The first Pacific Island president of the UN Human Rights Council is calling for more regional representation in Geneva.
Fiji's UN ambassador, Nazhat Shameem Khan, was elected to the role in January.
The former judge begins her one year tenure ahead of a review of the council's role and responsibilities.
Also this year China and Russia are back on board and the United States is beginning its re-engagement.
Khan said while her election was an historic achievement for Fiji and the Pacific, only four countries have missions in Geneva.
Nazhat Shameem Khan Photo: AFP
She said it was important to increase that presence, to amplify the Pacific's voice in council resolutions.
"Every resolution of the council, especially the thematic resolutions, the right to water, the right to sanitation, the rights of children, gender equality, discrimination against women - all of these resolutions are extremely important to the Pacific," Nazhat Shameem Kahn said.
"But a good conversation is 'How do you translate the work of the council into the region,' and this presidency helps us to see is to every single Pacific Island country."
RNZ Pacific asked Kahn for her views on the current human rights situation in Fiji given the recent deportation of the head of the University of the South Pacific and the numerous cases of abuse by security forces.
However she said, unlike the UN Human Rights Commissioner, she is not allowed to comment on the specific human rights situation of any one country.
Kahn said what she could say was that Fiji like other Pacific countries has shown commitment to the human rights council processes and is making progress.
"All of the Pacific Island countries, all of them, are on this journey they have all come to Geneva they have participated in the UPR (Universal Periodic Review) they have all declared their commitment to human rights," said Nazhat Shameem Kahn.
"And in a way which is sincere and deeply felt and they have talked about human rights in the context of their own problems."
Nazhat Shameem Kahn's tenure is for one year and alongside the upcoming review of the council she says one of the biggest challenges will be ensuring the council continues to function amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
