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Self Report 2017

The self-report on WHS Commitments below is organized according to the 24 transformations of the Agenda for Humanity. It is based on commitments pledged at the time of report submission. Click on the 'Expand' symbol to expand each section and read the reporting inputs by transformation.

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2A
Respect and protect civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR commits to monitor and report on the human rights impact of the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    The human rights impact of the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects was seen as under-reported, especially with regards to the long-term human rights impact on rights such as the right to health, education and an adequate standard of living, including right to adequate housing and access to water and sanitation caused by the destruction of civilian infrastructure. It was seen as important to examine these issues and report on them in addition to the reporting on the casualties and physical damage resulting from the use of such weapons in densely populated areas.

  • Achievements at a glance

    OHCHR field presences, including human rights components of peace missions have monitored the use and impact of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas. This monitoring has been reflected in numerous reports (for example on Afghanistan, Ukraine and Yemen) which include statistics on the percentage of civilian casualties attributable to the use of explosive weapon, their impact on civilian infrastructure, including schools and access to water. Some of these reports also formulate recommendations to the parties to adopt measures to reduce civilian casualties resulting from the use of these weapons. Several press statements and briefings issued by OHCHR make reference to the impact of the use of explosive weapons in urban areas, concerning for example Syria and Yemen.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    The period of July to December 2016 represents the first phase of implementation of the commitments and therefore represents the baseline on which future progress on monitoring and reporting will be assessed.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Resource and capacity challenge. While we have an extensive network of human rights officers conducting monitoring in numerous conflict situations, including through Human Rights Components of peace missions, more could be done to enhance the capacity of these human rights monitors to gain the requisite technical knowledge and identify and report on relevant incidents and their human rights impact.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Respect and protect civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities', what would it be

    International human rights and humanitarian standards and norms offer a basis for principled, norm-based and constructive engagement in humanitarian action, based on an accepted framework, and positively impact on the humanitarian community’s effectiveness and credibility.

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑2C - Speak out on violations

2B
Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR commits to continue to advise Member States on their counter-terrorism and counter-violent extremism laws and responses to ensure that they are in compliance with international human rights law and do not impede humanitarian action.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to further promoting the relevance of the economic, social and cultural rights legal framework for the assessment of the impact of restrictions on humanitarian access.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to ensure all populations in need receive rapid and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • Commit to promote and enhance efforts to respect and protect medical personnel, transports and facilities, as well as humanitarian relief personnel and assets against attacks, threats or other violent acts.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    There are serious concerns at the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms and of international humanitarian law in the context of countering terrorism and violent extremism, which may also impede humanitarian action. OHCHR has reiterated that any responses to terrorism and violent extremism must be fully consistent with international law, including international human rights law.

    Given the growing interest on gender and PVE and the emergence of counterproductive narratives around it, OHCHR has an important role to play to clarify the linkages between human rights norms and PVE efforts and provide rights-based guidance.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In 2016, OHCHR conducted a mapping study on the relations between gender equality and women's rights and the prevention of violence extremism; partnerships were concluded with two universities for country-based research; and a joint meeting was also organized on PVE in Algeria with the African Union. Knowledge and awareness of States was increased through a panel summary on the human rights dimensions of preventing and countering violent extremism (A/HRC/33/28) and the High Commissioner’s report on best practices and lessons learned on PVE (A/HRC/33/29). In December 2016, OHCHR also submitted a thematic report on the negative impact of terrorism on human rights and fundamental freedoms (A/HRC/34/30). OHCHR also contributed to the drafting of the "Handbook on the Management of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the Prevention of Radicalization to Violence in Prisons" (published by UNODC in December 2016), in which human rights norms and standards have been mainstreamed.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Through our performance monitoring system: implementation of activities, including successful completion of mapping study, conclusion of partnerships with the universities and organisation of the joint meeting in Algeria.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Women’s rights and gender analysis is often missing and neglected in work by the international community on PVE, despite it being critical for affective policy approaches.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Over 2017 and 2018, implementation of the planned follow-up activities will be key, including 2 country studies on PVE and the development of guidance to Member States and others on women’s rights, gender and PVE.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Gender

