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Pre-Seminar : UNHCHR Materials
Part 1 of 4 | Next
The UN Human Rights System
Text version of a Powerpoint presentation
Players of the UN Human Rights System
- INTER-GOVERNMENTAL - Representing states
- EXPERT - "personal capacity;" chosen by inter-governmental body
- JUDICIAL - the judge
- INTERNALIONAL "CIVIL SERVICE" - UN agencies
Intergovernmental
- Security Council
- General Assembly
- Commission on Human Rights
(studies, drafts, sends investigators, resolutions)
Experts
- Treaty Bodies
(examine written State reports, interprets treaties)
- Special Rapporteurs/Working Groups
(visit countries, urgent appeals, recommendations)
- Sub-Commission
(studies, drafts Instruments)
Judicial
- International Criminal Court
- Adhoc International Criminal Tribunals
(Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda)
'International Civil Service'
- Office of the High Commissioner for Human Right
- Funds and Programs
(eg. UNDP, UNICEF, WFP…)
UN Commission on Human Rights
- Principal UN human rights body
- 53 members
- Meets six weeks every year, March-April, in Geneva
- It:
- Debates/passes resolutions on countries & themes
- Drafts international human rights treaties/declarations
- Sends fact-finders to countries (Special Rapporteurs)
- Appoints Thematic Experts to study subjects, make recommendations
Thematic Experts of the Commissionv
- 26 themes - newest is on right to health
- pecial Rapporteurs/Working Groups
- Part-time, unpaid. Personal capacity. Usually 3 year mandate
- Functions:
- visit countries and write reports
- write annual reports with studies/recommendations
- some receive complaints and send urgent appeals
Human Rights Treaty Bodies
- 10-23 individual experts
- Meet 2-3 times per year for 2-3 weeks, in Geneva or New York
- Functions:
- Examine state party reports every 4-5 years and make "concluding observations"
- Make "general comments" that explain meaning of articles
- Some receive individual complaints
- CEDAW/CAT can investigate "systematic" violations
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