Human Rights committee

The Human Rights Committee is the entity that ensures its members follow the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Regularly, states have to write a report explaining and supporting how they have respected this convention, which happens one year after joining the committee and, later on, whenever requested (usually every 4 years). Moreover, the committee examines inter-state and individual complaints regarding violations of the Covenant by states that have agreed to adhere to it. Furthermore, the Second Optional Protocol of the International Covenant supports the abolition of death penalty and all the states who have made this step. The Human Rights Committee usually meets in Geneva three times a year, and it publishes its “general comments” on the issues it deals with and on its methods of work.

When the Charter of the United Nations was created in 1945 in order to set the goals of the organization, clarify its structure and explain its rules, it was decided to include a quite vague agreement on the need for human rights to become law, meaning that all member states should respect the conditions set by the UN on human rights. From this moment on, the Commission on Human Rights was established in Geneva to discuss many different human rights issues. In 1966, the General Assembly even adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Nowadays, the Committee holds three annual sessions in Geneva to discuss issues on human rights and analyze and evaluate the world’s situation.

The headquarters of the Human Rights section are in New York but the committee has various offices in different parts of the world. 1085 staff work for the offices on Human Rights: most are concentrated around Geneva and New York, but employees are also in the 13 country offices and 13 regional offices. Moreover, 689 people are international human rights officers involved in peace missions or political offices. In New York can be found the Executive Office of the High Commissioner (the human rights official of the UN) and various which report to the Deputy High Commissioner. However, OCHR (Officer of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) has for main divisions:

- Research and Right to Development Division (RRDD) – thematic research and policy development, mainstreaming, integration of human rights in the United Nations System, improvement of tools and education regarding human rights themes

- Human Rights Treaties Division (HRTD) – supporting human rights treaty bodies that monitor the implementation of human rights in every nation

- Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division (FOTCD) – backs and engages with other countries for resolution

of human rights issues

- Human Rights Council and Special Procedures Division (HRCSPD) – gives support to the Human Rights Council, its Periodic Review, its system, procedures, and bodies.

The main goal of the human rights committee is to “promote and protect human rights for all”, so OCHR aims at solving any human rights violations around the world while collaborating with Governments and providing them assistance since they should be the primary body that has the responsibility to protect human rights. The Human Rights committee should protect justice and fairness without any discriminations regarding race, sex, language or religion as mentioned in the UN Charter, and should ensure that human rights are integrated into all UN programs to achieve development.

Human Rights are not only important for the United Nations, but they are a key part of some of its committees: The International Labour Organization, the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the International Criminal Court. OCHR collaborates with these entities as well as other human rights institutions and councils with the aim of spreading the respect of human rights in all places at all times.

The Office of High Commissioner of Human Rights’ method of work can be divided into three main steps: standard-setting, monitoring, and implementation on the ground. Indeed, the best competencies are offered and the organization is supported by other entities, the first one being the Human Rights Council which is in charge of human rights. The UN support the work of other rapporteurs, experts, and groups designated by the Council that act in different countries to solve the issue. Moreover, the organization looks at individual stories and ways to solve them legally to benefit a whole population. Setting goals for countries, committees of experts also regularly examine the situation of some nations and their report on progress and issue related to human rights. To apply human rights, the UN is increasingly “implementing human rights standards on the ground”. Field offices and presences analyze and formulate solutions to human rights problems, they collaboration with governmental systems and NGOs to implement projects like technical training and give support in all types of fields.

OCHR is funded by 40% by the United Nations budget, which regularly gives money to the organization to cover all activities, including the ones of subsidiary organs like the Human Rights Council. The regular budget to be assigned to the committee is decided by the General Assembly and the amount of money offered by each Member State is to determine the size and strength of the nations’ economies. Being one of three pillars of the UN System (the other two are development and peace and security), The Office of High Commissioner of Human Rights receives a significant budget as half of the resources of the UN System are dedicated to the pillars, but only 3.7% of the total budget is appropriated by human rights. This corresponds to Us $201.6 million for 2018- 2019. Since this sum does not cover all the work of the OCHR, there are many voluntary contributions made by countries. In 2017, the office received $142.8 million, the highest ever received the amount by human rights.