Choosing where to submit your complaint
This comparison table will help guide you in knowing where to turn should you wish to submit a complaint of an alleged human rights violation.
Special procedures | Treaty bodies | Human Rights Council | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
What can you complain about? | ||||||||
Any human rights | check | check | ||||||
Any of the rights that fall under one of the 40+ Special Procedures mandates | check | |||||||
Any of the rights protected by the treaty under which you are complaining | check | |||||||
Who can submit a complaint? | ||||||||
Victims | check | check | check | |||||
Individuals acting on behalf of victims | check | If they have the written consent of the victims | ||||||
Groups of individuals or communities | check | If they have the written consent of the victims | check | |||||
Non-governmental organizations | check | If they have the written consent of the victims | check | |||||
Civil society organizations | check | If they have the written consent of the victims | ||||||
National human rights institutions | check | If they have the written consent of the victims | ||||||
In each case, there are eligibility criteria. See the FAQs for each option. | Special Procedures FAQs | Treaty Bodies FAQs | Human Rights Council FAQs | |||||
Who can you make a complaint against? | ||||||||
Any Member State of the United Nations | check | check | ||||||
Any State that is party to the treaty in question | check | |||||||
Any State that has accepted the Committee’s competence to examine individual complaints | check | |||||||
Inter-governmental organizations | check | |||||||
Non-state actors | check | |||||||
Is the complaints procedure public? | ||||||||
Public | check | check | ||||||
Non-public | check | check | ||||||
How long does it take? | ||||||||
As soon as 24 hours (for urgent cases) | check | check | ||||||
Weeks or months | check | |||||||
Two to three years | check | |||||||
How do you start the complaints procedure? | ||||||||
Learn more and get details here | check | check | check | |||||
Get and fill out a complaint form | check | check | check | |||||
| ||||||||
| Get Complaint Form | Get Complaint Form | Get Complaint Form |