What is the Commission on Human Rights?
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Since its
foundation, the United Nations has been working to develop and implement
human rights. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights is the main
body established to promote and protect human rights. It has 53 States
members, which in 2004 are:
Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Bahrain, Bhutan, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Congo,
Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Dominican
Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
France, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mauritania, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Republic of Korea,
Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United
States of America and Zimbabwe. The Bureau of the Commission
is comprised of Australia (Chairperson), Bahrain, Costa Rica and
Croatia (Vice Chairpersons) and Nigeria (Rapporteur).
Each year the Commission holds its regular session for six weeks in Geneva.
The sixtieth session will take place from 15 March to 23 April 2004. More
than 3,000 delegates participate representing member and observer States,
international and intergovernmental organizations, as well as from non-
governmental organizations.
What does the Commission on Human Rights do?
One of the most important tasks entrusted to the Commission has been the
elaboration of human rights standards. In 1948 it concluded work on the
landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since then, it has developed
standards in relation to the right to development, civil and political rights,
economic, social and cultural rights, the elimination of racial discrimination,
torture, the rights of the child, the rights of human rights defenders. All States
which adhere to these standards are obliged to implement the rights contained
therein and to report regularly to international bodies set up for the purpose
of monitoring compliance.
During its regular annual session, the Commission adopts about 100 resolutions,
decisions and Chairperson's statements on human rights matters in all regions
and circumstances which are to be implemented by the Governments of the
Member States of the United Nations, the Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights and, in some cases, other United Nations bodies as well.
The Commission regularly identifies areas where existing standards need to
be further developed to confront new and growing concerns. In 2004 the
work continues in relation to additional standard-setting in the areas of: the
rights of indigenous populations; enforced disappearances; and economic,
social and cultural rights.
How does the Commission work?
The Commission takes action to address problems that have been
identified. It regularly requests the Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights to provide assistance to Governments through its
programme of advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of
human rights. This assistance takes the form of expert advice, human
rights seminars, national and regional training courses and workshops,
fellowships and scholarships, as well as other activities aimed at
strengthening national capacities for the promotion and protection of
human rights. The Commission has a variety of thematic and country-
specific procedures and other mechanisms. Special rapporteurs,
representatives and independent experts gather information and report
on the following thematic issues:
adequate housing; arbitrary executions; the right to development;
education; extreme poverty; the right to food; freedom of opinion
and expression; human rights defenders; the independence of
judges and lawyers; internally displaced persons; mercenaries;
migrants; racism; freedom of religion or belief; sale of children,
child prostitution and child pornography; structural adjustment
policies and foreign debt; torture; toxic waste; violence against
women; indigenous people; and the right to the highest physical
and mental health;
and on the following country situations:
Afghanistan, Burundi, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Haiti, Iraq, Liberia, Myanmar, Somalia, as well as
the occupied Palestinian territories.
What issues are under discussion?
- The right to self-determination;
- Racism, including implementation and follow-up
to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;
- The right to development;
- The question of the violation of human rights
in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine;
- The question of the violation of human rights
and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world;
Further, the Commission has established working groups on the following
issues: disappearances; arbitrary detention; the right to development; a declaration
on the rights of indigenous people; situations under the 1503 (confidential
communications) procedure; people of African descent; implementation of the
Durban Declaration and Programme of Action; on a legally binding instrument for
the protection of persons from enforced disappearances; and options regarding
the elaboration of an optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights
The Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights is the
main subsidiary body of the Commission. It is composed of 26 experts acting in
their personal capacity, elected by the Commission.
It has established working groups on minorities, contemporary forms of slavery,
indigenous populations, activities of transnational corporations, administration
of justice and on communications, i.e. on complaints from individuals and
organizations (under the so-called 1503 procedure).
If complaints from individuals or organizations received by the Sub-Commission's
Working Group on Communications reveal a pattern of serious human rights
violations in a country, the matter can be brought to the attention of the
Commission's Working Group on situations and of the Commission itself.
Human rights standards have little value if they are not implemented.
Consequently, the Commission devotes a great deal of time to examining issues
of implementation. Some of its work is particularly sensitive, generating extensive
debate and, often, disagreement. The Commission's success is measured by its
ability to make a difference to the lives of individuals.
- Economic, social and cultural rights;
- Civil and political rights, e.g. the questions of torture
and detention, disappearances and summary executions,
freedom of expression, the independence of the judiciary,
impunity and religious intolerance;
- The human rights of specific groups and individuals,
such as migrant workers, minorities and displaced persons;
- The rights of women and children;
- Indigenous issues;
as well as other more general issues.
 2004
Further information on human rights
and on the work of the Commission
on Human Rights

Credits Photos UNHCR (L. Boscardi, R. Chalasani), UN, OHCHR (Mr MAHDI Nori), UNICEF (Franck Charton, Giacomo Pirozzi) - Designed and printed by Publishing Services, UN Geneva - GE.04-11600 - March 2004 - 7,000
Sources for further information are:
The leaflet "Treaty Bodies" and other human rights materials,
available at your local United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) office or United Nations Information Centre and the web
site of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;

United Nations publications, available from the bookstores at

the United Nations at Geneva and United Nations Headquarters
in New York;

The home pages of the United Nations (www.un.org) and the

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (www.unhchr.ch)
on the Internet.
How can you assist its work?
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Human rights are not solely the responsibility of the United Nations or of Rights, a part of the United Nations Secretariat, provides secretariat
Governments. Every individual has a role to play in creating and promoting services to the Commission on Human Rights and to other human
an environment in which human rights are respected. While individuals
rights meetings and is located in Geneva (Switzerland).
do not participate directly in the sessions of the Commission on Human
Rights, they do play a critical role in providing information to its mecha-
nisms and in this way support the work of the Commission itself.

The Commission welcomes information from individuals and groups.

Specific issues of concern can be drawn to the Commission's attention For any questions regarding the work of the Commission
in the following ways: on Human Rights please contact its secretariat
at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
- Individuals can contact the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the following address:
for Human Rights on a specific issue. For human rights
violations that reveal a pattern of serious violations, indivi-
duals can make use of the 1503 procedure (on confidential Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
communications). for Human Rights - Palais Wilson
- Non-governmental organizations in consultative status with United Nations Office at Geneva
the Economic and Social Council can submit written state-
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
ments to the Commission. They can also be accredited to
participate in the annual session of the Commission. This Tel: (41) 22 917 90 00
will give them the opportunity to take the floor in the debate Fax: (41) 22 917 90 11
on the agenda items during the session. Non-governmental e-mail: InfoDesk@ohchr.org
organizations also arrange several hundreds of parallel
activities and meetings during the annual session.