Human Rights - New York

Our priorities

The work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York (OHCHR-NY) is organised around three broad areas: Geographic Issues; Global Issues; and Inter-governmental and External Relations.

• Geographic Issues
  Work in the geographic area pays particular attention to regions and countries on the agenda of the UN Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and UN political missions in Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

• Global Issues
  Under global issues, OHCHR-NY focuses on the thematic priorities contained on the High Commissioner's Strategic Framework and thematic issues that are on the agenda of the UN bodies in New York, including the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission. Current areas of work include rule of law and democracy; peacekeeping and peacebuilding; protection of civilians; discrimination; gender and women's rights; the Millennium Development Goals; and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. OHCHR-NY leads OHCHR's efforts to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Inter-governmental and External Relations
  OHCHR-NY provides substantive support and advice to the General Assembly and its committees on human rights issues. It participates in meetings and activities of those bodies and the substantive UN departments servicing them to promote human rights principles and standards. It also provides support to the Geneva-based human rights mechanisms, including Special Rapporteurs and treaty bodies in their interactions with the UN bodies in New York.
  
  Working with other UN departments, civil society organisations and through the media, OHCHR-NY promotes and advocates for the full realisation of human rights.