The present work aims at exploring how an individual State is able to contribute decisively to the work of the Human Rights Council in one of the main successes of this still relatively new United Nations body: the elaboration of international human rights norms and standards. Argentina is studied as a relevant example in this regard. During the last 40 years, it radically changed from defending itself from accusations of serious human rights violations to being deeply committed to the promotion and protection of human rights at the national level. This was translated into a very active foreign policy in the field of human rights, which contributed to the development of international human rights norms and standards on issues such as the right to the truth, the fight against impunity for cases of gross human rights violations such as enforced disappearances, and the rights of LGBTI individuals.