About the Information We Collect

1. What information does OHCHR process from you when you send a complaint or request?

Complaint-related information

OHCHR processes the information that you provide in the online submission form for complaints addressed to the Human Rights Council and the Treaty Bodies, and requests for Urgent Action addressed to the Committee on Enforced Disappearances any information that you may provide in relation to your complaint or request after the submission of your initial complaint.

The data processed by OHCHR may include personal data, i.e. data relating to identified or identifiable individuals, such as your name, gender, nationality, date of birth, ID document, email address, country, phone number, and address. OHCHR also processes information relating to alleged breaches of human rights of yourself or of the person(s) you represent. Such data is necessary to allow the relevant mechanism to consider your complaint of a human rights violation.

Technical information

When you authenticate to the complaint portal of OHCHR, an identification token is created and stored on your computer.

When you use the complaint portal, OHCHR and our third-party service providers collect information about you, such as Internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser used and the location. These will not specifically identify you but will be used for traffic analysis as well as prevention against fraud or attacks.

When you use the complaint portal, OHCHR and our third-party service providers may collect information about you and your device through automated means, such as web server logs.

OHCHR uses this information, for example, to ensure that the site functions properly, to determine how many users have visited certain pages, or to prevent fraud. OHCHR uses IP address information to derive your approximate location.

OHCHR processes your email address if you choose to provide it when filing a request for technical support. You may be contacted at this email address in relation to any such request.

2. How does OHCHR process the information you provide?

Processing of complaints and requests

OHCHR uses your information to provide support to the human rights mechanism that considers your complaint or request, for example by preparing case-related documents and correspondence, as well as to prepare reports on the activities of the relevant mechanisms.

OHCHR may also process complaint-related information in an aggregate form without identifiable information.

Communications

OHCHR may send emails to the email address or postal address you provided in relation to your complaint or request. In case you submitted a request for technical support and you provided an email address, OHCHR may reach out to you about the technical issue in relation to which you requested support.

Aggregate Data

OHCHR may aggregate complaint-related information collected through the site for statistical analysis and other purposes, including in research regarding human rights complaints. The results of such research may be published and shared with third parties.

3. How does OHCHR share your information?

OHCHR discloses the information contained in your complaint or request to third parties in the following circumstances:

• OHCHR may share the information contained in your complaint with the human rights mechanisms that you address in your complaint or request. In addition, OHCHR may share with the relevant human rights mechanism information provided by the third parties mentioned hereafter.
• OHCHR may share the information contained in your complaint with the State(s) against which your complaint or request is directed, in accordance with provisions provided for by the relevant treaty, optional protocol, or HRC Resolution 5/1 on Institution-Building of the United Nations Human Rights Council, depending on the procedure in question.
• OHCHR may publish final decisions in line with regulations of the applicable human rights mechanism. Authors of complaints may request anonymity for themselves and/or alleged victims in line with applicable procedures, meaning that relevant names are not included in the final decision.
• OHCHR may share the information contained in your complaint with other procedures of international investigation or settlement, such as regional human rights courts or other United Nations human rights mechanisms, for example in case OHCHR considers that your complaint would be more appropriately processed by another procedure supported by OHCHR or in order to support the relevant human rights mechanism with its assessment of the admissibility of your complaint or request.

Where OHCHR transfers your information, we take steps to ensure that your information is treated securely and the means of transfer provide adequate safeguards. You agree to us handling your information in the manner set out in this privacy statement and that the obligations imposed by privacy laws in other countries may be less stringent than the requirements established by the privacy laws in your country.