UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE, SPECIAL ADVISORS AND WORKING GROUPS.
OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights LOUISE ARBOUR, (July 2004) is accountable to the Secretary-General and is the principal UN official responsible for human rights
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights leads the international human rights movement by providing “a moral authority and a voice for victims.”
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is mandated to:
- Issue public statements and appeals on human rights crises;
- Encourage dialogue and build constructive cooperation with Governments to strengthen human rights protection;
- Work with NGOs, academic institutions and the private sector to promote human rights education;
- Seek to integrate human rights standards throughout the UN;
- Encourage different institutions and organizations working for human right to combine with the UN system in working for human rights;
- Travel extensively to ensure that the human rights message is heard;
- Offer research, expertise and advice to UN human rights bodies;
- Work with the UN Department of Public Information to disseminate information on human rights and to promote human rights education.
Special Rapporteurs, Special Representatives, Special Advisors and Working Groups
Arbitrary Detention-The Chairman of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Ms. Manuela Carmena Castrillo (since 2003)
Reports to the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/detention/
For individual case or cases, communication should be sent to the following
address:
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
c/o Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
CH-1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland
For Annual report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, communication should be sent to the following address:
Documents Distribution Service
Counter, Door 40
Palais des nations
8-14, avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Bioethics- Human Rights and Bioethics (Human Genome) Special Rapporteur Ms. Iulia-Antoanella
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/bioethics/index.htm
Address:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 917 9011
E-mail: ngochr@ohchr.org
Children-Special Rapporteur on the Sale Of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography
Mr. Juan Miguel PETIT (Uruguay)(since 2001)
Reports to the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/children/rapporteur/
Address: Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
c/o Office Of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations at Geneva
8-14 Ave de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Fax: (+41 22) 917 90 06 E-mail: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Development (Good Governance and Debt) -Independent expert on structural adjustment policies and foreign debt
Mr. Bernards Andrew Nyamwaya Mudho since 2001
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/development/right/index.htm
Address:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 917 9011
E-mail: ngochr@ohchr.org
Disappearances-Working Group Chairman on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
Rapporteur Mr. Diego Garcia-Sayan (Peru)
Reports to the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/disappear/group/index.htm
Address:
The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances of the Commission on Human Rights
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax No. (41 22) 917.9006
Education- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
Mr. Vernor Munoz Villalobos (Costa Rica) 2004
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/education/rapporteur/index.htm
Address: Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the right to education c/o Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva 8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9003 e-mail:
urgent-action@ohchr.org
Environment- Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on Adverse effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights
Mr. Okechkwu Ibeanu (Nigeria), 2004
Web:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/environment/waste/
Address: Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on Adverse effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous
products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights c/o Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva 8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9003 e-mail:
urgent-action@ohchr.org
Executions- Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions
Mr. Philip Alston (Australia)
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/executions/index.htm
His Address:
New York University School of Law
Vanderbilt Hall
40 Washington Square South, Room 305
New York, NY 10012-1099
Telephone: 212-998-6173
Email: philip.alston@nyu.edu
Address:
Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
c/o OHCHR-UNOG, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: (+41 22) 917 90 06
E-mail: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Food- Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the right to food
Mr. Jean Zeigler (Switzerland) (since 2000)
Reports to the Commission and General Assembly
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/food/index.htm
Address: Sally-Anne Way, Senior Researcher, Research Unit on the Right to Food For the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food,
Institut Universitaire d'Etudes du Développement
24 Rue Rothschild
Case Postale 136,
CH-1211 Genève 21, Switzerland
Fax (+41-22) 906 5994
Email specialrapporteur@righttofood.org
Web: http://www.righttofood.org
Freedom of Opinion and Expression- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Special Rapporteur Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo (Kenya) (since August 2002)
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/opinion/index.htm
Address:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 917 9011
E-mail: ngochr@ohchr.org
Freedom of Religion or Belief- Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on freedom of religion or belief
Ms. Asma Jahangir (Pakistan) (since 2004)
Reports to the Commission and General Assembly
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/religion/index.htm
Address:
Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 90 06
Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Genocide
Mr. Juan Mendez, (Argentina, appointed July 2004)
The first special UN advisor on the prevention of genocide
Web: http://www.un.org/preventgenocide/adviser/
Address:
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax +41 22 917 90 06
urgent-action@ohchr.org
Health- Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health Mr. Paul Hunt (New Zealand)
Web:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/health/right/
Address: OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Fax +41 22 917 90 06
urgent-action@ohchr.org Housing- Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context Independent Expert: Mr. Miloon Kothari ( India ) (since 2000)
