to replace the previous CHR, which had been heavily criticised for allowing countries with poor human rights records to be members
The UN General Assembly elects the members who occupy the UNHRC's 47 seats.
The General Assembly takes into account the candidate States’ contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard.
The term of each seat is three years, and no member may occupy a seat for more than two consecutive terms
The seats are distributed among the UN's REgional Group's as follows -
- 13 for Africa
- 13 for Asia
- 06 for Eastern Europe
- 08 for Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC)and
- 07for the Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
The UN General Assembly, via a two-thirds majority, can suspend the rights and privileges of any Council member that it decides has persistently committed gross and systematic violations of human rights during its term of membership.
The resolution establishing the UNHRC states that "members elected to the Council shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights"
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