The UN Security Council first began targeting individuals for sanctions in 2000, but it has only reluctantly and incrementally begun to create institutional mechanisms that provide them with fundamental due process rights to challenge their designations, obtain a fair hearing, and receive effective remedy in the form of a delisting. A bilateral process was introduced in 2002, followed by the creation of the Focal Point Mechanism in 2006, and the Office of the Ombudsperson in 2009. The mandate of the Office of the Ombudsperson is limited to the cases of individuals designated by the UN Security Council’s Al-Qaida/ISIL Committee (the 1267 Committee). It has been a priority of the Swiss Government to enhance due process for individuals designated for sanctions by the Security Council, and the GGC team above has been mandated both to produce specialized reports, serve as consultants, and co-organize workshops with members of the UN Security Council in New York. We convened the first workshop in April 2022, and a second workshop is planned for 2024.

Timeline: 2021 - 2024 

Funding organizations: Swiss Government (EDA/FDFA) International Law Directorate 

Budget to date: 90’649 CHF