History

The UN human rights programme began in the 1940s as a small Division of the UN Secretariat
in New York. The Division moved to Geneva and upgraded to the Centre for Human Rights in
the 1980s. At the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993, UN Member States decided to
establish a more robust human rights institution and, later that year, on 20 December 1993, the
General Assembly adopted Resolution 48/141, creating the post of High Commissioner for
Human Rights. Twelve years later, at the 2005 UN World Summit, heads of State from around
the world committed themselves to an expansion of the UN human rights programme to
recognize the central role and importance of ensuring a human rights approach in all aspects of
the United Nations’ work.

OHCHR is a part of the United Nations Secretariat and has its headquarters in Geneva. The
High Commissioner for Human Rights heads OHCHR and spearheads the United Nations’
human rights efforts. The High Commissioner is assisted by a Deputy High Commissioner and
an Assistant Secretary-General, who heads OHCHR’s New York Office. The New York Office
represents the High Commissioner in New York and works for the effective integration of human
rights standards into the work of the New York-based UN organs and agencies, policy
development processes and public information initiatives.

How OHCHR works

As the entity in charge of implementing the UN human rights programme, OHCHR aims to
make the protection of human rights a reality in the lives of people everywhere. The work of
OHCHR generally centres on three broad areas: supporting human rights standard setting; human
rights monitoring; and supporting human rights implementation at the country level.

OHCHR cooperates with other UN bodies to integrate human rights norms and standards into the
work of the UN system as a whole. It also provides the UN treaty monitoring bodies and special
procedures with quality secretariat support. OHCHR engages in dialogue with governments on
human rights issues with a view to building national capacities in the area of human rights and
enhancing respect for human rights. It also provides advisory services and technical assistance
when so requested, and encourages governments to pursue the development of effective national
institutions and procedures for the protection of human rights.
The role of OHCHR

The mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is to ensure
universal enjoyment of all human rights, to remove obstacles to their effective implementation,
and to enhance coordination and cooperation of human rights-related activities throughout the
United Nations system. As human rights are intimately linked with the spread and impact of
HIV/AIDS, OHCHR endeavours to contribute to an effective and sustainable response to the
epidemic by raising awareness and understanding of the human rights dimensions of HIV/AIDS
and by strengthening capacities to address HIV/AIDS-related human rights issues at the national
and international levels. In addition, OHCHR has, for several years, worked in close
collaboration with UNAIDS towards the promotion and protection of human rights in the context
of HIV/AIDS.

In 1999, UNAIDS and OHCHR agreed to strengthen their cooperation in order to streamline
activities in the field of HIV/AIDS and human rights. Key objectives of this ongoing
collaboration include:

 The integration of HIV/AIDS issues into the work of the United Nations human rights
machinery,
 Ensuring the integration of a human rights perspective into the response of other UN
agencies and programmes to the HIV epidemic,
 Strengthening capacity at the national level to address HIV-related human rights issues,
and
 Global and regional advocacy.

OHCHR has made progress towards these objectives, in particular by supporting the work of the
UN Human Rights Council and its special rapporteurs, the UN treaty bodies, the universal
periodic review, national human rights institutions, as well as mainstreaming issues within the
broader UN system.

OHCHR technical assistance

The United Nations Technical Cooperation Programme in the Field of Human Rights assists
States, at their request, in building and strengthening national structures that have a direct impact
on the observance of human rights and the rule of law.

Components of the programme focus on incorporating international human rights norms and
standards in national laws and policies; building or strengthening national institutions capable of
promoting and protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law; formulating national
plans of action for the promotion and protection of human rights; providing human rights
education and training; and promoting a human rights culture. Such assistance takes the form of
expert advisory services, training courses, workshops and seminars, fellowships, grants, the
provision of information and documentation, and the assessment of domestic human rights
needs.

Under the Technical Cooperation Programme, a number of national parliaments have received
direct training and other support designed to assist them in carrying out their important human
rights functions. This programme component addresses a variety of crucial issues, including
information on national human rights legislation, parliamentary human rights committees,
ratifications of and accessions to international human rights instruments, and, in general, the role
of parliament in promoting and protecting human rights.