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑2C - Speak out on violations ☑ 2D - Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

2C
Speak out on violations

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR commits to continue monitoring, investigating, analysing and reporting on human rights violations and abuses, as well as violations of international humanitarian law where relevant, through its field presences, by mandating and conducting fact-finding missions and by supporting United Nations mandated commissions of inquiries and other mechanisms with a view to establishing facts, contributing to accountability and enhancing the protection afforded by international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to monitor and report on the impact of armed conflict on humanitarian and health care workers and facilities, as well as on other human rights defenders in view of ensuring the enjoyment of human rights, as part of its overall reporting on violations of international humanitarian law.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to strengthen national protection mechanisms and increase its support for national human rights actors, including national human rights institutions and civil society organisations in their effort to monitor and report on violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during emergencies.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR will continue to speak out and systematically condemn violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law through various forms of advocacy including bilateral engagement with relevant parties.
  • Advocacy
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR will support increased efforts to track and collect data in situations of armed conflict on alleged violations of international human rights law and where relevant international humanitarian law, and strengthen its work in reporting on trends regarding such allegations and gaps in compliance with these bodies of law.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR will work, in coordination with UN and other partners, to ensure that information of potential, emerging or actual violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and broader threats to populations, is efficiently brought together, managed and jointly analysed to provide early warning information and to guide early UN responses.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to speak out and systematically condemn serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of international human rights law and to take concrete steps to ensure accountability of perpetrators when these acts amount to crimes under international law.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    2016 has been a period of significant challenges. Despite a number of landmark multilateral commitments, the global consensus around fundamental principles which uphold the international system has repeatedly broken down. This has impeded prevention and resolution of conflicts, with devastating impact in terms of human suffering and the exercise of human rights. These commitments stand at the heart of OHCHR's work since its creation, which continued to assist States to promote and protect the human rights of all people within their jurisdiction, in order to build societies respectful of human dignity, equality and freedom.

  • Achievements at a glance

    At the end of 2016, OHCHR had 59 field presences. OHCHR also conducted inquiries in and deployed missions to several countries (including Iraq, Libya, South Sudan, DRC, Burundi, Guatemala, Guinea, Moldova, Bulgaria, Greece, France and Italy). OHCHR supported the commissions of inquiry on Syria and Eritrea; and continued to support special procedures mandate holders in their various activities.

    OHCHR supported the establishment of national coordination mechanisms for reporting to human rights mechanisms and follow-up to their recommendations in 26 countries. It conducted capacity-building activities for some 50 national human rights institutions and strengthened protection programmes for civil society.

    In July 2016, the Deputy Secretary-General endorsed the report of the inter-agency task force on the establishment of a common UN information management system on violations (CIMS).

    The impact of conflict on health was covered in reports on Afghanistan, Yemen and Ukraine.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Progress is being assessed through: OHCHR performance monitoring system (Global Expected Accomplishment on responsiveness of the international community); the number of missions, commissions of inquiry and special procedures mandate holders established and supported; capacity building activities for governments and civil society actors. OHCHR strives to further professionalize human rights monitoring through training and review of field experiences and practices.

    On CIMS, progress is being assessed through the participation to the CIMS task force, engaging multiple UN partners in the regular assessment of the various priorities of the CIMS and allowing refinements to be constantly made as the process moves forward.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    OHCHR requires adequate resources to fulfill its mandate as well as the expectations of Member States and other stakeholders. Lack of access to many countries where violations prevent or limit monitoring and reporting.

    CIMS is a new initiative within the United Nations system which therefore requires the engagement of the various agencies and departments, and their commitment to setting aside adequate resources to ensure their meaningful participation in relevant exercises at the country-level. The commitment of the Secretary-General to the Human Rights Up Front initiative launched by his predecessor is imminent and a HRUF retreat is planned for March-April 2017.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    OHCHR will continue to carry out its mandate across the world.

