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UN’S
 SPECIAL
 RAPPORTEURS
 

 

 
The
 UN’s
 Special
 rapporteurs:
 who
 are
 they,
 what
 are
 they
 doing,
 what
 is
 their
 link
 
to
 the
 right
 to
 health?
 
 
In
 this
 document,
 you
 will
 find
 all
 information
 about
 them!
 

 
INTRODUCTION
 

 
There
 are
 in
 the
 UN
 some
 mechanisms
 to
 take
 care
 either
 of
 a
 country’s
 specific
 
issue
 or
 of
 thematic
 issues
 in
 every
 part
 of
 the
 world.
 Among
 those
 mechanisms,
 
called
 «
 special
 procedures
 »,
 we
 find
 the
 Special
 rapporteurs.
 
 

 
Special
  rapporteurs
  are
  in
  charge
  of
  holding
  inquiries
  into
  violations
  and
  to
 
intervene
  on
  specific
  issues
  or
  urgent
  situations.
  They
  therefore
  play
  an
 
important
  role
  in
  the
  protection
  of
  human
  rights.
  They
  are
  independent,
  sit
 
individually
 and
 cannot
 be
 appointed
 more
 than
 six
 years.
 Their
 mission
 is
 to
 
study
 and
 draft
 a
 report
 on
 a
 country’s
 situation
 about
 a
 human
 right
 issue.
 
 

 
For
 that
 purpose,
 special
 rapporteurs
 visit
 countries.
 They
 can
 decide
 to
 visit
 a
 
State
  for
  themselves
  or
  further
  to
  specific
  allegations
  about
  human
  rights
 
violations
 related
 to
 their
 mandates.
 

 
Special
 rapporteurs
 use
  a
 wide
 variety
 of
 information’s
 sources.
 They
 conduct
 
part
  of
  their
  research
  in
  concerned
  countries,
  discuss
  with
  authorities
  and
 
victims
 and
 collect
 proofs
 on
 the
 ground.
 After
 their
 visit,
 the
 holder
 of
 special
 
procedures’
 mandates
 presents
 a
 mission
 report
 with
 his/her
 conclusions
 and
 
recommendations.
 
 

 
Some
 Special
 rapporteurs
 are
 in
 charge
 of
 receiving
 information
 from
 different
 
sources:
  governments,
  intergovernmental
  organisations,
  non-­‐governmental
 
organisations,
 victims
 of
 human
 rights
 violations
 and
 witnesses.
 
When
 they
 receive
 reliable
 information
 on
 a
 human
 rights’
 violation
 related
 to
 
their
 mandate,
 they
 can
 discuss
 directly
 with
 the
 governments
 concerned.
 
 

 
Don’t
 hesitate
 to
 contact
 the
 concerned
 Special
 rapporteur
 if
 you
 consider
 
that
 a
 human
 rights’
 violation
 took
 place,
 exists
 or
 might
 occur!
 

 
In
 appendix,
 you
 will
 find:
 
-­‐ The
 list
 of
 Special
 rapporteurs
 intervening
 directly
 with
 governments
 
-­‐ Your
 means
 of
 action
 to
 denunciate
 a
 fundamental
 rights’
 violation
 

 
For
  more
  information
  about
  special
  procedures,
  mandates,
  please
  visit
  on
  the
 
website
 of
 the
 High
 Commissioner
 for
 Human
 Rights
 

 
The
  existence
  of
  those
  Special
  rapporteurs
  is
  a
  fundamental
  element
  for
  the
 
defence
 of
 human
 rights.
 A
 lot
 of
 them
 are
 related,
 directly
 or
 indirectly,
 to
 the
 
health.
 

 
THE
 RIGHT
 TO
 HEALTH,
 IN
 BRIEF
 

 

 
The
  right
  to
  health
  is
  actually
  «
 the
  right
  to
  the
  enjoyment
  of
  the
  highest
 
attainable
 standard
 of
 physical
 and
 mental
 health
 ».
 
 
This
 right
 was
 first
 articulated
 in
 the
 1946
 Constitution
 of
 the
 WHO.
 
But
 it
 is
 still
 difficult
 to
 know
 exactly
 what
 it
 covers.
 
