38-733: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ( OHCHR ) is a department of the United Nations Secretariat that works to promote and protect human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The office was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 December 1993 in the wake of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights . The office
76-644: A doctoral degree in 1990, at the age of 31. Šimonović joined the Croatian diplomatic corps after the break-up of Yugoslavia . He was an assistant and deputy to Foreign Minister Mate Granić during the 1990s, although he never joined the ruling party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). In 1997, Croatian President Franjo Tuđman named him ambassador to the United Nations . Šimonović served there until 2002. While serving there, Šimonović presided over
114-625: A High Commissioner with the rank of Under-Secretary-General . The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, accountable to the Secretary-General , is responsible for all the activities of the OHCHR, as well as for its administration, and carries out the functions specifically assigned to him or her by the UN General Assembly in its resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993 and subsequent resolutions of policy-making bodies. He or she advises
152-590: A UN General Assembly concern and goal since 1970. Since 1984, the UN Secretariat , in order to achieve early gender equality, issued several five-year "action plans", including strategic plans, to improve the status of women in the secretariat. These plans, however, did not have the desired impact, and progress in achieving gender parity remained slow. In December 1994, the UN General Assembly's "disappointment" that its gender equality target were not met urged
190-458: A scientific adviser, create a peacebuilding support office, establish a cabinet-style decision-making mechanism, and strengthen the mediation function. He also asked the General Assembly to appropriate funds for a one-time staff buyout; to work with him in revising budgetary and human resources rules; to grant the secretary-general more managerial authority and flexibility; to strengthen
228-615: Is a Croatian diplomat, politician and law scholar. In October 2008 he was appointed Justice Minister of Croatia. On 3 May 2010, Šimonović was appointed UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights . As of 1 October 2016, Šimonović has been appointed as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. Šimonović graduated from the University of Zagreb Law School in 1982. He obtained
266-560: Is a part of the secretariat. So is the Department of Peace Operations . The secretariat is the main source of economic and political analysis for the General Assembly and Security Council; it administers operations initiated by UN's deliberative organs, operates political missions, prepares assessments that precede peacekeeping operations, appoints the heads of peacekeeping operations, conducts surveys and research, communicates with non-state actors such as media and non-government organizations, and
304-488: Is as follows: As at 31 December 2018, there are 37,505 people employed from more than 140 countries within the secretariat. Eligibility for civil service is based on a UN-administered examination offered worldwide, in addition to a competitive application process. Qualifications for membership include "the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity", according to the UN Charter. Staff-members are appointed by
342-649: Is headed by a Director who is accountable to the High Commissioner. The core functions of the Division are to: (Source: OHCHR Website) Journalist Emma Reilly leaked e-mails in 2020 and 2021 in which the OHCHR provided names of Chinese participants in UN human rights activities to China on request. This occurred on multiple occasions from before 2012 to at least 2019, despite an explicit ban against this sort of activity. In some cases, after obtaining their name in advance from
380-608: Is headed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who co-ordinates human rights activities throughout the United Nations System and acts as the secretariat of the Human Rights Council in Geneva , Switzerland. The eighth and current High Commissioner is Volker Türk of Austria , who succeeded Michelle Bachelet of Chile on 8 September 2022. In 2018–2019, the department had a budget of US$ 201.6 million (3.7 per cent of
418-433: Is responsible for publishing all of the treaties and international agreements. The UN secretary-general's duties include helping resolve international disputes, administering peacekeeping operations, organizing international conferences, gathering information on the implementation of Security Council decisions, and consulting with member governments regarding various initiatives. Key secretariat offices in this area include
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#1732837518832456-447: The Office of Internal Oversight Services ; and "to review all mandates older than five years to see whether the activities concerned are still genuinely needed or whether the resources assigned to them can be reallocated in response to new and emerging challenges". Ivan %C5%A0imonovi%C4%87 Ivan Šimonović ( Croatian pronunciation: [ǐʋan ʃimǒːnoʋit͡ɕ] ; born 2 May 1959)
