UN rights chief Navi Pillay slams Security Council for failure to prevent conflicts

UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has slammed the UN Security Council for its inefficiency to prevent conflicts around the world.

Criticizing the UN watchdog, Pillay said in a meeting of the 15-member body that greater responsiveness by the council would have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

She said that national interest had repeatedly taken precedence over human suffering and breaches of world peace, the BBC reports.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that it was time for a "new era of collaboration, co-operation and action" from the Security Council.

Pillay said that though conflict prevention is complex, it could be achieved, adding that none of the crisis had erupted without warning.

Pillay offered her own solutions, suggesting that the Security Council come up with new responses such as "rapid, flexible and resource-efficient human rights monitoring missions," the report added.