The United Nations regards technical cooperation as a complement to, but never a substitute for,
monitoring and investigation under the human rights programme. As emphasized in relevant
reports of the Secretary-General, the provision of advisory services and technical assistance does
not reduce a government’s responsibility to account for the human rights situation in its territory;
nor does it exempt it from monitoring under the appropriate United Nations procedures.

Examples of OHCHR technical assistance and capacity-building for national parliaments

OHCHR delivers technical assistance from its headquarters and from its several field presences
in different countries and regions.

Madagascar: In 2014, OHCHR set-up a working group with the National Assembly which holds
weekly meetings and offers a space for information sharing and coordinated responses to human
rights violations and threats. Further to such cooperation, the President of the National Assembly
committed to creating a Human Rights Committee within the National Assembly and appointed
a human rights adviser in his office in 2014. OHCHR also supported the elaboration and
adoption of legislation to create an independent national human rights commission (INHRC). In
2015, OHCHR organized information sessions for the National Assembly on INHRC’s mandate
and the need to appoint an assembly representative to the commission.

Georgia: In 2015, in response to a request by the chair of the Parliament’s Legal Committee,
OHCHR supported research on models of legal capacity for persons with disabilities. Following
completion of the research, OHCHR was requested to support and lead the process of finalizing
an amendments package for existing legislation on the legal capacity of persons with
psychological disabilities. The amendments were passed in 2015.

Paraguay: OHCHR provided technical assistance for the creation of an inter-institutional

monitoring system for international recommendations on human rights (called “SIMORE”),
which includes Members of Parliament and representatives of different ministries. There is
currently a focal point, based in the Human Rights Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, to
follow up on relevant recommendations

OHCHR in the field

By July 2016, OHCHR was operating in or supporting 65 field presences to ensure that
international human rights standards are progressively being implemented and realized at the
country level, both in law and in practice. This means building national human rights capacity
and institutions, for example by training judges and members of the armed forces, police and
other national actors. Other activities include helping to draft national laws that are in line with
international human rights norms and standards and human rights monitoring efforts, and
following up on the recommendations of human rights treaty-monitoring bodies and the
mechanisms of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The work of field presences is based
on partnerships with national and other counterparts, notably from governments and civil society

Functions of Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has prime responsibility for the overall
protection and promotion of all human rights. Deriving its mandate from the United Nations
Charter, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and the General Assembly, the
OHCHR’s mission is to spearhead efforts of people worldwide for the promotion and protection
of human rights so that everyone can live in a society shaped and governed in the image of the
international human rights standards agreed upon by the United Nations.

In pursing this mission, the OHCHR has four strategic aims:

1. To enhance the effectiveness of the United Nations human rights machinery;

2. To increase United Nations system-wide implementation and coordination of human rights;

3. To build national, regional and international capacity to promote and protect human rights;

4. To analyze, process and disseminate reports, recommendations and resolutions of human

rights organs and bodies, as well as other relevant human rights information.

OHCHR is mandated to take a leading role in regard to human rights issues and to stimulate and
co-ordinate human rights activities and programmes.

a. The High Commissioner

The OHCHR is headed by a High Commissioner with the rank of Under Secretary-
General who reports to the Secretary-General. The High Commissioner is responsible for:
 all activities of the OHCHR, as well as for its administration;
 carrying out the functions specifically assigned by the above-mentioned General
Assembly resolution and subsequent resolutions of policymaking bodies;
 advising the Secretary-General on policies of the United Nations in the area of
human rights;
 ensuring that substantive and administrative support is given to the projects,
activities, organs and bodies of the human rights programme;
 Representing the Secretary-General at meetings of human rights organs and at
other human rights events; and
 carrying out special assignments as decided by the Secretary-General.

