UN HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE FIELD UN HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE FIELD SERBIA Population size1 Surface area1 Human Development Index2 NHRI (if applicable)3 8.76 million 88,000 km² 0.787 (rank: 66/188 in 2016) Status A, 2015 Type of engagement Human Rights Adviser Year established 1996 Field office(s) Belgrade UN partnership framework United Nations Development Partnership Framework 2016-2020 Staff as of 31 December 2018 2 XB requirements 2018 US$656,600 Key OMP pillars in 2018 123 Please refer to Data sources and notes on p.191. KEY PILLAR RESULTS: Accountability (A) A1 – The judiciary more often and more comprehensively references international human rights law in domestic decisions. OHCHR contributed to advancing the extent to which international human rights law and jurisprudence has been used in court proceedings and decisions by providing technical advice for the creation of the first national curriculum for the application of international human rights law. Following the capacity-building efforts that OHCHR undertook in the past few years regarding the application of international human rights law in domestic court proceedings, the first national curriculum for the application of international human rights law was developed and tested at the State Judicial Academy, with support from the Office. Additionally, an online database to support the direct application of international human rights law was developed and tested. As part of the initiative, 10 296 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 targeted trainings were organized in 2018 on international human rights standards, which included specially prepared thematic manuals and nearly 100 judges from all-level courts in the country were trained. The trainings targeted the expert group of judges created for expanding knowledge and practices on international human rights standards. The training curriculum will be continued as part of the regular judiciary education under the State Judicial Academy. The follow-up to the trainings and the available online resources created by OHCHR will be case-law markers, which will monitor the cases referencing UN standards starting in 2019. Non-Discrimination (ND) ND1 – The Government adopts or reforms five policies, laws or practices that prevent or sanction discrimination in a manner that ensures they comply with human rights standards; in doing so, it pays particular attention to the rights of women, persons with disabilities, LGBTI persons, Roma, and migrants and refugees. The Office contributed to improving the level of compliance with international human rights norms and standards of policies and legislation in three specific policy areas by providing expert legal advice to key partners. The Office facilitated, convened or participated in processes related to national strategic and legal frameworks that focused on housing, anti-discrimination, Roma inclusion, persons living with HIV, persons with disabilities and others by providing guidance and expert advice on achieving compliance with international human rights standards. In particular, progress was made concerning the rights of migrants and refugees due to the adoption of a new set of laws on foreigners and asylum seekers; the rights of persons living with HIV due to the adoption of a new national strategy on HIV; and housing rights due to the elaboration of a draft housing strategy that complies with international human rights standards. Participation (P) P6 – Organizations of persons with disabilities, organizations of national minorities, and other human rights civil society organizations are more visible, are included consistently in relevant policy and decision-making, and engage more frequently with UN mechanisms and Agenda 2030. In 2018, OHCHR enhanced the level of meaningful participation of rights-holders, especially persons with disabilities and other discriminated groups, by building networks and alliances for improved visibility and more effective interactions with the Government and the UN. During the reporting period, a platform of civil society organizations was created for coordination and interaction with the international human rights mechanisms and the NMRF. The platform is structured by thematic clusters and each cluster is guided by a separate action plan for 20182019. The platform contributed to securing and facilitating the direct participation of CSOs in systemic policymaking and consultations, enabling them to more actively engage with these mechanisms. Mechanisms (M) M1 – The national mechanism for reporting and follow-up verifies that recommendations made by human rights mechanisms are implemented; it uses human rights indicators. OHCHR enhanced its collaboration with the NMRF, which resumed its work in 2017, by supporting the inclusion of human rights indicators into the NMRF Action Plan, which includes all the recommendations stemming from reviews by UN human rights mechanisms. The implementation of recommendations will be monitored within the NMRF between the reporting periods, as well as by civil society. The Action Plan is designed to track progress made in implementing the human rights dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by linking the recommendations issued by the international human rights mechanisms with targets and indicators under the 2030 Agenda. SOUTH CAUCASUS Type of engagement Human Rights Adviser based in Tbilisi, Human Rights staff in UNCT Azerbaijan Countries of engagement Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan Year established 2007 Field office(s) Tbilisi, Georgia and Baku, Azerbaijan UN Partnership for Sustainable Development 2016-2020 (Georgia) UN partnership framework UN Development Assistance Framework 2016-2020 (Armenia) UN-Azerbaijan Partnership Framework 20162020 Staff as of 31 December 2018 9 XB requirements 2018 US$791,000 Key OMP pillars in 2018 KEY PILLAR RESULTS: Accountability (A) A1 – The National Human Rights Action Plan continues to comply with international human rights standards and is periodically updated to reflect recommendations of international and regional human rights mechanisms. The High School of Justice, the Police Academy and the Legal Affairs Committee in Parliament, as well as the Bar Association and its Training Centre in Georgia, deepen their knowledge of international human rights standards. The Office contributed to the increased compliance of Georgian national institutions with international human rights norms and standards, including with regard to the use of new technologies in the context of Shifts: Civic Space the right to privacy, international standards on the prohibition of torture and the right to a fair trial. The new Human Rights Department at Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs was established in early 2018. This Department, along with the police academy, has become a major partner for the Office. The Department achieved good progress in becoming an investigation resource for crimes involving domestic violence, discrimination and hate crimes. OHCHR contributed to capacity-building of the new Department through awareness-raising on universal and regional standards on combating discrimination and hate crimes and training its staff on jurisprudence of UN treaty bodies and New technologies UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 297