UN Special Procedures roster: Help the UN find the experts it needs!

The appointment of independent, impartial, competent and expert men and women from all regions of the world to the Special Procedures mandates is key to a well-functioning system of Special Procedures and to the ability of the Human Rights Council to protect and promote human rights.

In September 2009, and upon endorsement of the Human Rights Council, its President will make the following appointments:

• Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights
• Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan

Process
As part of the review of the Special Procedures system, the United Nations Human Rights Council has established a new appointment process for Special Procedures mandate-holders, which has several stages. The basis of the appointment process is a roster of eligible candidates, based on technical and objective requirements, which is administered and regularly updated by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The roster is available from the Special Procedures extranet, which is accessible via the Human Rights Council extranet.

The establishment of the Special Procedures roster has the potential to expand the pool of persons identified as qualified to hold Special Procedures' mandates, to improve the involvement of NGOs and other actors in the nomination process at the national level and to make the process of nominations and appointments more transparent.

The appointment process  is to ensure that "eligible candidates are highly qualified individuals who possess established competence, relevant expertise and extensive professional experience in the field of human rights". For the most competent candidates to be appointed, it is crucial that the Special Procedures roster, which will constitute the primary pool of eligible candidates, is extensive and broadly representative with many potential candidates from all regions and both sexes.

It is important that the Special Procedures roster is advertised widely at the national, regional and international level and through different networks and that all stakeholders including Governments, NGOs and relevant professional networks send names of eligible candidates to OHCHR to be included on the roster. Governments should call publicly for candidates, e.g. through newspaper advertisement, and consult civil society nationally before nominating candidates.

Suggestions for the Special Procedures roster should be based on the technical and objective requirements for eligible candidates for mandate holders. Amnesty International has developed a checklist interpreting each requirement.

Amnesty International calls on Governments, NGOs and relevant professional networks to send names of eligible candidates to OHCHR for inclusion in the roster.

Amnesty International does not take a position in favour or against any candidate. Consequently, Amnesty International will not put forward names for inclusion on the roster.

Send nominations directly to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Use the standardised form provided by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

By email: hrcspecialprocedures@ohchr.org

Or by post:
HRC Secretariat, c/o Meena Ramkaun
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Room PW 4-037
Palais des Nations
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland

Tel: +41 (0)22 917 9707
By fax: +41 (0) 22 917 9008

Please do not send names of candidates to Amnesty International.