The incumbent High Commissioner is Ms Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland. The
United Nations General Assembly approved her appointment in June 1997 and Ms. Robinson
took up her duties as High Commissioner for Human Rights on 12 September 1997.
The High Commissioner is assisted in all activities by a Deputy High Commissioner who acts as
Officer-in-Charge during the absence of the High Commissioner. In addition, the Deputy High
Commissioner carries out specific substantive and administrative assignments as determined by
the High Commissioner.

The High Commissioner’s functions as listed in GA resolution 48/141

to promote and protect the effective enjoyment by all of all civil, cultural, economic, political
and social rights;

• to carry out the tasks assigned to him/her by the competent bodies of the United Nations system
in the field of human rights and to make recommendations to them with a view to improving the
promotion and protection of all human rights;

• to promote and protect the realization of the rights to development and to enhance support
from relevant bodies of the United Nations system for this purpose;

• to provide, through the [Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights] and other
appropriate institutions, advisory services and technical and financial assistance, at the request of
the State concerned and, where appropriate, the regional human rights organizations, with a view
to supporting actions and programmes in the field of human rights;

• to coordinate relevant United Nations education and public information programmes in the
field of human rights;

• to play an active role in removing the current obstacles and in meeting the challenges to the
full realization of all human rights and in preventing the continuation of human rights violations
throughout the world, as reflected in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action;

• to engage in a dialogue with all Governments in the implementation of his/her mandate with a
view to securing respect for all human rights;

• to enhance international cooperation for the promotion and protection of all human rights;
• to coordinate human rights promotion and protection activities throughout the United Nations
system;

• to rationalize, adapt, strengthen and streamline the United Nations machinery in the field of
human rights with a view to improving its efficiency and effectiveness;

• to carry out overall supervision of the [Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights].

Branches

Research and Right to Development Branch

The core functions of the Research and Right to Development Branch are as follows:
(a) Promoting and protecting the right to development, particularly by:
(i) Supporting intergovernmental groups of experts on the preparation of the strategy for
the right to development;
(ii) Assisting in the analysis of the voluntary reports by States to the High Commissioner
on the progress made and steps taken for the realization of the right to development and
on obstacles encountered;
(iii) Conducting research projects on the right to development and preparing substantive
contributions for submission to the General Assembly, the Commission on Human Rights
and treaty bodies;
(iv) Assisting in the substantive preparation of advisory service projects and educational
material on the right to development;
(v) Providing analytical appraisal and support to the High Commissioner in his or her
mandate to enhance system-wide support for the right to development;
(b) Carrying out research projects on the full 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;
(c) Providing substantive services to human rights organs engaged in standard-setting
activities; (d) Preparing documents, reports or draft reports, summaries, abstracts and
position papers in response to particular requests, as well as substantive contributions to
information material and publications;
(e) Providing policy analysis, advice and guidance on substantive procedures;
(f) Managing the information services of the human rights programme, including the
documentation centre and library, enquiry services and the human rights databases;
(g) Preparing studies on relevant articles of the Charter of the United Nations for the
Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs.
Support Services Branch
The core functions of the Support Services Branch are as follows:
(a) Planning, preparing and servicing sessions/meetings of the Commission on Human
Rights, the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (formerly
Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities) and
related working groups, human rights treaty monitoring bodies and their working groups;
(b) Ensuring 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;
(c) Preparing lists of issues based on State party reports for review by the treaty body
concerned and following up on decisions and recommendations;
(d) Preparing and co-ordinating the submission of all documents including inputs from
other Branches to the activities of treaty bodies and following up on decisions taken at
meetings of those bodies;
(e) Planning, preparing and servicing sessions of boards of trustees of the following
voluntary funds: United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, 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, and implementing relevant decisions;
(f) Processing communications submitted to treaty bodies under optional procedures and
communications under the procedures established by the Economic and Social Council in
its resolution 1503 (XLVIII) of 27 May 1970 and ensuring follow-up.
Activities and Programmes Branch
The core functions of the Activities and Programmes Branch are as follows:
(a) Developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating advisory services and
technical assistance projects at the request of Governments;
(b) Managing the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human
Rights;
(c) Administering the Plan of Action of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights
Education, including the development of information and educational material;
(d) Providing substantive and administrative support to human rights factfinding 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 and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories;
(e) Planning, supporting and evaluating human rights field presence and missions,
including the formulation and development of best practices, procedural methodology
and models for all human rights activities in the field;
(f) Managing voluntary funds for human rights field presence.

