United Nations Special Rapporteur

Special Rapporteur is a title given to individuals working on behalf of the United Nations who bear a specific mandate from the UN Human Rights Council (or the former UN Commission on Human Rights, UNCHR), to investigate, monitor and recommend solutions to human rights problems. They are also called "Special Procedures".

Appointed by the UN Secretary General, these experts are "of high moral character and recognized competence in the field of human rights." They act independently of governments. They do not receive any financial compensation for their work, but they receive personnel and logistical support from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Some of these experts are called Special Representatives or Independent Experts.

Special Rapporteurs often conduct fact-finding missions to countries to investigate allegations of human rights violations. They can only visit countries that have agreed to invite them.

Aside from fact-finding missions, Rapporteurs regularly assess and verify complaints from alleged victims of human rights violations. Once a complaint is verified as legitimate, an urgent letter or appeal is sent to the government that has allegedly committed the violation.

Thematic Special Rapporteurs are typically appointed to serve for 3 years, after which their mandate can be extended for another 3 years. Country Special Rapporteurs are appointed to serve for 1 year, and their term is renewed every year.

In June 2006, the United Nations Human Rights Council, which replaced the UN Commission on Human Rights, extended the mandates of all Special Rapporteurs by one year to enable it to conduct a review of the mandates and seek ways of strengthening their roles. However, Special Rapporteurs for countries which did not approve a Special Rapporteurs (Cuba, Belarus, Burma and North Korea) have been under question and the mandates of the Special Rapporteurs for Cuba and Belarus have not been renewed.

Other controversies between the Special Rapporteurs and the Council include the introduction of a code of conduct which initially disallowed the Special Rapporteurs from addressing the media. However a compromise has been reached and a code of conduct now exists for the Special Rapporteurs [http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/chr/special/index.htm#code]

To mark Human Rights Day in 2006, the 37 Special Rapporteurs, Special Representatives and Independent Experts issued a [http://www.ohchr.org/english/events/day2006/docs/spec_proc_statement.doc joint statement] on the importance of human rights in the fight against poverty.

Thematic and Country Mandates

Currently, there are 36 Special Rapporteurs, Special Representatives and Independent Experts who serve under the following country and thematic mandates:

Countries

* Burundi - Akich Okola, Independent Expert on Human Rights (2005- )
* Cambodia - Yash Ghai, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Human Rights (2005- )
* Democratic Republic of the Congo - Titinga Frédéric Pacéré, Independent Expert on human rights (2005- )
* Haiti - Louis Joinet, Independent Expert on human rights (1995- )
* Myanmar - Tomas Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on human rights (2008- )
* Liberia - Charlotte Abaka, Independent Expert on human rights (2003- )
* North Korea - Vitit Muntarbhorn, Special Rapporteur on human rights (2005- )
* Palestinian Territories - Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on human rights (1993- )
* Somalia - Shamsul Bari, Independent Expert on human rights (2008- )
* Sudan - Sima Samar, Special Rapporteur on human rights (2005- )

Themes

* Adequate Housing - Raquel Rolnik (2008- )
* Contemporary Forms of Slavery [Gulnara Shahinian] (2007- )
* Education - Vernor Munoz Villalobos (2004- )
* Effects of Economic Reform Policies and Foreign Debt on Human Rights - Cephas Lumina (2008- )
* Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary executions - Philip Alston (2004- )
* Right to Food - Olivier De Schutter (2008- )
* Freedom of Opinion and Expression - Ambeyi Ligabo (2002- )
* Freedom of Religion or Belief - Asma Jahangir (2004- )
* Human Rights Defenders - Margaret Sekaggya (2008- )
* Independence of Judges and Lawyers - Leandro Despouy (2003- )
* Minority Issues - Gay McDougall (2005- )
* Physical and Mental Health - Paul Hunt (2005- )
* Protecting Human Rights while Countering Terrorism - Martin Scheinin (2005- )
* Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance - Doudou Diène (2005- )
* Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography - Najat M’jid Maala (2008- )
* Torture - Manfred Nowak (2004- )
* Trafficking in Persons - Sigma Huda (2004- )
* Use of Mercenaries to Impede the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination - Shaista Shameem (2004- )
* Violence against Women - Yakin Urturk (2003- )
* Human Rights and Bioethics (Human Genome) - Iulia-Antoanella Motoc (2003 - )
* Human Rights and Extreme Poverty - Magdalena Sepulveda (2004- )
* Human Rights and International Solidarity - Rudi Muhammad Rizki (2005- )
* Human Rights and the Illicit Movement of Toxic Waste - Okechukwu Ibeanu (2004- )
* Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises - John Ruggie (2005- )
* Human Rights of Indigenous People - James Anaya (2008- )
* Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons - Walter Kälin (2004- )
* Human Rights of Migrants - Jorge Bustamante (2005- )

ee also

* Special Rapporteur
* Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
* United Nations Human Rights Council
* United Nations Commission on Human Rights
* Human Rights Committee

External links

* [http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/chr/special/ Official Website]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/5295942.stm BBC News Special on Special Rapporteurs]