Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1957-1974 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
115 files.
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
As part of the Department of Social Affairs, the Division of Human Rights was headed by John Humphrey from 1946 to 1966. The Division was responsible in the Secretariat for the work of the Commission on Human Rights, which had been given a clear mandate by the Economic and Social Council to draft the international bill of rights. It was responsible as well for the Commission on the Status of Women, the Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination, the Sub-Commission on Freedom of Information and the Ad Hoc Commission on Questions of Prisoners of War.
In 1962, the Division was composed of 5 units manned by 49 staff members. Due to lack of office space, United Nations New York approached United Nations Office Geneva to explore the possibility of housing the Division in Geneva, to which UNOG expressed its willingness. In April, the Acting Secretary-General decided that it would not be advisable to move the Division to Geneva at that time. Eventually, the Division was relocated to Geneva in 1973 (ref G.IIA 5/36). From 06.1974 the Division of Human Rights was officially transferred from United Nations Headquarters to United Nations Office Geneva.
In 1982 the Division of Human Rights (DHR) became the Centre for Human Rights (CHR) and shortly thereafter (01.1983) the Head of the CHR was reclassified to the level of Under-Secretary-General. In 1987, the Secretary-General designated the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva as the head of the Centre for Human Rights. In 1992 the Assistant Secretary-General was appointed as head of the Centre, reporting directly to the Secretary-General.
In 1994 the first High Commissioner for Human Rights was appointed and in 1997 the Centre for Human Rights and the Office of the High Commissioner were consolidated into a single Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Repository
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Content and structure area
Scope and content
The human rights seminars organized under the programme of advisory services were designed to bring together people and governments to exchange ideas, experiences and knowledge gained in solving or attempting to solve problems of human rights. Under the terms of General Assembly resolution 926, the initiative for the organization of a seminar came from the interested government, with an indication of the preferred subject of the seminar. Subsequently, the Division of Human Rights organized the seminar, often working in concert with the permanent mission of the host government.
Generally, five or six substantive staff members from the Division attended and serviced human rights seminars. This team included a representative of the Secretary-General, who was available on a full time basis to deal with any political and public relations questions which arose as well as to give substantive direction to the work of the seminar. Another member of the team served as Secretary, traditionally advising the Chairman or discussion-leader in conducting meetings and acting as a liaison between writers of the draft report, the Rapporteur and the Chairman. The Secretary was also responsible for editing guidance to assure uniformity of style and reporting. The actual drafting of the various sections of the report was shared among the remaining three or four officers.
The records of this sub-series consist of the correspondence and reports related to seminars in human rights from 1957 to 1974.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
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Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Archive Employee
Restricted
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
- French
- Spanish
- zz
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Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Microfilm reference number: ARR 1157/Reels 63 - 71, 117-118
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Notes area
Note
Protection period to: 1994-12-31
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Archivist's note
Protection period duration: 20
Archivist's note
Protection period note:
Archivist's note
Permission:
Archivist's note
Physical usability: Without limits
Archivist's note
Term of protection: UN Restricted (20)