UN Commission on Human Rights

Established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Commission on Human Rights was slated to be abolished on 16 June 2006 with the conclusion of its sixty-second session and pursuant to General Assembly resolution A/RES/60/251 establishing the Human Rights Council. The Commission on Human Rights for decades was considered to be the central architect of the work of the United Nations in the field of human rights. Delegates from its 53 member States, together with those of observer States and non-governmental organizations, met in March/April of each year in regular sessions in Geneva, though special sessions were sometimes held at other times to deal with urgent and acute human rights situations. It was assisted in this work by the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, a number of working groups and a network of individual experts, representatives and special rapporteurs mandated to report to it on specific issues or countries. At its regular sessions, the Commission adopted resolutions, decisions and statements on matters of relevance to individuals in all regions and circumstances.  Website: www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/chr