Special Representative of the Secretary General on Human
Rights Defenders - Mandate
Mandate
In its year 2000 session, the Commission on Human
Rights (CHR) asked the Secretary-General to appoint a Special
Representative on human rights defenders. The Commission’s intention
was to give support to implementation of the Declaration on human
rights defenders and also to gather information on the actual
situation of human rights defenders around the world. In August
2000, Ms. Hina Jilani was named by the Secretary General as the
first holder of this office.
The Special Representative undertakes activities in
complete independence of any State, is not a United Nations staff
member and does not receive a salary for the work conducted. The
Special Representative’s mandate (see resolution E/CN.4/RES/2000/61
of 26 April 2000) stipulates that the Special Representative’s main
roles are to:
- seek, receive, examine and respond to information on the
situation and the rights of anyone, acting individually or in
association with others, to promote and protect human rights and
fundamental freedoms;
- establish cooperation and conduct dialogue with governments
and other interested actors on the promotion and effective
implementation of the Declaration;
- recommend effective strategies better to protect human rights
defenders and follow up on these recommendations.
In its resolution, the Commission on Human Rights
urged all governments to cooperate with and assist the Special
Representative and to provide all information requested. The Special
Representative was asked to submit annual reports to the Commission
and to the General Assembly. The Commission’s year 2000 resolution
gave the mandate a 3 year life-span. In the Commission’s 2003
session, the mandate was renewed for a further 3 years (see
resolution E/CN.4/RES/2003/64).
The Special Representative’s formal mandate is a very
broad one and its holder is obliged to identify strategies,
priorities and activities to implement it. A description of these is
provided under the Special Representative’s ‘methods of work
page’.
The Special Representative
In August 2000, Ms. Hina Jilani was asked by Secretary
General Kofi Annan to become the first holder of the position of
Special Representative of the Secretary General on human rights
defenders, in accordance with the provisions of Commission on Human
Rights resolution E/CN.4/RES/2000/61, of 26 April 2000. Ms. Jilani’s
initial remit of 3 years was renewed by a subsequent Commission
resolution in April 2003 (E/CN.4/RES/2003/64).
Hina Jilani
Hina Jilani is an Advocate of the Supreme Court of
Pakistan and has been a human rights defender for many years,
working in particular in favour of the rights of women, minorities
and children. Ms. Jilani was a co-founder of the first all-women law
firm in Pakistan in 1980. She also founded Pakistan's first legal
aid center in 1986. She is based in Lahore,
Pakistan.
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