The special rapporteurs are beyond the UN’s control

In November 2006, the then Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, described the system of Special Rapporteurs as “the crown jewel of the UN human rights system”. The Human Rights Council has 59 special procedures mandates. These Special Rapporteurs are given a global platform from which to issue press releases bearing the UN’s seal and to publish UN reports. Special rapporteurs can influence public debate, shape discussions within the UN and mould the way in which governments, the media and civil society interpret a wide range of political issues and alleged human rights violations. Their reports are regarded as credible and authoritative by institutions such as criminal courts, governments, the media, universities and civil society organisations. But some of them, to quote UN Secretary-General Guterres in an interview with the Financial Times, “are completely out of control”. When asked about Israel’s claim that the UN as an institution is prejudicially hostile towards it, Guterres replied: “There are various bodies within the UN and I cannot speak for the UN as a whole because there are many UN bodies that are independent. We have independent rapporteurs, and we have many who are completely out of control, from the Secretariat’s point of view.” It is unclear whether he was referring to Francesca Albanese and Tlaleng Mofokeng, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, who told Prime Minister Netanyahu: “Fuck him”.

The Secretary-General’s term of office expires at the end of 2026. If he wishes to restore some credibility to ‘that thing’ – as General de Gaulle dismissed the United Nations – the next Secretary-General will have to bring some order to the ‘most precious jewel in the human rights system’, which today looks very much like cheap costume jewellery.