Transcript
In the lead up to the vote on October 12, a report by several human rights groups questioned Fiji's human rights record, saying it was unqualified to hold a seat.
But with 18 countries vying for 18 seats available on the council, Fiji's place was effectively guaranteed.
Fiji's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nazhat Khan, says no country has a perfect human rights record.
"It's important not to get defensive in this journey, every country has its faults, so there's no point covering up for our faults. The point is, let's confront them. If there have been incidents in our history which we are not proud of, then let's ask ourselves whether we have created institutions which develop rules of accountability and which are consistent with human rights standards around the world."
Ms Khan says even developed countries face human rights challenges because of racism and the forces of migration.
She says Fiji's appointment is the next step towards achieving the country's human rights goals, which include improving conditions for children in the Pacific.
"We in the Pacific, we all come from very traditional societies where children haven't always been given a voice, nor have they been empowered and working with Pacific countries and communities, ensuring that we deal with issues where culturally we've lagged behind is an important conversation for the Pacific."
Ms Khan says Fiji will also advocate on the council for improving protections against climate change disasters in the Pacific.
"Making sure we have national mechanisms for responding to disasters which are built on resilience and which include a very close relationship with civil society at community level so we can ensure that everybody is reached in building resilience and that therefore no one is missed out when we have a hurricane and a cyclone which as you know we have so many of in the Pacific."
But human rights advocates say Fiji's appointment only hurts the Human Rights Council's reputation, which also faces international criticism for giving seats to countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Fiji lawyer and opposition politician Aman Ravindra-Singh says he was shocked and disgusted to hear Fiji had won its seat because of its human rights record.
"It is also a huge insult to the people of Fiji to see this country, or the government, having been elected to the Human Rights Council."
On October 12, as Fiji won its seat, reports emerged that a man died after allegedly being beaten by police officers in Suva.
Mr Ravindra-Singh says the 26-year-old man's death shows human rights issues linger in Fiji.
Amnesty International's Pacific researcher, Roshika Deo, says Fiji has been given an opportunity to advocate for small island states and their issues.
But she says the country has a lot of work to do to address its human rights record.
"Fiji does not have a very good record of implementation and protection of human rights so this has to be a way [forward] together."
Ms Khan, Fiji's UN representative, acknowledges Fiji's institutions need strengthening.
She gives an anecdote - in the 1990s while working in Fiji's criminal justice system, she prosecuted a group of prison officers who had beaten an escaped prisoner to death.
"And I remember thinking then that whatever is the outcome of the case, the fact is that the institutions must not be so weak that they cannot deal effectively with this kind of behaviour."
A police investigation into the man who died in custody earlier this month is ongoing.
