The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News , Press Conferences | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet announces that she will not seek a second term.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet announced that she will not be seeking a second term at the 50th session of the Human Rights Council.
At the end of her opening remarks Michelle Bachelet said, “As my term as, High Commissioner draws to a close, this Council’s milestone fiftieth session will be the last which I brief. This Council, for all of the differences of its members, remains central to protecting and promoting the human rights that lie at the heart of our common humanity. It has proven its ability to do that, and I therefore encourage you all to continue to seek dialogue, to be willing to hear the other, to understand respective points of view and to actively work towards identifying common ground, as prerequisites to achieving durable solutions to the challenges that threaten us all. This Council's work is also the richer for the voices and involvement of civil society in all its diversity. I encourage the Council to preserve and enhance their unique contribution and participation in this forum. I thank you”
Shortly after the end of the morning session of the 50th Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet spoke at a brief press stake out. “As I said earlier in the in the Council chamber, I will not be seeking a second term after my mandate expires on the 31st of August of this year. Of course, from now on, I’ll continue working as hardly as I should. I mean, I'm going to discharge all my responsibilities as I've always done. And I'm not, I mean, I have to tell you that two months ago, probably, I went to New York, and I had a meeting with the SG where I indicated to him that I was not willing to seek for a second term. So, this is not something new. I mean, it was of course something I discussed with him. He told me he would love me to continue, but I explained to him that because of personal reasons, I need to – after all, I am not a young woman anymore and after a long and rich career, I want to go back to my country, to my family. So that's how the personal reasons,” the High Commissioner said.
To a question about criticisms following her visit to China she answered, “I just told you that two months ago before even going to China, I made the decision and I informed to my boss, to the Secretary-General. So, this has no relation. I always read when people criticize us, I listen, and I think that's part of my life. Can you imagine that having been president twice, I have received a lot of criticism in my life, so that's not what makes me that do certain decisions. This is a decision, and really, truly, because my family needs me there and because my country needs me. I mean, I've been asked not for something specific, but I want to do there. Because I think Chile's living a very important moment in history, so I want to be closer and of course, dedicate a bit of time for my family after being so many years, minister, president, U.N. women, president, high commissioner, I think it's time. It's time to go back.”
A journalist also asked about the report on China “So I'm wondering about the report on China and what this what your departure might do if you haven't given it that date for when it will be released, will you commit to it the released before you leave? Is that the expectation?
The high Commissioners answer was: “Yes.”
For more information and media requests, please contact for more information and media requests, please contact: For more information and media requests, please contact for more information and media requests, please contact: Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or or Marta Hurtado - + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org
Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights
- Wide shot: exterior alley of flags at Palais des Nations
- Wide shot: Room 20
- Wide shot: Podium Michelle Bachelet
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Michelle Bachelet for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “As my term as High Commissioner draws to a close, this Council’s milestone fiftieth session will be the last which I brief. This Council, for all of the differences of its members, remains central to protecting and promoting the human rights that lie at the heart of our common humanity. It has proven its ability to do that, and I therefore encourage you all to continue to seek dialogue, to be willing to hear the other, to understand respective points of view and to actively work towards identifying common ground, as prerequisites to achieving durable solutions to the challenges that threaten us all. This Council's work is also the richer for the voices and involvement of civil society in all its diversity. I encourage the Council to preserve and enhance their unique contribution and participation in this forum. I thank you.”
- Wide shot: Journalist and cameras at press stake out.
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Michelle Bachelet for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “As I said earlier in the in the Council chamber, I will not be seeking a second term after my mandate expires on the 31st of August of this year. Of course, from now on, I’ll continue working as hardly as I should. I mean, I'm going to discharge all my responsibilities as I've always done. And I'm not, I mean, I have to tell you that two months ago, probably, I went to New York, and I had a meeting with the SG where I indicated to him that I was not willing to seek for a second term. So, this is not something new. I mean, it was of course something I discussed with him. He told me he would love me to continue, but I explained to him that because of personal reasons, I need to – after all, I am not a young woman anymore and after a long and rich career, I want to go back to my country, to my family. So that's how the personal reasons. ”
- Wide shot: Journalist and cameras at press stake out.
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Michelle Bachelet for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “I just told you that two months ago, before even going to China, I made the decision, and I informed my boss the Secretary-General. So, this has no relationship. I always read when people criticize us, I listen, and I think that's part of my life. Can’t you imagine that having been president twice, I have received a lot of criticism in my life? So that's not what makes me do certain decisions. This is a decision, and really, truly because my family needs me there and because my country needs me there. I mean, I've been asked not for something specific, but I want to be there. Because I think Chile is living a very important moment in history, so I want to be closer and of course dedicate a bit of time for my family after being so many years minister, president, UN Women, president, high commissioner, I think it's time. It's time to go back.”
- Wide shot: Journalist and cameras at press stake out
- Journalist: “So I'm wondering about the report on China and what this, what your departure might do if you haven't given it that date for when it will be released, will you commit to it the released before you leave? Is that the expectation?”
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Michelle Bachelet for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “”
- Wide shot: Journalist and cameras at press stake out
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News , B-roll | OCHA
Gaza: ‘Worst-case scenario’ unfolds as two-month aid blockade deepens suffering - OCHA
Two months into a devastating aid blockade of Gaza food has run out and people are fighting over water amid relentless bombing, the UN’s humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) said on Friday.
/Includes OCHA footage from Gaza City/
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNDP , OCHA , UNHCR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Refugee Agency.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
Children in Gaza are going to bed starving, says aid agency
The biggest UN aid agency in Gaza on Tuesday condemned the two-month Israeli blockade on Gaza that has left families sharing a single tin of food at mealtime and the sick and injured without lifesaving medical help, amid daily bombardment.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IFRC , UNHCR , UNRWA
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR
Ongoing Russian attacks in Ukraine force frontline areas to empty: UNHCR
With Ukrainian cities still reeling from this week’s deadly Russian missile and drone attacks, communities on the front line continue to be targeted too, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday. “We also see attacks on frontline regions increasing and it's, as always, civilians that are bearing the highest cost of the war,” said Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR Representative in Ukraine.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | BRS
2025 BRS Conventions Conference of the Parties (COPs)
1
1
2
Press Conferences | WFP , UNHCR , WHO
Rolando Gómez, Chief of the Press and External Relations Section at the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives from the World Food Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Health Organization.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
Funding and supply shortfalls for the UN World Food Programme (WFP)'s work in Ethiopia will halt lifesaving treatment for 650,000 malnourished women and children at the end of the month. “We are at the breaking point,” it said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WFP
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, attended by the representative of the World Food Programme (WFP).
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Israeli military operations in Lebanon continue to kill and injure civilians, and destroy civilian infrastructure, raising concerns regarding the protection of civilians, the UN Human Rights Office warned today.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IOM , OHCHR , UNDP , UNHCR , UNICEF , UNWOMEN
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Development Programme, UN Women, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations Refugee Agency.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM , UNWOMEN , UNDP
Sudan: Aid teams report massive displacement after latest Darfur atrocity; women’s bodies ‘turned into battlegrounds’
In Sudan’s North Darfur, tens of thousands of people have fled a displacement camp following the massacre of civilians and aid workers as the country enters the third year of a conflict marked by horrific levels of sexual violence, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.