 
A
 larger
 definition
 has
 been
 given
 by
 the
 UN
 Committee
 on
 economic,
 social
 and
 
cultural
 rights,
 interpreting
 the
 right
 to
 health
 as
 “an
 inclusive
 right
 extending
 
not
 only
 to
 timely
 and
 appropriate
 health
 care
 but
 also
 to
 the
 underlying
 
determinants
 of
 health,
 such
 as
 access
 to
 safe
 and
 potable
 water
 and
 
adequate
 sanitation,
 an
 adequate
 supply
 of
 safe
 food,
 nutrition
 and
 housing,
 
healthy
 occupational
 and
 environmental
 conditions,
 and
 access
 to
 health-­
related
 education
 and
 information,
 including
 on
 sexual
 and
 reproductive
 
health.
 A
 further
 important
 aspect
 is
 the
 participation
 of
 the
 population
 in
 all
 
health-­related
 decision-­making
 at
 the
 community,
 national
 and
 
international
 levels.”
 

 
The
 right
 to
 health
 is
 composed
 of
 several
 rights
 which,
 when
 they
 are
 associated
 
to
 the
 others,
 permit
 to
 attain
 the
 best
 possible
 health.
 
As
 an
 example,
 rights
 to
 food,
 to
 safe
 drinking
 water
 but
 also
 to
 education,
 which
 
is
 a
 social
 determinant
 playing
 an
 important
 role
 for
 the
 health
 of
 people.
 
 

 
Example:
 how
 the
 right
 to
 education
 impacts
 the
 right
 to
 health?
 
The
 lack
 of
 education
 doesn’t
 permit
 to
 every
 person
 to
 know
 the
 appropriate
 
reactions
  to
  have
  in
  order
  to
  have
  appropriate
  health
  habits.
  With
  education,
 
people
 will
 become
 aware
 of
 their
 means
 of
 action
 on
 their
 health.
 
 

 
More
 information
 about
 the
 right
 to
 health:
 
The
 Right
 to
 Health,
 Factsheet
 n
 31,
 WHO
 
Steps
 for
 Change,
 IFHHRO
 
General
 comments
 from
 the
 Committee
 on
 economic,
 social
 and
 cultural
 rights
 

 

 
1
  -­
  SPECIAL
  RAPPORTEUR
  ON
  THE
  RIGHT
  OF
  EVERYONE
  TO
  THE
 
ENJOYMENT
 OF
 THE
 HIGHEST
 ATTAINABLE
 STANDARD
 OF
 PHYSICAL
 AND
 
MENTAL
 HEALTH
 

 
Mr
  Anand
  Grove
  is
  the
  Special
  rapporteur
  on
  the
  right
  of
  everyone
  to
  the
 
enjoyment
 of
 the
 highest
 attainable
 standard
 of
 physical
 and
 mental
 health.
 

 
Prerogatives
 of
 the
 Special
 rapporteur:
 
-­‐ Control
 of
 the
 right
 to
 health’s
 situation
 around
 the
 world;
 
-­‐ States’
 visits
 &
 report
 on
 national
 situation
 in
 terms
 of
 right
 to
 health;
 
-­‐ Communication
 with
 States
 and
 other
 concerned
 parties
 with
 regard
 to
 
alleged
 cases
 of
 violations
 of
 the
 right
 to
 health;
 
-­‐ Promotion
 of
 the
 right
 to
 health;
 
-­‐ Annual
 reports.
 

 
More
  information
  on
  the
  Special
  rapporteur
  on
  the
  right
  of
  everyone
  to
  the
 
enjoyment
 of
 the
 highest
 attainable
 standard
 of
 physical
 and
 mental
 health:
 
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Health/Pages/SRRightHealthIndex.aspx
 
 

 

 
2
 -­
 SPECIAL
 RAPPORTEUR
 ON
 THE
 RIGHT
 TO
 EDUCATION
 

 
The
  UN
  Committee
  on
  economic,
  social
  and
  cultural
  rights,
  in
  the
  General
 
comment
 No.
 13,
 defines
 the
 education:
 «
 education
 is
 both
 a
 human
 right
 in
 itself
 
and
 an
 indispensable
 means
 of
 realizing
 other
 human
 rights.
 »
 

 
It
 is
 important
 to
 understand
 that
 education
 permits
 to
 ensure
 all
 fundamental
 
rights.
 Education
 is
 also
 essential
 to
 attain
 the
 best
 health
 possible.
 Mr
 Kishore
 
SINGH
 is
 the
 Special
 rapporteur
 on
 the
 right
 to
 education
 since
 2010.
 
