View source for Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

{{Short description|UN Secretariat department that promotes human rights under international law}}
{{For|similarly named entities|United Nations human rights organization (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox organization
| logo_size = 280
| name = Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
| map = 
| map_size = 
| map_caption = 
| type = Agency
| abbreviation = {{hlist|OHCHR|HCDH}}
| leader_title = Head
| leader_name = [[Volker Türk]]<br />{{small|(High Commissioner for Human Rights)}}<ref name="high-commissioner">{{cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/HighCommissioner.aspx |title=OHCHR {{!}} High Commissioner |access-date=13 September 2022}}</ref>
| status = Active
| headquarters = [[Geneva]], Switzerland<br/>[[New York City]], United States
| formation = 20 December 1993<ref>{{cite web |url=https://research.un.org/en/docs/humanrights/OHCHR |title=High Commissioner for Human Rights - UN Documentation: Human Rights |access-date=5 September 2018 |archive-date=28 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928192106/https://research.un.org/en/docs/humanrights/OHCHR |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| logo = OHCHR logo.svg
| num_employees = 1,368
| num_employees_year = 2022<ref>{{cite web|title=PERSONNEL BY ORGANIZATION|url=https://unsceb.org/hr-organization|access-date=2025-01-07}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|https://www.ohchr.org|ohchr.org}}
| parent_organization =
| subsidiaries =
| footnotes =
}}
The '''Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights'''{{efn|Commonly known as the ''Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights'' or the ''United Nations Human Rights Office''.}} ('''OHCHR''') is a department of the [[United Nations Secretariat]] that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]] of 1948. The office was established by the [[United Nations General Assembly]] on 20 December 1993<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/EN/ABOUTUS/Pages/BriefHistory.aspx |title=Brief history |access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref> in the wake of the 1993 [[World Conference on Human Rights]].

The office is headed by the high commissioner for human rights, who co-ordinates human rights activities throughout the [[United Nations System]] and acts as the secretariat of the [[United Nations Human Rights Council|Human Rights Council]] in [[Geneva]], Switzerland. The eighth and current high commissioner is [[Volker Türk]] of [[Austria]], who succeeded [[Michelle Bachelet]] of [[Chile]] on 8 September 2022.<ref name="high-commissioner" />

In 2018–2019, the department had a budget of US$201.6 million (3.7 per cent of the United Nations regular budget),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/aboutus/pages/fundingbudget.aspx |title=OHCHR {{!}} Funding and Budget |access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref> and approximately 1,300 employees based in Geneva and New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/WhoWeAre.aspx |title=OHCHR {{!}} Who we are |access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref> It is an [[ex officio member]] of the Committee of the [[United Nations Development Group]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13 |title=UNDG Members |publisher=Undg.org |access-date=10 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511144047/http://www.undg.org/index.cfm?P=13 |archive-date=11 May 2011 }}</ref>

==Functions and organization==

===Mandate===
[[File:UNHCHR genf800px.jpg|thumb|Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva]]
The mandate of OHCHR derives from Articles 1, 13 and 55 of the [[Charter of the United Nations]], the [[Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action]] and [[United Nations General Assembly|General Assembly]] resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, by which the Assembly established the post of United Nations high commissioner for human rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/un-documents/document/ares48141.php|title=General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993 (A/RES/48/141)|publisher=UN document}}</ref> As part of a programme for United Nations reform (A/51/950, para. 79), the Centre for Human Rights was incorporated within the OHCHR on 15 September 1997.

===Purpose===
The objectives of OHCHR are to:

# Promote universal enjoyment of all human rights by giving practical effect to the will and resolve of the world community as expressed by the United Nations
# Play the leading role on human rights issues and emphasize the importance of human rights at the international and national levels
# Promote international cooperation for human rights
# Stimulate and coordinate action for human rights throughout the United Nations system
# Promote universal ratification and implementation of international standards
# Assist in the development of new norms
# Support human rights organs and treaty monitoring bodies
# Respond to serious violations of human rights
# Undertake preventive human rights action
# Promote the establishment of [[National human rights institutions|national human rights infrastructures]]
# Undertake human rights field activities and operations
# Provide education, information advisory services and technical assistance in the field of human rights

===Organization===
The OHCHR is divided into organizational units, as described below. The OHCHR is headed by a High Commissioner with the rank of [[Under-Secretary-General]].

