Information on the selection and appointment process for independent United Nations experts of the Human Rights Council

Paragraph 42 of the annex to Council resolution 5/1 provides that the following entities may nominate candidates:

(a) Governments,
(b) Regional groups operating within the United Nations human rights system,
(c) international organizations or their offices,
(d) non-governmental organizations,
(e) other human rights bodies, and
(f) individual nominations.

Paragraph 22 (a) of the annex to Council resolution 16/21 of 25 March 2011 further provides that national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles may also nominate candidates.

All information about past, current and future vacancies is regularly updated and posted on the special procedures nomination web page: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/SP/Pages/Nominations.aspx

The call for applications for vacancies is published in all six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) and widely disseminated among different actors, such as States, regional organizations, United Nations field presences, independent experts, national human rights institutions and networks and federations of civil society organizations or academic institutions, particularly in underrepresented regions, including on social media.

The timeframe from the opening of the application process until the finalization of the report of the Consultative Group with recommendations to the President of the Council is at least three months and a half prior to the beginning of the session in which the appointments are to be made. For example, for appointments to be made at the March session the opening of the application process is usually in October. For appointments to be made at the June session, the opening of the application process is usually in February. For appointments to be made at the September session, the opening of the application process is usually in May.

The call for applications is open for at least 6 weeks.

Eligible candidates are highly qualified individuals who possess established competence, relevant expertise and extensive professional experience in the field of human rights. Highly qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply to allow for geographical and gender balance, as well as to appropriate representation of different legal systems among special procedures mandate holders.

Candidates are requested to complete the online survey and to submit the Word application form by the deadline. Both steps of the application process are required in order for the candidacy to be taken into consideration.

You can access the online survey by clicking on the link provided on the web page on which the vacancy is advertised. Only complete surveys will be taken into consideration.

Yes. If you wish to make changes to your survey, you will need to complete it again before the deadline expires.

The Word application form can be downloaded by clicking on the heading “Word application form to download” under the name of the mandate for which you wish to apply, located on the web page where the vacancy is advertised.

The Word application form must be submitted in English or French, the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

The Word application form must be completed and submitted by email to ohchr-hrcspecialprocedures@un.org by the deadline.

No. We only accept the Word application form, in which you will be able to display your relevant academic and professional qualifications.

Yes, candidates are required to submit a motivation letter no longer than 600 words, which should include their vision for the mandate and which is integrated as section III of the application form.

No, your motivation letter is part of the Word application form (section III) and separate motivation letters or email cover letters will not be considered.

Not necessarily. You can complete the online survey after submitting the Word application form by email. What is important is that both the online survey and the Word application form are received by the deadline.

Yes. The system allows both for a self-nomination and for a nomination by a third party. In either case, the process of application requires that the candidate (1) complete the online survey and (2) submit, by email, the Word application form which includes a motivation letter. If a third party decides to nominate a candidate by filling in the Word application form, the candidate will still need to draft the motivation letter (integrated in the Word application form) and answer the questions at the end of the form in section VII (“Compliance with ethics and integrity provisions”) and section VIII (“Certify and submit application”). The third-party nomination and the name of the nominating entity should be clearly indicated in question 6 of section II (“Mandate-specific competence / qualifications / knowledge”). The nominating entity may provide additional information about the nomination either in question 6 of the application form or in a separate optional nomination letter.

No, this is not a requirement. However, candidates may submit up to three letters of recommendation by the deadline, if they so wish.

Both candidates themselves and third parties can submit up to three letters of recommendation in total, sending them as email attachments (Word or PDF) to ohchr-hrcspecialprocedures@un.org by the deadline. If sent by third parties, the subject line of the email message should clearly state the candidate’s name.

Yes. If you wish to apply for more than one vacancy, you are required to submit a mandate-specific Word application form for each of the mandates for which you want to apply. In case of multiple applications in the same selection round, you may complete one online survey clearly indicating which mandates you are applying for.

You can apply, however you have to disclose the information in question 5 of section VII (“Compliance with ethics and integrity provisions”) of the application form and declare which measures you intend to take, if appointed mandate holder, in order to comply with the principle of non-accumulation of human rights functions as foreseen in paragraphs 44 to 46 of Council resolution 5/1. These measures include resigning from your current positions and relinquishing occupations and activities.

You can apply, however you have to disclose the information in question 5 of section VII of the application form and declare which measures you intend to take, if appointed mandate holder, in order to exclude any conflict of interest as foreseen in paragraphs 44 to 46 of Council resolution 5/1. Individuals holding decision-making positions in government or in any other organization or entity that may give rise to a conflict of interest with the responsibilities inherent to the mandate they apply for shall be excluded.

As early as possible. Early applications are encouraged in order to avoid technical difficulties with the submission and miscalculated time zones on the day of the deadline.

No. Under no circumstances applications submitted after the deadline and incomplete applications will be considered.

Yes. The Word application forms of all eligible candidates will be posted on the OHCHR website shortly after the Consultative Group has assessed the eligibility of all applicants. Personal data submitted through online surveys, on the other hand, is used for administrative purposes only and will remain confidential.

It takes from to two to three weeks, from the deadline for applications, for the Consultative Group to assess the eligibility of all applicants. After that, the Word application forms of all eligible candidates will be posted on the OHCHR website.

The members of the Consultative Group should not be lobbied with regard to applications of candidates. In the event that they are approached by any Member State, organization or individual with regard to the application of a candidate, they inform the other members of the Consultative Group in order to ensure maximum transparency of the selection process.

