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2008 on Activities and R Esults R Eport 2008 on Activities and Results Report 2008 REPORT ON ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 2008 Report Activities and Results Contents Foreword by the High Commissioner ....................................................................................................................5 I. Executive Summary..............................................................................................................................................7 II. OHCHR 2008 Report .........................................................................................................................................15 About OHCHR .......................................................................................................................................................16 Supporting the Human Rights Council and Treaty Bodies.................................................................................24 Supporting the Special Procedures ......................................................................................................................32 Thematic Human Rights Challenges.....................................................................................................................39 Outreach.................................................................................................................................................................56 Programme Planning, Management and Support................................................................................................64 Human Rights in the Field ....................................................................................................................................68 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................68 Africa ..................................................................................................................................................................71 Asia and the Pacific...........................................................................................................................................98 Europe, North America and Central Asia ......................................................................................................116 Latin America and the Caribbean...................................................................................................................130 Middle East and North Africa .........................................................................................................................143 Peace Missions Support and Rapid Response...............................................................................................151 National Institutions ........................................................................................................................................154 III. Humanitarian Funds ........................................................................................................................................157 IV. Financial Statements for Year Ending 31 December 2008.......................................................................163 V. Funding and Donor Profiles...........................................................................................................................171 Annexes 1. Organizational Chart........................................................................................................................................213 2. Major Outputs and Performance against Key Indicators in 2008.................................................................214 OHCHR 2008 REPORT 3 Foreword by the High Commissioner I am pleased to present my first OHCHR Report on Activities and Results, which offers a detailed account of the work of my Office, both at headquarters and in the field throughout 2008. When I took office as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in September last year I found an impressive group of knowledgeable, energetic, and inspiring new colleagues. This state of affairs was due in no small part to the contribution and vision of Louise Arbour, my predecessor, who led the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for over four years until mid-2008, steering it amidst a time of transformation with all its opportunities and challenges. Indeed, 2008 has been a landmark year for the human rights community. We celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a year-long campaign that involved the whole United Nations system and a myriad of partners from all over the world. This campaign was, in a sense, unfolded against the background of pressing concerns, such as the food, financial and economic crises that, together with natural disasters and other environmental emergencies, severely tested the international community’s resilience and solidarity, as well as its appetite for high-minded endeavours. The vigour, imagination, dedication and variety of community-based initiatives, nation-wide commemorations, regional gatherings and international campaigns celebrating the Universal Declaration stand as testimonies that its vision and its relevance to people matter as much today as they did 60 years ago. This vision contemplates a world where civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights are realized without distinction. This is a world in which every man, woman and child lives in dignity, free from hunger, protected from violence and discrimination, and enjoys the benefits of housing, health care, education and opportunity. This vision, in my view, represents the global culture of human rights that we strive for, and it should be a unifying rather than a divisive force, within and among all cultures. At the same time, we must focus on the challenges that remain in bringing to reality the comprehensive vision of human rights set forth in the Universal Declaration. We have entered a period in which human rights standards have been further refined. The ways and means to monitor their implementation have been enhanced, and their application is pursued more widely. Yet, there is no doubt that we need to work harder and with renewed determination both to avert human rights abuses and to ensure full compliance with human rights law. In sum, I believe that prevention and implementation of human rights norms should be at the forefront of our common activities and objectives both now and in the future. The Human Rights Council has moved a step further in this direction with the launch of its new Universal Periodic Review, an innovative mechanism through which the human rights record of all UN Member States will be periodically reviewed. In 2008, the first 48 countries came under review. OHCHR has assisted the Council in this endeavour each step of the way and without prejudice for the increasing number of other tasks that the Council requested my Office to support. OHCHR 2008 REPORT 5 After an extended period of expansion, OHCHR concentrated on consolidating its recent growth in the field, where we maintain 20 country, regional and stand-alone offices and are present in more than 30 other UN peace missions and country teams. It is in the field where we can more readily strive for practical cooperation with governments to ensure that they have effective systems in place to promote human rights obligations holistically and to provide protection and recourse for victims when violations take place. We also conducted 16 rapid response missions to help address acute or deteriorating human rights situations, and strengthened our capacity at headquarters to manage increasingly complex requests, tasks, and collaborative initiatives. We know that the full enjoyment of human rights is bound to happen only if the stakeholders, diverse in their composition, but like-minded in their objectives and actions, join together to affirm their commitment to make human rights a tangible reality for all. Navanethem Pillay United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 30 April 2009 6 OHCHR 2008 REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Executive Summary “Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Where, after all, do to adjustments in the Office's senior management universal human rights begin? ... In small structure and the creation of several new senior-level places, close to home.” Until these rights touch posts. There was an emphasis on consolidating the lives of every man, woman and child recent growth, particularly in the field where half of everywhere, our work is not done. As UN High all OHCHR staff are now based, and reinforcing the Commissioner for Human Rights, I pledge to do Office’s capacity to fulfill its mandated everything I can to give full effect to the responsibilities, especially in relation to the Human Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I hope Rights Council, the UPR, treaty bodies and special you will join me in this effort. ” procedures. High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay addressing Finally, in a year of anniversaries, 2008 marked the UN General Assembly on the 60th anniversary 60 years since the adoption by the General of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Assembly of the Convention on the Prevention and 10 December 2008. Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The adoption of this Convention signified a first, Introduction concerted effort by the world community to consign to history the horrors of the Holocaust, and The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner 15 years
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