494-606: The United Nations Economic and Social Council . In 2002, Šimonovic was named Deputy Foreign Minister in Ivica Račan 's government. He remained independent and did not join the ruling SDP . When the HDZ swung back to power in 2003, Šimonović was not offered a job in the new government. Šimonović was appointed Minister of Justice-designate of Croatia by PM Ivo Sanader on 6 October 2008. His predecessor, Ana Lovrin , had resigned
532-504: The Assembly established the post of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In connection with the programme for reform of the United Nations (A/51/950, para. 79), the OHCHR and the Centre for Human Rights were consolidated into a single OHCHR on 15 September 1997. The objectives of OHCHR are to: The OHCHR is divided into organizational units, as described below. The OHCHR is headed by
570-661: The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights. In October 2016, Šimonović has been appointed as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. In 2019 he was reappointed Croatian Ambassador to the UN. In 2023 he serves as Chair of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission. Since September 1986, Šimonović has been employed at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb. He was head of
608-613: The D-1 to higher levels will not be achieved until after 102 years. At the D2 level, the representation of women in 2011 was 24.4 percent. To ensure that the gender equality target mandated by the General Assembly is met, the secretariat, in September 1999, promulgated an administrative instruction (AI) on "Special Measures for the Achievement of Gender Equality" (ST/AI/1999/9) Gender Equality A/I echoes
646-573: The Department of Legal Theory, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law in Zagreb and Vice-Rector of the University of Zagreb . Before, he worked at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Zagreb. In 2004, he became a professor at the University of Zagreb Law School, where he teaches general theory of law and state, human rights and atrocity crime prevention, and international relations. He has been
684-704: The Deputy High Commissioner, who is also an Assistant Secretary-General) is based in New York City and heads the New York Office of the High Commissioner. The New York Office represents the High Commissioner at United Nations Headquarters in New York and promotes the integration of human rights in policy processes and activities undertaken by inter-governmental and inter-agency bodies at the United Nations. The post of Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights
722-436: The High Commissioner also promotes human rights yet to be recognized in international law (such as the adoption of economic, social and cultural rights as a strategic priority, which are not all currently recognized in international legal instruments). The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in the performance of his or her activities, is assisted by a Deputy High Commissioner who acts as Officer-in-Charge during
760-447: The New York Office are to: The Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division is headed by a Director who is accountable to the High Commissioner. The core functions of the Division are to: The Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division is headed by a Director who is accountable to the High Commissioner. The core functions of the Division are to: The Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division
798-570: The Office of the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. The secretary-general may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter that, in his or her opinion, may threaten international peace and security. The current secretary-general of the UN is António Guterres . The secretariat is divided into offices and departments. The hierarchy within each
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#1732837518832836-549: The Secretary-General on the policies of the United Nations in the area of human rights, ensures that substantive and administrative support is given to the projects, activities, organs and bodies of the human rights programme, represents the Secretary-General at meetings of human rights organs and at other human rights events, and carries out special assignments as decided by the Secretary-General. As well as those human rights that are currently included in legally binding treaties,
874-406: The Secretary-General" is to "ensure the effective implementation of special measures for gender equality. These measures include mandatory selection of equally or better-qualified women candidates…" Since its creation, the secretariat has undergone extensive reforms. On 21 March 2005, Secretary-General Kofi Annan proposed several reforms for the secretariat. He announced his intentions to appoint
912-597: The Staff Office are to: The Administrative Section is headed by a Chief, Kyle F. Ward, who is accountable to the Deputy High Commissioner. The core functions of the Administrative Section, in addition to those set out in section 7 of Secretary-General's bulletin ST/SGB/1997/5, are to: The New York Office is headed by an Assistant Secretary-General who is accountable to the High Commissioner. The core functions of
950-441: The UN (i.e., the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and Security Council), and the implementation of the decision of these bodies. The secretary-general , who is appointed by the General Assembly, is the head of the secretariat. The mandate of the secretariat is a wide one. Dag Hammarskjöld , the UN's second secretary-general, described its power as follows: "The United Nations is what member nations made it, but within