 

 
More
 information
 on
 the
 SpecialrRapporteur
 on
 the
 right
 to
 education:
 
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Education/SREducation/Pages/SREducationInd
ex.aspx
 

 

 
3
 -­
 SPECIAL
 RAPPORTEUR
 ON
 THE
 RIGHT
 TO
 FOOD
 

 
Mr
  Olivier
  DE
  SCHUTTER
  is
  the
  Special
  rapporteur
  on
  the
  right
  to
  food
  since
 
2008.
 
 

 
For
  the
  Special
  rapporteur,
  the
  right
  to
  food
  is
  the
  right
  to
  have
  regular,
 
permanent
  and
  unrestricted
  access,
  either
  directly
  or
  by
  means
  of
  financial
 
purchases,
  to
  quantitatively
  and
  qualitatively
  adequate
  and
  sufficient
  food
 
corresponding
  to
  the
  cultural
  traditions
  of
  the
  people
  to
  which
  the
  consumer
 
belongs,
  and
  which
  ensure
  a
  physical
  and
  mental,
  individual
  and
  collective,
 
fulfilling
 and
 dignified
 life
 free
 of
 fear.
 
With
 this
 definition,
 we
 understand
 that
 the
 right
 to
 food
 plays
 a
 fundamental
 
role
 in
 the
 right
 to
 health;
 who
 could
 attain
 the
 best
 physical
 and
 mental
 health
 
possible
 without
 food?
 

 
To
 ensure
 the
 right
 to
 health,
 the
 right
 to
 food
 has
 to
 be
 ensured.
 
 

 
More
 information
 on
 the
 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 right
 to
 food:
 
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Food/Pages/FoodIndex.aspx
 
 

 

 
4
 -­
 SPECIAL
 RAPPORTEUR
 ON
 EXTREME
 POVERTY
 AND
 HUMAN
 RIGHTS
 

 
People
 who
 are
 living
 in
 extreme
 poverty
 cannot
 enjoy
 their
 fundamental
 rights,
 
as
 the
 right
 to
 food,
 the
 right
 to
 housing
 and
 the
 right
 to
 the
 enjoyment
 of
 the
 
highest
 attainable
 standard
 of
 physical
 and
 mental
 health.
 
 

 
People
 who
 are
 in
 this
 situation
 do
 not
 have
 means
 to
 see
 a
 doctor
 and
 cannot
 
prevent
 diseases.
 
 Their
 right
 to
 health
 is
 not
 ensured.
 
 

 
Ms.
  Magdalena
  SEPULVEDA
  CARMONA
  is
  the
  Special
  rapporteur
  on
  extreme
 
poverty
 and
 human
 rights
 since
 2008.
 
 Her
 mission
 is
 to
 identify
 approaches
 for
 
removing
 all
 obstacles
 to
 the
 full
 enjoyment
 of
 human
 rights
 for
 people
 living
 in
 
extreme
 poverty.
 She
 makes
 recommendations
 on
 how
 persons
 living
 in
 extreme
 
poverty
 can
 participate
 in
 the
 definition
 of
 measures
 affecting
 them.
 
 
The
 Special
 rapporteur
 studies
 the
 impact
 of
 discrimination
 on
 this
 situation
 and
 
participates
  in
  the
  assessment
  of
  the
  implementation
  of
  Millennium
 
Development
 Goals.
 

 
More
 information
 on
 the
 Special
 rapporteur
 on
 extreme
 poverty
 and
 human
 rights:
 
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/Pages/SRExtremePovertyIndex.aspx
 

 

 
5
  -­
  SPECIAL
  RAPPORTEUR
  ON
  THE
  HUMAN
  RIGHT
  TO
  SAFE
  DRINKING
 
WATER
 AND
 SANITATION
 

 
The
  access
  to
  drinking
  water
  and
  sanitation
  is
  essential
  to
  live
  in
  dignity
  and
 
ensure
 human
 rights.
 But
 there
 are
 still
 billions
 of
 people
 who
 cannot
 enjoy
 this
 
right.
 Therefore
 those
 persons
 can’t
 enjoy
 the
 best
 health
 possible.
 
 

 
That
 is
 why
 it
 is
 important
 to
 promote
 access
 to
 drinking
 water
 and
 sanitation
 all
 
around
 the
 world.
 
 

 
Ms.
 Catarina
 DE
 ALBUQUERQUE
 is
 the
 Special
 rapporteur
 on
 the
 human
 right
 to
 
safe
 drinking
 water
 and
 sanitation
 since
 2008.
 
