Washington  - The United States on Tuesday said it will join the United Nations Human Rights Council, a body that was derided by former president George W Bush as overly politicized and ineffective.

The decision is part of President Barack Obama's call for a "new era of engagement" with the global community, the State Department said. The US will still be seeking changes to the council from within.

"With others, we will engage in the work of improving the UN human rights system to advance the vision of the UN Declaration of Human Rights," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement.

The US will run for the 47-member council at the next elections in May.

New Zealand, Norway and Belgium were originally set to bid for three seats opening up as Germany, Canada and Switzerland finish three-year terms. New Zealand said it has agreed to step aside to allow the United States to run unopposed.

The Bush administration never joined the Geneva-based body out of protest that authoritarian states with poor human-rights records were also allowed to become members.

Susan Rice, the United States' ambassador to the UN, said that a seat on the council would give Washington a stronger voice to push for changes in the body.

"Those who suffer from abuse and oppression around the world, as well as those who dedicate their lives to advancing human rights, need the council to be balanced and credible," Rice said in a statement.

The United States had been the key driver behind the council's formation to replace the predecessor UN Human Rights Commission, which had lost credibility due to widespread participation by abusive regimes.

But Washington refused to back the 2006 final agreement that created the new council, because the body still lacked tough enough criteria for membership. Some of the current member governments that illustrate the US objections include include Libya, Iran and Cuba.

Some developing countries have countered by alleging double standards. Often the target of US criticism, Libya recently called for Israel to be kicked out of the Human Rights Council for alleged human-rights abuses in the Gaza Strip conflict. (dpa)