Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
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Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights |
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| Abbreviation | OHCHR HCDH |
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| Formation | 20 December 1993 |
| Type | Agency |
| Legal status | Active |
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Head
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Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad, High Commissioner for Human Rights |
| Website | http://www.ohchr.org |
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a United Nations agency that works to promote and protect the human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The office was established by the UN General Assembly on 20 December 1993 in the wake of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights.
The office is headed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who co-ordinates human rights activities throughout the UN System and supervises the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. As of 1 September 2014, the current High Commissioner is Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad. The General Assembly approved on 16 June 2014 his appointment by the United Nations Secretary-General. He is the seventh individual to lead the OHCHR and the first Asian, Muslim, Arab and Prince to do so.
In 2012-2013, the agency had a budget of US $177.3 million and 1,000 employees based in Geneva. It is an ex-officio member of the Committee of the United Nations Development Group.
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 General 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 on 15 September 1997.
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