How we work with others
OHCHR represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity, and has been given a unique mandate by the international community to promote and protect human rights. To optimize its impact, OHCHR works closely in partnership with others, within and outside of the UN.
OHCHR's Civil Society Unit serves as a conduct for closer contact with NGOs and assists civil society in promoting and protecting human rights more effectively. OHCHR benefits in turn from the support, information, analysis and expertise coming from civil society actors.
OHCHR engages with civil society organizations in a variety of ways according to their specific areas of work. The Civil Society Unit develops various information and training materials as well as training sessions for NGOs on human rights and human rights mechanisms. An ever growing database of human rights NGOs and an “NGO Handbook” on how to work with the UN human rights system are two tools developed by the unit.
OHCHR works closely with other United Nations agencies, fund and programs. By working with them in implementing activities, the Office tries to maximize its impact and make efficient use of its financial and human resources. Through training activities and expert advice provided by OHCHR in cooperation with other agencies, more and more UN Country Teams are integrating human rights into their common country programming and supporting national partners in their efforts to interact more effectively with UN human rights bodies. In addition to support provided to country and regional offices, OHCHR human rights advisors are instrumental in advising Resident Coordinators on policy and strategic issues, and in facilitating capacity building of UN Country Teams.
Most UN Peace Missions with a civilian approach to their intervention have integrated human rights to their mandate. Human rights units in Peace Missions have two lines of reporting: one to the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations (SRSG), and the other to the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Human rights components have helped mainstream human rights in the larger work of peace missions which are now reporting more and more on human rights issues to the general public.
International human rights standards have traditionally been the responsibility of governments, aimed at regulating relations between the state and individuals/groups. In view of the increased role played by corporate actors at both the national and international level, the United Nations human rights machinery is considering the scope of business' human rights responsibilities and exploring ways for corporate actors to be accountable for the impact of their activities on human rights. In 2007, OHCHR in collaboration with the UN Global Compact launched a Human Rights and Business Learning Tool to help company managers develop a better understanding of human rights and of Global Compact principles related to human rights.
OHCHR works with other entities like the World Bank in the context of the Justice and Human Rights Fund intended to support the integration of human rights considerations into analytical and operational work of the World Bank in relation to poverty reduction.