Former secretary general of Amnesty International Irene Khan has been selected as the next United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Khan is the first woman to be appointed to this mandate in its 27 years of existence.
The United Nations Special Rapporteurs are independent investigators who examine the situation of human rights all over the globe. They report directly to the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly but do not receive any remuneration for their efforts to maintain their independence.
Khan will be taking up the position in August 2020, and will maintain it for three years.
She will be taking the responsibility of documenting violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
She will also be advising governments, advocating on behalf of those whose rights are affected, and mobilising international support for the cause.
Her responsibilities would also include mobilising international and national communities, including civil society, governments and international organisations, to address the human rights issues.
Khan was also the first woman to head Amnesty International. She had also served as the director-general of International Development Law Organisation, an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the promotion of rule of law.
