A/HRC/10/57
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time, the Board highlighted the difficulties in measuring the impact on human rights and
emphasized that indicators should be seen primarily as a tool for States to assess their progress
with regard to implementation of rights and to allow them to compare different strategies.
12. In the framework of the twenty-ninth session, the Deputy High Commissioner invited the
Board members, as well as senior managers from the field and from Headquarters, to join her in
a round table to discuss the ongoing efforts to develop an OHCHR performance monitoring
system. The discussion had the aim of facilitating an interactive space in which senior managers
from the field and Headquarters would be able to better understand the system proposed and
contribute jointly to the refinement of next steps in the process of implementing this system at
both the national and global levels. An introductory presentation by the OHCHR Policy,
Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Section on the process developed to date in order to
implement the system was followed by a session of questions and answers. The Deputy
High Commissioner stressed the fact that performance monitoring was an internal necessity, a
United Nations requirement and a donors’ request. The Board noted that OHCHR would
gradually set up the system that it will use to monitor its own performance effectively, for full
implementation by 2010.
IV.
CAPACITY AND INSTITUTION-BUILDING ACTIVITIES:
HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISERS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
COMPONENTS OF UNITED NATIONS PEACE MISSIONS
A. Human rights advisers in United Nations country teams
13. The Board was updated on recent developments affecting the work of human rights
advisers, including with regard to human rights mainstreaming in United Nations country teams
and the role of United Nations Resident Coordinators with regard to advocacy on human rights.
The Board noted with interest the latest developments in the context of the United Nations
Development Group reform, including the agreement on the management and accountability of
the Resident Coordinator system. The Board in particular acknowledged the decision of the
Secretary-General on human rights and development, which stipulated the roles and
responsibilities of Resident Coordinators in human rights. The Board stressed the importance of
availability of specific training and guidance to Resident Coordinators on how to address human
rights challenges and political tensions at the country level, going beyond the conventional
training on the human rights-based approach to development. The Board welcomed the recent
study on OHCHR performance in mainstreaming human rights within the United Nations at the
country level, with a special focus on capacity development, joint advocacy, programming and
overall strategy.
14. The Board was also briefed on the outcome of the session on human rights advisers in the
framework of OHCHR annual consultations. The Board noted that the demands and expectations
with regard to advisers are very high and that it is difficult at times for them to address all the
demands made of them. The Board also noted that the support currently available to advisers,
from partners as well as from within OHCHR, significantly differs according to the country they
are based in. The Board recommended that support for human rights advisers should be
strengthened, while ensuring that a minimum standard of support is available to all of them.
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