last updated 17 May 2007

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights created a number of special rapporteurs and working groups that address specific human rights violations or regions. Special rapporteurs can have either thematic mandates, such as violence against women, or regional mandates, such as the former Yugoslavia. Working Groups may focus on drafting international law or on certain human rights issues, such as the right to development. These mechanisms have been very effective in bringing urgent human rights issues to the attention of the UN and the international community.  

At its sixtieth session (2006), the UN General Assembly voted to replace the Commission on Human Rights with the Human Rights Council. The Human Rights Council has assumed the Commission’s functions and mandates, including those of Special Procedures. The Human Rights Council is to review of these responsibilities within one year “in order to maintain a system of special procedures, expert advice and a complaint procedure[.]” (UN General Assembly resolution 60/251, 15 March 2006). During its June 2006 session, the Human Rights Council extended the Special Procedures’ mandates and mandate-holders for one year while it completes this review.

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, including its causes and consequences began in 1994 when the Commission on Human Rights appointed Radhika Coomaraswamy, from Sri Lanka, to the position. In August 2003, the Commission appointed Yakin Ertürk, from Turkey, to the Special Rapporteur position. Ms.Ertürk continues in the position today.

The Special Rapporteur collects and analyzes data on violence against women in order to recommend measures to be taken at the international, regional and national level. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur has three elements:

1. Collection of information on violence against women and its causes and consequences from a variety of sources, including government and intergovernmental organizations, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
2. Recommendation of measures at the international, regional and national levels to eliminate violence against women;
3. Cooperation with other special rapporteurs, working groups and experts of the Commission on Human Rights.

The Special Rapporteur has conceptualized violence against women in five spheres: violence within the family (including domestic violence and marital rape); violence in the community (including sexual assault; sexual harassment in the workplace and in educational institutions and trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation); violence perpetrated or condoned by the State (including custodial violence, sexual assault during armed conflict and violence against refugee women); trafficking in persons, and; policies that impact violence against women (including socio-economic policies and reproductive rights).