FIACAT has enjoyed consultative status in the United Nations since 1989. In recognition of the strength of its network and the reliability and accuracy of its first-hand information, FIACAT cooperates closely and regularly with United Nations bodies working on Human rights issues, in particular with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

FIACAT participates in, and contributes to, sessions held by the Commission on Human Rights, an intergovernmental body in charge of promoting and protecting Human rights around the globe. In addition to participating in ordinary (three per year) and extraordinary Council sessions, FIACAT regularly works with the mechanisms for which the Council is responsible: the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and other special procedures.

• The most important one, the UPR, is a mechanism by which all United Nations member states every 4 and a half years examine to what extent they are each meeting their obligations and respecting their commitments.
• The special procedures comprise independent experts or groups of experts who are tasked with examining, supervising, advising and reporting on the Human rights situation in a particular geographic zone or on a given theme. Some of them deal with themes underpinning FIACAT's work: Special Rapporteur on Torture; the Working Group on Forced Disappearances; the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur for Extra-judicial Executions; and the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders.

FIACAT also works with the independent treaty bodies and independent expert committees who are responsible for monitoring that member states implement United Nations instruments on Human rights. Those of particular interest to FIACAT's mandate are: the Committee on Torture; the Sub-Committee for the Prevention of Torture; and the Human Rights Committee and the Committee on Forced Disappearances.

FIACAT also regularly works with those divisions liaising with local operations and those in charge of technical cooperation as well as the division for research and development rights.

Factsheets on UN mechanisms

• Human Rights Council
• Special Procedures
• Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
• Treaty Bodies
• Subcommitee on Prevention of Torture (SPT)

Testimony :

"Drawing up the alternative report … enabled us to gain a greater understanding of the mechanism underwhich the Human Rights Council examines the human rights situation in each United Nations member State. The advocacy in Geneva was the fruit of a collaboration between ACAT Togo and the FIACAT. We are delighted that a number of our recommendations have been taken up by the countries during this review."

Bruno Haden, ACAT Togo