OHCHR | Engagement with other intergovernmental fora

Engagement with other parts of the United Nations system and regional mechanisms

In addition to their regular interaction with the United Nations Human Rights Council and the General Assembly, special procedures mandate holders also regularly engage and/or undertake joint activities with other parts of the United Nations system and agencies, programmes and funds as well as with regional mechanisms on various topics related to their mandates.

In recent years, Special procedures mandate holders have engaged and/or undertaken joint activities with, among others, the United Nations Treaty Bodies, Universal Periodic Review, OHCHR, Executive Office of the Secretary-General, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Disability and Accessibility, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, Department of Political Affairs, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, United Nations Peace Building Support Office, Security Council, United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee, Inter-Agency Standing Committee, United Nations Country Teams, MINUSMA, UNAMI, UNAMID, UNDP, UNDSS, OCHA, UNHCR, UN Women, UNESCO, WHO, UNAIDS, ILO, UNICEF, IOM, UNFPA, UNWRA, WFP, FAO, UNCTAD, UNEP, UNHABITAT, UN-Water, United Nations Development Group - Human Rights Working Group, United Nations Partnership to Promote the rights of persons with disabilities.

Special procedures mandate holders have in addition engaged and/or undertaken joint activities with regional mechanisms, including the European Union (European Commission, European External Action Service), Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Inter-American system ( Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights), Organization of American States and African Union (African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.

Below are some examples of these activities and their outcomes both at the international and regional level. More examples can be found in the annual reports of special procedures.

Intergovernmental forum

Outputs and outcome of engagement

Security Council

Video link to the Security Council open debate on Conflict-related sexual violence with participation of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children (2 June 2016)

Note on the Security Council open debate on Women, Peace and Security - Displaced Women and Girls: Leaders and Survivors with participation of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of Internally Displaced Persons, 28 October 2014 – Read his full statement

Note on the Security Council meeting in Arria Formula on Protection of Internally Displaced Persons with participation of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of Internally Displaced Persons, 30 May 2014

Note on the Security Council meeting in Arria Formula on Protecting Journalists with the participation from the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, 13 December 2013 – Read his full speech

The Commission on the Status of Women

Reports of relevant Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council to be brought to the attention of the Commission on the Status of Women

Regional forum

Outputs and outcome of engagement

African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
(Directory of the Special Rapporteurs and experts)

Outcome Review of Addis Ababa Roadmap (E | F)

Final Communiqué of the 55th Ordinary Session, 28 April – 12 May 2014 (E | F)

“Unity is fundamental in our fight for human rights" stress United Nations and African experts on key anniversary (11 October 2012, news release)

United Nations and African Union special mechanisms on human rights adopt a roadmap for greater cooperation (8 January 2012, news release)

Addis Ababa Roadmap on cooperation between the Special Procedures of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and of the UN Human Rights Council

Joint thematic dialogue on sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex characteristics between the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and United Nations human rights mechanisms

- Documents related to the dialogue