 

 
She
 has
 several
 missions:
 
-­‐ Establish
  a
  dialogue
  with
  all
  concerned
  parties
  in
  order
  to
  check
  out,
 
promote
 and
 exchanges
 opinions
 on
 best
 practises
 related
 to
 the
 access
 to
 
drinking
 water
 and
 sanitation
 then
 draft
 a
 compendium
 on
 best
 practises
 
 
 
-­‐ Draft
 a
 study
 in
 collaboration
 with
 concerned
 parties
 in
 order
 to
 define
 
more
 precisely
 the
 obligations
 related
 to
 human
 right,
 including
 the
 non
 
discrimination’s
 obligation,
 which
 affect
 the
 access
 to
 drinking
 water
 and
 
sanitation
 
-­‐ Make
 recommendations
 helping
 the
 assessment
 of
 the
 implementation
 of
 
Millennium
 Development
 Goals.
 
 

 
More
 information
 on
 the
 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 human
 right
 to
 safe
 drinking
 
water
 and
 sanitation:
 
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/WaterAndSanitation/SRWater/Pages/SRWater
Index.aspx
 
 

 

 
6
 -­
 SPECIAL
 RAPPORTEUR
 ON
 TORTURE
 AND
 OTHER
 CRUEL,
 INHUMAN
 OR
 
DEGRADING
 TREATMENT
 OR
 PUNISHMENT
 

 
The
 WMA
 is
 fully
 committed
 in
 the
 fight
 against
 torture
 and
 in
 its
 prevention.
 
Torture
 is
 a
 grave
 violation
 of
 the
 human
 body
 and
 infringes
 the
 right
 to
 health.
 

 
The
  Special
  rapporteur,
  by
  visiting
  countries
  and
  publishing
  reports,
  give
  us
 
some
  useful
  information.
  His
  mission
  concurs
  with
  the
  mission
  of
  the
 
Subcommittee
 on
 prevention
 of
 torture
 and
 national
 preventive
 mechanisms.
 

 
 
Mr
 Juan
 MENDEZ
 is
 the
 Special
 rapporteur
 on
 torture
 and
 other
 cruel,
 inhuman
 
or
 degrading
 treatment
 or
 punishment
 since
 2010.
 
 

 
His
 mandate
 comprises
 three
 main
 activities:
 
-­‐
 Transmitting
 urgent
 appeals
 to
 States
 with
 regard
 to
 individuals
 reported
 to
 be
 
at
 risk
 of
 torture,
 as
 well
 as
 communications
 on
 past-­‐alleged
 cases
 of
 torture;
 
-­‐
 Undertaking
 fact-­‐finding
 country
 visits;
 and
 
-­‐
 Submitting
 annual
 reports
 on
 activities,
 the
 mandate
 and
 methods
 of
 work
 to
 
the
 Human
 Rights
 Council
 and
 the
 General
 Assembly.
 
 

 
More
 information
 on
 the
 Special
 rapporteur
 on
 torture
 and
 other
 cruel,
 inhuman
 
or
 degrading
 treatment
 or
 punishment:
 
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Torture/SRTorture/Pages/SRTortureIndex.aspx
 
 

 

 
7
 –
 THE
 OTHER
 SPECIAL
 RAPPORTEURS
 

 
There
  are
  also
  Special
  rapporteurs
  on
  contemporary
  forms
  of
  slavery,
  on
 
adequate
 housing
 as
 a
 component
 of
 the
 right
 to
 an
 adequate
 standard
 of
 living
 
and
  on
  the
  right
  to
  non-­‐discrimination
  in
  this
  context,
  on
  the
  implications
  for
 
human
  rights
  of
  the
  environmentally
  sound
  management
  and
  disposal
  of
 
hazardous
 substances
 and
 wastes,
 on
 violence
 against
 women…
 

 
It
 is
 important
 that
 physicians
 keep
 an
 eye
 on
 published
 reports
 and
 act
 to
 
enforce
 the
 recommendations
 made
 by
 the
 Rapporteurs.
 
