“The High Commissioner for Human Rights will
develop and implement a plan, in cooperation
with the United Nations Development Group
and the Executive Committee for Humanitarian
Affairs, to strengthen human rights-related
United Nations action at the country level.”
Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary-General
INTRODUCING "ACTION 2"
The quest to place human rights at the centre
of the activities of the United Nations system
has been a consistent focus of the SecretaryGeneral’s UN reform agenda, since its launch
in 1997.
In "Action 2" of his second report on UN
reform in 2002, the Secretary-General
identified the building of strong human rights
institutions at the country level as a principal
objective of the United Nations. In particular,
he proposed that the UN system at the
national level (UN country teams) enhance
collaboration to respond to the needs and
requests of Member States in establishing and
strengthening
national
human
rights
promotion and protection systems.
Good progress has been achieved to date in
integrating human rights throughout the
United Nations system.
Human rights
specialists are deployed as part of
peacekeeping missions. A growing number of
agencies and programmes have adopted
human
rights-based
approaches
to
development cooperation. Human rights have
been incorporated into the analysis and
planning frameworks of UN country teams.
Increasingly, policies at the national level
which are sensitive to human rights have
been
adopted,
new operational
tools
developed, and stronger institutional linkages
established between the UN human rights
bodies and the Office of the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on
the one hand, and the operational UN
agencies on the other, under the frameworks
of the United Nations Development Group
(UNDG) and the Executive Committee on
Humanitarian Affairs (ECHA).
interactions between UN country teams
and UN human rights mechanisms such
as treaty monitoring bodies and factfinding missions of special rapporteurs and
independent experts of the Commission on
Human Rights. The ultimate aim of the
Action 2 programme is to ensure that the
rights of individuals are respected and
protected, through strengthened national
human rights protection systems.
Taken together, these conceptual, policy and
practical developments provide a firm
foundation for action where it matters most –
at the country level.
Already, many UN
country teams support national human rights
institutions and human rights education
activities. Further system-wide efforts are
needed, however, to build the capacity of
country teams and link their work with UN
human rights mechanisms. This is the focus
of the Action 2 programme, based on the
interagency plan of action adopted in
September 2003 by the heads of OHCHR and
UN agencies under UNDG and ECHA.
WHAT IS A NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
PROTECTION SYSTEM?
THE ESSENCE OF "ACTION 2"
Action 2 is a global programme designed to
strengthen the capacity of UN country
teams to support the efforts of Member
States, at their request, in strengthening
their national human rights promotion and
protection systems. In order to achieve
this, adequate national capacity, dedicated
resources and expertise are fundamental
prerequisites.
The Action 2 programme ensures that the
UN will be ready to respond to these
challenges by strengthening the capacity of
its country teams with practical tools,
training, advice, knowledge sharing and
seed funding for capacity building and pilot
programming. It also encourages closer
To ensure effective and sustainable human
rights protection at the national level, it is
crucial to have strong institutions that
operate independently and adhere to
international human rights standards.
Important
elements
of
protection system include:
a
national

Laws consistent with international
human rights standards.

Effective
functioning
of
courts,
judiciary and law enforcement as well
as
independent
human
rights
institutions or ombudsman.

Procedures for individuals to effectively
claim one’s rights.

Good governance and accountable
government institutions that promote
and protect human rights.

Democratic, open, transparent and
participatory decision making process.

Strong civil society, including a free
and independent media.
WHAT IS A HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED
APPROACH?
One of the ways to strengthen national
human rights protection systems is to
ensure that UN actions at country level are
grounded in human rights principles and
are guided by international norms and
standards. Development cooperation and
humanitarian operations should further the
realization of human rights, as outlined in
the treaties and conventions. The Action 2
programme will support UN country teams
in adopting a human rights based
approach, which seeks to strengthen the
capacity of 'duty-bearers' to meet their
obligations and of 'rights holders' to claim
their rights by promoting, inter alia:

Equality
and
non-discrimination
among all individuals in the enjoyment
of their human rights, with a special
focus on the disadvantaged and
marginalized members of society.

Participation and inclusion of every
person and all sectors of civil society in
the enjoyment of civil, cultural,
economic,
political
and
social
development in which human rights
and fundamental freedoms can be
realized.

Accountability and the rule of law
by supporting the capacity of States and
other duty bearers to develop laws,
regulations, policies and budgets that
comply with agreed standards and goals
and clearly stipulate the reciprocal
responsibilities of a State and its
citizens, as well as avenues for redress.
"ACTION 2"
“The promotion and
protection of human rights
is a bedrock requirement for
the realization of the
Charter’s vision of a just
and peaceful world.”
Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary-General
A joint initiative of the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) ,
the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), and the
Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs (ECHA).
Contact the Action 2 Secretariat at:
Office S-2914, United Nations
New York, N.Y. 10017
Phone (1-212) 963-5931
Fax (1-212) 963-4097
e-mail:infodesk@ohchr.org
Website: www.ohchr.org
Strengthening UN
Support for the
Promotion and
Protection of Human
Rights Worldwide