Volker Turk set to become next UN human rights chief

Volker Turk set to become next UN human rights chief: Austrian career UN official Volker Turk has been appointed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Within hours of his nomination by Guterres on Thursday, he received the Assembly’s approval to succeed Michelle Bachelet, who left after completing her term last month.

September 2022 Current Affairs Quiz

Volker Turk replaces Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria, a Chilean politician who served at the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) from 2018 to 2022. Turk, currently serving as assistant secretary-general for policy.

Career of Volker Türk:

Previously, Volker Türk served as the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at UN refugees, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Geneva. He had a long and successful career in the advancement of human rights globally. He served with the UN refugee agency in Malaysia, Kosovo and Bosnia Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kuwait. His immediate challenge will be the controversial report of the accusation on China committing crimes against humanity and possibly genocide (mass murder) against the Uyghur people and abusing Muslim minorities.