JAKARTA - Human Rights Minister (HAM) Natalius Pigai has called for the position of President of the United Nations Human Rights Council or UN which will be held by Indonesia not to be merely a symbolic post, but to be followed by changes from within the country.
"If we make changes in the country, we become the President of the UN Human Rights Council, not just symbolically, but substantively, the country is also making improvements and changes," said Pigai as reported by ANTARA, Monday, January 5.
He hopes that by appointing Indonesia as President of the UN Human Rights Council, all parties in the country can make improvements by building a human rights civilization and changing their mindset to prioritize the perspective of human rights.
The change in mindset, said Pigai, is important not only by the central and regional governments, but also by state institutions and the private sector.
"My own self as a minister, other ministers also have to change their mindset (mindset) that is oriented towards respecting human dignity. Governors, regents, mayors also make changes. Private managers, TNI, Polri, ministers and deputy ministers, all," he said.
Indonesia's journey to be nominated as President of the UN Human Rights Council is said to be inseparable from the performance of the Ministry of Human Rights.
According to Pigai, his party has made efforts to negotiate with various countries in the past year.
"Our hard work yesterday was important because we roadshow (safari) to Geneva, to the Middle East, Asia, Australia. We all came and finally we negotiated with Thailand, (but) Thailand did not want to back down," said Pigai.
Indonesia and Thailand were then the two countries that nominated themselves. In the voting, a majority of members of the Asia-Pacific group in the UN Human Rights Council voted for Indonesia.
Indonesia obtained a total of 34 votes, while Thailand obtained seven votes.
"Thus, Indonesia emerged as the winner and from Asia Pacific recommended to Geneva and the date of 8 (January) tomorrow will be determined," said Pigai.
Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed that Indonesia was officially chosen by members of the Asia-Pacific group in the UN Human Rights Council to be nominated as the chairman of the UN body for the 2026 term.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the nomination would be determined at the UN Human Rights Council Meeting on January 8, 2026. The post will be held by the Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the UN in Geneva, Sidharto Suryodipuro.
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