New York  - The UN General Assembly approved Monday South African judge Navanethem Pillay as the body's high commissioner for human rights, citing her struggle against apartheid and judicial career.

Pillay was selected by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who asked the 192-nation assembly to approve her nomination. Pillay will take over the post on August 1 for a four-year term, replacing Louise Arbour, a former Canadian Supreme Court justice. The office of the high commissioner for human rights is based in Geneva.

Ban said he was grateful the assembly swiftly endorsed his appointment of Pillay, adding that human rights should remain high on the UN agenda.

He said he expects Pillay "will preserve the independence of her office and maintain effective working relations with the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and the human rights community in general."

He pledged full support and increased financial and human resources.

The top UN human rights post is tasked with promoting and protecting human rights worldwide.

Pillay, 67, has served as judge on the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague since 2003 and was president of the UN tribunal for the genocide committed in Rwanda in 1994.

She was an attorney and conveyancer on South Africa's High Court from 1967 to 1995, and acting judge on the same court in 1995.

She was the first woman to start a law practice in South Africa's Natal Province in 1967 and served as an attorney in the defense of opponents of apartheid.

"She exposed the practice and effects of torture and solitary confinement on detainees held in the custody of the apartheid police and successfully established the rights of prisoners on Robben Island prison," her resume said. (dpa)