OHCHR’s four human rights officers and a head of office/human rights adviser were deployed to Baghdad, Baquba, Hilla, Basra, and Mosul in June 2003 during the period of post-invasion transition, with a responsibility to monitor the human rights situation; support and advise the work of emerging national human rights organizations, including the Iraqi Bar Association, media and non-governmental organizations; address immediate needs including those related to the development of a policy framework for handling Iraq’s multitude of mass graves; mainstream human rights in UN humanitarian activities; engage in the protection and promotion of minority rights; review relevant orders issued by the Coalitional Provisional Authority (CPA) and engage in the advocacy on transitional justice issues.
Following the attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad on 19 August 2003, OHCHR’s officers relocated to Geneva and Amman to continue their engagement on the protection and promotion of human rights in the country, awaiting the positive security assessment and return of UN international staff to Iraq.
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), set forth by Security Council resolution 1500 of June 2003, and OHCHR established the UNAMI Human Rights Office in August 2004, with a responsibility to engage in the protection and promotion of human rights in Iraq and to help with the reconstruction of national institutions and the development of national human rights protection mechanisms. OHCHR continues to guide and support the work of the Human Rights Office.