Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders: open vacancy

Candidates must have the required expertise and experience in the field of the mandate, must be independent and impartial and show a high level of personal integrity and objectivity.

Prospective mandate holders should be aware that this is a voluntary, unpaid role. Mandate holders do not receive a salary or other financial compensation from the UN but receive travel expenses and substantive and technical support from OHCHR. This role requires a substantial time commitment from the individual, including readiness to travel and respond to urgent situations.

This Special Rapporteur will be expected to serve two terms of three years each, starting in 2026.

Special Rapporteurs of the Human Rights Council are appointed through a competitive and transparent process which involves:

1. An online written application in response to a call for candidatures issued by the OHCHR.
2. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by telephone or video call by the Consultative Group, composed of five diplomats nominated by each of the five regional groups. 
3. The Consultative Group makes recommendations to the President of the Human Rights Council through its public report. 
4. The President of the HRC consults with various stakeholders, particularly with the Regional Coordinators and proposes candidates for appointment by the Human Rights Council. 

The following stakeholders may nominate candidates:

• Governments;
• Regional Groups;
• International organisations (e.g OHCHR)
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs);
• National human rights institutions (NHRIs) in compliance with the Paris Principles;
• Other human rights bodies;
• Individuals (including self-nomination)

All candidates must apply through the OHCHR online application system. It comprises a mandatory online survey and an application form in Word format, which includes a motivation letter. The online system will be made available here in mid-July 2025  with a deadline of late August.

Details and formalities about the nomination, selection and appointment of mandate holders are explained on the OHCHR website here. 

OHCHR guidelines for preparing an application are available here.

Human rights defenders are people who are making the world a better and fairer place by promoting and protecting human rights. They are the eyes, ears and voices of our communities. As informed social justice leaders, they are essential partners in our shared journey towards equality, justice and peace on a healthy planet.

‘Human rights defenders are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. They work peacefully for the rights of others and help build civil and just societies based on the rule of law.’ Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of HRDs (2020-2026)

The mandate was established in 2000 by the Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/RES/2000/61). It was later on extended by the Human Rights Council in 2011 (A/HRC/RES/16/5), 2014 (A/HRC/RES/25/18), 2017 (A/HRC/RES/34/5), 2020 (A/HRC/RES/43/16) and 2023 (A/HRC/RES/52/4).

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders plays a key role in the recognition and protection of those who promote and defend human rights. 

The Special Rapporteur is mandated to:

• Promote the effective implementation of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the Declaration+25 in cooperation and constructive dialogue with governments and other actors;
• Study trends, developments and challenges on the right to promote and protect human rights;
• Recommend effective strategies to better protect human rights defenders and follow up on these recommendations;
• Seek, receive, examine and respond to information on the situation of human rights defenders, both regarding policies and individual cases;
• The mandate engages with a wide variety of stakeholders at the national, regional and international levels, collaborating particularly closely with States and human rights defenders themselves.

The Special Rapporteur:

• Organises and participates in consultations, events, meetings and webinars with human rights defenders, both online and offline.
• Writes formal letters to governments and other actors (such as companies) called “communications“. In these letters, the Special Rapporteur raises concerns about situations where human rights defenders are at risk.
• Engages State authorities in dialogue about the situation of human rights defenders in their countries through public and private meetings, webinars and other events.
• Makes two annual official visits to countries following a Government invitation. They the Special Rapporteur writes reports on the situation of human rights defenders in those places, including recommendations to the Government and other actors on how to better support and protect them.
• Writes thematic reports which are presented to States at the UN Human Rights Council and UN General Assembly each year. In most cases, the Special Rapporteur invites human rights defenders and civil society to inform these reports by formally submitting information.
• Promotes the work of human rights defenders (for example on social media , online and in the media)

In its resolutions on the mandate, the Human Rights Council urges all governments to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur and to provide all information requested. Governments are also urged to implement and follow-up on the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations.

• The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders has visited dozens of countries in all regions to examine the situation of human rights defenders on the ground and make recommendations to strengthen their protection – the most recent visits undertaken: Tajikistan, Georgia, Peru, Brazil, Burundi, Algeria and Honduras.
• The mandate has investigated the situation and protection needs of groups of defenders particularly at risk, most recently looking at women human rights defenders, young human rights defenders, rural, isolated or marginalised defenders, defenders of LGBTIQ rights, including trans and non-binary defenders, defenders of the rights of people with disabilities, defenders of the rights of refugees and migrants, defenders who work against corruption, and defenders of the environment, land and Indigenous peoples’ rights.
• They have examined thematic issues in depth, such as the elements necessary to create a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders, long detention of defenders, death threats and killings and the impunity for human rights violations committed against human rights defenders.
• They have drawn attention to thousands of cases of alleged human rights violations against human rights defenders around the globe.

Since May 2020, Ms. Mary Lawlor (Ireland) is the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights. Her mandate will end in March 2026. The previous mandate holders were:

• Michel Forst (France) from June 2014 until April 2020.
• Margaret Sekaggya (Uganda) from 2008 to 2014.
• Hina Jilani (Pakistan) from 2000 – 2008.