Human Rights Adviser in Paraguay

Background

Following the Government’s request for an OHCHR presence in the country, a Human Rights Advisor (HRA) was deployed in September 2010. The Advisor’s main priority is strengthening capacities regarding the protection and defence of human rights.

This includes:

• the promotion of a human rights culture;
• raising awareness of international human rights standards and promoting the implementation of recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review and UN human rights treaty bodies;
• technical support for the establishment of human rights based public policies;
• capacity building on the prevention and investigation of torture;
• support to the judiciary on the fight against impunity; and
• support to human rights reporting and to accountability mechanisms.

The thematic priorities of the Human Rights Adviser are:

• widening the democratic space;
• the protection of human rights in development and in the economic sphere;
• countering discrimination;
• combating impunity, strengthening accountability and the rule of law; and
• strengthening the effectiveness of international human rights mechanisms and the progressive development on international human rights law.

Activities

The Human Rights Advisor works within the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) to promote international human rights standards as the basis for United Nations work and assists the UNCT in integrating human rights into programming.  The Advisor also assists in building the capacity of the UN Country Team, national authorities, and civil society with regards to human rights instruments and standards.