A/HRC/16/20
59.
OHCHR country and regional offices have played a key role in advocating for the
human rights of migrants and the ratification of the Convention, have contributed to a draft
instrument on decent work for domestic workers by the International Labour Organization
(ILO), and to the development of a unified contract for migrant domestic workers to
address the plight of many migrants in Lebanon who constitute a significant proportion of
the labour force, but who did not enjoy the same rights as nationals in comparable
occupations. OHCHR regional offices have also worked to foster subregional collaboration
in protecting migrants’ rights and combating trafficking in persons. Seminars, meetings and
dialogues on migration and human rights were held in several regions.
60.
Migrants, especially those in an irregular situation, are easy prey to traffickers.
OHCHR worked to advance rights-based responses to trafficking in persons, including
through publishing the Commentary on the Recommended Principles and Guidelines on
Human Rights and Human Trafficking. It aims to elaborate the substantive content of the
international law on trafficking and provides a comprehensive analysis of the Principles and
Guidelines, in addition to serving as a practical tool on the rights-based approach to
addressing trafficking in persons. In May 2010, OHCHR organized an expert seminar for
members of the HRC, seeking to identify opportunities and challenges in developing human
rights-based responses to trafficking and promoting the application of the Recommended
Principles and a Council plenary panel also gave voice to victims and survivors of
trafficking.
61.
OHCHR will take over the rotating chair of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group
against Trafficking in Persons for 2011. In this capacity, OHCHR will organize activities to
raise awareness on issues related to human trafficking, in addition to furthering interagency coordination and cooperation. It will conduct several national and regional human
rights capacity-building activities for law enforcement officials.
E.
Combating impunity and strengthening accountability, the rule of law
and democratic society
62.
OHCHR led the process of elaboration of the “Guidance Note of the SecretaryGeneral on United Nations Approach to Transitional Justice”, which provides a right-based
perspective on transitional justice and offers three approaches for further strengthening of
United Nations activities in this area, including: (a) striving to take into account the root
causes of conflict or repressive rule, and addressing the related violations of all rights,
including economic, social and cultural rights; (b) taking human rights and transitional
justice considerations into account during peace processes; and (c) coordinating
disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) initiatives with transitional justice
processes and mechanisms in a positively reinforcing manner.
63.
OHCHR organized the Expert Workshop on Experiences of Transitional Justice
Processes in Dealing with Violations of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in October
2010. In March 2010, OHCHR assisted in convening the Council’s panel discussion on the
right to the truth.10 The right to the truth for victims of human rights violations and their
families has continued to evolve as a legal concept and panelists saw its development as a
fundamental element in combating impunity.
64.
In December2010, OHCHR organized the Expert Workshop on Maximizing
Opportunities for Coordination between DDR and Transitional Justice to map and assess
selected experiences of DDR initiatives as they relate to transitional justice processes, to
10
Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 9/11.
13
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