==== High Commissioner for Human Rights (Under-Secretary-General) ====
[[File:Volker Türk in Helsinki - 2022 (52573271488) (cropped).jpg|thumb|208x208px|[[Volker Türk]]''',''' the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since October 2022]]
The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, accountable to the [[United Nations Secretary-General|secretary-general]], is responsible for all the activities of the OHCHR. He or she advises the Secretary-General on human rights issues, ensures that substantive and administrative support is given to the projects, activities, organs and bodies of the human rights programme, represents the secretary-general at meetings of human rights organs and at other human rights events, and carries out special assignments as decided by the secretary-general. In addition to human rights in legally binding treaties, the high commissioner also promotes human rights not yet recognized in international law, including [[economic, social and cultural rights]].<ref>[http://a4id.org/sites/default/files/user/%5BA4ID%5D%20UN%20Human%20Rights%20System.pdf; An overview of the United Nations Human Rights system] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503000853/http://a4id.org/sites/default/files/user/%5BA4ID%5D%20UN%20Human%20Rights%20System.pdf |date=3 May 2014 }}; Hogan Lovells International LLP; Advocates for International Development ; 2012; accessed on 27 August 2013</ref>

==== Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (Assistant Secretary-General) ====
The deputy high commissioner lends specific substantive and administrative support to the high commissioner. 
The current deputy high commissioner is [[Kate Gilmore (UN official)|Kate Gilmore]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ohchr.org/EN/aboutUs/Pages/DeputyhighCommissioner.aspx |title=Deputy High Commissioner |publisher=Ohchr.org |access-date=3 December 2013}}</ref>

==== Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights (UN Headquarters New York) ====
The assistant secretary-general for Human Rights heads the New York Office of the High Commissioner. The New York Office represents the high commissioner at [[Headquarters of the United Nations|United Nations Headquarters]] in New York and promotes the integration of human rights in policy processes and activities undertaken by UN inter-governmental and inter-agency bodies, including General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.
The post was created in 2010, when [[Ivan Šimonović]] was appointed to the position.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/ASG.aspx |title=Ivan Šimonović Secretary-General for Human Rights |publisher=Ohchr.org |date=17 July 2010 |access-date=10 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025140656/http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/ASG.aspx |archive-date=25 October 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> From 2016 to 2019, the position was held by [[Andrew Gilmour (UN official)|Andrew Gilmour]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/AndrewGilmour.aspx|title=OHCHR {{!}} Andrew Gilmour|website=ohchr.org|access-date=2018-12-18}}</ref> The current assistant secretary-general for human rights, since 2020, is {{Ill|Ilze Brands Kehris|fr|Ilze Brands Kehris}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/IlzeBrandsKehris.aspx|title=OHCHR {{!}} Ilze Brands Kehris|website=ohchr.org|access-date=2021-03-05}}</ref>

====Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division====
The Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division is headed by a director who is accountable to the high commissioner. The core functions of the division are to:

# Promote and protect the [[right to development]], in particular by:
## Supporting intergovernmental groups of experts on the preparation of the strategy for the right to development
## Assisting in the analysis of the voluntary reports by States to the High Commissioner on the progress and steps taken for the realization of the right to development and on obstacles encountered
## Carrying out research projects on the right to development and preparing substantive outputs for submission to the General Assembly, the Commission on Human Rights and treaty bodies
## Assisting in the substantive preparation of advisory service projects and educational material on the right to development
## Providing substantive analysis and support to the High Commissioner in his or her mandate to enhance system-wide support for the right to development
# Carry out substantive research projects on the whole range of human rights issues of interest to United Nations human rights bodies in accordance with the priorities established by the [[Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action]] and resolutions of policy-making bodies
# Support the work of the mandate-holders of the [[United Nations Human Rights Council#Special procedures|Special Procedures]] of the Human Rights Council
# Provide substantive services to human rights organs engaged in standard-setting activities
# Prepare documents, reports or draft reports, summaries and synthesis and position papers in response to particular requests, as well as substantive contributions to information materials and publications
# Provide policy analysis, advice and guidance on substantive procedures
# Manage the information services of the human rights programme, including the documentation centre and library, enquiry services and the human rights databases
# Prepare studies on relevant articles of the Charter of the United Nations for the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs

====Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division====
The Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division is headed by a director who is accountable to the high commissioner. The core functions of the division are to:

# Plan, prepare and service sessions/meetings of the [[United Nations Human Rights Council|Human Rights Council]], the Advisory Committee and related [[working group]]s and of the committees established by human rights treaty bodies and their working groups
# Ensure that substantive support is provided in a timely manner to the human rights treaty body concerned, drawing on the appropriate resources of the human rights programme
# Prepare state party reports for review by the treaty body concerned and follow up on decisions and recommendations
# Prepare or coordinate the preparation and submission of all substantive and other documents and the support from other management units to the activities of treaty bodies serviced, and following up on decisions taken at meetings of those bodies
# Plan, prepare and service sessions of the board of trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, and implement relevant decisions
# Process communications submitted to treaty bodies under optional procedures and communications under the procedures established by the [[United Nations Economic and Social Council|Economic and Social Council]] in its resolution 1503 (XLVIII) of 27 May 1970 and ensuring follow-up

====Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division====
The Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division is headed by a director who is accountable to the high commissioner. The core functions of the division are to:

# Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate advisory services and technical assistance projects at the request of Governments
# Manage the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights
# Implement the Plan of Action of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, including the development of information and educational materials;
# Provide substantive and administrative support to human rights fact-finding and investigatory mechanisms, such as special rapporteurs, representatives and experts and working groups mandated by the Commission on Human Rights and/or the Economic and Social Council to deal with specific country situations or phenomena of human rights violations worldwide, as well as the General Assembly's [[Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People|Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories]]
# Plan, support and evaluate human rights field presences and missions, including the formulation and development of best practices, procedural methodologies and models for all human rights activities in the field
# Manage voluntary funds for human rights field presences
# Manage the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations and United Nations Voluntary Fund for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People

<sub>(Source: OHCHR Website)</sub>

==High commissioners for human rights==
[[File:High Commissioner Pillay Addresses HRC Special Session on Syria.jpg|thumb|[[Navi Pillay]] (centre), High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014]]
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+'''United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights'''
!Image !! Name !! Country !! Term !! Notes
|-
|[[File:Jose ayala lasso (cropped).jpg|100px]] ||[[José Ayala Lasso]] ||{{flagicon|Ecuador}} [[Ecuador]] || 1994–1997 ||
|-
|[[File:Mary Robinson (2014).jpg|100px]] ||[[Mary Robinson]] ||{{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] || 1997–2002 || Term was not renewed by Secretary-General [[Kofi Annan]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jul/31/uk.usa1|title=America forced me out, says Robinson|work=[[The Guardian]]|last=Burkeman|first=Oliver|date=31 July 2002|access-date=31 October 2008|archive-date=26 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826060118/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jul/31/uk.usa1|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Sérgio Vieira de Mello.jpg|100px]] ||[[Sérgio Vieira de Mello]] ||{{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Brazil]] || 2002–2003 || Killed in the [[Canal Hotel bombing]] in [[Baghdad]] on 19 August 2003<ref>{{cite book| last =Power| first =Samantha| title =Chasing the Flame: One Man's Fight to Save the World| publisher =Penguin Books| year =2008| location =US| page =492| isbn =978-0-14-311485-7}}</ref>
|- style="background:#f7f7c7"
| ||[[Bertrand Ramcharan]] ||{{flagicon|Guyana}} [[Guyana]] || 2003–2004 || ''Acting High Commissioner''
|-
|[[File:Louise Arbour - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011.jpg|100px]] ||[[Louise Arbour]] ||{{flagicon|Canada}} [[Canada]] || 2004–2008 || Did not seek a second term<ref>United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (7 March 2008). ''[http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/8110FD4AAC669C5DC12574050049400C Louise Arbour will not be seeking a second term as High Commissioner]''. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527124612/http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/8110FD4AAC669C5DC12574050049400C |date=27 May 2013 }}. Retrieved on 1 September 2008.</ref>
|-
|[[File:Navi Pillay June 2014.jpg|100px]] ||[[Navi Pillay]] ||{{flagicon|South Africa}} [[South Africa]] || 1 September 2008 – 31 August 2014 || Her mandate was extended for an additional half term (two years) by the General Assembly on 1 September 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/ga11244.doc.htm |title=United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, to Serve Two More Years, by General Assembly Decision |publisher=Un.org |date=24 May 2012 |access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein 2 (cropped).jpg|100px]] ||[[Zeid bin Ra'ad|Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad bin Zeid al-Hussein]] 
|{{flagicon|Jordan}} [[Jordan]] 
| 1 September 2014 – 31 August 2018 || 
|-
|[[File:Portrait Michelle Bachelet.jpg|100px]] ||[[Michelle Bachelet]]
|{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Chile]]
| 1 September 2018 &ndash; 31 August 2022
|Elected by the General Assembly on 10 August 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/08/1016782 |title='Pioneering' former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet officially appointed new UN human rights chief |date=10 August 2018 |access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref>
|- 
|[[File:Volker Türk (2021) (cropped).jpg|100px]] ||[[Volker Türk]] ||{{flagicon|Austria}} [[Austria]] || 8 September 2022 &ndash; 31 August 2026 || Appointed by Secretary-General [[António Guterres]] on September 8, 2022, following approval by UN General Assembly. <ref>{{cite news |title=Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday appointed Volker Türk of Austria as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, following approval by the General Assembly |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1126291 |access-date=11 September 2022 |agency=UN News |date=8 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Farge |first=Emma |date=September 8, 2022 |title=Austria's Turk appointed U.N. human rights chief |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/austrias-turk-proposed-be-next-un-human-rights-chief-2022-09-08/ |website=Reuters}}</ref>
|}

