ABOUT UN HUMAN RIGHTS Developing human rights policy and guidance, offering advice and strengthening capacity UN Human Rights maps emerging trends in human rights and identifies lessons learned from human rights work that is carried out at headquarters and in the field. Based on these trends, the Office produces policy, guidance and capacity-strengthening tools, such as methodologies and training materials, which translate international human rights law into practical approaches and procedures that can be used by the UN and other actors at the national level. Providing advice, training, support and outreach to multiple stakeholders, including Member States, individuals, civil society and national and regional human rights institutions, are integral parts of the Office’s approach to implementing the mandate of the High Commissioner. Mainstreaming of human rights Under its mainstreaming mandate, UN Human Rights works to ensure that a human rights-based approach is integrated into the UN system’s programmes on development, humanitarian assistance, peace and security, governance and the rule of law. At a practical level, UN Human Rights advances human rights mainstreaming through its active participation in UN inter-agency bodies and activities and the High Commissioner’s participation in the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination. UN Human Rights advocates for policy coherence in accordance with an approach that is based on respect for all human rights yet pays particular attention to victims of human rights violations and those who are most at risk of becoming victims. It also seeks to systematically inform UNCTs about the recommendations emanating from the international human rights mechanisms and to help them mainstream follow-up activities into their programmes. Human Rights cooperates with human rights groups, academic and research institutions and civil society organizations (CSOs), including charities, advocacy groups and other NGOs, in order to strengthen their capacities and effectiveness. Staff are also deployed to rapidly developing humanitarian and other crises and to support the mandated commissions of inquiry and fact-finding missions that are established in response to serious human rights abuses. Structure In addition to its headquarters in Geneva, UN Human Rights has an office at UN Headquarters in New York and, as of 31 December, 12 regional offices or centres and 14 country or stand-alone offices (see map on pages 62-63). Furthermore, UN Human Rights supports the human rights components of UN peace missions or political offices and deploys human rights advisers to work with the UNCTs. The Geneva-based headquarters has four substantive divisions: the Research and Right to Development Division, which develops policy and provides guidance, tools, advice and capacity-strengthening support on thematic human rights issues, including for human rights mainstreaming purposes; the Human Rights Treaties Division, which supports the human rights treaty bodies; the Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division, which is responsible for overseeing and implementing the Office’s work in the field; and the Human Rights Council Mechanisms Division, which provides substantive and technical support to the HRC, the Council’s UPR mechanism and the Council’s special procedures. Core management, planning, coordination and outreach functions are handled by dedicated services and sections, which report directly to the Deputy High Commissioner. For the current organizational chart, please refer to page 163. Working in countries As of the end of 2017, UN Human Rights was operating or supporting 59 field presences. The in-country presence of the Office is essential to identifying, highlighting and developing responses to human rights challenges in close collaboration with governments and the broader United Nations system. Responses may involve training police, soldiers and judges, helping to draft national legislation that is in line with international human rights standards and working with States on the fulfilment of their obligations to implement the recommendations issued by the international human rights mechanisms, including the UPR. In many countries and regions, UN Staff As of 31 December, the Office was employing 1,302 staff members. Of those staff members, 558 (43 per cent) were based in the field, 691 (53 per cent) were based in Geneva and 53 (4 per cent) were based in New York. UN Human Rights also collaborated with close to 700 human rights officers who served in 13 UN peace missions or political offices. UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2017 59