A/HRC/31/3
II. Management and administration
103. OHCHR has embarked on a significant organizational change initiative. The
initiative will increase efficiency, maximize resources and capacities and align
programmatic delivery, so that OHCHR can respond more effectively to the demands and
expectations of Member States, United Nations partners and rights-holders. The vision
behind the initiative aims to achieve three overarching objectives: to capitalize on the role
of OHCHR as the global reference point for human rights standards and mechanisms; to
work directly and with partners to turn the recommendations of United Nations human
rights mechanisms into changes that improve peoples’ lives; and to place a premium on
strategic coordination and consolidated partnerships within the United Nations and across
the international system.
104. This vision will be achieved initially by shifting existing resources to deliver more
efficiently on programme 20 of the biennial programme plan for the period 2016-2017. At
its headquarters, OHCHR will consolidate its thematic expertise and redefine terms of
reference to more effectively support the human rights mechanisms. OHCHR will
strengthen its work in New York in order to better mainstream human rights in the
development and peace and security agendas. In addition, regional hubs will be set up to
provide OHCHR with a more balanced global presence and facilitate technical cooperation
and capacity-building. Any efficiency savings will be channelled towards responding to
requests for technical cooperation and capacity-building assistance at the national level.
The increased results and visibility that are expected to result from these changes will
encourage further investment by Member States in OHCHR, both in the form of voluntary
contributions and in the context of the regular budget.
III. Conclusions
105. Over the past year, in line with its mandate, OHCHR has, at every level, urged
and assisted States to promote and protect the rights of every human being and called
for accountability for all violations. OHCHR has continued to monitor and document
human rights situations across the world and to provide technical assistance.
106. True to the vision laid down in the Charter of the United Nations 70 years ago,
and to ensure that human rights are indeed one of the Organization’s three pillars,
OHCHR has continued to advocate for human rights mainstreaming and capacitybuilding with the United Nations. The Secretary-General’s Human Rights Up Front
initiative has brought about a reprioritization of the human rights agenda in many
situations but more remains to be done for the initiative to be fully integrated into
United Nations strategies and actions.
107. The significant migration movements currently taking place across the world
are a powerful reminder that human rights matter. They demonstrate that human
beings will — when their lives are threatened, when their dignity is undermined and
when they have no prospects — go to great lengths to look for means of survival,
protection and a way out. To enable people to live their lives in peace, dignity and
safety, States and the international community have to take human rights seriously
and make a more honest assessment of the current deficits that cause these crises.
108. OHCHR has a role to play, be it in terms of identifying these deficits or seeking
to eliminate long-standing patterns of discrimination or human rights violations, to
develop the capacity of State institutions to remedy grievances and to assist in
addressing poverty in an inclusive and comprehensive way. Yet, it cannot play this
role alone — others too must recognize that offering lip service to human rights and
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