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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