Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais Wilson. 52 rue des Pâquis. CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Background
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), guided by the mandate provided by General Assembly resolution 48/141, OHCHR represents the world’s commitment to the promotion, protection and realization of the full range of rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
OHCHR has a central role in safeguarding the integrity of the three pillars of the United Nations: peace and security, human rights and development. For 2024-2027, the Office has maintained its six thematic pillars on which its work stands, which are (1) Support to the United Nations human rights system; (2) Mainstreaming human rights within the United Nations other pillars, namely development and (3) peace and security; (4) Advancing the core human rights principles of non-discrimination, (5) accountability, (6) participation. OHCHR has identified six strategic directions, namely:
- Rebuilding trust and reinvigorating a global movement for human rights.
- Fostering inclusion and equality through a diversity approach.
- Enhancing early warning and advancing the global protection agenda.
- Promoting a human rights economy to realize rights and address inequalities.
- Promoting rights-based climate and environmental action.
- Using digital technologies and data to advance human rights.
All areas have a strong focus on women’s human rights and gender issues, including in line with OHCHR internal policies on gender equality and the Secretary General System Wide Strategy on Gender Parity.
Institutionally, OHCHR is committed to strengthening the United Nations human rights programme and to providing it with the highest quality support, by working closely with its United Nations partners to ensure that human rights are at the center of the work of the United Nations.
Policy framework
See gender-related resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly, Security Council and Human Rights Council, and relevant subsidiary bodies.
Areas of Focus
The mission of OHCHR is to work for the protection and promotion of all human rights for all people; to help empower people to realize their rights; and to assist those responsible for upholding such rights in ensuring that they are implemented. The Office carries out its mission with respect to gender-based violence within the overarching strategies to ensure country engagement, leadership, partnership, and support and strengthening of the Office and the human rights machinery.
OHCHR’s unique added value in addressing gender-based violence as a UN entity lies in its monitoring mandate, enabling it to identify trends, structural causes, and consequences through case investigations and public reporting. It plays a central role in the international human rights system by supporting UN human rights mechanisms (Treaty Bodies, Special Procedures, and Universal Periodic Review) in developing recommendations and advocating for justice. With its human rights-based and survivor-centred approach, OHCHR promotes a holistic protection framework, ensuring victims’ access to services, gender-responsive accountability, and strengthened states’ capacities. OHCHR situates gender-based violence within broader gender inequalities and systemic discrimination, emphasizing the intersectionality of multiple forms of oppression that exacerbate violence and hinder access to justice. Its convening power facilitates global, regional, and national dialogues, fostering survivor participation and advancing substantive equality, prevention, and gender-transformative measures, including reparations.
OHCHR supports the Human Rights Council, UN investigative bodies, special procedures, and human rights treaty bodies, including the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
Resources
For recent resources, visit: https://www.ohchr.org/en/women/gender-based-violence-against-women-and-girls
OHCHR has been taking part in the UNiTE Campaign/16 Days of Activism every year with various activities and communications, providing support to field presences through the preparation of key messages and with the organization of joint events with partners.
View MoreOHCHR has been taking part in the UNiTE Campaign/16 Days of Activism every year with various activities and communications, providing support to field presences through the preparation of key messages and with the organization of joint events with partners. Every year, OHCHR commemorates the International Day for Women Human Rights Defenders as part of the UNiTE/16 Days campaign, highlighting the violence they face and the historical and present role they play in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations. OHCHR has made the case for sustained funding and support for women peacebuilders, including women human rights defenders, organisations, and movements, as an essential prerequisite for addressing and eliminating gender-based violence.
In Honduras, OHCHR organised several conference and meetings addressing challenges in combatting VAW, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the promotion of the work of women’s networks. It also organised information campaigns on gender based violence and women human rights defenders.
In Haiti, OHCHR funds helped for the development and production of communication tools (audio-visual)/ messages to build resilience and prevent natural disasters for groups and populations at risk with a gender approach.
In Liberia, during the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, OHCHR and the UNCT provided support for the organisation of a conference on “Consolidating National Efforts against FGM’, with the participation of government officials, traditional and community leaders and other stakeholders.
The UNiTE Group for the Americas and the Caribbean, including 9 agencies -PAHO, UNDP, OHCHR, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNHCR, ECLAC, WFP and UN Women- and the IDB and the OAS, developed 12 Key Messages to Eradicate Violence Against Women and Girls in Latin America and the Caribbean. This unprecedented effort led by UN Women, systematized the lessons learned from all the publications and knowledge produced in the context of the UNiTE Campaign in the last 7 years. These messages were launched in the framework of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, which took place in Montevideo in October of 2016. Thereafter, the messages were the basis for the celebrations of November 25th at regional and country level.
In 2014-2015, OHCHR continued supporting the mandate of the Rapporteur on violence against women, in its active engagement with civil society organizations, including through participation in regional consultations. She participated in three regional consultations, held in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, on the topic of “closing the normative gap” in addressing violence against women at the international level.
In March 2014, during the 25th session of the Human Rights Council, OHCHR partnered with UNFPA, UNICEF and others to bring the award winning exhibition, “Too Young to Wed” to the Palais des Nations in Geneva on the issue of child marriage.