==Criticisms==

Journalist Emma Reilly leaked e-mails in 2020 and 2021 in which the OHCHR provided names of [[List of Chinese dissidents|Chinese]] participants in UN human rights activities to China on request. This occurred on multiple occasions from before 2012 to at least 2019, despite an explicit ban against this sort of activity. In some cases, after obtaining their name in advance from the UN, the [[Chinese Communist Party]] made sure an activist was not able to leave China for Geneva to attend.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Leaked emails confirm UN passed info to China in name-sharing scandal|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/leaked-emails-confirm-un-passed-info-to-china-in-name-sharing-scandal/2114163|access-date=2021-03-01|website=aa.com.tr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Evansky|first=Ben|date=2019-12-14|title=UN Human Rights Office accused of helping China keep an eye on dissidents|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/un-human-rights-office-china-dissidents|access-date=2021-03-01|website=Fox News|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=UN passed dissidents' info to China, says a UN employee|url=https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/un-passed-dissidents-info-to-china-says-a-un-employee-43393|access-date=2021-03-01|website=UN passed dissidents' info to China, says a UN employee|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[United Nations Commission on Human Rights]] (replaced by Human Rights Council in 2006)
* [[United Nations Human Rights Council]]
* [[United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights]]

==Notes==
{{nlist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite journal|last=Ramcharan|first=Bertrand G.|year=2004|title=The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – The Challenges of International Protection|journal=International Studies in Human Rights|publisher=Kluwer Publishers|volume=71}}
*{{cite journal|last=Hobbins|first=A.J.|year=2001|title=Humphrey and the High Commissioner: the Genesis of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights|journal=Journal of the History of International Law|issue=III|pages=38–74|doi=10.1163/15718050120956893}}
*{{cite book|last=de Zayas|first=Alfred|editor=Helmut Volger|title=Concise Encyclopedia of the United Nations|year=2002|publisher=Kluwer|pages=217–223|chapter=Human Rights, United Nations High Commissioner for}}
*{{cite book|last=de Zayas|first=Alfred|editor=Rudolf Bernhardt|title=Encyclopaedia of Public International Law|volume=IV|year=2000|publisher=Elsevier|location=Amsterdam|pages=1129–1132|chapter=United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights}}
*{{cite book |editor1-last=Gaer |editor1-first=Felice D. |editor2-last=Broecker |editor2-first=Christen L. |title=The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: Conscience for the World |date=2013 |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers |isbn=978-90-04-25425-1 |language=en}}

==External links==
*{{official website|https://www.ohchr.org}}
*[https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/RuleOfLaw/Pages/RuleOfLawIndex.aspx United Nations Rule of Law: The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights], on the [[rule of law]] work conducted by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Office Of The United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights}}
[[Category:United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights|*]]
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[[Category:United Nations organizations based in Geneva]]