The Secretariat of the Human Rights Council is now accepting applications for the following additional vacancy:
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, member from Asia-Pacific States
(Human Rights Council resolution 51/8)
This unremunerated United Nations expert position established by the Human Rights Council is expected to be filled at the Council’s 59th session (16 June to 11 July 2025), with the appointment to be made at the end of that session. This additional vacancy has arisen due to a resignation of the current mandate holder. Individuals seeking appointment should have extensive recognized professional experience and expertise in the field of human rights, with an emphasis on the particular human rights issues to which the position relates.
The “special procedures” of the Human Rights Council are independent human rights experts with mandates to report and advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective. Special procedures are either an individual (called “Special Rapporteur” or “Independent Expert”) or a working group composed of five members, one from each of the five United Nations regional groups: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and the Western European and other group. These experts are appointed by and report to the Human Rights Council.
Candidates eligible for the vacancies in Working Groups are only nationals of States belonging to the specific regional groups for which specific vacancies have been advertised. For this position, only nationals of the States belonging to the Group of Asia-Pacific States are eligible to apply. Please refer to the list of the United Nations regional groups of Member States at https://www.un.org/dgacm/content/regional-groups
The work of independent mandate holders is unpaid. Those appointed as mandate holders serve in their personal capacities. They are not United Nations staff members, they are not based in United Nations offices in Geneva or at another United Nations location, and they do not receive salary or other financial compensation, except for travel expenses and daily subsistence allowance of “experts on mission”. Their specific functions are defined in the HRC resolutions creating or extending their mandate. Candidates must be available to perform effectively the functions of the mandate and to respond to its requirements, such as participating in Working Group and Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva, travelling on country missions, drafting reports according to established deadlines, organizing and participating in consultations and meetings, addressing allegations of human rights violations with all concerned, providing advice to States and other stakeholders on issues related to their mandate and engaging with a variety of stakeholders. Candidates should be able to dedicate an estimated time of four to six months per year to the work of a mandate depending on its workload.
WGAD website: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/wg-arbitrary-detention
How to apply
Deadline to receive complete applications: 30 April 2025 (12 noon Geneva time)
Early applications are encouraged.
All applicants must submit by the deadline, both:
(1) a short online survey (https://survey.ohchr.org/524173)
and
(2) a mandate-specific Word application form. Application instructions and forms available at https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/sp/hrc59
For information on how to prepare a complete application, please visit: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/sp/application-guidelines
For general information about the application and selection process, please visit: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/sp/nominations
Frequently asked questions: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/sp/basic-information-selection-independent-experts
In case of technical difficulties, the secretariat may be contacted by email at: ohchr-hrcspecialprocedures@un.org