Human Rights Council-mandated Investigative Bodies
Investigative bodies mandated by the Human Rights Council have taken numerous forms since the Council was created in 2006, including fact-finding missions and commissions of inquiry. Most have been established to investigate alleged violations in specific countries. However, one – the Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement – is thematic in nature. A full list of current and past mandates can be found below.
| Mission | Active Dates | |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus | 4 April 2024 to present |
| 39 | Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan | 11 October 2023 to present |
| 38 | Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran | 24 November to present |
| 37 | Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua | 31 March 2022 to present |
| 36 | Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine | 4 March 2022 to present |
| 35 | International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia | 21 December 2021 to October 2023 |
| 34 | UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel | 27 May 2021 to present |
| 33 | OHCHR Examination of the Human Rights Situation in Belarus | March 2021 to April 2024 |
| 32 | Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya | 22 June 2020 to April 2023 |
| 31 | Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela | 24 September 2019 to present |
| 30 | Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar | 25 September 2018 to present |
| 29 | International team of experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo | 6 July 2018 to present |
| 28 | Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory | 18 May 2018 to March 2019 |
| 27 | Group of Eminent Experts on the situation of human rights in Yemen | 29 September 2017 to October 2021 |
| 26 | OHCHR Mission on the human rights situation in Burundi | 29 September 2017 to September 2018 |
| 25 | International team of experts on the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | 23 June 2017 to June 2018 |
| 24 | Independent international fact-finding mission on Myanmar | 24 March 2017 to October 2019 |
| 23 | Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Burundi | 30 September 2016 to October 2021 |
| 22 | Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan | 23 March 2016 to present |
| 21 | UN Independent Investigation on Burundi | 17 December 2015 to September 2016 |
| 20 | OHCHR Monitoring Mission on South Sudan | 2 July 2015 to March 2016 |
| 19 | OHCHR Investigation on Libya (HC Fact Finding Mission with UNSMIL) | 27 March 2015 to March 2016 |
| 18 | OHCHR Investigation Mission to Iraq (ISIL) | 1 September 2014 to March 2015 |
| 17 | UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict | 23 July 2014 to June 2015 |
| 16 | Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea | 27 June 2014 to June 2016 |
| 15 | OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka | 27 March 2014 to September 2015 |
| 14 | OHCHR Fact-finding Mission to the Central African Republic | 13 June 2013 to September 2013 |
| 13 | Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | 21 March 2013 to March 2014 |
| 12 | Independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem | 22 March 2012 to March 2013 |
| 11 | Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic | 23 August 2011 to present |
| 10 | OHCHR Fact-finding Mission to the Syrian Arab Republic | 29 April 2011 to September 2011 |
| 9 | International Independent Commission of Inquiry on Cote d’Ivoire | 25 March 2011 to June 2011 |
| 8 | International Commission of Inquiry on Libya | 25 February 2011 to March 2012 |
| 7 | International fact-finding mission to investigate violations of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, resulting from the Israeli attacks on the flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian assistance | 2 June 2010 to September 2010 |
| 6 | Committee of Independent Experts to Monitor and Assess any Domestic, Legal or Other Proceedings Undertaken by Both the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Side (follow up to Gaza FFM; see below) | 25 March 2010 to May 2011 |
| 5 | United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict | 12 January 2009 to September 2010 |
| 4 | High-Level Mission on the situation of human rights in Darfur | 13 December 2006 to 28 November 2007 |
| 3 | High-level Fact-finding Mission to Beit Hanoun (northern Gaza) | 15 November 2006 to September 2008 |
| 2 | Commission of Inquiry on Lebanon | 11 August 2006 to November 2006 |
| 1 | Fact-finding Mission on human rights situation on the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1967 | 6 July 2006 to (not implemented) |