    On CIMS, a series of country stocktaking pilot exercises will be implemented in five to 10 countries. The exercise will be followed by a full roll-out, in coordination with, and under the lead of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. A technical information management working group will also commence work, aimed at developing an information management tool for the whole United Nations, techniques and procedures to facilitate the effective sharing of information from across the UN system, and allowing the coherent production of joined-up analysis.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Speak out on violations', what would it be

    Human rights monitoring, investigation, analysis and reporting brings attention to people affected by humanitarian crises and gives them a voice. Monitoring and advocacy are essential for humanitarian preparedness and response, to identify early warning and trigger early and effective action to protect the affected population.

2D
Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • Through its humanitarian funds, OHCHR commits to continue providing direct assistance to victims of torture and of modern slavery by means of grants awarded to non-governmental organisations in emergency situations.
  • Financial
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to continue advocating for accountability and the right of victims to an effective remedy, including gender-sensitive reparations and due regard for the protection of victims and witnesses, for gross human rights violations and abuses, including those amounting to crimes under international law, and providing technical assistance to States on specific accountability mechanisms.
  • Advocacy
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to continue reminding parties to a conflict of their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law, as well as third states of their obligation to ensure respect of these bodies of law, through advocacy, training and technical assistance.
  • Advocacy
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to continue to offer training in international human rights law and where appropriate international humanitarian law, to armed forces and relevant law enforcement agencies as well as to continue engaging with armed groups on compliance with relevant legal norms and standards.
  • Training
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to continuing to raise awareness about the international human rights treaties and their optional protocols, to produce trainings materials and to offer advisory services to States in this regard.
  • Advocacy
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to contribute to the development of guidance and methodology to investigate sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian personnel.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to providing capacity building and/or other support to civil society organisations and Member States in addressing SGBV and holding perpetrators accountable, including the investigation, prosecution and punishment of persons responsible for SGBV and ensuring an effective remedy, including gender-sensitive reparations, for victims.
  • Capacity
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR commits to strengthening policy guidance and capacity for monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements on conflict-related sexual violence (MARA) in UN peace operations and other relevant contexts, including better coordination and strategies with other humanitarian actors in this regard.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • OHCHR will continue to offer technical assistance to States in drafting national legislation fully encompassing genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other gross human rights violations.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • Commit to speak out and systematically condemn serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of international human rights law and to take concrete steps to ensure accountability of perpetrators when these acts amount to crimes under international law.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • Implement a coordinated global approach to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in crisis contexts, including through the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity
  • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Improving compliance with international law and accountability is at the core of OHCHR mandate. One of the Office’s global expected accomplishments focuses on increasing compliance with international human rights law. This is done through country engagement, in particular through field presences. In this endeavour, OHCHR is guided by recommendations from the United Nations human rights mechanisms and through work around thematic issues, which includes collecting best practices and developing stakeholders’ capacity.

    OHCHR reports and press statements on countries affected by armed conflicts regularly include reminders to the parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

  • Achievements at a glance

    OHCHR published a Practical Guide on “Effective State Engagement with International Human Rights Mechanisms” and conducted trainings to State officials of over 80 countries.

    In 2016, the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture supported a total of 178 projects, totaling US$ 7.1 million, providing assistance to 47,000 victims in over 80 countries. The Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery supported 42 projects in 35 countries, assisting more than 10,000 persons, in particular women and children.

    To strengthen accountability for SGBV, OHCHR ensured integration of gender considerations into its efforts to promote human rights in humanitarian settings, including through trainings on MARA. With UNWomen, OHCHR deployed advisers to investigative bodies on Eritrea, CAR and South Sudan.