The New York Office

A Director who is accountable to the High Commissioner heads the New York Office.
The core functions of the New York Office are as follows:
(a) Representing the High Commissioner at Headquarters, at meetings of policy-making
bodies, permanent missions of Member States, interdepartmental, inter-agency meetings,
non-governmental organizations, professional groups, academic conferences and the
media;
(b) Providing information and advice on human rights issues to the Executive Office of
the Secretary-General;
(c) Providing substantive support on human rights issues to the General Assembly, the
Economic and Social Council and other policy-making bodies established in New York.

Field Presence
OHCHR’s offices and human rights operations in the field were established
progressively. In 1992 there was one operation; by 1999 OHCHR maintained human
rights field offices in Abkhazia Georgia, Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Croatia,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, El Salvador, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,
Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mongolia,
Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, Sierra Leone, South Africa,
Southern African region, Togo and Uganda. While most of these field presences are
directly administered by OHCHR, in some countries they are part of United Nations
peace-keeping missions. In such cases, they are administered by DPKO or DPA and
OHCHR provides ongoing substantive guidance and support on human rights issues.
Human rights field presences have been established in response to a wide variety of
human rights concerns, with mandates focused on each particular situation.
Some field presences have focused on technical co-operation activities, providing
Governments with assistance in developing their national capacity to protect human
rights. These human rights offices typically provide: assistance to national judicial
systems; help in the development and reform of national legislation in accordance with a
country’s international human rights obligations; and human rights education and training
for national officials, NGOs, and students. Other human rights field offices or operations
have been established in response to human rights violations in the context of armed
conflict. Since human rights violations are frequently at the root of conflict and
humanitarian crisis, the United Nations human rights programme recognizes that a
critical step in preventing and bringing an end to conflicts is to ensure the respect of
human rights.
The mandates and activities of field presences in conflict situations require human rights
officers to conduct monitoring and investigations of a range of violations of international
human rights law. Regular reports are prepared on the human rights situation in these
countries, and these are used by the United Nations in efforts to put an end to impunity,
and to protect human rights in the future. Monitoring activities are frequently
accompanied by human rights promotion and training programmes intended to begin
 constructing a human rights base which will contribute to the end of armed conflict and
the establishment of lasting peace.
Further, the High Commissioner has emphasized the need to promote respect for human
rights in the context of peacekeeping, peacemaking and post-conflict peace building.
While OHCHR’s presence in the field was once perceived as exceptional, it is today a
regular and substantial component of the Office’s work.

United Nations partners

The United Nations operates through an elaborate structure of specialized agencies and bodies to
carry out components of the mandate and objectives of the Organization. While OHCHR has
prime responsibility for the overall United Nations human rights programme, most United
Nations partners are mandated to some extent to promote or protect particular rights, vulnerable
groups or human rights issues. These partners specialize in a wide diversity of human rights
issues which include, inter alia, women, refugees, children, health, labour rights, development,
education, humanitarian assistance, food, population, the environment and science.
Since the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, human rights have assumed a more
prominent place in the United Nations system. The Secretary-General’s Programme for Reform
has accelerated this process and expanded the human rights programme throughout the system.
Further mainstreaming of human rights in the United Nations system continues to be one of the
major tasks of OHCHR in collaboration with its partners.
United Nations partners work together to co-ordinate activities relating to human rights.
Comprehensive human rights training of United Nations staff is indispensable for the
further mainstreaming of human rights into the United Nations system and for enhanced
co-ordination of related activities. Establishment of human rights focal points within each
component of the United Nations system, as well as development of joint or co-ordinated
programmes addressing human rights issues, will provide the organizational framework
for cooperation in this area. Strengthening cooperation and coordination at national level,
with a view to assisting more effectively in implementing human rights standards by
 Governments and civil society, must be the focus of attention of all those involved. The
human rights dimension should be included in the design and realization of all United
Nations coordinated country programmes. The establishment of human rights focal points
in United Nations field offices can ensure a continuing focus on these rights. OHCHR
provides substantive guidance to partners, with a view to putting in place a consistent
approach to human rights system-wide

