William O’Neill appointed as a specialist on human rights in Haiti: UN HRC

Following a request from the UN Human Rights Council, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, designated William O’Neill as an authority on human rights in Haiti on Wednesday.

This is confiremned by the officicals of UN HRC.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights( UN HRC) appointed specialist:

On April 4, the Council passed a resolution requesting the appointment of an impartial rights expert for Haiti in light of growing concern over the deadly gang violence that has gripped the nation, endangering livelihoods, and driving half of the population into hunger. O’Neill’s appointment is for a one-year term that is renewable. 

About William O’Neill  –

O’Neill, a US citizen, is an attorney with experience in refugee, human rights, and humanitarian law with a focus on the establishment and upkeep of the rule of law in post-conflict settings.

He has served as the top human rights advisor to the UN Mission in Kosovo, as the commander of the UN Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda, and as the director of the legal section of the UN/OAS Mission in Haiti. He participated in the development of the School for Judges and assisted in the establishment of the Haitian National Police in 1995.

He also closely collaborated with Haitian human rights organizations to assist in the training of their human rights monitors. Additionally, he has contributed to prison, police, and justice system reform in Bosnia-Herzegovina, South Sudan, East Timor, Liberia, and Liberia.

The expert will be tasked with monitoring the evolution of the human rights situation in Haiti under resolution A/HRC/52/L.17/Rev.1, with the support of the Office of the High Commissioner and in cooperation with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). 

He will give particular consideration to the plight of children and cases of human trafficking while carrying out his duties, making sure to maintain a gender perspective. In order to support the Haitian government’s efforts to ensure the respect for, promotion of, and protection of human rights, he will also offer advice and technical assistance to national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, and the Haitian government.

In addition, the Resolution calls on OHCHR to support the Haitian government’s capacity-building efforts for the administration of prisons, security forces, and the judiciary in order to advance and protect human rights.

The work done by O’Neill will help the High Commissioner’s interim written report, which will be presented to the Human Rights Council at its 54th session, and its comprehensive report, which will be presented at its 55th session.