Current Affairs Question - 11 February 2021

Explanation :

Context: Recently, Kerala government has sought Centre intervention on notification regarding eco-sensitive zone around Wayanad sanctuary.

• Located in Kerala, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It was established in 1973.
• Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous to the tiger reserves of Nagerhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Mudumalai of Tamil Nadu.
• It is the only sanctuary of Kerala where sighting of four-horned antelope has been reported.
• The forests of the wildlife division form the major catchments for the tributaries of the Kabani river system.
• It includes South Indian Moist Deciduous forests, West coast semi-evergreen forests and plantations of teak, eucalyptus and Grewelia.

Explanation :

Context: Recently, the U.S. has announced plans to reengage with the UN Human Rights Council that former President Donald Trump withdrew from almost three years ago.

Explanation:

• The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was established by the UN General Assembly on 15 March, 2006 to replace the UN Commission on Human Rights.
• Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UN General Assembly.
• These members are elected yearly by the General Assembly for staggered three-year terms. Members are selected via the basis of equitable geographic rotation using the United Nations regional grouping system. Members are eligible for re-election for one additional term, after which they must relinquish their seat.
• The seats are distributed along the following lines:
  • 13 for the African Group
  • 13 for the Asia-Pacific Group
  • 6 for the Eastern European Group
  • 8 for the Latin American and Caribbean Group
  • 7 for the Western European and Others Group
• The UNHRC holds regular sessions three times a year, in March, June, and September.
• The UNHRC passes non-binding resolutions on human rights issues through a periodic review of all 193 UN member states called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
• The new mechanism is based on reports coming from different sources, one of them being contributions from non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
• The first cycle of the UPR took place between 2008 and 2011,[42] the second cycle between 2012 and 2016, and the third cycle began in 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2021.