No. If you do not hear from the Secretariat, it means your candidacy has not been taken into further consideration. All candidates are invited to consult periodically the OHCHR public web page where public announcements related to the selection process will be made in due course.

According to the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the following general criteria will be of paramount importance while nominating, selecting and appointing mandate holders:

(a) expertise;
(b) experience in the field of the mandate;
(c) independence;
(d) impartiality;
(e) personal integrity and
(f) objectivity.

Due consideration should be given to gender balance and equitable geographic representation, as well as to an appropriate representation of different legal systems. Eligible candidates are highly qualified individuals who possess established competence, relevant expertise and proven work experience in the field of human rights.

Also, in its decision 6/102 of 27 September 2007, the Council adopted technical and objective requirements for candidates eligible for mandate holders:

1. Qualifications: relevant educational qualifications or equivalent professional experience in the field of human rights; good communication skills in one of the official languages of the United Nations.
2. Relevant expertise: knowledge of international human rights instruments, norms and principles; as well as knowledge of institutional mandates related to the United Nations or other international or regional organizations’ work in the area of human rights; proven work experience in the field of human rights.
3. Established competence: nationally, regionally or internationally recognized competence related to human rights.
4. Flexibility/readiness and availability of time to perform effectively the functions of the mandate and to respond to its requirements, including attending Human Rights Council sessions.

An advanced university degree such as Masters or equivalent (minimum duration of 4 years in full-time study), and at least 7 years of relevant professional experience in the field of human rights. A minimum of 11 years of relevant professional experience in the field of human rights may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Shortlisted candidates will be assessed by the Consultative Group through telephone or, wherever possible, by video call.

Candidates can request to be interviewed in any of the six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). To ensure sufficient sound quality for simultaneous interpretation, candidates are required to use appropriate equipment on the day of the interview, otherwise interpretation cannot be provided. The minimum requirements for interpretation are a USB-connected unidirectional microphone, headphones, a strong and stable internet connection (using an Ethernet cable rather than Wi-Fi) and a quiet location.

If you have been offered an interview and you need special arrangements in order to conduct the interview, please give immediate notice to the Secretariat by sending an email to ohchr-hrcspecialprocedures@un.org so that appropriate measures can be taken and reasonable accommodation can be provided.

No. The proceedings of the Consultative Group are confidential and the Secretariat will not disclose any information regarding the selection process or shortlisting of candidates until the publication on the website of the report with the list of candidates recommended to the President of the Human Rights Council for each mandate.

The Consultative Group is expected to issue its report at least one month before the beginning of the session during which the Council will consider the selection of mandate holders. The report will be made public on the OHCHR website.

No. The Consultative Group, after interviewing the shortlisted candidates, will only make recommendations – usually three candidates for each vacancy, although this may vary based on the quality of the candidates – to the President of the Human Rights Council for his or her final consideration.

The President of the Human Rights Council, following broad consultations, in particular through the regional coordinators and other stakeholders, will identify an appropriate candidate for each vacancy and present a letter with his or her list of candidates to member States and observers. The President's list will be made available on the OHCHR website. The appointment of the mandate holders will be completed upon the subsequent approval of the Human Rights Council, which usually takes place on the last day of the Council’s session. The names of the mandate holders appointed during the session will also be made public on the OHCHR website shortly thereafter.

A. Term of special procedure mandate holders

A special procedure mandate holder’s tenure in a given function, whether it relates to a thematic or a country mandate, will be no longer than six years [Human Rights Council resolution 5/1para. 45]. After the first three-year term, the mandate holder remains in functions for a second three-year term, provided that there is a Council resolution or decision which extends the mandate itself (thematic mandates are usually created for a period of three years, whilst country mandates are usually created for a period of one year, although there have been variations).

B. Term of members of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development (EMRTD)

The members of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development are selected by the Human Rights Council in accordance with the procedure established in paragraphs 39 to 53 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 for a three-year period, and may be reappointed for one additional period (Human Rights Council resolution 42/23).

C. Term of members of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP)

The members of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples serve for a three-year term and may be reappointed for one additional term (Human Rights Council resolution 33/25, para. 7). Unlike for special procedures, the EMRIP members vacancies are advertised after three years and the outgoing members need to reapply in order to be considered for reappointment once. As the resolution provided for the staggering of terms of EMRIP membership, the Council President drew lots in March 2017 to determine which two of the four newly appointed members in 2017 would only serve the first one for one year and the second one for two years, respectively.

No, those appointed serve in their personal capacities. They are not United Nations staff members, they are not based in United Nations offices in Geneva or at another United Nations location, and they do not receive salary or other financial compensation, except for travel expenses and daily subsistence allowance of “experts on mission”.

The position of a special procedure mandate holder involves substantial time commitment. As indicated in the application form, to perform effectively the function of the mandate and to respond to its requirement, an estimated time of four to six months per year of work is necessary. The functions of the mandate holders include: participating in Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva and General Assembly sessions in New York, travelling on two country visits per year, drafting reports according to established deadlines, organizing and participating in consultations and meetings, addressing allegations of human rights violations with all concerned, providing advice to States and other stakeholders on issues related to their mandate and engaging with a variety of stakeholders. All special procedures report annually to the Human Rights Council. Most mandate holders also report to the General Assembly.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights provides substantive and technical support to special procedure mandate holders.

All information about the activities and responsibilities of special procedure mandate holders can be found at the following link: Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council