International Service for Human Rights

A Special Rapporteur is one form of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s ‘Special Procedures’. A Special Rapporteur can either have a country or a thematic focus, and is expected to work independently and impartially. The particular mandate of a Special Rapporteur is specified when the position is created by the Human Rights Council; usually it will include such things as to examine, monitor, advise and publicly report on human rights situations in specific countries or territories (country mandates), or on major phenomena of human rights violations worldwide (thematic mandates). A Special Rapporteur might also respond to individual complaints, conduct studies and provide advice on technical cooperation at the country level.