    On PSEA, OHCHR co-led the development of policies and guidance, notably the uniform protocol on sharing information and on protection of victims of SEA, and the policy on a human rights approach to SEA.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Progress against the global EA is systematically measured through our Performance Monitoring System. There has been an improvement in the gender analysis contained in OHCHR public reports and inputs, as well as in the consistent documentation of and attention to cases and trends of SGBV, including conflict related sexual violence. Moreover, awareness of gender-sensitive, comprehensive, victim-centred and transformative reparations for SGBV has been strengthened.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    - Challenges will remain to ensure sustainable funding for the Torture and Slavery Funds as resources are mostly drawn from earmarked contributions.
    - Capacity constraints affect overall sustained engagement at HQ level to integrate human rights early on into the development of training materials and involvement in the design and delivery of training jointly with DPKO counterparts.
    - On PSEA, it has been challenging to reconcile diverse Organizational mandates, perspectives and methods of work in a practical approach to investigations of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse that leads to improvements in coordination and upholds victims’ rights.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    OHCHR is working on a general treaty reporting manual and trainers guide as well as treaty specific training manuals and trainers guides to assist States, other stakeholders as well as UN staff in supporting increased State engagement with the international human rights mechanisms.

    OHCHR foresees an increase in dedicated capacity to address SGBV from the second quarter of 2017.

    OHCHR will continue to consistently engage with the Office of the Special Coordinator and relevant UN entities and contribute to follow-up to the recommendations of the CAR Panel Report and related work streams, by providing human rights advice and constructive inputs.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability', what would it be

    People not only ask for violations to stop, they also ask for them not be repeated, for the truth to be told and for perpetrators to be held accountable. Accountability mechanisms help address victims’ suffering, rebuild trust in state institutions, and mitigate risks of recurrence of conflict.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people ☑ Gender

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑2C - Speak out on violations ☑ 3D - Empower and protect women and girls

2E
Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR will join a global effort to mobilize states, civil society and global leaders to enhance respect for international humanitarian and human rights law.
  • Operational
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to promote and enhance respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and refugee law, where applicable.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    In response to the large-scale movements of people during the reporting period as well as the heightened vulnerability of migrants to discrimination, exploitation and violence, OHCHR enhanced its focus on the rights of migrants and on countering xenophobia.

  • Achievements at a glance

    OHCHR sought to integrate a human rights perspective into the global policy dialogue on migration, including in the context of the high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants. As Co-Chair of the Global Migration Group Working Group on Migration, Human Rights and Gender, OHCHR led a multi-stakeholder initiative to develop principles and guidelines, supported by practical guidance, on the human rights of migrants in vulnerable situations. OHCHR assisted in the development of the TOGETHER campaign launched by the Secretary-General to confront xenophobia against refugees and other migrants. On 10 December 2016, OHCHR launched the Stand Up campaign: a call to everyone to exercise their right to defend the rights of others, share positive stories and to help counter hatred and xenophobia.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity', what would it be

    International human rights and humanitarian standards and norms offer a basis for principled, norm-based and constructive engagement in humanitarian action. States also have an obligation to respect, protect and fulfill all human rights for all persons without discrimination.

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑2C - Speak out on violations ☑ 3B - Address the vulnerabilities of migrants and provide more regular and lawful opportunities for migration

3B
Address the vulnerabilities of migrants and provide more regular and lawful opportunities for migration

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR commits to developing principles and practical guidance on the human rights protection of migrants in situations of vulnerability within mixed movements in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders.
  • Policy
  • Leave No One Behind
  • OHCHR commits to enhance its own capacity to monitor the human rights situation of migrants in humanitarian contexts and to build the capacity of relevant stakeholders to uphold the human rights of migrants.
  • Operational
  • Leave No One Behind

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Around the world, millions of migrants, including in the context of large and/or mixed movements, are in a precarious human rights situation, and in need of protection interventions, whether as a result of the circumstances that they encounter in countries of origin, in transit, and at destination and/or due to inherent characteristics. While there is an international legal framework protecting the rights of all migrants, a knowledge-gap has been revealed on the human rights standards for migrants in vulnerable situations, and on how States and others can operationalize those standards, which this commitment aim to address.

