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GAO-25-107361 1 (2025-02-06)

handle is hein.gao/gaorll0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Why This Matters Key Takeaways In 1967, the United Nations (UN) established a system of independent human rights experts to promote and protect human rights around the world. The system, also known as special procedures, is composed of thematic or country- specific mandates focused on particular human rights issues and situations. Independent experts, also known as mandate holders, are selected to report and advise on specific human rights issues. Mandates can cover a variety of human rights issues: civil, cultural, economic, political, and social, as well as issues relating to specific groups or country situations. The UN's Human Rights Council (the Council) is responsible for selecting mandate holders, establishing new mandates, and extending existing ones. Mandate holders conduct country visits, engage in advocacy, and raise public awareness, among other things. These individuals are selected to address a specific mandate for a maximum of 6 years. Some mandates represent long-term human rights issues, with multiple individuals serving as mandate holders over time. These experts are not UN staff members and do not receive financial compensation from the UN for their work. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) supports the system and provides substantive administrative and logistical support for mandate holders. We were asked to review a variety of topics related to the system, including how the mandates are established, how much external funding has been provided to the mandates, and potential conflict of interest issues among mandate holders. * Current and former mandate holders on active mandates have come from 99 different countries and territories since the establishment of the system. As of November 2023, the U.S. had the most current and former mandate holders with 16 total. The U.S. had five current mandate holders working on mandates, including on human rights in Myanmar and discrimination against women and girls. * There are three different funding streams that mandate holders use to carry out their work. The UN partially funds support and travel costs for site visits for mandate holders from the assessed contributions of member states to the UN regular budget. In addition, OHCHR uses voluntary contributions from member states to provide additional support. Mandate holders also obtain external funding from entities like non-governmental organizations to help fund their work. * The mandate holders created a process to provide advice to each other on whether potential conflicts of interest may affect their independence. No mandate holders have ever been formally removed from their positions for conflicts of interest. Our review of OHCHR information found that about 25 Page 1 GAO-25-107361 Independent Human Rights Experts Page 1 GAO-25-107361 Independent Human Rights Experts

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