ON CLIMATE

“Climate change will degrade many of our fundamental human rights: the right to life itself; the
right to adequate food; the right to water; and to health; the right to adequate housing; and to
self-determination.
In addition to OHCHR global advocacy and research work on climate change, we also endeavour
to reduce our own carbon emission footprint in concert with a widening circle of partners in the
UN family and outside.

As the organization whose chief role is the promotion, protection and advocacy of human rights,
it is crucial that we accept our part in finding ways to mitigate carbon emission. To this end, we
will continue to seek imaginative and innovative approaches to put our own house in order”.

REDUCTION EFFORTS

In response to the UN Climate Neutral initiative, OHCHR has already taken some measures to
become more climate friendly. In 2011, OHCHR drafted and approved an Emission Reduction
Strategy which will be implemented from 2012 onwards. To help reduce the need for travel
between headquarters and field offices, more videoconferencing facilities have been installed in
the Geneva buildings. In 2011, the office implemented a Skype policy to further encourage
electronic communication internationally. In terms of local travel, OHCHR installed bicycles for
staff commuting between the two headquarters buildings in 2010, reducing the need to use
motorized vehicles during office hours.
Facilities-wise, one of the two Geneva buildings is already energy efficient with a fully
automated temperature controlled heating and cooling system and motion sensitive lighting
throughout. To save further energy and plastic waste, the supply of bottled water was
discontinued in Geneva in 2010 and staff members are encouraged to use tap water only.

In terms of IT equipment, staff members are regularly reminded to save energy by switching off
equipment when not in use. In Geneva, OHCHR is already using only recycled paper for printing
purposes. In addition, environmental impact has been added as one of the criteria for evaluating
large volume purchase agreements for IT equipment. OHCHR has also adopted a new printing
policy which supports the objective of reducing desktop print machines and thereby reduces the
use of paper, toner and CO2 emissions. A target has been set to reduce use of paper by 40% and
restrict colour printing, and to ensure that all toners, fusers and drums are returned to the supplier
for recycling/waste management.

Some processes have been converted from paper to electronic processing to reduce the amount of
paper required. One such process is the travel booking and approval process which is managed
through an internally developed “e-Travel” application.

STEPS TAKEN BY OHCHR

A voluntary Green Group was established in 2010 and works with green groups in other UN
organisations on staff awareness initiatives in the form of intranet information, training, and
events.

OHCHR will continue to calculate carbon emissions in accordance with the established format
for UN organizations, and will increasingly seek to include the field presences in this exercise.

In addition, OHCHR established an Emission Reduction Task Force in July 2010, with
representatives from all parts of the headquarters organization. The Task Force drafted the
Emission Reduction Strategy, which was approved in 2011. The Task Force will be working
towards implementing the strategy in 2012 and beyond.
As OHCHR is mandated to achieve very specific human rights objectives, the objective of the
Emission Reduction Strategy is find a way to achieve these same objectives in a more climate
friendly way.

OHCHR ON MINORITY RIGHTS

The OHCHR was set up at the same time as major developments took place in the protection of
minority rights after decades of neglect. One would expect, therefore, minority rights to have
been a priority for the Office, given also the number of people belonging to minorities and the
importance of the protection of minorities for conflict prevention and development assistance.

In fact the position of minority rights within the OHCHR in its 13 years has been largely one of
marginalisation and ignorance. Since the early 1990s, despite the creation of the OHCHR, no
significant developments in the UN's protection of minorities took place until very recently. To
assess why, it is necessary to examine what the OHCHR has actually been doing on minority
issues and where it clearly should be doing more; look at why so little is being done; and finally
conclude with some ways to improve the Office's work.