  • Achievements at a glance

    OHCHR, as co-chair of the Global Migration Group Working Group on Migration, Human Rights and Gender Equality, led the development of a set of Principles and guidelines on the human rights protection of migrants in vulnerable situations through a human rights-based, multi-stakeholder, expert process. OHCHR also produced reports on the human rights of migrants in the context of large movements (A/HRC/33/67), and on abuses against migrants in Libya. OHCHR further dispatched monitoring missions to European border locations to assess the human rights protection needs of migrants; supported States in the development of action plans to respond to migration in Tunisia, West Africa and Serbia, and delivered training on migration and human rights to the EU Naval Force and stakeholders in the Middle East.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    OHCHR assesses its performance on the basis on the internal monitoring plan and based on the organization’s management plan.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Human and financial capacity constraints affect overall sustained engagement at HQ and the field level on the human rights of migrants in humanitarian contexts, including to monitor the human rights protection gaps of migrants in humanitarian contexts and to build the capacity of relevant stakeholders to uphold the human rights of migrants.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    The New York Declaration recognized and committed to address, in accordance with international law, the particular needs of migrants in vulnerable situations. It indicated that these specific needs could be included in the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. The Compact’s modalities resolution also invites States to consider these needs. The principles and guidelines could be integrated into the human rights cluster of the global compact. OHCHR will also continue to deploy missions to monitor the human rights situation of migrants at borders and to deliver capacity-building activities on migration and human rights.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Address the vulnerabilities of migrants and provide more regular and lawful opportunities for migration', what would it be

    Effective humanitarian responses to crises as well as durable, human rights-based solutions to internal displacement based on international standards, are essential to the protection of highly vulnerable IDPs, including those experiencing protracted displacement, helping to ensure their safety and economic and social welfare within their countries of origin.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑IDPs ☑ Refugees

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑2C - Speak out on violations

3D
Empower and protect women and girls

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR commits to continue to promote and support implementation of the Technical Guidance on the application of a human rights based approach to the implementation of policies and programmes for the reduction of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity (A/HRC/21/22), including the development and dissemination, in collaboration with partners, of reflection guides for health policy makers, national human rights institutions, health workers and the judiciary.
  • Operational
  • Leave No One Behind
  • OHCHR commits to enhance engagement with children, adolescents and women, including by facilitating national multi-stakeholder dialogues and capacity building activities with civil society actors on the international norms related to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
  • Partnership
  • Leave No One Behind
  • OHCHR commits to partner with local and national women's groups to provide women's groups with capacity building tools and training to increase their ability to claim their rights in humanitarian settings.
  • Operational
  • Leave No One Behind
  • OHCHR commits to strengthening tools and capacity for integration of gender into its monitoring and investigation work in humanitarian contexts to ensure rights-based responses that do not perpetuate discrimination, promote equality and give greater recognition and support to women's roles as peace makers and agents of resilience in communities affected by conflict or natural disasters.
  • Operational
  • Leave No One Behind

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Empower Women and Girls as change agents and leaders, including by increasing support for local women's groups to participate meaningfully in humanitarian action.
  • Leave No One Behind
  • Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the Outcome documents of their review conferences for all women and adolescent girls in crisis settings.
  • Leave No One Behind
  • Ensure that humanitarian programming is gender responsive.
  • Leave No One Behind
  • Fully comply with humanitarian policies, frameworks and legally binding documents related to gender equality, women's empowerment, and women's rights.
  • Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity Leave No One Behind

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Discrimination against women and girls is one of the biggest injustices of our times and represents a key obstacle to peace and development. In humanitarian crises pre-existing discrimination, marginalization, and violence based on gender is exacerbated leading to a disproportionate adverse impact on women and girls. Crises also represent an opportunity to challenge existing power imbalances. Humanitarian responses, peacebuilding, and peacemaking must aim to promote more just and inclusive societies. They must acknowledge and support women’s and girls’ fundamental role in building resilient, peaceful societies, as part of organized civil society, as active agents in formal and informal recovery processes.

