The thematic and country-focused special rapporteurs that are engaged by the UN Commission on Human Rights provide unique avenues for women's NGO's wanting to influence the development of women's human rights within the UN system. These guidelines are a resource for women's NGO's wanting to engage further with special rapporteurs, primarily by conducting consultations. While focused on the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, the guidelines are also useful for conducting consultations with other special rapporteurs.

The guidelines are structured to provide a brief overview of the role of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, the reasons for conducting consultations, its impact, as well as its limitations. The guidelines also provide an outline of some of the factors to consider when organising a consultation and conclude with other related strategies for engaging with UN special rapporteurs.

By drawing on APWLD's experiences of conducting such consultations it is hoped the lessons learnt that are captured I these guidelines will enable women’s groups to replicate the successful aspects of this strategy with other thematic mechanisms of the UN; and to facilitate women’s groups effective use of international human rights mechanisms.

Published: by APWLD, 2003
Cost: USD5.00 (not including postage for outside of Asia Pacific region)