In 2005, the OHCHR organised the first 'Minorities Fellowship', whereby five representatives of
minorities spent three months working at the OHCHR to gain experience in international human
rights. The OHCHR and the minority fellows developed a framework for analysing minority
situations in particular countries. This 'minorities' matrix' could be developed into a useful tool
for the UN in-country.

Work on Minorities Elsewhere in the OHCHR

All other sections of the Office are likely to deal with minority issues at times, some frequently.
And yet, the Office has no systematic approach to minority issues, meaning that most OHCHR
staff lack a basic understanding of minority rights and what has been done elsewhere in the UN,
While most, but not all, OHCHR staff seem to be aware that there are some minority specialists
within the Office, MRG's understanding has been that very few have any idea as to what they do.
The perception is that one person within the OHCHR deals with minorities and that all issues can
be passed onto her, meaning that other OHCHR staff may feel that they do not need to develop a
deeper understanding of minority rights.
SPECIAL PROCEDURES

All thematic procedures are required to consider minority situations in their work where relevant.
Certain procedures, such as those on racism and freedom of religion and belief, deal with
minorities in almost all of their work, but all special procedures address minority issues at times.
However, the record of thematic mandates in addressing minority rights seems to be haphazard,
depending on the knowledge of the individual mandate holder or the OHCHR staff supporting
them. Some, such as the Special Rapporteur on Housing, address minority issues systematically
and with understanding. Others do not. OHCHR staff supporting one mandate that directly
addresses minority issues have told MRG that they were unaware of the work of anyone in the
OHCHR working on minorities and had never met them. Special procedures that lack knowledge
of the UN standards on minorities and the facts about particular minorities in countries they work
on are severely limited in their effectiveness.

Genocide Prevention

Genocide is the worst human rights violation of all. It is almost invariably directed at minorities
and can be predicted and prevented by the full implementation of minority rights at an early
stage. The creation of the office of Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide (SAPG), with
a political office based in New York geared towards a human rights issue, was a significant step
for the UN. The SAPG is expected to perform possibly the most intractable and politically
charged task of the UN with two staff, and yet there appears to be a frustration within the UN
about the office. Although his office's structure in the UN straddling the OHCHR and DPA-
resulted from a compromise arrangement, it is unique and could be a strength for the OHCHR to
gain from.

With a limited staff, what the SAPG needs is analytical input regarding the potential risk
situations identified, for example on how issues are perceived by different groups, and what
claims are being made. This should also include a review of minority rights in the country, and
recommendation (including best practices from elsewhere) on how to implement minority rights
to prevent genocide. If the OHCHR mainstreamed minority rights, in-country and in Geneva, it
would be able to provide this. This would fit in with the OHCHR's Plan of Action's call for more
analysis and constructive solutions to problems. The CERD recently adopted a set of indicators
for genocide that it should use when conducting its examinations.

Minorities are some of the most marginalised groups in the world. Yet minority rights are
marginalised within the UN in general and the OHCHR in particular. OHCHR staff, including
those dealing with minorities on a regular basis, sometimes lack awareness of the UN standards
and practice on minorities, and lack guidance from the Office in their work. They almost
invariably see minorities as a low priority for the Office. Therefore, they risk being ignorant
about the minority aspects of the particular issues they are dealing with, compromising their
effectiveness.

This marginalisation of minority rights remains difficult to understand. Not only are minority
rights some of the oldest, most-established human rights, but their abuse is at the heart of some
of the worst and most systematic human rights violations. Moreover, minority rights should be
central to the human rights engagement as are the two other pillars of the UN-conflict prevention
and development-and therefore can help shape the OHCHR's own role in this.

The major causes of this marginalisation appear to be:

a) an overall perception from the top of the Office down that minorities are not a priority for
the Office;
b) a lack of understanding of minority rights, leading to the widespread belief in common
myths about minority rights, in particular that minority rights are very complicated or not
based in law;
c) a lack of sufficient staff devoted to minorities within the Office;
d) a lack of understanding about what staff members need to know about minority rights for
their work, including how minority rights can be used to prevent conflict and make
development more effective; and
e) Opposition to effective protection of minority rights from some UN member states.