 

 

 
APPENDIX
 

 
Appendix
 1
 –
 List
 of
 thematic
 special
 procedures
 sending
 urgent
 appeals
 
and
 letters
 of
 allegation1:
 

 

 Working
 Group
 on
 enforced
 or
 involuntary
 disappearances
 

 Working
 Group
 on
 arbitrary
 detention
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 extrajudicial,
 summary
 or
 arbitrary
 executions
 

  Special
  Rapporteur
  on
  torture
  and
  other
  cruel,
  inhuman
  or
  degrading
 
treatment
 or
 punishment
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 right
 to
 freedom
 of
 religion
 or
 belief
 

  Special
  Rapporteur
  on
  the
  sale
  of
  children,
  child
  prostitution
  and
  child
 
pornography
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 promotion
 and
 protection
 of
 the
 right
 to
 freedom
 of
 
opinion
 and
 expression
 

  Special
  Rapporteur
  on
  contemporary
  forms
  of
  racism,
  racial
  discrimination,
 
xenophobia
 and
 related
 intolerance
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 independence
 of
 judges
 and
 lawyers
 

  Special
  Rapporteur
  on
  violence
  against
  women,
  its
  causes
  and
 
consequences
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 situation
 of
 human
 rights
 of
 migrants
 

  Special
  Representative
  of
  the
  Secretary-­‐General
  on
  the
  situation
  of
  human
 
rights
 defenders
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 right
 to
 adequate
 housing
 as
 a
 component
 of
 
the
 right
 to
 an
 adequate
 standard
 of
 living
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 right
 to
 education
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 right
 to
 food
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 adverse
 effects
 of
 the
 illicit
 movement
 and
 dumping
 
of
 toxic
 and
 dangerous
 products
 and
 wastes
 on
 the
 enjoyment
 of
 human
 rights
 

  Special
  Rapporteur
  on
  the
  right
  of
  everyone
  to
  the
  enjoyment
  of
  the
 
highest
 attainable
 standard
 of
 physical
 and
 mental
 health
 

  Special
  Rapporteur
  on
  trafficking
  in
  persons,
  especially
  in
  women
  and
 
children
 

 Special
 Rapporteur
 on
 the
 situation
 of
 human
 rights
 and
 fundamental
 freedoms
 
of
 indigenous
 peoples
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
 In
 bold,
 special
 rapporteurs
 related
 to
 the
 health
 
Appendix
  2
  –
  Your
  means
  of
  action
  to
  denonciate
  the
  violation
  of
  a
 
fundamental
 right
 
Denunciate
 the
 violation
 of
 a
 fundamental
 right!
 

 

 
To
 submit
 a
 complain,
 the
 following
 minimum
 information
 must
 be
 provided:
 

 
-­‐
  Identification
  of
  the
  person(s)
  or
  organization(s)
  submitting
  the
 
communication;
 

 
-­‐
 The
 full
 name
 of
 the
 alleged
 victim(s),
 their
 age,
 sex,
 and
 place
 of
 residence
 or
 
origin;
 

 
-­‐
 Identification
 of
 as
 many
 details
 as
 possible
 (name,
 age,
 sex,
 place
 of
 residence
 
or
 origin)
 in
 cases
 involving
 a
 group
 or
 community;
 

 
-­‐
 Date
 and
 place
 of
 incident
 (approximate,
 if
 exact
 date
 is
 not
 known);
 

 
-­‐
 A
 detailed
 description
 of
 the
 circumstances
 of
 the
 incident
 in
 which
 the
 alleged
 
violation
 occurred;
 

 
-­‐
  Identification
  of
  the
  alleged
  perpetrator(s),
  name(s)
  if
  known
  and/or
 
title/function,
 and
 suspected
 motive;
 

 
-­‐
 Where
 relevant,
 specify
 if
 steps
 have
 been
 taken
 at
 the
 national
 level
 (e.g.
 have
 
police
 been
 contacted,
 are
 other
 national
 authorities
 involved,
 the
 position
 -­‐
 if
 
any
 -­‐
 of
 the
 Government);
 

 
– Where
 relevant,
 specify
 if
 steps
 have
 been
 taken
 at
 the
 international
 level
 (e.g.
 if
 
other
 international
 mechanisms
 have
 been
 activated).

 
To
 send
 your
 complains:
 
Fax-­‐>
 +
 41
 22
 917
 90
 06
 
E-­‐mail
 -­‐>
 urgent-­‐action@ohchr.org
 
Postal
 mail
 -­‐>
 Quick
 Response
 Desk
 
Office
 of
 the
 High
 Commissioner
 for
 Human
 Rights
 
United
 Nations
 Office
 at
 Geneva
 
8-­‐14
 avenue
 de
 la
 Paix
 
1211
 Geneva
 10
 
Switzerland
 

 
More
 information
 on
 this
 website:
 
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Communications.aspx