  • Achievements at a glance

    OHCHR builds the capacity of CSOs to document violations of international human rights norms in humanitarian settings. OHCHR organized, with UNFPA, a regional capacity building workshop on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Senegal. It promotes a human rights-based approach to addressing maternal mortality and morbidity, including in humanitarian settings, utilizing the HRC’s Technical Guidance on maternal mortality and morbidity. The latter formed the basis for OHCHR engagement with the High Level Working Group on Health and Human Rights and the SG’s Global Strategy on Women's Children's and Adolescent Health, both of which have a particular focus on humanitarian and fragile settings.

    OHCHR increased the integration of gender into its investigative work in humanitarian settings, including in reports on Ukraine, Libya, and the situation of Rohingya in Myanmar, and through internal guidance on the integration of a gender perspective in the work of Commissions of Inquiry and Fact-Finding Missions.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Considering the long-term transformation envisaged, at this early stage assessing progress involves the development of a civil society network working in humanitarian contexts on SRHR and continued engagement on follow-up activities; specific uptake of the Technical Guidance by the High Level Working Group and the SG Global Strategy and related processes concerned with humanitarian settings; and further integration of gender considerations into OHCHR investigations and reports on humanitarian contexts including COI/FFM investigations and reports.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Challenges include a lack of access, a lack of recognition of the gender-specific human rights violations and challenges in humanitarian contexts, and a lack of systematic inclusion of and capacity to integrate a gender perspective into humanitarian processes.
    Continued engagement with partners at country level, including civil society actors including women’s human rights defenders, to support with follow-up and reinforce their work on the empowerment of women and girls, requires financial and human resources, which in humanitarian contexts are not always available.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Build on achievements and implementing follow-up activities, including continued support to civil society organisations; dedicated capacity building for OHCHR investigative teams/rosters using the internal guidance; systematic support to the Working Group and inputs to the SG Global Strategy and SDG implementation process, especially where these relate to humanitarian contexts.

    Other activities are also being planned, including: establishment of a desk to provide substantive support to investigative bodies and continuous capacity building work with women’s organisations/actors through Regional Gender Advisors and human rights components of peace missions.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Gender

3G
Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR commits to enhance its capacity to monitor, report and advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all stages of the humanitarian management cycle, upholding international human rights standards.
  • Operational
  • Leave No One Behind
  • OHCHR will support the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action and follow-up actions related to the development of internationally agreed guidelines for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all stages of the humanitarian management cycle.
  • Policy
  • Leave No One Behind

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    In 2013 OHCHR was mandated by the Human Rights Council to prepare a study on article 11 of the CRPD. In such study OHCHR highlights the number of gaps in policy and practice with regard to persons with disabilities. OHCHR has an important role on monitoring human rights violations against persons with disabilities in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies and OHCHR needs to build internal capacity to perform this duty. In addition, in the WHS endorsed Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action the development of guidelines for the inclusion of persons with disabilities is promoted.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In order to build capacity, OHCHR organized in November 2016 a training for its staff on humanitarian action which included a disability perspective across the programme. The guidelines under the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action will be developed as of 2017, according to the decision adopted by the IASC Task Team on the inclusion of persons with disabilities on 6 October 2016.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    OHCHR depends on additional funding to achieve the commitments on increasing capacity to monitor, report and advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all stages of the humanitarian management cycle, upholding international human rights standards. OHCHR will develop a funding proposal in 2017 to this purpose. According to the decision of the IASC Task Team on the inclusion of persons with disabilities on 6 October 2016, guidelines will be developed by its members following a plan over 2 years.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    OHCHR requires additional resources to deliver on some of its commitments.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Prepare a funding proposal.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Address other groups or minorities in crisis settings', what would it be

    Humanitarian action should respond to the specific needs of persons with disabilities while recognizing and building on their capacities to contribute to humanitarian preparedness and response.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Disability