The OHCHR should continue to promote and fund training for minority participants wishing to
attend the Working Group on Minorities (WGM). The OHCHR should further develop the
potential for advocacy that the NGO participants at the WGM have in Geneva, through
facilitating better contact between them, OHCHR staff and staff of other Geneva-based UN
agencies. The in-country OHCHR staff should ensure that regular contacts with the NGOs after
the training are maintained. In-country OHCHR offices should be required to systematically
follow up on WGM discussions on particular countries and issues.

ACTIVITIES ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DISABILITIES OF THE

OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Over 2006, OHCHR has continued to increase its work on human rights and disabilities. In keeping with the
five action points outlined in the High Commissioner’s Plan of Action, those activities have sought to
promote: more synergy in the relationship between OHCHR and the various United Nations human rights
bodies; an enhanced leadership role for the High Commissioner; greater country engagement; closer
partnerships with civil society and the United Nations agencies; and, strengthened management and
planning for OHCHR.

More synergy in the relationship between the Office of the High

Commissioner and the various United Nations human rights bodies
Much of the work of the Office over the reporting period has focused in assisting the Ad Hoc Committee of
the General Assembly that drafted the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
and its Optional Protocol. To that end, the Office participated in the seventh and eighth sessions of the Ad
Hoc Committee from 16 January to 3 February and from 14 to 25 August 2006 and 5 December 2006,
respectively. At the seventh session, the Office organized a briefing and lunchtime panel on treaty body
reform and provided a background paper on international monitoring. In September and October 2006, the
Office participated in the Drafting Group established by the Ad Hoc Committee to ensure that the six
language versions of the new Convention were technically consistent and coherent. The Office also
participated in the process of adoption both at the resumed eighth session of the Ad Hoc Committee on 5
December as well as at the final adoption by the General Assembly at its sixty first session, on 13 December
2006.
The Office has begun working with special procedures of the Human Rights Council to promote the rights
of persons with disabilities within the context of their mandates. On 23 and 24 November, the Office hosted
an expert seminar on “The right to education of persons with disabilities” to assist the Special Rapporteur
on the Right to Education in the preparation of his thematic report to be submitted to the Council at its
fourth session (A/HRC/4/29). Similar activities are planned for 2007.

An enhanced leadership role for the High Commissioner

The Plan of Action highlighted an enhanced leadership role for the High Commissioner through, amongst
other things, greater interaction with relevant United Nations bodies. On 27 January 2006 as well as 5
December 2006, the High Commissioner addressed the Ad Hoc Committee. In her January statement, the
High Commissioner encouraged the Ad Hoc Committee in its work, acknowledging that future
implementation of the Convention would require resources while underlining the fact that resource
constraints should not obscure the need to combat deeply rooted discrimination. In her December statement,
the High Commissioner welcomed the adoption of the Convention, highlighting the way in which the
negotiation process had already provided a catalyst for change within the United Nations, in particular given
the strong involvement of civil society organizations and national human rights institutions in the
negotiations as well as the increased efforts to ensure physical and technological accessibility at the United
Nations offices.
During the second session of the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner and the President of the
Council, Mr. Luis Alfonso de Alba (Mexico), hosted a lunchtime briefing on the Convention for States
representatives and observers to the Council. The High Commissioner highlighted a selection of provisions
in the Convention such as the prohibition on torture and the right to education and their relevance to persons
with disabilities.

The present reporting year has been a landmark for human rights and disabilities with the adoption
of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Office, together with
States, United Nations partners, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations, has
continued increasing its capacity and activities on human rights and disabilities, and it is intended to
maintain and strengthen this trend over the coming years. In this regard, the High Commissioner
underscores the importance of the issue of human rights and disabilities to the Human Rights Council
and recommends that the Council devote dedicated and focused attention to the issue in its future
programme of work. To that end, the High Commissioner identifies the need for focused thematic
analysis of the various issues facing the enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities and
recommends that the Council consider requesting the High Commissioner to submit annual
analytical thematic reports on human rights and disability.