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/housing/index.htm
Address: OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland fax +41 22 917 90 06
urgent-action@ohchr.org
Human Rights Defenders- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on human rights defenders
Ms. Hina Jilani (Pakistan)
Reports to the Commission and the General Assembly
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/defenders/index.htm
Address for submission of allegation: Special Representative of the Secretary General for human rights defenders
Ms. Hina Jilani
OHCHR
United Nations
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
FAX: +41 22 917 9006 To contact the Special Representative on human rights defenders:
Mr. Ben Majekodunmi bmajekodunmi@ohchr.org
Ms. Chloé Marnay-Baszanger cmarnay-baszanger@ohchr.org
to submit an allegation of a violation against a human rights defender urgent-action@ohchr.org
Indigenous-Special Rapporteur for the Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People
Mr. Rodolfo Stavenhagen (Mexico)
Reports to the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/indigenous/index.htm
Address:
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people
C/O OHCHR-UNOG
Indigenous and Minorities Team
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9008
Email: indigenous@ohchr.org Contact Person, Pablo Espiniella, Human Rights Officer
Tel +41 22 917 94 13
Independence of the Judiciary- Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
Mr. Leandro Despouy (Argentina)
Reports to the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/judiciary/index.htm
Address: Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the independence of judges and lawyers c/o Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations Office at Geneva 8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9003 E-mail:
urgent-action@ohchr.org
Internally Displaced Persons- Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons
Mr. Francis Deng (Sudan) (since 1992)
Reports to the Commission and General Assembly
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/idp/index.htm
Address:
Special representative of the secretary general on internally displaced persons
OHCHR, United Nations,
CH-1211 Geneva 10,
Switzerland.
Fax (41 22) 917-90 06
To contact Representative Mr. Paul Oertly
poertly@ohchr.org
Myanmar-Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (Brazil), since December 2000
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/countries/mm/mandate/index.htm
Address:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 917 9011
E-mail: 1503@ohchr.org
Migration-Special Rapporteur of Human Rights of Migrant Workers
Ms Gabriela Rodriguez Pizarro (Costa Rica) (since 1999)
Reports to the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/migration/rapporteur/
Address: Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland Fax: (+41 22) 917 90 06 E-mail:
urgent-action@ohchr.org
Mercerneries- Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on use of mercenaries as a means of impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination
Mr. Enrique Bernales-Ballesteros (Peru), since 1987
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/mercenaries/index.htm
Address:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 917 9011
E-mail: ngochr@ohchr.org
Poverty-Independent Expert on extreme poverty Mr. Arjun Sengupta (India), 2004
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/poverty/expert/index.htm
Address:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 917 9011
E-mail: ngochr@ohchr.org
Racism- Special Rapporteur on Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
Mr. Doudou Diene (Senegal) (since July 2002)
Reports to the General Assembly and the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/racism/index.htm
Address: Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on contemporary forms
of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance OHCHR, United Nations,
8-14 Avenue de la Paix,
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
Fax: +41 22 917 90 06 e-mail
urgent-action@ohchr.org
Right To Freedom of Opinion and Expression- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo (Kenya) (since 2002)
Reports to the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/opinion/index.htm
Address:
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection
of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
c/o Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 917 9003
E-mail: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Terrorism- Special Rapporteur on human rights and terrorism of the Sub-Commission on the promotion and protection of human rights Kalliopi K. Koufa (Greece) Web:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/terrorism/rapporteur/index.htm
Address: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: + 41 22 917 9011
E-mail: ngochr@ohchr.org
Torture- Special Rapporteur on Torture
Mr. Manfred Nowak (Austria) (since 2004)
Reports to the Commission and General Assembly
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/torture/rapporteur/
Address:
Special Rapporteur on Torture
C/O office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,
United Nations Office at Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 10,
Switzerland
Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Trafficking- Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children
Ms. Sigma Huda (Bangladesh)
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/trafficking/index.htm
Address:
Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons
c/o Office Of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations at Geneva
8-14 avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland Fax: (+41 22) 917 90 06 E-mail:
urgent-action@ohchr.org(please include in the subject box: Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons)
Women- Special Rapporteur on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Its Causes and Consequences
Ms. Yakin Erturk (Turkey)
Reports to the Commission
Web: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/index.htm
Address:
The Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
OHCHR-UNOG, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: +41-22-917-9006
Email: csaunders.hchr@unog.ch
Note: please specify which special procedure mechanism the complaint is addressed to in the subject line of the e-mail or fax, or on the cover of the envelope.
Several other individual complaint mechanisms have been established as part of the international human rights system. For more information please visit the Communications/Complaints section of the posted websites.
For a model complaint form and further contact information: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/ContactUs.aspx
Further information regarding Special Rapporteurs, Special Representatives, Advisors and Working Groups can be found at:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/index.htm
Prepared by Siobhan Elliott
June 2005
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