988-449: The UN secretariat, at the D1 level, in 2000, was 30.3 percent. Instead of increasing, in the next decade, the representation of women in the secretariat decreased to 26.7 percent. In December 2011, the representation of women in the secretariat at the D1 level was 27.4 percent, an increase of .6 percent over a two-year period. At the current rate of progress, it is estimated that gender parity at
1026-525: The UN, the Chinese Communist Party made sure an activist was not able to leave China for Geneva to attend. United Nations Secretariat The United Nations Secretariat is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), The secretariat is the UN's executive arm. The secretariat has an important role in setting the agenda for the deliberative and decision-making bodies of
1064-695: The United Nations regular budget), and approximately 1,300 employees based in Geneva and New York City. It is an ex officio member of the Committee of the United Nations Development Group . The mandate of OHCHR derives from Articles 1, 13 and 55 of the Charter of the United Nations , the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, by which
1102-460: The absence of the High Commissioner. In addition, the Deputy High Commissioner carries out specific substantive and administrative assignments as decided by the High Commissioner. The Deputy is accountable to the High Commissioner. The current Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights is the Australian national Kate Gilmore . The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights (not to be confused with
1140-466: The aim of the special measures was to ensure "gender balance in recruitment and promotion". and that special measures would remain in effect until the "goal of gender parity is achieved", and sustained for a period of time. " The secretary-general, in his recommendations to the General Assembly, noted that the " United Nations Secretariat, pursuant to the decision of the Policy Committee chaired by
1178-704: The goals of, and is in conformity with, the mandate of Articles 8 and 101 of the Charter of the United Nations , and Article 4 paragraph 1 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) . On 4 September 2012, in his annual reports to the General Assembly , titled "Improvement of the Status of Women in the United Nations System", Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated that
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1216-411: The limits set by government action and government cooperation, much depends on what the secretariat makes it. It has creative capacity. It can introduce new ideas. It can, in proper forms, take initiatives. It can put before member governments findings which will influence their actions". The United Nations Department of Political Affairs , which has a role analogous to a ministry of foreign affairs ,
1254-475: The organization" and are prohibited from any action or influence that would suggest affiliation with a government or organization outside the UN. Headquartered in New York, the secretariat functions through duty stations in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva, Nairobi, Santiago and Vienna, in addition to offices all over the world. One study finds the following factors play a role in the selection of staff for
1292-508: The same day following a series of unsolved assaults and murders linked to Croatian organized crime that culminated with the murder of Ivana Hodak, daughter of controversial Croatian lawyer Zvonimir Hodak. However, it turned out that she was killed by a homeless man, in some apparent act of retaliation against her father. In May 2010 Šimonović was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as
1330-420: The secretariat: a desire to achieve a minimum number of officials from each state; population size; and lo assessment of dues. The most overrepresented states in the secretariat are small, rich democracies. The Nordic states stand out, in particular, when it comes to overrepresentation. Representation of women in the UN, particularly at managerial and decision-making positions at the D-1 level and above, has been
1368-412: The secretary-general alone and are assigned to the organs of the UN. Staff members are appointed on a temporary or permanent basis, under the discretion of the secretary-general. During staff recruitment, geographical variety is an especially prominent selection factor in order to accurately reflect the scope of member states present in the UN. The charter states that staff members are responsible "only to
1406-420: The secretary-general to prioritize the recruitment and promotion of women to reach to 50/50 representation in D1 and above posts by 2000. In Feb 2004, gender parity target for the secretariat was once again revised to 2015. In 2009, despite the plans, and General Assembly resolutions, the representation of women in the UN secretariat remained well below parity at 29.2 percent. The representation of women in
1444-416: Was created in 2010, when Ivan Šimonović was appointed to the position. From 2016 to 2019, the position was held by Andrew Gilmour . The current Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, since 2020, is Ilze Brands Kehris [ fr ] . The Staff Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is headed by a Chief who is accountable to the High Commissioner. The core functions of
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