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Annex 2
The UN does not have an army. For each peacekeeping mission, Member States voluntarily
provide troops and equipment, for which they are compensated from a special peacekeeping
budget. Police officers, election observers, human rights monitors and other civilians
sometimes work alongside military personnel in peacekeeping operations. Lightly armed
for self-defence—and often unarmed—peacekeepers’ strongest ‘weapon’ is their impartiality.
They rely on persuasion and minimal use of force to defuse tensions and prevent
fighting. It is dangerous business; over 1,580 UN military and civilian peacekeepers have
died in the performance of their duties since 1948.
The UN Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD) is responsible for all matters relating to UN security
which includes monitoring the presence of UN staff and convoys in insecure areas. Decisions taken
by UNSECOORD for evacuation of UN agencies and staff are mandatory.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
The following can be found on the World Wide Web at: http://www.unhchr.ch/html/hchr.htm
The mission of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is to ensure the
universal enjoyment of all human rights by giving practical effect to the will and resolve of the
world community as expressed by the United Nations.
Mandate
The mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
derives from Articles 1, 13 and 55 of the Charter of the United Nations, the Vienna
Declaration and Programme of Action and Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December
1993, by which the Assembly established the post of United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights. In connection with the programme for reform of the United Nations (A/
51/950, para. 79), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
and the Centre for Human Rights were consolidated into a single office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as of 15 September 1997.
Functions and Organisation
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
(a) Promotes universal enjoyment of all human rights by giving practical effect to
the will and resolve of the world community as expressed by the United Nations;
(b) Plays the leading role on human rights issues and emphasises the importance of
human rights at the international and national levels
(c) Promotes international co-operation for human rights;
(d) Simulates and co-ordinates action for human rights throughout the
United Nations system;
(e) Promotes universal ratification and implementation of international standards;
(f) Assists in the development of new norms;
(g) Supports human rights organs and treaty monitoring bodies;
(h) Responds to serious violations of human rights;
(i) Undertakes preventive human rights action;
(j) Promotes the establishment of national human rights infrastructures;
(k) Undertakes human rights field activities and operations;
(l) Provides education, information advisory services and technical assistance
in the field of human rights.
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