  • Specific initiatives

    ☑Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action

4A
Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR commits to keep a focus on the entire population that is affected by a crisis, strive to identify particularly vulnerable individuals and groups and ensure that they are at the centre of the response.
  • Operational
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
  • Commit to reinforce national and local leadership and capacities in managing disaster and climate-related risks through strengthened preparedness and predictable response and recovery arrangements.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
  • Commit to increase investment in building community resilience as a critical first line of response, with the full and effective participation of women.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
  • Commit to ensure regional and global humanitarian assistance for natural disasters complements national and local efforts.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
  • Commit to increase substantially and diversify global support and share of resources for humanitarian assistance aimed to address the differentiated needs of populations affected by humanitarian crises in fragile situations and complex emergencies, including increasing cash-based programming in situations where relevant.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
  • Commit to empower national and local humanitarian action by increasing the share of financing accessible to local and national humanitarian actors and supporting the enhancement of their national delivery systems, capacities and preparedness planning.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Promoting and protecting the human rights of all affected populations is central in all OHCHR work.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In order to enhance OHCHR capacity and expertise to deploy and contribute as an effective partner in humanitarian responses, OHCHR has designed an annual training course in this area. In the latest edition in November 2016, 26 colleagues participated from field presences, NYO and HQ. The training had among pre-course requirements the completion of an Inter-Agency Standing Committee on-line course on ensuring gender equality in humanitarian programming. The face-to-face component involved exercises on advising a Humanitarian Coordinator on IHRL and IHL; monitoring, reporting and advocacy in emergencies – with a focus also on marginalised groups, vulnerabilities and participation; humanitarian and OHCHR planning and funding; a panel with UN partners and NGOs; and a one-day simulation with an evolving scenario with an earthquake occurring in a post-conflict context.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Through daily and end of training evaluations, as well as post-training surveys, feedback is assessed in order to improve the future editions of OHCHR training courses and other learning initiatives and thus impact in this area.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    OHCHR does not have sustained resources on guidance and training on humanitarian action, which would be needed for example to replicate this annual training course in regional editions, and a version for senior level deployments and other support in humanitarian contexts.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    OHCHR’s greater involvement in humanitarian emergency settings continues to require the enhancement of staff skills and capacities to play an effective role, which merits stepped-up efforts on lessons learnt and training in this area. OHCHR will more effectively advocate for the integration of human rights issues in a manner that resonates with humanitarian partners and enhances the protection of affected populations.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems', what would it be

    A human rights-based approach, which takes into account the human rights and specific needs of vulnerable groups and individuals, aims at empowering people to claim their rights and strengthen the capacities and accountability of duty-bearers to meet their legal obligations. Human rights and humanitarian work is mutually reinforcing and complementary.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people

4B
Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility
  • OHCHR will continue to advocate for the integration of human rights considerations in climate policy and disaster risk reduction and resilience, and for the effective implementation of existing commitments in this regard, and will seek support for these efforts.
  • Advocacy
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
  • OHCHR will produce relevant guidance materials related to human rights, climate change and natural disasters including a frequently asked questions publication on human rights and climate change by 2017.
  • Policy
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
  • Commit to accelerate the reduction of disaster and climate-related risks through the coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, as well as other relevant strategies and programs of action, including the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need Invest in Humanity
  • Commit to improve the understanding, anticipation and preparedness for disaster and climate-related risks by investing in data, analysis and early warning, and developing evidence-based decision-making processes that result in early action.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    OHCHR seeks to ensure that human rights are integrated in climate action and disaster risk reduction in order to guarantee that these efforts protect and benefit the most vulnerable. This includes advocating for high ambition in mitigation as the best way to avert the future negative impacts of climate change. It also includes advocating for appropriate measures to ensure that climate actions do not contribute to human rights harms.

  • Achievements at a glance

    OHCHR has engaged in strategic advocacy at the UNFCCC and the past couple of years have seen considerable progress toward the integration of human rights at the UNFCCC with the adoption of the Paris Agreement which explicitly references human rights and includes a high-ambition target of 1.5 degrees at COP21, the extension of the Lima Work Programme on gender at COP22, and the inclusion of human rights in a decision on capacity-building. OHCHR has produced and distributed a number of guidance materials advocating these and other positions.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Progress is assessed through analysis of integration of human rights in relevant outcomes and through completion / finalization of reports, studies and guidance materials.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    OHCHR has extremely limited capacity in this area with only one staff person occupying a temporary post covering climate change and environmental issues. Scaling up work in this area would require additional resources.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    Continued advocacy at the UNFCCC and other relevant fora. Finalization of the Factsheet on Human Rights and Climate Change. Production of other relevant reports and inputs.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Disaster Risk Reduction

4C
Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

Individual Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Commitment Type
  • Core Responsibility

  • OHCHR also commits to continue supporting the leadership role of RC/HC to deliver effective responses to humanitarian crises and empower them to address serious violations, link human rights mechanisms and institutions with humanitarian actors and support national protection mechanisms.


