What is the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and what does it do?

• The OHCHR is a UN agency with the mandate (authorisation or command) to advance and defend the basic rights of all humans.
• The OHCHR can assist governments by providing expertise and technical training in the areas of:
  • administration of justice;
  • legislative reform; and
  • electoral processes.
• The aim of the OHCHR is to help countries implement and abide by international human rights standards.
• It also conducts peace missions to areas where political or cultural disturbances place human rights at risk.
• The OHCHR is the secretariat (permanent administrative office) of the Human Rights Council (HRC).
• It identifies areas where there are obvious gaps in implementing human rights and maintains a field presence or regional office in those countries.
• The OHCHR coordinates a close collaboration with NGOs, governments, civil societies and other agencies of the UN in order to promote human rights protection.