Special procedures - Thematic mandates

Special Rapporteurs :

Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living:
Mr. Miloon KOTHARI ( India )
Mandate:
(a) to report on the status, throughout the world, of the realization of the rights that are relevant to the mandate;
(b) to promote, as appropriate, cooperation among and assistance to Governments in their efforts to secure these rights;
(c) to apply a gender perspective;
(d) to develop a regular dialogue and to discuss possible areas of collaboration with Governments, relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, international organizations in the field of housing rights, inter alia the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS/Habitat), non-governmental organizations and international financial institutions, and to make recommendations on the realization of the relevant rights;
(e) to identify possible types and sources of financing for relevant advisory services and technical cooperation;
(f) to facilitate, where appropriate, the inclusion of issues relating to relevant United Nations missions, field presences and national offices;
(g) to submit to the Commission on Human Rights an annual report covering the activities relating to the mandate.

Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography:
Mr. Juan Miguel PETIT ( Uruguay ) Mandate:
The mandate-holder is required to investigate the exploitation of children around the world and to submit reports on the findings to the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights, making recommendations for the protection of the rights of the children concerned. These recommendations are targeted primarily at Governments, other United Nations bodies and non-governmental organizations.

Special Rapporteur on the right to education:
Mr. Vernor MUÑOZ VILLALOBOS ( Costa Rica )
Mandate:
(i)To report on the status, throughout the world, of the progressive realization of the right to education, including access to primary education, and the difficulties encountered in the implementation of this right, taking into account information and comments received from Governments, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, other relevant international organizations and non-governmental organizations;
(ii) To promote, as appropriate, assistance to Governments in working out and adopting urgent plans of action, wherever they do not exist, to secure the progressive implementation, within a reasonable number of years, of the principle of compulsory primary education free of charge for all, bearing in mind, inter alia, levels of development, the magnitude of challenge and efforts by Governments;
(iii) To take into account gender considerations, in particular the situation and needs of the girl child, and to promote the elimination of all forms of discrimination in education;
(iv) To make his or her reports available to the Commission on the Status of Women whenever they concern the situation of women in the field of the right to education;
(v) To develop a regular dialogue and discuss possible areas of collaboration with relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and international organizations in the field of education, inter alia, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and United Nations Development Programme and with international financial institutions, such as the World Bank;
(vi) To identify possible types and sources of financing for advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of access to primary education;
(vii) To ensure, to the extent possible, coordination and complementarity with the work carried out in the framework of Sub-Commission resolution 1997/7, in particular the working paper on the right to education by Mr. Mustapha Mehedi.

Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions:
Mr. Philip ALSTON ( Australia )
Mandate:
(a) To continue to examine situations of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and to submit on an annual basis his findings, together with conclusions and recommendations, to the Commission on Human Rights, as well as such other reports as the Special Rapporteur deems necessary in order to keep the Commission informed about such serious situations of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions that warrant its immediate attention;
(b) To respond effectively to information that comes before him, in particular when an extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary execution is imminent or threatened or when such an execution has occurred;
(c) To enhance further his dialogue with Governments, as well as to follow up on recommendations made in reports after visits to particular countries;
(d) To continue to pay special attention to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions of children and women and to allegations concerning violations of the right to life in the context of violence against participants in demonstrations and other peaceful public manifestations or against persons belonging to minorities;
(e) To pay special attention to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions where the victims are individuals who are carrying out peaceful activities in defense of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(f) To continue monitoring the implementation of existing international standards on safeguards and restrictions relating to the imposition of capital punishment, bearing in mind the comments made by the Human Rights Committee in its interpretation of article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the Second Optional Protocol thereto;
(g) To apply a gender perspective in his/her work.

Special Rapporteur on the right to food:
Mr. Jean ZIEGLER ( Switzerland )
Mandate:
(a) To seek, receive and respond to information on all aspects of the realization of the right to food, including the urgent necessity of eradicating hunger;
(b) To establish cooperation with Governments, intergovernmental organizations, in particular the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations, on the promotion and effective implementation of the right to food, and to make appropriate recommendations on the realization thereof, taking into consideration the work already done in this field throughout the United Nations system;
(c) To identify emerging issues related to the right to food worldwide.

Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression:
Mr. Ambeyi LIGABO ( Kenya )
Mandate:
(a) to gather all relevant information, wherever it might occur, of discrimination against, threats or use of violence and harassment, including persecution and intimidation, directed at persons seeking to exercise or to promote the exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression as affirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and, where applicable, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, taking into account the work being conducted by other mechanisms of the Commission and Sub-Commission which touched on that right, with a view to avoiding duplication of work;
(b) as a matter of high priority, to gather all relevant information, wherever it might occur, of discrimination against, threats or use of violence and harassment, including persecution and intimidation, against professionals in the field of information seeking to exercise or to promote the exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression;
(c) to seek and receive credible and reliable information from governments and non-governmental organizations and any other parties who have knowledge of these cases; and to submit annually to the Commission a report covering the activities relating to his or her mandate, containing recommendations to the Commission and providing suggestions on ways and means to better promote and protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression in all its manifestations.

Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief:
Ms. Asma JAHANGIR ( Pakistan )
Mandate:
- to examine incidents and governmental actions in all parts of the world which were inconsistent with the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, and to recommend remedial measures for such situations;
- to continue to apply a gender perspective, inter alia through the identification of gender-specific abuses, in the reporting process, including in information collection and in recommendations;
- to respond effectively to credible and reliable information that comes before her;
- to continue to seek the views and comments of Governments concerned in the elaboration of her report;
- to continue to carry out her work with discretion, objectivity and independence.

Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health:
Mr. Paul HUNT ( New Zealand )
Mandate:
(a) gather, request, receive and exchange right to health information from all relevant sources;
(b) dialogue and discuss possible areas of cooperation with all relevant actors, including Governments, relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and programmes, in particular the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, as well as non-governmental organizations(NGOs) and international financial institutions;
(c) report on the status, throughout the world, of the right to health, including laws, policies, good practices and obstacles;
(d) make recommendations on appropriate measures that promote and protect the right to health.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders:
Ms. Hina JILANI ( Pakistan )
Mandate:
To gather information on the situation of human rights defenders, to enter into dialogue with Governments and other interested actors, and to make recommendations to improve the protection of defenders. Actions taken under the mandate include conducting country visits, taking up individual cases of concern with governments and reporting to the Human Rights Council and to the General Assembly.

Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers:
Mr. Leandro DESPOUY ( Argentina )
Mandate:
(a) to inquire into any substantial allegations transmitted to him and to report his conclusions thereon;
(b) to identify and record not only attacks on the independence of the judiciary, lawyers and court officials but also progress achieved in protecting and enhancing their independence, and make concrete recommendations including the provision of advisory services or technical assistance when they were requested by the State concerned;
(c) to study, for the purpose of making proposals, important and topical questions of principle with a view to protecting and enhancing the independence of the judiciary and lawyers.

Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people :
Mr. Jorge A. BUSTAMANTE ( Mexico )
Mandate:
To gather, request, receive and exchange information and communications from all relevant sources, including Governments, indigenous people themselves and their communities and organizations, on violations of their human rights and fundamental freedoms; to formulate recommendations and proposals on appropriate measures and activities to prevent and remedy violations of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people; and to work in close relation with other special rapporteurs, special representatives, working groups and independent experts of the Commission on Human Rights and of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants:
Mr. Leandro DESPOUY ( Argentina )
Mandate:
(a) To request and receive information from all relevant sources, including migrants themselves, on violations of the human rights of migrants and their families;
(b) To formulate appropriate recommendations to prevent and remedy violations of the human rights of migrants, wherever they may occur;
(c) To promote the effective application of relevant international norms and standards on the issue;
(d) To recommend actions and measures applicable at the national, regional and international levels to eliminate violations of the human rights of migrants;
(e) To take into account a gender perspective when requesting and analyzing information, as well as to give special attention to the occurrence of multiple discrimination and violence against migrant women.

Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance:
Mr. Doudou DIENE ( Senegal )
Mandate:
"to examine in accordance with his mandate incidents of contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, any form of discrimination against Blacks, Arabs and Muslims, xenophobia, negrophobia, anti-Semitism and related intolerance, as well as governmental measures to overcome them, and to report on these matters to the Commission at its fifty-second session".
"to continue his exchange of views with the relevant mechanisms and treaty bodies within the United Nations system in order further to enhance their effectiveness and mutual cooperation".
The Commission also called upon "all Governments, intergovernmental organizations and other relevant organizations of the United Nations system, as well as non-governmental organizations, to supply information to the Special Rapporteur".
"to make the fullest use of all additional sources of information, including country visits and the evaluation of mass media, and to elicit the responses of Governments with regard to allegations".
"in close consultation with Governments, relevant organizations of the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, to present further recommendations concerning human rights education with a view to preventing actions giving rise to racism and racial discrimination, related intolerance including against players at online casino and xenophobia".
"to present concrete recommendations on specific measures which could be taken at the national, regional and international levels, with a view to preventing and eradicating problems within the purview of his mandate."

Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism:
Mr. Martin SCHEININ ( Finland )
Mandate:
(a) To make concrete recommendations on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism , including, at the request of States, for the provision of advisory services or technical assistance on such matters;
(b) To gather, request, receive and exchange information and communications from and with all relevant sources, including Governments, the individuals concerned, their families, their representatives and their organizations, including through country visits, with the consent of the State concerned, on alleged violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, with special attention to areas not covered by existing mandate holders;
(c) To identify, exchange and promote best practices on measures to counter terrorism that respect human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(d) To work in close coordination with other special rapporteurs, special representatives, working groups and independent experts of the Commission on Human Rights, the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and other relevant United Nations bodies ;
(e) To develop a regular dialogue and discuss possible areas of cooperation with all relevant actors, including Governments, relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and programmes, in particular with the Counter Terrorism Committee of the Security Council, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, human rights mandate holders and treaty bodies, the Sub Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, as well as non-governmental organizations and other regional or subregional international institutions, fully respecting the respective mandates of the above mentioned bodies and with a view to avoiding duplication of effort;
(f) To report regularly to the Commission on Human Rights and to the General Assembly.

Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment:
Mr. Manfred Nowak ( Austria )
Mandate:
-transmitting urgent appeals to States with regard to individuals reported to be at risk of torture, as well as communications on past alleged cases of torture;
-undertaking fact-finding country visits;
- submitting annual reports on activities, the mandate and methods of work to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.

Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights:
Mr. Okechukwu IBEANU ( Nigeria )
Mandate:
(a) Investigate and examine the effects of the illicit dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes in African and other developing countries on the enjoyment of human rights, in particular on the human rights to life and health of everyone;
(b) Investigate, monitor, examine and receive communications and gather information on the illicit traffic and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes in African and other developing countries;
(c) Make recommendations and proposals on adequate measures to control, reduce and eradicate the illicit traffic in, transfer to and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes in African and other developing countries;
(d) Produce annually a list of the countries and transnational corporations engaged in the illicit dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes in African and other developing countries and a census of human persons killed, maimed or otherwise injured in the developing countries through this heinous act.

Special Rapporteur ontrafficking in persons especially in women and children:
Ms. Sigma HUDA ( Bangladesh )
Mandate:
- To submit annual reports to the Commission together with recommendations on measures required to uphold and protect the human rights of the victims.
- To respond effectively to reliable information on possible human rights violations with a view to protecting the human rights of actual or potential victims of trafficking and to cooperate fully with other relevant special rapporteurs, in particular the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, and to take full account of their contributions to the issue.
- To cooperate with relevant United Nations bodies, regional organizations and victims and their representatives.

Special Representative of the SG on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises:
Mr. John Ruggie ( United States of America )
Mandate:
(a) To identify and clarify standards of corporate responsibility and accountability for transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights;
(b) To elaborate on the role of States in effectively regulating and adjudicating the role of transnational corporations and other business enterprises with regard to human rights, including through international cooperation;
(c) To research and clarify the implications for transnational corporations and other business enterprises of concepts such as "complicity" and "sphere of influence";
(d) To develop materials and methodologies for undertaking human rights impact assessments of the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises;
(e) To compile a compendium of best practices of States and transnational corporations and other business enterprises.

Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences:
Ms. Yakin ERTURK ( Turkey )
Mandate:
(a) Seek and receive information on violence against women, its causes and consequences from Governments, treaty bodies, specialized agencies, other special rapporteurs responsible for various human rights questions and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, including women's organizations, and to respond effectively to such information;
(b) Recommend measures, ways and means, at the national, regional and international levels, to eliminate violence against women and its causes, and to remedy its consequences;
(c) Work closely with other special rapporteurs, special representatives, working groups and independent experts of the Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and with the treaty bodies, taking into account the Commission's request that they regularly and systematically include in their reports available information on human rights violations affecting women, and cooperate closely with the Commission on the Status of Women in the discharge of its functions.