Author Description

5.7 Political labelling of the position -- 5.8 Problems of funding -- 5.9 Design fault in the appointment process -- 5.10 Utility of the position of the UN High Commissioner -- 5.11 Areas for reform -- 5.12 Conclusions -- 6 The UN Human Rights Special Rapporteurs and their effectiveness in protecting human rights -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 An outcome of accidental events -- 6.3 Current status of UN Special Rapporteurs -- 6.4 The UN approach to protecting human rights through UN Special Rapporteurs -- 6.4.1 Initial approach - no power to act -- 6.4.2 Shift in approach towards taking action -- 6.4.3 Taking a thematic approach -- 6.4.4 Special Rapporteurs as the public face of the UN human rights system -- 6.4.5 The scope of activities of the Special Rapporteurs -- 6.5 Effectiveness of Special Rapporteurs in protecting human rights -- 6.5.1 Independent actors -- 6.5.2 Flexibility -- 6.5.3 Utility of the interactive dialogues in the Human Rights Council -- 6.5.4 Lack of access to countries -- 6.5.5 Allegation of selectivity and the challenge of achieving balance -- 6.5.6 Changing roles of the Special Rapporteurs -- 6.5.7 Wider utility of the reports of Special Rapporteurs -- 6.5.8 Lack of meaningful powers to entertain individual petitions -- 6.6 Implementation of the recommendations of Special Rapporteurs -- 6.7 Impact of the work of Special Rapporteurs -- 6.8 Challenges ahead -- 6.9 Attempts to reform the system -- 6.10 Human rights treaty bodies and Special Rapporteurs -- 6.11 Conclusions -- 7 Effectiveness of other UN Charter-based bodies and agencies associated with the UN -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 The General Assembly -- 7.3 The Third Committee of the General Assembly -- 7.4 The Sixth Committee of the General Assembly -- 7.5 The Economic and Social Council -- 7.6 The role of the Security Council -- 7.7 The role of the Secretary General