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The mission of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is to protect and promote all human rights for all.

OHCHR is guided in its work by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent human rights instruments, and the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The promotion of universal ratification and implementation of human rights treaties is at the forefront of OHCHR activities.

OHCHR aims to ensure the practical implementation of universally recognized human rights norms. It is committed to strengthening the United Nations human rights programme and providing the United Nations treaty monitoring bodies and special mechanisms established by the Commission on Human Rights with the highest quality support.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the official with principal responsibility for United Nations human rights activities.  OHCHR is committed to working with other parts of the United Nations to integrate human rights standards throughout the work of the Organization.

OHCHR bases itself on the principle that human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.  All rights civil, cultural, economic, political and social - should be given equal emphasis, and promoted and protected without any discrimination. The realization and enjoyment of all rights for women and men must be ensured on a basis of equality.

OHCHR is committed to promoting the realization of the right to development and to strengthening a rights-based approach to development.

OHCHR engages in dialogue with governments on human rights issues with a view to enhancing national capacities in the field of human rights and towards improved respect for human rights; it provides advisory services and technical assistance when requested, and encourages governments to pursue the development of effective national institutions and procedures for the protection for human rights.

A number of OHCHR field presences have been established with a view to ensuring that international human rights standards are progressively implemented and realized at country level, both in law and practice. This is to be accomplished through the setting up or strengthening of national human rights capacities and national human rights institutions; the follow up to the recommendations of human rights treaty bodies and the mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights and the creation of a culture of human rights.

An essential condition for the success of field presences is that governments, national institutions, non-governmental organizations, as well as the United Nations country teams, are increasingly empowered to take on human rights related activities on their own, within the context of regional or sub-regional strategies.

 OHCHR seeks to play an active role in removing obstacles and meeting challenges to the full realization of all human rights and in preventing the occurrence or continuation of human rights abuses throughout the world. To achieve this OHCHR will work closely with governments, United Nations bodies, regional organizations, international and non-governmental organizations and civil society.

© The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Geneva, Switzerland   OHCHR-UNOG 8-14 Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Telephone Number (41-22) 917-9000
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