  • Capacity
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need
  • OHCHR commits to promote greater integration across all the pillars of the United Nations - human rights, development, humanitarian, peace and security - by supporting joint analysis, advocacy and programming, and working towards collective outcomes for the achievement of the SDGs and national priorities.
  • Operational
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

Core Commitment

  • Commitment
  • Core Responsibility
  • Commit to a new way of working that meets people's immediate humanitarian needs, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years through the achievement of collective outcomes. To achieve this, commit to the following: a) Anticipate, Do Not Wait: to invest in risk analysis and to incentivize early action in order to minimize the impact and frequency of known risks and hazards on people. b) Reinforce, Do Not Replace: to support and invest in local, national and regional leadership, capacity strengthening and response systems, avoiding duplicative international mechanisms wherever possible. c) Preserve and retain emergency capacity: to deliver predictable and flexible urgent and life-saving assistance and protection in accordance with humanitarian principles. d) Transcend Humanitarian-Development Divides: work together, toward collective outcomes that ensure humanitarian needs are met, while at the same time reducing risk and vulnerability over multiple years and based on the comparative advantage of a diverse range of actors. The primacy of humanitarian principles will continue to underpin humanitarian action.
  • Change People's Lives: From Delivering Aid to Ending Need

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    OHCHR strives to ensure that human rights protection is central and that those in vulnerable situations are included in UN programs and responses, be it in development contexts or at times of emergencies. Human rights violations ought to be addressed as root causes of crises and as part of the response leading to peaceful conflict resolution. This is in line with the Human Rights Up Front Action Plan and answers the calls for strengthened protection and for the need to better support the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinators in their protection role. (see also Whole of System Review on Protection in Humanitarian Action).

  • Achievements at a glance

    OHCHR supports the humanitarian leadership of Syria (from Lebanon), Jordan and Turkey in relation to the Syria crisis, and contributes to protection analysis, advocacy and responses in countries such as Occupied Palestinian Territories, Ukraine and the Pacific.

    At the global level, OHCHR, as co-chair with Interaction, of the Global Protection Cluster Task Team, managed the development of the IASC Protection Priority, which was endorsed by the IASC Principals in October 2016. OHCHR participates in IASC fora, including the Task Team on Humanitarian-Development and Peace Nexus. Within the UNDG, OHCHR contributed to ensuring greater integration across all pillars in the context of UNDG common messages and contributions to the QCPR process; and the finalization of new UNDAF Guidance. OHCHR is also involved in discussions related to the peace and security reforms and has played a leading role in the discussions over the consolidation of protection functions in peace missions.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Measures of progress include: assessing results against the organization management plan and its performance monitoring system; participation and contributions to IASC fora, including in discussions around the New Way of Working; field missions, including with the Emergency Directors and STAIT.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    OHCHR intends to further support consistent and strengthened engagement of its field presences in humanitarian action through their active participation in humanitarian programmes and processes; training of staff members to better engage in emergency responses; deployment of (additional) capacities, where needed, to advise the humanitarian leadership on human rights protection issues.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides', what would it be

    The centrality of human rights provides all the foundations required to work towards collective outcomes. To "transcend the humanitarian-development divide", agencies must address the root causes of conflicts and crises, which often stem from violations and neglect of human rights, including persistent discrimination, impunity and violence.

  • Cross cutting issues

    ☑Accountability to affected people

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    ☑1B - Act early ☑ 2D - Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

Attachments

  • WHS Commitments Attachments
    Transformation - 2C, 2D